#NORTHERN LIGHTS FAIRBANKS ALASKA HOW TO#
I suggest you have a look at the article on how to organize a trip in Alaska for more detailed information about transports. The alternative is to rent a car and take advantage of the road network that crosses the inner territories of the country. Alaska Railway convoys also allow you to enjoy spectacular views safely. The railroad connects Fairbanks with Anchorage, so the train is a great way to get to the city easily and directly. Most visitors, however, choose to reach Fairbanks by land. The subsequent discovery of gold in the surrounding area meant that the village, born by chance, became the current town. Having no alternative, he laid the foundation stone of the city where he was trapped: on the bank of the Chena River. The founding of the city dates back to 1901, when, in an attempt to lay the foundations of a commercial station on the great connecting route formed by the course of the Tenana River, E. Gold is why we have this important urban settlement in the middle of the Alaskan plains today. This intriguing atmospheric phenomenon is typical of freezing winter nights, but even in the warmer months it can make sense to travel here. One might think that a town of this size located in the least populated area of one of the least populated states in the world has little to offer to an outside visitor: well, that is not the case.įairbanks is one of the must-see destinations on a trip to Alaska! The main reason is probably that Fairbanks is the best location in the entire American continent to see the Northern Lights. Its importance, however, comes mainly from being the only town that can be defined as a city in the north-central part of the state.
If your primary objective is to view the Northern Lights, you can travel straight to Fairbanks and likely achieve your goal within a few days.Despite having just over 30 thousand inhabitants, Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska. Combine Regions for the Northern Lights and More How to get there: Fly into Juneau International Airport (JNU). But, for a chance to see auroras shining above the Mendenhall Glacier, make your way to the North Douglas boat ramp.
How to watch: If skies are clear enough for Northern Lights viewing, Tetley recommends a visit to Savikko Park (Sandy Beach) to frame your photos with the historic pumphouse and a mountainous backdrop. For lodging, stay in the heart of Juneau at Silverbow Inn and enjoy views of the night sky from a rooftop hot tub, or consider setting up camp along the shores of Mendenhall Lake in Tongass National Forest, just 13 miles away from downtown. But there’s still a chance of spotting those dancing lights if you’re visiting Alaska’s capital for glacier touring or whale-watching in late summer and early fall. “While we can see the aurora, being a rainforest we tend to have a lot of cloud coverage preventing us from seeing much of anything at night,” says Kara Tetley, a spokesperson for Travel Juneau. It might be hard to imagine glaciers, rainforest, and majestic fjords existing in the same landscape, but that’s exactly what covers much of Alaska’s breathtaking Southeast region-along with an average of 230 days of annual precipitation. Alternatively, you can travel via car (and a ferry) along the Alaska Marine Highway from Homer-a quick 45-minute flight from Anchorage-but you’ll need to allow about nine hours to Kodiak, or approximately three days to reach Unalaska. How to get there: Fly into Anchorage and connect by air to Kodiak Island or Unalaska. How to watch: Your best bet is to be outside during the late evening hours on a clear night. The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks monitors and forecasts aurora activity, and their map over Alaska clearly shows the Auroral Oval sweeping across Utqiagvik. Like the Interior, Alaska’s Arctic offers incredible opportunities for spotting the Northern Lights simply by going outside after dark. Located above the Arctic Circle, visiting Utqiagvik is an opportunity to learn about the culture of the indigenous Iñupiaq, who make up a majority of Utqiagvik and operate the Iñupiaq Heritage Center in the town.Īs you might have guessed, this remote area won’t offer the dining and entertainment options of larger cities, but the Far North is a must for aurora-chasers seeking a special adventure. Or, journey to the northernmost town in the United States and stay in Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow). A coastal town located alongside the Bering Sea, Nome offers a rich history-quite literally, as a former Gold Rush town-and incredible scenery. The Alaskan Arctic is remote, but it’s worth a trek to experience the sprawling tundras, striking seascapes, and Brooks Range mountains. The Northern Lights can be seen over Nome, a former Gold Rush town.
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