The top five things to do in Fairbanks on your Alaska cruise tour

Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of the major cities included in many Alaska cruise tours. So whether you’re planning on taking a Princess or Holland America Alaska cruise, you’ll be spending some time in Fairbanks. Also known as the Golden Heart City, Fairbanks lies almost in the center of the state. From here, you may head off to Denali National Park or Canada’s Yukon Territory. There is plenty to see and do in Fairbanks, so try to spend as much time in the city as your tour allows.

CruiseExperts.com has chosen five of our favorite places to visit in Fairbanks. We hope you have the opportunity to visit at least a few!

1. Travelers who have visited Fairbanks a few times often say that the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is always their go-to stop in the city. Here, you can learn about interesting events that may be going on in the area. Inside there are exhibits and films about Alaskan history and culture. Families looking for an interesting keepsake from their Alaskan vacation may also want to visit the center’s portrait studio, to have their photos taken in traditional Native Alaskan attire.

Photo courtesy of Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center

2. The Museum of the North at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is one of the most well-designed and organized natural history museums in the United States. The center features exhibits and houses artifacts about the geology, culture and history of each region in Alaska. Its most famous and popular display centers around the life of a 36,000-year-old preserved bison known as Blue Babe. The animal’s body was found in 1979 by a group of miners who were working outside of Fairbanks. The museum also shows several films daily and houses an art museum that features work from local artists as well as well-known artist like Ansel Adams and Sydney Laurence.

The Kolmakovsky Blockhouse photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Museum of the North

3. On a Riverboat Discovery tour, you can learn about how Alaska’s rivers and interior regions shaped the history and culture of the state. Participants on this three-hour tour will be treated to the following:

• Bush pilot demonstration
• Walking tour of the Chena Indian Village
• Visit to the Susan Butcher Kennels for a dog mushing demonstration.

Photo courtesy of River Boat Discovery

4. At Gold Dredge No. 8, you’ll travel back in time to experience Alaska’s gold mining days. Dredge No. 8 was Alaska’s most famous and prolific mining area. From 1928 to 1959, it recovered over 7.5 million ounces of gold. Today at the site, visitors will first learn how to pan for gold during a brief, but informative demonstration. You’ll then have the opportunity to try it out for yourself. At the end of the tour, you’ll be treated to free coffee and cookies while your gold is weighed.

Photo courtesy of Gold Dredge 8

5. Pioneer Park is a 44-acre theme park built in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United State’s purchase of Alaska from Russia. The area includes some of the following popular exhibits:

• Denali Observation Car – The rail car that President Warren G. Harding used during a visit to Alaska in 1923
• Gold Rush Town – A group of 35 restored buildings from early Fairbanks
• Mini Gold Fairbanks – The United State’s northernmost 36-hole mini gold course
• Tanana Valley Railroad Museum – Home of the oldest working steam locomotive in Alaska.

Photo taken by Daniel Osborne a member of the Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad Museum

Call a CruiseExperts.com agent today to get started on planning your 2014 Alaskan journey. Not only can we coordinate your travel arrangements, we’re also here to provide tips on fun things to do in places like Fairbanks. Call 1-888-804-CRUISE (2784) or visit our website at  www.CruiseExperts.com.