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A lot of people just pass through Fairbanks on their way in or out of Alaska, and to or from Denali National Park. Fairbanks is also a very popular winter destination, when the skies are lit up with the stunning aurora borealis.
But what about visiting Fairbanks in summer? Is it worth it?
You might be surprised to learn that Fairbanks actually has a lot to offer the summer visitor! With its almost endless daylight and some pretty quirky attractions, you can easily entertain yourself in and around downtown Fairbanks for a few fun days.
Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a history and culture buff, or someone who simply enjoys soaking in beautiful scenery, Fairbanks has something to offer. You’ll find great outdoor activities, meaningful monuments, and well-curated displays on history and culture.
Just know that you will be pretty limited in what you can do if you don’t have a car, so make a plan to rent one (yes, I know it’s pricey, but it’s worth it).
Fairbanks Fun Facts
First let’s get to know a few facts and a super brief history of Fairbanks—it will help you better appreciate the sights.
Fairbanks is now the second largest city in the state (after Anchorage), with a population of around 32,000.
Fairbanks is named after Charles Fairbanks, who was a Republican senator from Indiana and, more notably, vice president during Theodore Roosevelt’s second term. I don’t believe he ever set foot in Alaska, but he did serve on a commission to settle the Alaska boundary dispute between the US and the UK.
Fairbanks History
Fairbanks brands itself as the “Golden Heart of Alaska”. Fairbanks began as a small trading post in the early 1900s, and quickly became popular when gold was discovered in the area. Cue the Fairbanks Gold Rush! Since then, the city has grown to meet the evolving needs of the gold, oil, and military industries.
Before the 1900s, of course, this area along the Chena (pronounced CHEE-nah) River in the Tanana Valley was long inhabited by the Dena people (formerly called Tanana, also commonly referred to as Koyukon Athabascans). They lived in harmony with the land, hunting and fishing for survival.
Fairbanks Weather in Summer
We visited Fairbanks in early June, and it was surprisingly warm, hovering in the mid-80s F (27C). But weather in Alaska is wildly unpredictable, and I think we got lucky.
The hottest months of the year are typically June and July, with average temperatures around 70°F (21°C)—and it’s a dry heat.
Come prepared for any weather, though, as it could get as low as 40°F (5°C) and as high as 90°F (32°C) in summer. Welcome to Alaska!
Aurora Borealis in Fairbanks
That lovely summer heat is thanks to the almost 24 hours of daylight that Fairbanks experiences mid-May through mid-July. Sadly, though, that means no aurora borealis for you in summer! The sky never really gets dark enough in Fairbanks this time of year for any northern lights to be visible.
You’ll just have to plan a winter trip! Fairbanks is legendary for aurora borealis sightings in the cold winter months.
Now let’s explore all the fun summer activities!
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Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center
Your first stop in downtown Fairbanks should be the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. This sleek modern building on the banks of the Chena River provides a great introduction to the area and all it has to offer.
They’ve got maps and all the activity pamphlets you could ever need. They also have plenty of friendly volunteers eager to answer your questions and point you to the information you need.
It’s definitely worth taking a spin through their exhibit on the history and culture of Fairbanks. Depending on how much of a reader you are, it probably takes about half an hour to an hour.
They have lots of artifacts and dioramas that provide an overview of life in this part of Alaska. There are sections on native culture and language, the history of white settlement in the area, as well as descriptions of local industry and nature.
In the Center’s theater they show a variety of documentary films about local attractions and nature. For example, they’ve had films about the aurora, and Gates of the Arctic.
They also have nice clean bathrooms! Oh – and it’s free!
The Center is open year-round, generally from 8am to 5pm (6pm in summer).
And don’t forget the 1910 Gould Cabin out front…just how it was back in the gold rush days. It’s still its original location.
Antler Arch
Just outside the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, you’ll spot the famous Antler Arch.
The arch was made by local Fairbanks artist Sandy Jamieson. He constructed the arch in 2010 with over 100 moose and caribou antlers collected from around interior Alaska, attached to a curved steel beam.
The arch has become a local icon. It’s a popular photo spot any time of year. Check out the live Antler Arch webcam, so you can see if anyone is out there taking their picture right now!
Lend-Lease Monument
Since we are doing monuments, follow the walking trail from the Antler Arch west along the Chena River towards downtown, and you will come across the Lend-Lease Monument.
This monument celebrates the obscure history of the Lend-Lease Act of 1941. According to the plaque, between 1942 and 1945 “pilots flew the Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Airway to deliver nearly 8,000 warplanes halfway around the world, traversing more than 12 time zones from Great Falls, Montana to the Russian warfronts.”
Ladd Field (now Fort Wainwright) just outside of Fairbanks was the midway transfer point. American pilots flew the plans from Montana to this point, and the Soviet pilots picked them up and flew them to the USSR.
Cool stuff, right?!
Golden Heart Plaza
Continue on the walking trail towards downtown, and you will find yourself at Golden Heart Plaza.
You know it’s a good spot because the American Planning Association listed it under its Great Places in America: Public Spaces in 2016.
The plaza is on prime real estate by the Chena River, at the literal place where E.T. Barnette was grounded in shallow water, pulled up his riverboat to shore, and started up a trading post that would become the city of Fairbanks. There’s a plaque! (But howww do they know this is the spot?)
Golden Heart Plaza is also at the center of Fairbanks’ riverwalk system—you can go 2.5 miles in either direction on paved trails.
Even in summer, the Golden Heart Plaza will give you chills. That’s because Malcolm Alexander’s “Unknown First Family” is bundled up for a harsh winter in this large bronze sculpture.The artist designed this 18-foot tall statue/fountain to portray “the family of all mankind, the family of Fairbanks, and the nuclear family […] for families present and future, the pride and dignity of this great land.”
Wander around the statue/fountain and read the copious and *very detailed* plaques if you want a crash course in Fairbanks history.
Locals gather here on various occasions throughout the year for festivals and outdoor concerts. If you hit the timing right, it’s a great spot to enjoy Fairbanks’ Midnight Sun Festival on, you guessed it, around June 21 any given year.
On any other summer day, it’s a great spot to sit on a bench, soak in the sun and watch the river flow by.
Yukon Quest Alaska Headquarters and Gift Shop
You’ve heard of the Iditarod, but did you know there is an even more grueling dog sled race in Alaska? It’s the Yukon Quest!
I learned all about this amazing race I had never heard of at the Yukon Quest Alaska Headquarters and Gift Shop in Fairbanks.
This dog sled race typically runs between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada). They switch directions every year, just to change it up!
The route has been in a bit of flux in the last few years since COVID, so the Yukon Quest hasn’t necessarily been longer than the Iditarod, but it’s generally considered a lot harder. It takes place early in the year, so it’s colder and darker. And it also goes through more rugged and remote terrain.
Mushers guide teams of six to fourteen amazing dogs through ten to twenty adrenaline-filled days of gliding over frozen rivers and through mountain ranges.
Even if you aren’t planning to sign up for a 1,000-mile sled dog race, it’s worth your time to step into the Yukon Quest Alaska Headquarters and learn all about it.
Staff at the HQ—many of whom are mushers themselves—will be delighted to share facts and stories about this incredible race. They also have a few actual sleds and gear used by mushers on display.
It’s free to enter the Yukon Quest HQ. But that doesn’t mean you won’t leave with a few mushy souvenirs! They’ve got t-shirts, local art, and enough dog-themed souvenirs to outfit a sled.
Fairbanks Ice Museum
The Fairbanks Ice Museum is housed in an old movie theater in downtown Fairbanks. It’s a funny little place, with old-timey Alaska charm, and it’s worth a stop if you enjoy quirky attractions.
There are two main activities at the Ice Museum: the Ice Museum itself, and the Aurora show.
The ice museum is fun and interactive. There is an ice slide right at the entrance—you can slide down as many times as you want!
Then wander around the various creatures frozen in action. You climb on some of them, sit in the ice throne, and admire the incredible clear ice on the polar bear.
Some of the sculptures are starting to lose their shape a little (I mean, don’t we all…).
If you time it right (usually on the hour), you can watch local ice sculptor An, Zhe wield a chainsaw (behind protective plexiglass) to make some quick ice art.
The Aurora Show is the culmination of years of work by local photographer Roy Zimmerman. He was the first person to capture the auroras in panorama, stitching three horizontal 35mm shots together (starting in the 1960’s). He then created a “photo symphony” of these still images set to classical music.
It’s not for people with short attention spans. But if you haven’t seen the aurora borealis yet, this is the next best thing!
If you do want to see the film, make sure to time your visit to catch one of the two showings per day. You can also see the film and visit the ice museum on different days, even with the combo ticket.
You can buy tickets for the Ice Museum or Aurora Show separately, or get a combo ticket. As of Summer 2025, for adults the film is $10, the ice sculptures are $15, and the combo ticket is $22. It does seem a little pricy for what is on offer but, hey, it’s Alaska—everything costs a lot here.
Don’t forget to bring a jacket and bundle up—they keep it cold enough to remind you which city you’re in.
Big Ray’s Outdoor supply shop
So…an everyday outdoor clothing and supply shop is probably not on everyone’s must-visit list, but Big Ray’s is amazing! (It’s right across the street from the Fairbanks Ice Museum.)
Mostly, I love that it gives you a glimpse into the gear you need for everyday living just below the Arctic Circle. They have an amazing selection of toasty warm boots and socks. And all manner of warm clothes.
Don’t forget to check out the upstairs!
Ask the staff for local tips—they know which gloves last forever and which parkas look good enough for a night out.
Pick up local brand souvenirs, or just enjoy pretending you’re preparing for a three-month camping trip.
Fairbanks Community Museum
Tucked on the second floor of the Co-Op Plaza, the Fairbanks Community Museum is a classic, old-school museum: creaky floors, walls covered in black-and-white photos, and displays ranging from gold pans to WWII relics.
You can just pop in for a few minutes to scan the artifacts. Or you could spend hours reading everything. They have highlight on big historic moments in Fairbanks: the pipeline boom, gold rush fever, epic floods, and the city’s journey through the decades.
Ask questions. The volunteers know the history inside and out, and they love to swap stories.
There’s no set admission fee, but they suggest a $2 donation.
Museum of the North
If there is one museum you HAVE to visit in Fairbanks, it is the Museum of the North.
The Museum of the North sits up on a hill on the University of Alaska-Fairbanks campus in a shiny modern building. This gleaming white building juts out from the hillside, like a glacier shelf, white against a bright blue summer sky. You can’t miss it.
The museum offers a crash course in everything to do with Alaskan wildlife, native cultures, European settlers, and the state’s unique geology and history. They also have a few movies on rotation in the auditorium.
The ground floor of the museum is loaded with artifacts and information about local animals, birds, and sea creatures. They weave in stories about how humans have also been part of the landscape over time.
They have a lot of stuffed animals (real ones), including a massive brown bear. That’s as close as I want to get to a real bear. But the museum’s centerpiece is a 36,000-year-old frozen bison, which is one of the oldest preserved mammals ever unearthed.
And they have art! You can easily spend many hours here (and you should plan to).
The upper floor highlights a wide range of Alaska art, old and new, Native and non-Native. There are some really beautiful pieces that will make you think.
And, finally, don’t skip the fabulous gift shop, with amazing Alaska souvenirs for every taste and budget.
Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park celebrates the heritage of Fairbanks and is probably the most family-friendly attraction in town. I’m surprised how few Fairbanks guides mention it, especially since it was one of the highlights of my visit!
Pioneer Park is a history-themed park set up like a gold rush town, with old mining cabins and historic homes from the gold rush days. It’s free to get in and wander around, but there are quite a few mini-museums within the park with nominal entrance fees (or suggested donations).
Some of my favorites were:
- Harding railroad car, which President Harding rode in 1923 on his way to drive the golden spike
- Tanana Railway Museum, where you can watch them restoring old steam locomotives and even take a ride around the park on one!
- Wickersham House Museum, the first house in Fairbanks built with milled lumber
The park is open year-round, but a lot of the museums and activities are only open between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Pioneer Park is pretty spread out (it covers 44 acres!), so prepare to get your steps in! In fact, wandering around Pioneer Park is a great way to work up an appetite for the Great Alaska Salmon Bake, right next door.
Alaska Salmon Bake
Alaska and salmon go together like peanut butter and jelly. So when in Fairbanks, you’ve got to check out the Alaska Salmon Bake.
A salmon bake isn’t just a meal—it’s an event. And at the Alaska Salmon Bake, the atmosphere is part of the charm. Giant spruce trees surround the picnic-style seating, and there’s often live music to set the tone.
Typically held outdoors, this traditional gathering serves up freshly caught salmon cooked over an open flame. Don’t like salmon? Fear not! They also have prime rib, some hearty sides, and a salad bar to round out the menu.
Make sure to get there early (it opens at 5pm) before the tour buses roll through.
Don’t tell anyone, but I actually found the salmon to be a little dry…but I still really enjoyed the whole experience and would go back if I ever end up in Fairbanks again!
Kayak, Canoe, or SUP on the Chena River
There’s no better way to enjoy the Chena River than to go for a float on a canoe or kayak.
Canoe Alaska is located right in town and offers a few different tours options on canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. The tour means they basically rent you the equipment and arrange to pick you up at a designated spot down the river. So, it’s probably not ideal for beginners. But contact them about getting a lesson!
If you are willing to go a little further south of town, Alaska Dream Adventures offers canoe, kayak, or paddleboard for a reasonable fee in the Tanana Lakes area. They also have a location even further out at the Chena Lake Recreation Area. They also offer lessons for paddlers of any level.
Distillery Tour
Quite a few distilleries have popped up in the Fairbanks area. If you are into sampling the local sips, give one (or more) of these a try. Just note that local laws limit you to two 1.5oz drinks per day at each distillery (probably a good idea).
Fairbanks Distilling Company in right in town. They have set up shop in the historic Old City Hall building. Stop by their tasting room for a free sample of their specialty vodka and rum, or enjoy a craft cocktail.
Hoarfrost Distilling is on the southern edge of town. They specialize in vodka made from Alaska barley and pure Alaska water, packaged with the most beautiful labels. They also make local berry and other flavored liqueurs.
Sip a vodka cocktail or enjoy a flight of tasters.
Ursa Major Distilling is due west of Fairbanks and the furthest from downtown. They have the widest variety of spirits, offering small-batch aquavit, rum, vodka, gin, barrel-aged rum & canned cocktails. Do a tasting or order a tasty cocktail.
In summer Ursa Major has a nice outdoor seating area with a food truck. Book ahead if you want a distillery tour.
If you are a master packer, grab a bottle or two to take home from any of these distilleries as a unique souvenir!
Other Attractions (I didn’t have time to visit)
We spent a few days in Fairbanks and we didn’t have time to see everything we wanted to see. Here are a few other attractions that I have heard great things about and would like to visit next time I am in Fairbanks.
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
If you like old cars, put the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum at the top of your list for your visit to Fairbanks. This amazing museum has over 95 pre-World War II automobiles, almost all of them in working condition! They also have an impressive collection of vintage clothing, and a display of photographs illustrating the story of our automotive evolution.
You can visit on your own or take a guided tour with a docent.
Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
Just up the road from the Auto Museum is Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, a non-profit dedicated to environmental stewardship and lifelong learning about the refuge.
Its 2,200 acres of fields, woods, and wetlands are a hotspot for birdwatching. Start at the visitor center, then wander the miles of walking trails open to the public where you can spot waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds.
They offer free guided nature walks on a few select days of the week during the summer. Bring mosquito protection in summer!
Riverboat Discovery
Hop aboard the Riverboat Discovery to explore Alaska’s history, indigenous culture, and the stunning natural beauty of the region. They offer 3-hour tours where you get to experience the beauty of the river. You’ll also get to see a bush plane taking off (if weather is cooperating), visit some champion sled dogs, and learn about Athabascan culture on a tour of Chena Village. They also offer food and drink on board.
Tours are offered twice a day in summer. As of summer 2025, prices range from $55 for children to $95 for adults. Tours are also ADA accessible. They recommend booking ahead.
Gold Dredge 8
Try your luck at striking it rich at Gold Dredge 8, where you can learn about Fairbanks’ gold rush history, ride the Tanana Valley Railroad, and pan for real gold.
This dredge is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and the site is a U.S. Historic District. It operated from 1928 to 1959 and extracted millions of ounces of gold from the frozen ground.
Visit the Mining Museum on site to learn everything you ever wanted to know about gold mining.
Tours are offered twice a day in summer. As of summer 2025, prices range from $37 for children to $57 for adults. Tours are also ADA accessible. They recommend booking ahead.
Gold Dredge 8 is operated by the same family as Riverboat Discovery (you can do both activities in one day).
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot more to do in Fairbanks than people think! Yes, even in summer—maybe especially in summer. This northern city offers some unique experiences that will give you a feel for Alaska’s rich culture, history, and natural beauty.
I’m sure I haven’t even listed everything in this post! There’s no shortage of fun summer activities to keep you busy for more than a few days!
So, head to Fairbanks and rent a car to take in the beauty of the midnight sun, explore Alaska’s native heritage, modern history, and of course, enjoy some local food and drink!
And when you are done exploring Fairbanks, head out to Chena Hot Springs to soak under the summer sun!
