Things to do in Fairbanks, Alaska – Celebrating birthday under northern lights!

Surprise parties get old after a while, but you know what doesn’t? Unlocking a brand-new destination from the world map on your birthday. What’s the better way of celebrating quarter life crisis than sipping on hot chocolate under the Northern lights? Out of all my travels, Fairbanks, Alaska remains one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been. I got there in mid-October with my friends to celebrate my 25th birthday, just before it turns into a winter wonderland. As we entered and breathed in that clean Alaskan air, we could almost smell the adventures sure to come.

When to Visit Fairbanks?

If you’re going to Fairbanks to try and see the Northern Lights (among other activities) then you would want to visit in winters starting from mid september till April. During all my research I kept seeing that March was one of the best times to visit. But you should definitely check the moon cycle and aurora predictions before finalizing your dates.

Aurora Forecast and Resources:

• University of Alaska Aurora Forecast
• Ronn Murray’s Alaska Aurora Cam
• Aurora Notify

What to pack for Alaska?

This is not the kind of destination you can just go without packing proper gear. These are some important things you need to pack!

• Layers!! You can always take them off if it’s not cold but trust me you need at least 3 layers. A base layer (thermals – I carried Merino wool 250), a fleece layer and a down jacket. (Pro tip: Go for bright colored jackets if you want your pictures to look Instagram-able )
• Pack rain gear. It’s always better to keep raincoat with you on this trip. You don’t want to spend the whole trip feeling damp and cold.
• Good quality hiking/snow boots (depending on the season)

Day 1:

Denali national park hike

There is nothing like hiking through the snow with the soft crunch underfoot, the only sound in an otherwise silent place. Denali national park lies in between Anchorage and Fairbanks and is about 3 hours drive from Fairbanks. Since we were completely unaware of this region and also most of the park was closed due to winter season, we decided to book a guided hiking tour offered by Northern Alaska Tour Company– (I was little skeptical about it since I prefer making my own itineraries) It turned out to be such an amazing hike, especially because of our super talented tour guide-Tom and his storytelling skills. We could see little birds picking their way through the snow, little rabbits having a gala time with their friends, moose grazing by the waterfront and also explored some unique rocks and plants along the route. I could literally see tears in Veer’s eyes when he experienced snowfall for the very first time in his life on this hike. It was just surreal!

P.s If time is short, there are lots of options near Creamer’s Field right in town and outside of town as well, such as the Chena Dome Hike.

Airbnb stay

For our stay, we chose this secluded Alaskan log cabin in the woods of north pole, also an ideal spot to witness northern lights right from it’s balcony. It was super comfy, quiet and everything we could have asked for a perfect stay after a long day of exploration. It had well-stocked kitchen, so we baked some desserts and made some chai tea in the morning.

Generally, on our trips, we prefer trying out the local cuisine and hence avoid eating Indian food. But somehow we couldn’t resist the smell of fresh chicken biryani at Hari Om Indian restaurant. (I was quite shocked to find such good Indian food in Alaska and hence thought of mentioning it here just in case anyone is craving for it.)

Day 2:

Dog sled tour

Gliding through a winter wonderland across snowy trails and frozen rivers behind a team of friendly Alaskan Huskies is what I was super excited about, but due to no sign of snow even in the mid-October, we had to hop on dog-cart instead of a sled. We booked it with Paws for Adventure, and they were super friendly and warm. Since we showed up early, they let us play with all the dogs and choose our own team for the ride. Being scared of dogs (Yes, you read it right! Please don’t hate me) I was really nervous initially but those cute creatures made it easy for me. We played with so many of them but I remember Summit fondly because he was the leader in our dog sled and the friendliest of them all.

Chena hot springs

The Chena Hot Springs are located just outside of town, and there’s nothing quite like taking a dip into natural hot springs as snow falls around you. The Water was nice and warm, and they’ve got both an indoor and outdoor section with pools at different temperatures. Also this is one of the most popular places to get the northern lights overhead. To me the surrounded area felt permanently stuck in the eighties and it was the quaintest flashback to a simpler time and place.

Museum of ice

While you are at the Chena Hot Springs, be sure to visit their ice museum, which features elaborate ice carvings and incredible designs inside what seems to be a giant igloo. With your entrance, you can also choose to get a cocktail at the ice bar, which is served in a martini glass made out of, you guessed it, ice. All in all it is a really cool experience that is not to be missed.

Day 3:

Santa claus house

It’s always Christmas-y at this little outpost in North Pole. If you are looking for some fun time during day time, do visit Santa Claus house. It is a good place to buy souvenirs for family as well as to click some good pictures for the ‘gram. (Don’t forget to send stamped letters to your loved ones from here..or is it just me?)

Running Reindeer Ranch

How could we miss the chance to take a long walk with a herd of Reindeers while in Fairbanks? Running Reindeer Ranch is owned and operated by Jane and her family, located just north of Fairbanks. We were instantly taken in with their warmth and hospitality, and enamored with the reindeers. This was very different and unique experience of getting acquainted with reindeers on a long walk through the birch forest while listening to Jane’s stories. She treats the reindeers just like family and also invited us into their home to share homemade cookies and a hot drink after our tour.

Northern lights – Aurora Borealis

On our first night in town we tried to be awake until 3 to catch a sight of aurora borealis but there was no sign of it. Next day, there was cloud cover plus rainstorm and we were left with nothing but a disappointment. Not one to hide my feelings, I was at first crushed about this. Seeing the Northern Lights on my 25th birthday was the main motive behind planning this whole trip, and I couldn’t stop getting more and more anxious since we were left with just one more night before we head back. Any guesses on if we could see it on the last night??

Of course we did !!!!! Yayyyyy 😀
Trust me, it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever seen and certainly took my breath away. Auroras showed up in all directions, giving us various ribbon forms, and vivid colors of green, red and violet. It was sublime, unbelievable and larger than life. It almost seemed like the universe was out there to mesmerize us. The funny thing was that the display on that day wasn’t even the best according to locals. However, for us it was one of the magical things we had ever seen. Veer and I stood out there in subzero temperatures, sipping on our hot chocolates, (literally that was my savior on entire trip) photographing every bit of it and very proudly and gladly checking off the item from our bucket list!

Where to see it?

The best bet is to drive outside of town at least half an hour so you can get the darkest skies and escape the light pollution. We found this lake around 20 miles outside north pole and decided to watch it there since I wanted to take such reflection shots. Some of the popular places are chena hot springs, Creamer’s field, Murphy dome, Chena lake in North Pole.
There are plenty of guided Aurora viewing tours in Fairbanks who take you out of tow in order to try and see the lights. But again those are pricey, and you have to adjust according to their schedules. If you are looking for a photo-tour, just blindly choose The Aurora Chasers tour led by Ronn and Marketa. We were fourtunate to be able to meet such amazingly talented photographers on our trip to Alaska.

That’s it – everything you need to know about planning an amazing trip in Fairbanks. If you are there for longer than a weekend, you can always hop over to the official Explore Fairbanks website for more things to see and do. Leave me a comment below if you enjoyed reading this article or if you have any suggestions/questions at all. Hope you have a great time in Alaska.