Use This Guide to Adventures in This Land of Winter Wonders

If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting a place just outside the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks might be your dream coming true. This is Alaska’s largest inland city and a perfect place to set up base camp for a winter escapade under the aurora. Use this guide to adventures in this land of winter wonders.

Here’s how to make the most of your Fairbanks getaway.

For starters, Fairbanks is in the perfect spot to observe the northern auroras. Maximize your chances of catching these otherwise elusive shimmers in the sky by venturing out into darker areas far from the night-sky pollution of the city lights. Accommodations on Moose Mountain or a trip out to Denali National Park can enhance your viewing conditions. Keep an eye on geomagnetic activity reports (a.k.a. the KP index) while you’re in town—the higher the number, the more vibrant the auroras are expected to be. If you don’t want to leave this incredible viewing opportunity up to chance, though, sign up for a spot in a guided tour of prime viewing areas on Moose Mountain or in and around Denali,

At other spots, like Chena Hot Springs, you can hit two-birds-with-one-stone on your itinerary as you unwind with a relaxing soak under the northern lights in the waters of Chena Hot Springs, about an hour from Fairbanks. While these hot springs are a relaxing retreat at any time of day and you won’t see auroras during the day, visiting early in the morning offers a more peaceful soak with fewer people to share the soothing waters with—not to mention there’s nothing quite like watching as the sun rises on a new day in a peaceful environment.

But there’s a lot more to Fairbanks than merely staring at the sky and soaking away your stresses in a hot spring. If you drive two-and-a-half hours south, you’ll reach the ice caves at Castner Glacier. In the thick of winter, you can snowshoe along the frozen river for access to this icy spectacle. Snow conditions may be challenging, so prepare accordingly with the right gear to fully appreciate this natural marvel.

Denali National Park is particularly tranquil in the off-season. Starting in February, crews keep the roads clear up to mile marker 12.5, so winter visitors have access to breathtaking mountain views without the summer’s crowds. The Denali Lakeview Inn provides cozy lodging and the potential for glimpses of the auroras from your balcony. It’s a good idea to pack your own supplies, as local stores’ products and services are scarcer in the winter off-season.

Something that isn’t in short supply in winter, however, is one of Alaska’s most famous traditions: dog sledding. There’s nothing like the exhilaration of energetic sled dogs whisking you through frozen-in-time snowy landscapes. For an even greater adventure, snowmobiling across the region’s frozen lakes and rivers is an adrenaline rush like nothing else. Guided snowmobile trips offer instruction and guidance, so you can excitedly traverse these winterscapes in safety.

Fairbanks is your ticket to an unforgettable adventure of chasing northern lights and discovering the icy wonders of a glacier cave and more. It’s a world of unexplored last frontiers—create lasting memories and lose yourself in this winter paradise. Use this guide to adventures in this land of winter wonders.