Travel Answers

Fairbanks

My husband and I will be ending a cruisetour in Fairbanks and will leave the next day for a 3-day Arctic Ocean tour. The day after our return, we will fly back home. We do not want to pay for a hotel room just to store our luggage for two days. Does anyone know of a place where we can store luggage for a reasonable price?

I will be in Fairbanks in the first week of April and would like to go to Chena Hot Springs. How's the road condition? Is it feasible to drive a rental car (ecnomy style) there? Thanks in advance.

I will be in Fairbanks in middle of February looking for the lights. I was under the impression that this year would the a high season in the cycle. Have the sightings been better this year then in the past?

Planning to stay at the Aurora Borealis Inn from 2/25-3/1. Need a place to stay near Fairbanks for the Ice Art Festival from 3/2-8. Would appreciate any recommendations (prefer small hotel or bed and breakfast.

I am disembarking a cruise in Seward on Aug. 31st and have 3 nights to spend in Alaska before heading home. I was thinking about heading up to Fairbanks for 2 nights over Labor Day weekend to try and catch the Northern Lights. But from what I've read, it sounds like my chances are "slim" of seeing them, right? Fairbanks is quite a trek from Seward so would it make more sense for me to see more of the Kenai Peninsula or go to Denali given the limited time I have? Fairbanks sounds like a lovely place but I think I'd be really disappointed if I head up there and didn't see the Northern Lights. Maybe I should come back during the winter to increase my chances? Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Hi all, Heading to Fairbanks in September as part of a Princess cruise. We'll be coming in a day early and would like to eat at the Pumphouse for dinner. It looks fantastic! Does anyone have any idea what the taxi fare from the Princess Lodge hotel to the Pumphouse would be? Thanks! Ryan

My son is living in Fairbanks and I'd like to purchase a gift voucher for a store in Fairbanks, probably a department store or men's clothing, to send rather than presents. Can anyone suggest a store that I might be able to contact & arrange a gift voucher over the net? Or even an internet gaming store. Thanks, Susan

I am trying to contact Aurora Borealis Lodge but having no luck, Does anyone know if they are still open? Closed for the season or what? Also Chena Resort comes across as an expensive place to stay but other than the two places I've mentioned is there another good/great viewing option outside of town? I have also looked into renting a car and staying in town at Best Western Chena River and just driving out of town each night I'm there. I read Ester (?) Hill is a good viewing site...any others I might want to consider? Thanks in advance for your help. Doug

There are several RV-Parks in Fairbanks and Anchorage. Can somebody recommend a special campground (also over all Alaska)? Thanks

I will be going to Fairbanks late February, early March of '09. I know it will be really cold. I plan to buy the proper attire needed, but I am not sure what all I will need. I have heard the temps will be -30's. Is this correct? Any suggestions on how to dress for day and night? Also, I plan to stay at Chena Hot Springs Resort to try and catch the Northern Lights. Any other suggestions of "must see's" in the area?

We are planning a trip to Fairbanks to view the Aurora. This has been a long-time wish for my wife, and we want it to be memorable, if possible. We are focusing on the new moon phase in February or March next year. I have looked at the Bettles Lodge web site and was interested in any comments someone might have about that location, or others, that would give us the best viewing opportunity. We have reviewed the Fairbanks/Alaska brochures, but we would also like your first-hand opinion on events in the Fairbanks area that time of year. Should we try to visit Anchorage, for example? We are thinking about staying for ten days to two weeks. Thanks for your help!

Am flying into Anchorage tomorrow night and was planning on heading north to Fairbanks. Am very concerned about all of the wildfires. Any advice would certainly be greatly appreciated. Thanks all. Linda

Museum web site needs to post an actual address so you can get driving directions from mapquest. The PO Box does not help me any. Suggest to put mailing address and location of museum on web page

My daughter will be in Juneau on April 1. I'm thinking of flying my wife to Fairbanks(not permanantly)and having my daughter fly from Juneau to meet her. Both have never been to Alaska before, and will have 5 days to sightsee. First, is Fairbanks best "home base" for their excursions? Second, they are not interested in "Indian" things, but "nature". My daughter is a ecological biologist. They want to see mountains and wildlife. Suggestions for itineraries are welcome. Any part of Denali open in April? Thanks for your responses.

hey there, a friend and I are planning a visit to fairbanks, and we'll be there in summer. (actually early may to late august) how cold is it in summer?

Hi I am in Alaska next year, but on June 21 & June 22 I will be in Fairbanks. I have bee looking for a tour "Artic Circle Tours" most of them leave at 06:30am arriving back at around midnight, (arriving back is not the problem) its the departure time, I am looking for something that leaves mid afternoon drive. OR Fly up and drive back, leaving mid afternoon. Would it be possible for to drive ourselves up and back? But idealy we would like a tour. Any help or ideas please. John Robert McNally (John Mac) Monday September 4, 2006 @ 19:35 hrs GMT

Can the northern lights be seen in July? ..advise on how to see. Will be in Fairbanks July 15.

Hi, I am based in Fairbanks for the next two months, if anyone is traveling and needs an extra person to reduce costs or just to travel with I am open to meeting you. I am especially interested in visiting/bakcpacking in the Artic refuge and Denali. I would love to go on a fishing expedition, backpacking or any other exciting outdoor journey that you can find in AK.

Hi ! I will be arriving in Fairbanks on march 17th to try to see the northern lights. If I choose a downtown hotel, how easy is it to get to the university campus to watch the show ? Are buses available or taxis are the only way to get to it at that time ? In the case taxi is the only option what would be the approximate fare ? Do you have any suggestion of hotel/hostel within walking distance of the campus ? I thank you all in advance. Marcos

hi Myself and 2 friends are arriving in Fairbanks airport at lunchtime and we are staying in the Tanana Valley, so we wanted to go into town first, wander around, grab some evening dinner etc before heading out to Grandview B&B for the night. Thing is we want to store our luggage somewhere so we don't have to drag it around with us all day - I couldn't find anything at the bus depot and we didn't really want to head back out to the airport. Is there anywhere in town we can store it for about 5-6-7 hours?!?! Has anyone got any suggestions? or will it be easier to go from airport to our B&B (they will pick us up from the airport or somewhere in town - we just got to tell them) and then get a taxi into town and back again (which doesn't bother us - just looking for the most effective way of doing this). Thanks in advance Tam

opinions wanted on Ranch Motel vs Best Western. Ranch has great weekly rate but no postings on traveller's reviews... My desire is to see the Northern Lights. For daytime activities looks like I will take in the Gold Run sledding, an ice hockey game, U of Alaska, Ice sculpting... I haven't a clue how to drive in snow/ice/freeze so plan to make use of public transportation. My concept of cold is august in San Francisco, so, what might be a good idea in terms of sitting/standing around in the dead of night, looking for auroras and "being warm enough" while doing so? Also, considering a side-trip to the arctic... Like overnight?

I would like to find a low cost, maybe last-minute, round trip from fairbanks to Point Barrow for 1-2 days. Where can I find low cost, maybe last-minute, air tickets? (office / hut / desk, dealing with low cost /last-minute air tickets) where can I find it? Thanks!!!

I see a lot of jobs available in Fairbanks (esp. in hospitals where I'd like to work). But what about housings? What are the costs & availabilities of efficiencies & 1-bdrm apts?

Hi, Myself and 2 friends will be heading to Fairbanks March 2006 to see the Northern Lights. Yes I know it will be very cold, we are prepared for that. Hence the reason we are only staying 3 days in Fairbanks - hopefully we will get at least one nights viewing. The question I have is whether we should go and do a night tour to see the lights, or find (from a local) the best location to see them. I am not really sure what is the best option. We wont have a car (we will be flying into Fairbanks) so we need to be able to easily get around (I guess). Any assistance or helpful hints anyone can provide would be GREATLY appreciated. Also I need to find a good place to stay for the 3 of us. Nice and warm - yet not 5 star hotel prices. I guess cheap as you can get but nice - we will be on a budget which we have to start saving for now. Thanks in advance. Tam

we are traveling to Faribanks next week. Where is smoke coming from? thanks

I am starting to plan a trip to Fairbanks for this winter. I want to see the aurora, and photograph them. My question is when is the best time to travel to Fairbanks for aurora watching? I'm planning a 6 day stay, what’s the odd that I will even see them? I also need some local help in finding a good place to stay. They all look good on the net, but experience has taut me that what you see in the brochures is not what you see when you get there. I would love to make a local contact, some one to show me around a little one day that I'm there. Thanks ..... Joe

My husband and I and our friends are going to Fairbanks in June for 5 days. Leaving on cruise for 7 days and then ending in Vancouver BC for 2 days. Can anyone give us any tips on the must see's in both of these places? What will the weather be like this time of year? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I'll be working in Fairbanks this summer (from mid-June to mid-August). Does anyone know of sublets, rentals or rooms available for that time period -- I've tried online searches through rental offices, but it's tough going. If you have any good tips, I'd love to hear them - thank you...

Hi. What can I expect to find in terms of weather if I will be camping around Fairbanks in late September and early October? Any suggestions about hikes to do, sights to see, places to camp, etc. We will have our own truck (giant road trip), getting around isn't a problem. We've never been to Alaska, and as Vermonter's, we probably won't be able to be back very soon. We want to take as much in as possible!

I will be at the Chena Hot Springs February 22-23, if anyone from Fairbanks or vicinity wants to meet, please contact me. Nick