Insider's Alaska “My Alaska: Every spring and fall I like to drop in and see the visitors who stop in by the thousands at the Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.”

My Alaska: Fairbanks
By Dermot Cole

When I'm looking for world-class cross-country skiing and running trails, I need look no further than Alaska's second-largest city, and the place that I call home, Fairbanks. What drew me here was the unmatched outdoor recreational opportunities... and what keeps me here are the challenges of chronicling daily life in one of the country's most exciting regions.

1.) Birch Hill Recreation Area
The Birch Hill Recreation Area (Birch Hill Road, 907-457-4488) just east of Fairbanks is a perfect place to escape, winter or summer. When the snow is fresh and crisp, the cross-country skiing is unmatched. In the summer the sun-drenched aspen, birch and spruce trees border a series of trails that are perfect for bikers or for those who want to stretch their legs and expand their horizons with a quiet walk in the woods.

2.) Chena Hot Springs
Chena Hot Springs (Mile 56.5 Chena Hot Springs Road, 1-800-478-4681) may be the best place in Alaska to find rest, relaxation and refreshment. The natural hot springs flow into an outdoor pool, hot tubs and an indoor pool where stress and tension melt away. Hiking, biking and cross-country skiing trails run throughout the resort and the Ice Museum, insulated to withstand summer's heat, entertain year-round. The lodge is an hour from Fairbanks down a scenic road that threads through the Chena River State Recreation Area, which has tons of hiking opportunities and a winding river that draws campers, canoers and fishermen.

3.) Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
Every spring and fall I like to drop in and see the visitors who stop in by the thousands at the Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge (College Road, 907-459-7307). The refuge is unique because it's inside Alaska's second largest city, Fairbanks, and its forests, wetlands and farm fields are vital to all sorts of animals, especially the tens of thousands of migratory birds who rest here every year during the spring and fall migrations. The geese, cranes, ducks and other birds are always a welcome sight and a reminder of the rich wildlife that adds excitement to life in Alaska.

4.) Two Street Station
When I need a cup of coffee, there's no better place to get out of downtown Fairbanks' winter cold or summer sun than Two Street Station (535 2nd Avenue Co-Op Plaza, 907-456-6242). The coffee shop is located in a renovated building with plenty of atmosphere and no hint of its former life as a pawnshop and serves some of the best coffee in town.

5.) Gambardella's Pasta Bella
For authentic Italian food, I turn to Gambardella's Pasta Bella (706 2nd Ave, 907-456-3417), one of the most popular restaurants in Fairbanks. What began two decades ago as a family-operated gourmet deli has grown to a 250-seat building featuring homemade bread and the "Mother of all Lasagnas."

Alaska Local Dermot Cole

Dermot Cole, a columnist for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, is author of four books about Alaska. He lives north of Fairbanks with his wife, journalist Debbie Carter, and their three children.

To learn more about what to see and do in Fairbanks and the Interior, visit the Interior section of TravelAlaska.com.

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