Aurora borealis over Fairbanks
Denali — North America's highest peak
Chena Hot Springs Resort
Discover why Alaska is unlike anywhere else in America—where vast wilderness, raw beauty, and unforgettable adventure define every moment.
Interior Alaska
Interior Alaska is a land of extremes that quietly becomes the most extraordinary place you've ever lived. Summer days stretch endlessly — the midnight sun brings 24-hour daylight at the solstice, when residents golf at midnight, kayak rivers bathed in golden light, and hike trails carpeted in wildflowers. Winter transforms everything: temperatures plunge, the landscape goes crystalline white, and the sky comes alive with northern lights that defy description.
Fairbanks is Alaska's second-largest city and its interior heartbeat — a tight-knit community of explorers, scientists, mushers, and healers. Living here means dog teams on neighborhood trails, moose browsing in backyards, and neighbors who show up when it matters. It means weekend expeditions to Denali just two hours south, and frozen rivers that become highways in winter. Life in Interior Alaska is unlike anywhere else — and people who choose it rarely want to leave.
Things To Do
Hiking
Hike to towering granite formations rising dramatically from the boreal forest, with sweeping panoramic views across the Tanana Valley. One of Interior Alaska's most spectacular day hikes.
Skiing
World-class Nordic skiing and snowshoeing right in the city, used by Olympians in training. Groomed trails through boreal forest make this one of Alaska's best winter recreation hubs.
Dog Mushing
Try mushing firsthand with local kennels, or witness the legendary Yukon Quest — 1,000 miles of wilderness trail from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, one of the world's most demanding sled dog races.
Hot Springs
Soak in natural geothermal pools surrounded by boreal wilderness — and watch the northern lights shimmer overhead on clear winter nights. Don't miss the on-site Aurora Ice Museum, a year-round ice sculpture gallery kept at a chilly 20°F. A bucket-list Alaska experience just an hour from town.
National Park
North America's tallest peak rises 20,310 feet above the Alaska Range. Wildlife, tundra, and landscapes of staggering scale — just 2 hours south of Fairbanks. One of the world's great wilderness parks.
National Park
The most remote national park in the country. No roads, no trails — six million acres of pure arctic wilderness beyond the Brooks Range. True backcountry Alaska at its most elemental.
National Park
The largest national park in the United States, encompassing nine of North America's tallest peaks and vast glaciers stretching to the horizon. A wilderness on a scale the lower 48 simply cannot match.
The Golden Heart City
Fairbanks is Alaska's second-largest city and its interior capital — a genuine, close-knit community where scientists, artists, Indigenous peoples, and adventurers share the world's most dramatic seasons. The University of Alaska Fairbanks brings intellectual energy and world-class aurora research, while the Chena River winds through a downtown of locally owned restaurants, brewpubs, and galleries. Summers blaze with midnight sun and outdoor festivals; winters glow under curtains of northern lights.
Fairbanks Area Communities
Wildlife in Your Backyard
One of the most remarkable things about life in Fairbanks is how naturally intertwined daily life is with the wild. Moose wander through neighborhoods, caribou drift across the tundra, and bald eagles soar above the Chena River. Bears, wolves, lynx, foxes, and Dall sheep are part of the landscape. Residents aren't just near wildlife — they live alongside it, year-round, in one of the most extraordinary wildlife habitats in North America.
End of the Alaska Highway
Delta Junction holds a singular distinction: it's the official terminus of the Alaska Highway, which stretches 1,387 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia. This agricultural community at the confluence of the Delta and Tanana Rivers is surrounded by farmland that defies the northern latitude. The Delta Bison Range shelters a free-roaming American bison herd, the Clearwater River offers world-class fishing, and the Alaska Range looms magnificently on the horizon. It's frontier living with genuine history.
River Town & Alaska Tradition
Nenana sits at the confluence of the Nenana and Tanana Rivers, about 55 miles southwest of Fairbanks. Best known for the Nenana Ice Classic — a beloved statewide tradition where Alaskans guess the exact minute the river ice breaks up each spring — this historic community was once a vital hub for river and railroad travel. Its rail depot is a National Historic Landmark, and its deep Indigenous heritage and river life make it one of Interior Alaska's most storied communities.
Christmas Year-Round
North Pole, Alaska isn't just a zip code — it's a community that leans into its legendary name with warmth and genuine joy. Just 13 miles from Fairbanks, streets named Snowman Lane and Santa Claus Lane wind past homes decorated for Christmas all year long. The famous Santa Claus House has drawn visitors from around the world for decades. It's a charming, family-friendly city with easy access to everything Fairbanks has to offer, plus Chena Lake Recreation Area right at its doorstep.
