Summer Days in the Land of the Midnight Sun
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Photo By: Matt Hage
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Two Muskoxen at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Large Animal Research Station
Destinations Featured: Fairbanks, Arctic Circle
Day 1
Arrive into Fairbanks. Spend the afternoon learning about "the Golden Heart City" by a self-guided walking or driving tour. In the evening, treat yourself to a feast of all-you-can-eat Alaska salmon or halibut at an outdoor salmon bake. Top off your evening with a turn-of-the-century comedy revue before turning in for the night.
Day 2
This morning, set out on a cruise aboard a historic sternwheeler. See a dog musher run sled dogs, a bush plane in action and salmon pulled from an authentic fish wheel, filleted and prepared for smoking in a matter of seconds. After lunch at one of many riverside restaurant decks, do a gold mining tour at one of two mines. Each offers its own style along with gold panning. Afterwards, include a stop at the trans-Alaska oil pipeline viewing station on the Steese Highway.
Day 3
Stretch your legs on a hike in the panoramic vistas of the Chena River or White Mountains Recreation Areas. For those wanting to stroll, explore the 1,800-acre Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge with nature walks and overlooks to see migratory birds.
Day 4
Travel upstream to the Upper Chena River. Experience the authentic Alaska by float down its crystal-clear waters, stopping to fly-fish for Arctic grayling. This evening, relax in a natural hot springs.
Day 5
Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Start the morning with a visit to the newly expanded University of Alaska Museum of the North, one of the state's top ten visitor attractions. Learn about Alaska's cultural and natural history and take in the Dynamic Aurora and Northern Inua live performances. Take in an afternoon tour to see musk ox and reindeer at the university's Large Animal Research Station. Take advantage of the long
daylight hours and include an evening tour. Head north above the Arctic Circle for a flight tour to an Alaska Native village, enjoy an evening canoe trip down a crystal-clear river, take in a visit with a dog musher and sled dogs in a log cabin home or rise above Fairbanks for a birds-eye view by hot air balloon.
Day 6
An early start awaits you this morning for your adventure north to Alaska's Arctic. Several companies offer tours along the famed Dalton Highway (the "Haul Road"), the only highway in the USA to cross the mighty Yukon River to connect the highway system to the Arctic Ocean. View the majestic Brooks Range, explore the Arctic tundra, and watch for caribou and bears. Return to Fairbanks with an incredible experience and an official Arctic Circle certificate.
Day 7
Whether driving, flying or taking the train, Fairbanks is well connected to the rest of Alaska and the world.