Fairbanks, AK is rich with history
Fairbanks, Alaska is the second most populous metropolitan area in Alaska (after Anchorage). Currently, it is the northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. Fairbanks was initially founded in August 1901, when Yukon riverboat Captain E. T. Barnette was unable to reach his intended destination of Tanana Crossing while traveling the Chena River aboard the Lavelle Young steamboat. Although he planned to set up a trading post at Tanana Crossing, Barnette was persuaded by locals to stay and set up his trading post in the new location, which eventually became the city of Fairbanks, incorporated in 1903 and named after Republican senator Charles W. Fairbanks, who went on to become the twenty-sixth Vice President of the United States under Theodore Roosevelt.
Just 196 driving miles (or 140 air miles) south of the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks is a thriving metropolis, home to the founding campus of the University of Alaska system, the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fairbanks is situated in the central Tanana Valley, where the aurora borealis (aka the northern lights) can be seen more than 200 days per year. There are a number of attractions and events available in and around the city which draw visitors from around the globe throughout the year. Summer tourist traffic consists mainly of cruise ship passengers, many of whom spend one or more nights at a hotel and visit local attractions. Winter tourists come to see the northern lights, ice carving and winter sports. Other events draw visitors from within the state, mostly from the community’s trading area throughout Interior Alaska and the North Slope.
Fairbanks families with children enjoy excursions to the Fairbanks Children’s Museum, inspiring families through the power of play with programs like baby mingle, family concerts, kid’s night in, and super Saturday fun with food. With offerings like these, art classes, and the opportunity to hold a mammoth birthday party for your little one with up to 35 people, it’s easy to see why some folks call this “the museum of awesome”!
Looking for a little outdoor adventure? Take an Arctic Circle day trip as you follow the Dalton Highway across the Yukon River and beyond from Fairbanks in a climate-controlled van. Enjoy spectacular views while someone else drives and you experience the remote, rugged Alaskan landscape. Pause to eat a hearty stew for lunch in the open air and watch for wildlife in a natural environment few ever get the opportunity to see. Other outdoor activities to enjoy in and around Fairbanks include a Fairbanks city highlights tour, guided snowmobile tours, ice fishing expeditions, and afternoon dog sledding group tours.
Learn about interior Alaska’s people, land, and culture at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, open seven days a week all year round. Explore world-class exhibits of Alaska’s four seasons, experience Alaska Native music, art, stories, and dance, and find all the information you need for your visit to Interior and Arctic Alaska. Enjoy a cultural connections show, work with an Alaska Native artist to create your own jewelry you can take with you as a keepsake of your visit or watch as the kids take part in an “I Spy” scavenger hunt.
During the school year, children in 2nd through 12th grade are welcome to learn fiddling and guitar in small groups based on skill level from Alaska Native Elder Bill Stevens and other expert musicians every Saturday from 11am-1pm. Free films focused on Alaska’s history, nature, and cultures are shown seven days a week in our 100 seat, hi-definition theatre and in our cozy video nook. Adults can come and join us on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m. and enjoy a reception featuring the work of an Interior Alaskan artist.
If you’re thinking about making Fairbanks your new home, contact Golden North Van Lines today. We treat your move as if it were our own, and are happy to give you a free quote, and help you prepare for a successful move. We are an Alaskan moving company and relocation service in Anchorage and Fairbanks with decades of experience successfully moving people and their households and businesses to and from Alaska. Whether you’re moving yourself, your family, or an entire commercial business, Golden North Van lines can help make sure your move is handled with the utmost care and professionalism.