Carolyn’s guidebook

Carolyn
Carolyn’s guidebook

Food scene

Korean/Sushi restaurant side by side, a quick walk from the apartment. You can order from both menus in each restaurant, so it's great if you have a group who is split on what kind of cuisine. They have large tables for groups, and karaoke rooms if you are so inclined.
Seoul Gate Restaurant
958 Cowles St
Korean/Sushi restaurant side by side, a quick walk from the apartment. You can order from both menus in each restaurant, so it's great if you have a group who is split on what kind of cuisine. They have large tables for groups, and karaoke rooms if you are so inclined.
Best steakhouse in the interior. If you want a big meal, this is the place to go. Also has an impressive salad bar for smaller appetites or those who don't eat meat.
86 locals recommend
Turtle Club
2098 Old Steese Hwy N
86 locals recommend
Best steakhouse in the interior. If you want a big meal, this is the place to go. Also has an impressive salad bar for smaller appetites or those who don't eat meat.
Classy restaurant downtown within walking distance. Great wine selection and has Alaskan seafood dishes available.
101 locals recommend
Lavelle's Bistro
575 1st Ave
101 locals recommend
Classy restaurant downtown within walking distance. Great wine selection and has Alaskan seafood dishes available.
Beautiful restaurant/bar that's a trip through time. Great views of the river from the deck or the bar. Best seafood chowder in town! https://pumphouse.com/menu.php
135 locals recommend
The Pump House Restaurant Fairbanks
796 Chena Pump Rd
135 locals recommend
Beautiful restaurant/bar that's a trip through time. Great views of the river from the deck or the bar. Best seafood chowder in town! https://pumphouse.com/menu.php
Best pizza in town! Plan ahead, as they are always busy, despite having three ovens. The Dilly Dilly is an amazing pickle covered pizza. https://www.thehungryrobot.org/
22 locals recommend
The Hungry Robot
910 Old Steese Hwy
22 locals recommend
Best pizza in town! Plan ahead, as they are always busy, despite having three ovens. The Dilly Dilly is an amazing pickle covered pizza. https://www.thehungryrobot.org/
Tasty crepes within walking distance
45 locals recommend
The Crepery
523 2nd Ave
45 locals recommend
Tasty crepes within walking distance
If you're in North Pole, stop by! It's my favorite place for crepes in the Interior, and the owners are incredibly nice people.
9 locals recommend
North Pole Crepery
235 N Santa Claus Ln
9 locals recommend
If you're in North Pole, stop by! It's my favorite place for crepes in the Interior, and the owners are incredibly nice people.
Great coffee joint within walking distance with some breakfast options. Explore the industrial space and check out the artwork from local artists adorning the walls. The other half of the area has a store where you can purchase locally made handcrafts and artwork. https://www.facebook.com/venuefairbanks/
17 locals recommend
Venue
519 2nd Ave
17 locals recommend
Great coffee joint within walking distance with some breakfast options. Explore the industrial space and check out the artwork from local artists adorning the walls. The other half of the area has a store where you can purchase locally made handcrafts and artwork. https://www.facebook.com/venuefairbanks/
Great onigiri, rolls, ramen and noodle dishes to warm you up! This is not easily walkable, but very close by car.
Oishi Bakery
329 Driveway Street
Great onigiri, rolls, ramen and noodle dishes to warm you up! This is not easily walkable, but very close by car.
Great little local restaurant for sandwiches, salads, and soups
21 locals recommend
Friar Tuck's Hoagie House
427 Merhar Ave
21 locals recommend
Great little local restaurant for sandwiches, salads, and soups
Local coffee roaster/cafe near the universtiy with scrumptious baked goods and small plates. Swing by after the Museum of the North!
55 locals recommend
Alaska Coffee Roasting Company
4001 Geist Rd
55 locals recommend
Local coffee roaster/cafe near the universtiy with scrumptious baked goods and small plates. Swing by after the Museum of the North!
Best Tex-Mex street tacos in the Interior! Great place to swing by with a trip to the Museum of the North at the university.
Lane's Quickie Tacos
3412 College Rd
Best Tex-Mex street tacos in the Interior! Great place to swing by with a trip to the Museum of the North at the university.

Sightseeing

Chena Hot Springs is a fun day trip. Go soak in the hot springs or visit the Ice Museum on site and have a appletini in an ice glass. The restaurant is amazing, with veggies freshly grown in the greenhouse, year round. Try the Orange Sesame Duck salad! During the summer, you can hike from Angel Rocks trail to Chena Hot Springs if you really want to work for your visit.
221 locals recommend
Chena Hot Springs Resort
17600 Chena Hot Springs Rd
221 locals recommend
Chena Hot Springs is a fun day trip. Go soak in the hot springs or visit the Ice Museum on site and have a appletini in an ice glass. The restaurant is amazing, with veggies freshly grown in the greenhouse, year round. Try the Orange Sesame Duck salad! During the summer, you can hike from Angel Rocks trail to Chena Hot Springs if you really want to work for your visit.
If you want to see a little bit of everything Alaska all at once, take a trip on the Riverboat Discovery! You get to see sled dog kennels, demonstrations on traditional clothing and food preservation from local Alaskan natives, float planes, all wrapped up in a beautiful float down the river.
72 locals recommend
Riverboat Discovery
1975 Discovery Dr
72 locals recommend
If you want to see a little bit of everything Alaska all at once, take a trip on the Riverboat Discovery! You get to see sled dog kennels, demonstrations on traditional clothing and food preservation from local Alaskan natives, float planes, all wrapped up in a beautiful float down the river.
Bright, beautiful space with many things to look at. Perfect for a rainy or snowy day!
127 locals recommend
Museum of the North
1962 Yukon Dr
127 locals recommend
Bright, beautiful space with many things to look at. Perfect for a rainy or snowy day!
Great place to find handmade Alaskan items by locals!
64 locals recommend
Tanana Valley Farmers Market
2600 College Rd
64 locals recommend
Great place to find handmade Alaskan items by locals!
If you're in town when the ice carvings are out, this is a MUST SEE! You'll never see such a collection of talent anywhere else in the world. Dress warm, and keep cameras and phones in inner pockets so the batteries don't drain between photos.
16 locals recommend
World Ice Art Championships - Ice Alaska
1800 College Rd
16 locals recommend
If you're in town when the ice carvings are out, this is a MUST SEE! You'll never see such a collection of talent anywhere else in the world. Dress warm, and keep cameras and phones in inner pockets so the batteries don't drain between photos.
Lots of good photo opportunities and kitschy Christmas items for sale. Biggest Santa you will ever see...don't miss him!
133 locals recommend
Santa Claus House
101 St Nicholas Dr
133 locals recommend
Lots of good photo opportunities and kitschy Christmas items for sale. Biggest Santa you will ever see...don't miss him!
A beautiful collection of antique cars. It's indoors, so a great place to visit during inclement weather.
75 locals recommend
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
212 Wedgewood Dr
75 locals recommend
A beautiful collection of antique cars. It's indoors, so a great place to visit during inclement weather.
Everyone should go to Denali National Park. There are hikes for every experience level and age (my granddad did Savage River Trail in his 90s!) and the visitor's center with tons of displays is handicapped accessible. If you really want to get deep into the park, catch a park bus out to the Eielson Visitor Center and watch the wildlife go by. Binoculars recommended.
129 locals recommend
Denali National Park & Preserve
Parks Hwy
129 locals recommend
Everyone should go to Denali National Park. There are hikes for every experience level and age (my granddad did Savage River Trail in his 90s!) and the visitor's center with tons of displays is handicapped accessible. If you really want to get deep into the park, catch a park bus out to the Eielson Visitor Center and watch the wildlife go by. Binoculars recommended.
Want to blow off some steam? Go throw an axe! What could be more Alaskan?
7 locals recommend
Alaska Axe Co. - Axe Throwing
3501 Lathrop St
7 locals recommend
Want to blow off some steam? Go throw an axe! What could be more Alaskan?
Lots of great exhibits and resources for things to do in town, walking distance. Alaska Native Gift Shop has gone online, so please give them a look if you want a unique souvenir! https://www.tananachiefs.org/giftshop/
114 locals recommend
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center
101 Dunkel St
114 locals recommend
Lots of great exhibits and resources for things to do in town, walking distance. Alaska Native Gift Shop has gone online, so please give them a look if you want a unique souvenir! https://www.tananachiefs.org/giftshop/

Bars, Distilleries, and Breweries

Hip taphouse with lots of local and Alaskan options on the menu. Probably the largest number of taps in town. Checkout the current list at the link! http://lavellestaphouse.com/
50 locals recommend
Lavelle's Taphouse
412 2nd Ave
50 locals recommend
Hip taphouse with lots of local and Alaskan options on the menu. Probably the largest number of taps in town. Checkout the current list at the link! http://lavellestaphouse.com/
Upscale distillery in south Fairbanks. Enjoy the atmosphere and a few cocktails before deciding on a bottle! https://hoarfrost.vodka/
27 locals recommend
Hoarfrost Distilling
3501 Lathrop St
27 locals recommend
Upscale distillery in south Fairbanks. Enjoy the atmosphere and a few cocktails before deciding on a bottle! https://hoarfrost.vodka/
Ursa Major is a funky distillery in the free-spirited community of Ester. Tours and tastings are available! https://www.ursamajordistilling.com/
23 locals recommend
Ursa Major Distilling
2922 Parks Hwy
23 locals recommend
Ursa Major is a funky distillery in the free-spirited community of Ester. Tours and tastings are available! https://www.ursamajordistilling.com/
Funky mobile bar that operates out of an Airstream bus in a large garage space. You will have to walk to the back of a group of buildings to find it, you're on track, I promise! https://goldiesak.com/
12 locals recommend
Goldie's AK
659 5th Ave
12 locals recommend
Funky mobile bar that operates out of an Airstream bus in a large garage space. You will have to walk to the back of a group of buildings to find it, you're on track, I promise! https://goldiesak.com/
The newest brewery in town. Indoor and outdoor seating, lots of beer options, good parking and lots of space!
15 locals recommend
Lat 65 Brewing Co.
150 Eagle Avenue
15 locals recommend
The newest brewery in town. Indoor and outdoor seating, lots of beer options, good parking and lots of space!
Hipster brewery in industrial section of Fairbanks. It's a Fairbanks institution, but it's also regularly very crowded. Every Thursday, there is a run organized by Frosty Feet Running Company that starts and ends at HooDoo.
133 locals recommend
HooDoo Brewing Company
1951 Fox Ave
133 locals recommend
Hipster brewery in industrial section of Fairbanks. It's a Fairbanks institution, but it's also regularly very crowded. Every Thursday, there is a run organized by Frosty Feet Running Company that starts and ends at HooDoo.
Lovely little brewery on the south side of Fairbanks. Indoor and outdoor seating, tasty options, lowkey atmosphere.
38 locals recommend
Black Spruce Brewing Company
3290 Peger Rd
38 locals recommend
Lovely little brewery on the south side of Fairbanks. Indoor and outdoor seating, tasty options, lowkey atmosphere.

Traveler advice

Don't miss

Aurora viewing

1. Make sure you know when it's happening! If you use Facebook or Twitter, join or follow at the links below and turn your alerts on. These will get you real time updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1145112608856410 https://twitter.com/auroranotify?lang=en 2. Best places in the Fairbanks area to see the lights https://auroranotify.com/wheretogo/ 3. Prepare to be out in the weather. Snacks, a thermos, & warm clothes. Even if you plan to sit in the car, you’ll need to turn it off completely to disable all the lights and get max views during times of dim lights. 4. Consider a tour group.