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Treat yourself to a leisurely self-tour of Fairbanks' pioneer past. You will find the pioneer presence still evident along the city streets. Driving/walking tour brochures are available at the

The walking tour brochure will take you on an hourlong stroll around Fairbanks' historical downtown area. It provides lively commentary about Fairbanks' early-day events and people. Among other things, you'll locate and learn about the site of Captain Barnette's landing, the First Avenue bathhouse, the "Row" of prostitution houses on First Avenue and the fire of 1906, which destroyed most of the town in one night. The driving brochure is of the outlying area  for those who have transportation. Both brochures can be picked up at the Visitor's Info Center. 550 First Avenue; 907-456-5774.

Chena Lakes Recreation Area17 miles east of Fairbanks. The US. Army Corps of Engineers  and the Fairbanks North Star Borough are partners in the development and management of recreation facilities in the 2,178 acre park. The major features of the  park are Chena Lake, a 259 acre rehabilitated barrow pit whose bays, peninsulas and islands give it a natural appearance, and the Chena River, one of the largest clear water streams in Interior Alaska. The recreation area is managed as two units, the Lake Park and the River Park. Each has two campground loops, over 80 campsites, some pull throughs for RV's, with water, bathrooms, dump station. Handicap accessible Each Park also has a boat launch ramp and extensive picnic areas, which include covered pavilions. Chena Lake also has a designated swimming area and boat dock. There are two changing rooms/warm-up huts at the swim beach and one at the River Park. Three volleyball courts have been placed at strategic locations and  a children's playground has been built at the Lake Park. Camping and picnic units are available on one of the islands. Chena Lake is stocked with silver salmon and rainbow trout; now reaching 10"-14" in length the State of Alaska has also added Arctic Char to the lake. The Chena River harbors grayling, northern pike, whitefish and burbot.

El Dorado Gold Mine Tours 907-479-7613,  Fox, Alaska. Catch the fun and keep the gold!! Join 4th generation Alaskans right on their own claim in the heart of one of the Interiors' earliest gold producing fields. Ride an original narrow-gauge train to a permafrost tunnel that depicts the way mining was done in the early days. You then travel a short distance to the mine where you will see various types of mining equipment  ranging from the old style to the most modern. After a short course in gold panning you are given your own chance to pan and you can keep the gold you are guaranteed to find. The tour takes approximately two hours and operates daily. Wheelchair accessible. Take the Steese Expressway to Fox then continue straight ahead on the Elliott Highway for 1.3 miles. Free shuttle service call 907-479-7613 for pick-up locations and times.

Gold Dredge #8 at mile 9 of the Old Steese Highway is the only dredge still open to the public in Alaska.  This is a Gray Lines' exclusive attraction in Fairbanks. Discover the Gold Tour, 4-hours (mid-May through mid-September) departures 9am & noon. Tour includes Historic downtown Fairbanks, The University of Alaska, The Alaska Pipeline, and an extended visit at the Gold Dredge. The tour includes a great family style lunch at the Goldstream Mining Camp.  The giant gold dredges found throughout the North are possibly the best example of what men will do to recover the fabled gold. The intricate working of these "monsters" is explained on one of the best tours of its kind in Alaska. You will pan for guaranteed gold, and if you don't know how, the knowledgeable friendly staff will show you. There is time to explore Warehouse Row and Railroad Loading Dock. You will be amazed at how much material and supplies were necessary to run a gold mining operation here. Open 9 to 6 daily Tickets available from GrayLine of Alaska in the Westmark Inn 1980 S. Cushman, Fairbanks, AK 99701. 907-451-6835 or toll free 800 544-2206.  The Gold Dredge is also open to independent travelers with ample parking for RV's. This is an excellent opportunity to see the inner workings of these giant dredges.

Large Animal Research Station on Yankovich Road is a geat place to view up-close the wondrous musk-oxen, caribou, and reindeer that call the research station home. Learn about the natural history and biology of these fasinating arctic mammals. Tours available June to September, call 907-474-7207 for more information. Gift shop has many items including unique handmade qiviut products.

North Star Golf Club  330 Golf Club Drive, Fairbanks. 907-457-4653 Golf the northernmost USGA course under the Midnight Sun. This is a great experience as it is a good course and offers new meaning to the word hazard as last summer I watched a fox steal my golf ball from the green. They have a visitor special for a 9 or 18 hole package that includes everything needed (cart, greens fee, club rental, balls etc) plus a yardage book, certificate of play, logo ball and towel. Exit Steese Highway at Chena Hot Springs Road, turn left on Chena Hot Springs Road then right on Old Steese and left on Golf Club Drive.

Northern Alaska Tour Company is Alaskan-owned and based in Fairbanks. It specializes in unique sightseeing excursions throughout Alaska’s Arctic, utilizing a fleet of first-class touring vans, 25-passenger touring coaches, flight seeing aircraft, & enclosed riverboats. 907-474-8600 or 1-800-474-1986.

Pioneer Park, Fairbanks' 44-acre, historical and entertainment center, boasts a collection of authentic gold rush cabins and buildings, the restored SS Nenana, the Harding Car shops and much, much more.

University of Alaska Museum is rated in Alaska's top 10 visitor attractions. Innovative exhibits on Alaska's five  geographical regions focus on the state's rich natural and cultural history. Highlights include the state's largest display of gold, a 36,000-year-old  mummified steppe bison, and special sections on the northern lights and Trans-Alaska pipeline. Don't miss the perennial summer favorite muti-media shows- Dynamic Aurora and Winter. The Museum Store offers a fine selection of handmade Alaska merchandise, as well as books, posters and educational materials. All proceeds support the Museum's programs. Admission charged. Even if you are not a museum person don't miss this one. Located on the West Ridge of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. For 24-hour information, call 474-7505.

Riverboat Discovery, 907-479-6673. 1975 Discovery Drive Fairbanks, AK 99709. Captain Charlie Binkley first arrived in the north in 1898. Having worked as a young man on the Ohio River, he ventured to the Yukon with dreams of piloting sternwheelers on the great river systems of Alaska and the Yukon Territories. A great family tradition was founded and over 90 years later his descendants still continue to carry passengers on Alaska's rivers aboard the only remaining authentic sternwheelers left in the state. Charlie's grandsons Skip, John, Jim Jr and even some of the grandchildren operate the Discovery fleet on daily tours. Every day at 8:45am and 2pm, the "Discovery III" riverboat departs for a half-day cruise on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Drive out Airport Road, turn right at Dale Road, and watch for the sign indicating directions to the "Discovery" landing. Then, prepare yourself to experience one of  Alaska's most memorable adventures. Reservations are required as this is one of Alaska's most popular trips. For the first leg of the trip, the "Discovery III" winds its way down the meandering Chena River. You'll see old homesteads and modern homes  lining the riverbanks, and bush planes on floats and river craft of every description secured to river docks. Cripple Creek, a tiny gold rush stream that yielded $100 million of the precious metal, merges and blends with the Chena. On the way down a short stop is made at the home of Dave Monson and Susan  Butcher, four time Iditarod Champion. Susan quite often takes a break from her training to give an informative and entertaining talk about her dogs and life on the trails in Alaska. On the way back up the river a stop is made to visit Old Chena Indian Village, there you will meet Dave Monson and see Susan's champion Iditarod dog team in action. All of the guides aboard the Discovery are representative of the Indian and Eskimo cultures of Alaska. They will show you a how a fish wheel operates, along with a tour of the smokehouse where the salmon is smoked and dried. There is a stop to take pictures of the moose hides and to hear how the Athabascan Indians turn the hides into clothing. Included is a walk through an authentic trapper's cabin and viewing of a cache with furs displayed. This trip was rated one of the top attractions in North America and is a real Alaskan experience, one that you will not soon forget.

Denali Outdoor Center Mile 238.5 Parks Hwy. Box 170 Denali Park, AK 99755; 907-683-1925 or 1-888-303-1925. Rafting, mountain bike tours and kayaks! Denali’s adventure company with 2-hour and 4-hour excursions daily. Whitewater and scenic river trips, guided tours, rentals and instruction for all ages and abilities. Professional, experienced and friendly staff. Discounts for AK residents, military, groups and children. Dry suits for all river runners. Free local shuttles.

Alaska Flying Tours. 705 Cranberry Ridge Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska 99712; 888-326-4424.  Custom flightseeing tours to the Arctic Circle and Mt. McKinley are also available with Alaska Flying Tours. Open year round!

Alaska Public Lands Information Center is a great way to be introduced to Alaska. On the corner of Third Avenue and Cushman Street - in the old federal building - in downtown Fairbanks The center features natural history and cultural exhibits, and has a fish tank full of fish native to Alaska. They also have regularly scheduled films on a variety of natural history and cultural topics. They also have extensive information on planning a boating, hiking or driving trip in the Interior. Summer hours are 9 to 6; 7 day's a week. Call 456-0527

A Monument to E.T. Barnette is found near the Log Cabin Visitor Information Center. While traveling to Tanacross to establish a trading post, Barnette convinced his captain to let him off the riverboat Lavelle Young, when the route he picked proved to be too shallow. As its founding father, he became the richest man in town as he owned most of the prime land. Barnette left town in 1911 after he was accused of embezzling money from the Washington Alaska Bank. He was later acquitted, but never returned to the town.

Chena Hot Springs Resort 907-451-8104 is located at the center of a 40 square mile geothermal resource area. Water flows from the hot springs at 156 degrees Fahrenheit and must be cooled before bathers can take advantage of its invigorating properties.
Accommodations vary from new bedroom units to rustic cabins There’s RV parking and tent sites The main lodge features fine dining, intimate surroundings and cozy fireplace, a full-service coffee shop and lounge.

Chena River State Recreation Area on the Chena Hot Springs Road (30 minutes east of Fairbanks). The 250,000-acre recreation area has camping, picnicking, canoeing, rafting, fishing for grayling, wildlife viewing and sunbathing by the Chena River. There are three well-developed hiking trails.  Two main campgrounds are at 27 & 39 mile Chena Hot Springs Road; toilets,  water, picnic tables. There is also a picnic site (day-use only) at mile 42.8 Chena River State Recreation Site, on University Avenue in Fairbanks, is a 29 acre park and a campground bordering the Chena River. There are 58 campsites, water, restrooms, and dump station. Other facilities include a boat launch, picnic sites along the river, a playfield with a volleyball court and a riverside walking trail. 5-day camping limit.

Creamer's Field a waterfowl refuge is located on the site of a historic dairy farm, and is now operated by the state. Guided nature walks are offered  during the summer, call Friends of Creamer's Field at 452-5162 or 459-7301  for times. The walks are 1 to 2 hours long. The farmhouse visitors center on the property has exhibits and refuge information. A parking area off College Road also provides an opportunity to view the geese, ducks and sand hill cranes that gather at the refuge.

Ester Gold Camp is known for its bountiful buffet and entertaining  shows at the old-time Malemute saloon. Tucked away in the complex is a small campground, handy for visitors to the historical mining community of Ester.  907-479-2500. Mile 351 Parks Highway; 907-479-2500, 800-676-6925.

Fairbanks Ice Museum, the coolest show in town! In the Historic Lacey Street Theater, watch Freeze Frame, a dynamic large screen multi-image presentation that journeys through the start-to-finish process of Ice Art. The World Ice Art Championships are held each March. The Ice Showcase is a glass fronted, 8,000 cubic foot walk-in display case that maintains a constant temperature of -20 degrees. In this chilly environment sculptors have transformed over 40,000 pounds of ice into colorful crystal wonders. Come view these cool creations in the warm comfort of the auditorium.
Downtown Fairbanks - one block from the Log Cabin Visitors Information Center. 500 2nd Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701, 907-451-8222.

Great Alaskan Bowl Company 4630 Old Airport Way, 907-474-9663 or 1-800-770-4222. Visit the factory and watch skilled craftman as they create solid wood hardwood bowls ranging in size from 7” to 22”.
They specialize in one of a kind gift ideas by custom photo engraving your personal photos on these beautiful wood products. The perfect gift for every occasion.

Greatland River Tours Join us aboard the sternwheeler Tanana Chief for a delicious Prime Rib dinner cruise while you take in the sights along the historic Chena River. Departing nightly at 6:45pm. Located where the Parks Highway crosses the Chena River. 907-452-8687 or toll free 866- 452-8687 for reservations.

Immaculate Conception Church, across the Cushman Street Bridge near the railroad station, was built in 1904 and is included in the National Registry  of Historic Places.
Libraries abound in the Fairbanks area. Fairbanks North Star Borough Noel Wien Public Library at 1215 Cowles St. Call 907-459-1020 for more information. North Pole Library at 601 Snowman Lane; 907-488-6101. University of Alaska Rasmuson Library. 907-474-7481.

Malemute Saloon in Ester is one of Fairbanks' leading visitor attractions. Found at the Ester Gold Camp, the Malemute Saloon has nightly entertainment, which features the poetry of Robert Service.

NOAA Command and Data Acquisition Station. mile 13.5/km 21.7 Steese  Highway. The station is one of two in the U.S. responsible for tracking and commanding the nations' environmental and weather satellites. Several large antennae are employed to downlink environmental data, which provides the nation with information for its weather forecasts, search and rescue capabilities, and ozone monitoring. Visitors can learn about the methods and equipment used to operate the satellites, as well as look at how and why the data is distributed. Tourists who call ahead can coordinate their visit to the tracking schedule in order to watch the whole process in action. Tours are available daily from  8am - 4 pm. Call 907-451-1200 for more information.

SS Nenana and Tanana-Yukon Rivers Diorama. The authentic structural restoration of the Nenana provides us with a visual conception of craftsmanship, which created the stately elegance of the "Last Lady" of the River.  Tours aboard the SS Nenana are available between 11am and 9pm. 907-456-8848.

University of Alaska Library, houses the Skinner Collection of books on Alaska and the polar region.

Picnic Areas
There are several day picnic areas in and around Fairbanks. No overnight camping, however, is permitted at any of these areas.

Pioneer Park is on Airport Way between downtown Fairbanks and the airport. Picnic shelter, tables.

Growden Park is on Second Avenue between Crosson and Wilbur Streets  near Pioneer Park. Picnic shelter and tables, firepits, playground.

Chena Lakes Recreation Area Picnic area and campground at mile 346.7 on the Richardson Highway, 15 miles outside of Fairbanks. See Nearby Attractions  for more complete details of this multi-use facility.

Chena River Wayside Camping Drive out Airport Way and turn right on University Ave. Picnic area.

Boat landings include Pioneer Park (just off Peger Road), Pike's Landing (on Airport Road between University Avenue and the airport) and Graehl Landing (Front Street and Forty Mile).