This Alaskan City Is a Prime Northern Lights Destination — How to Visit

Fairbanks is among the greatest locations on the planet to see the northern lights.

Whereas most guests to Alaska head to the scenic southern coast, there’s one inside vacation spot that pulls its justifiable share of holiday makers: Fairbanks. With a inhabitants of about 33,000 folks, it is Alaska’s second-largest metropolis, simply narrowly beating out Juneau by a couple of hundred residents as of the 2020 census. Fairbanks has some fairly intense temperature swings all year long — summer season highs are within the 70s, whereas winter lows are beneath zero — however it’s nonetheless a year-round vacation spot for vacationers. In the summertime, there’s climbing, farmers’ markets, and festivals. And within the winter, there are the northern lights. Want we are saying extra? In the event you’re taken with making the trek north, here is what it is advisable to learn about visiting Fairbanks, Alaska.

Learn how to See the Northern Lights in Fairbanks

The northern lights are undoubtedly the most important attraction in Fairbanks, because the vacation spot is taken into account among the best on the planet to see the atmospheric phenomenon. (In reality, the Geophysical Institute, which gives among the best aurora forecast providers, is positioned on the College of Alaska Fairbanks.) Throughout aurora season, which runs from August 21 via April 21, the northern lights present up 4 out of 5 nights on common, sometimes between 10 a.m. and a pair of a.m. — however that does not imply you are assured to see them. You continue to want clear skies to see the aurora borealis, which implies that you need to keep for at the least a couple of nights or perhaps a week to maximise your probabilities. The lights are so prevalent right here due to town’s northern location, proper close to the place the place the northern lights mostly seem: the Auroral Oval, a hoop circling the Earth at a latitude of roughly 65 to 70 levels north.

Although Fairbanks is a small metropolis, it nonetheless suffers from gentle air pollution, so the very best northern lights viewing is finished outdoors town. When you can drive your self into extra distant areas, you can even take a northern lights tour, which could even embrace actions like a soak at Chena Scorching Springs and a go to to the Aurora Ice Museum, or adventures like snowmobiling and ice fishing. However even if you happen to’re on the town, you continue to may see the aurora. Many lodges in Fairbanks supply a northern lights wake-up name, so if you happen to flip in for the evening earlier than the aurora exhibits up, they will name your room telephone to make sure you’ll see them.

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Issues to Do in Fairbanks

Past the northern lights, Fairbanks is understood for its museums, such because the Fountainhead Vintage Auto Museum, the Morris Thompson Cultural & Guests Middle, and the College of Alaska Museum of the North. In the summertime, when Fairbanks experiences the midnight solar (when the sky stays gentle all evening lengthy), there are many festivals and festivals, together with the favored Midnight Solar Pageant, which sees 30,000 folks collect for 12 hours of reside music, procuring, and good eats. Fairbanks additionally serves as jumping-off level for excursions into Denali Nationwide Park or the arctic, whether or not on day journeys or multi-day adventures.

Motels in Fairbanks

Most lodges in Fairbanks are price range to mid-tier chains belonging to the foremost hospitality teams, like Marriott, Hilton, Wyndham, Hyatt, and IHG. However there are additionally a couple of unbiased lodges, inns, and hostels within the coronary heart of city, comparable to Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, Alaska Heritage Home, and Billie’s Backpackers Hostel. For prime northern lights viewing, head outdoors of city to extra distant lodging, like A Style of Alaska Lodge, Alaska Grizzly Lodge, and Chena Scorching Springs Resort. Make sure you ebook nicely upfront of your go to if you happen to’re heading to Fairbanks for northern lights season.

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