faq about fairbanks

1. I don’t have much to spend, what can I do in Fairbanks?
2. When is the best time to view the Northern Lights?
3. How far is Fairbanks from Denali Park?
4. Does Alaska take US Currency?
5. How do I get to Alaska?
6. How many hours of daylight in the summer?
7. How much do meals cost?
8. How much does gas cost?
9. Is Denali and Mt. McKinley the same thing?
10. What is the time difference in Alaska?
11. What is the weather like in the Interior?
12. What type of clothing should I be packing?

1. I don’t have much to spend, what can I do in Fairbanks?

• Visit the Trans-Alaska Pipeline
• Visit the Great Alaskan Bowl Company located at 4630 Old Airport Road (turn south at turnoff from Airport Road), just west of Fred Myers. The factory/showroom is open daily from 8am to 8pm throughout the summer. Winter hours (until around Mother’s Day) are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10am to 5pm on Saturday, and Noon until 5pm on Sunday. For more information, call (800) 770-4222, or locally, (907) 474-wood (9663).
• Visit Creamers Field located at 1300 College Road. Their summer hours beginning June 1st are 10am-5pm daily. From September 1st – May 30th they are only open on Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
• Visit Denali Park and Preserve located 120 miles from Fairbanks on the Parks Highway.
• Visit Downtown Fairbanks and stop by the Fairbanks Visitor’s Center, the Fairbanks Community Museum, the Fairbanks Ice Museum, or the Public Lands Information Center.
• Visit the Farmer’s Market at 2600 College Road. Open May through September on Wednesdays from 11am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm.
• Visit the Chena Flood Control Project situated on 20,000 acres approximately two miles south of North Pole, and is a project managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
• Visit the Golden Days Celebration held July 18th to July 22nd in historic downtown Fairbanks.
• Check out the Aurora Borealis (sorry, winter only)
• Visit Pioneer Park open 24 hours a day, though the Gold Rush Town shops, restaurants, carousel and railroad are open from 11am to 9pm daily during the summer season which begins with Memorial Day and extends until Labor Day.
• Visit the Tanana Valley State Fair on College Road at the Tanana Valley State Fair Grounds. This year’s fair is August 3rd through August 11th.

2. When is the best time to view the Northern Lights?

The Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, are present year round in the skies above Fairbanks. But they show up best in the winter months. Between April and July they are difficult, if not impossible to see, because of the midnight sun. The very best months for Aurora viewing are in the spring and fall; February, March, September, and October.

3. How far is Fairbanks from Denali Park?

Denali Park is 120 miles south of Fairbanks and 240 miles north of Anchorage. The Alaska Railroad makes daily trips to Anchorage every morning, stopping at Denali Park on the way.

4. Does Alaska take US Currency?

Alaska is the 49th state in the US. We do take US Currency.

5. How do I get to Alaska?

There are four different ways to get to Alaska. One way is flying from the lower 48 into Anchorage or Fairbanks, the second way is by cruise ship from Vancouver, the third way to get to Alaska is by driving the good ole Alaska Highway and the fourth way is via the Alaska Marine Highway from Bellingham, WA.

6. How many hours of daylight in the summer?

May – between 17 and 18 hours
June – between 19 and 21 hours
July – between 18 and 20 hours
August – between 15 and 16 hours
September – between 12 and 13 hours

7. How much do meals cost?

For the cost of meals it depends on where you eat and what you like, but on average meals can cost:

Breakfast - $8 to $12 per person
Lunch - $9 to $13 per person
Dinner - $12. to $40 per person

8. How much does gas cost?

Gas can cost anywhere between $2.50 to $3.25 a gallon.

9. Is Denali and Mt. McKinley the same thing?

Yes. Denali the “Great One” is the name Athabascan native people gave the massive peak that crowns the 600 mile long Alaska Range. Denali is also the name of an immense national park and preserve created from the former Mt. McKinley National Park. The changes in the names and boundaries that have occurred over the years can be confusing.

10. What is the time difference in Alaska?

Alaska has its own time zone and we also have daylight savings. Alaska is:

4 hours behind the Eastern Time Zone
3 hours behind the Central Time Zone
2 hours behind the Mountain Time Zone
1 hour behind the Pacific Time Zone

11. What is the weather like in the Interior?

The Interior of Alaska includes Denali National Park and Fairbanks.

May – 59’ high / 38’ low
June – 70’ high / 49’ low
July – 72’ high / 52’ low
August – 66’ high / 47’ low
September – 54’ high / 36’ low

12. What type of clothing should I be packing?

When packing for Alaska you want to pack for both rain and sunshine. Layers of clothing are the best way to go. Alaska is very causal. Jeans, slacks, sweaters, sweatshirts, t-shirts, rain jackets and comfortable walking shoes.