Last winter my husband had business he had to travel for to Fairbanks, Alaska.  At first the thought of going to Fairbanks in the winter was not too thrilling to me since temperatures can be extreme that time of year but we decided to gather up our family as well as my cousin’s and make the trip north with him.  Fairbanks is just over 300 miles from our home in Chugiak via the scenic George Parks Highway (Hwy #3).  Traveling this road in the summer you will find many activities and places to stop at and visit but in February most services are closed but it is still a very scenic road to travel, regardless of what time of year it is.  The ride up to Fairbanks took us about 7 hours and as we made our approach into the city we were fortunate to witness the Aurora Borealis in the night sky.  It is incredible to see the colorful mysterious lights dancing in the skies.  We do get to see the Northern Lights at our home but as you go further north into Interior Alaska they appear more often.  (more…)

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We often get inquiries from folks interested in seeing the Aurora Borealis, locally known in Alaska as the Northern Lights.   During the summer months, it is very unlikely that you would see the Northern Lights due to Alaska’s Midnight Sun.  Alaskans and visitors alike love our Midnight Sun as it provides up to 19 hours of daylight in June (or more depending on your location) and we are often seen enjoying outdoor activities late in the evening.  On rare occasions in fall from Talkeetna to Denali and further North to Fairbanks, we are fortunate enough to have clear skies and atmospheric conditions that result in Aurora sightings.  Lodges such as the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge provide  “Northern Lights” wake up call service upon request.  So, if you are traveling in the fall, be sure to check with the front desk of the lodges that you are staying at to see if they have such service. If they do, the Front Desk will call your room and wake you up, regardless of the time of night, if they observe the northern lights. (more…)

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One of my best recent adventures in Alaska was a trip north to Fairbanks where my companion and I explored the northern portion of our State. One of the items on our must-do list was a trip north of the Arctic Circle so in Fairbanks we booked the Arctic Circle Fly-Drive Adventure, a tour operated by Northern Alaska Tours.

Our adventure started at 5am when we arrived at tour office located at the east ramp of the Fairbanks airport. Once the group was loaded into the van, along with our lunches they prepared and gear, we were on our way out of Fairbanks heading north with Patrick, our guide. About ten miles out of Fairbanks we past through the community of Fox, a historic as well as active gold mining town. Fox is also home to the Eldorado Gold mine, one of Fairbanks best 1/2 day tours. From the highway we could see a few mining claim still being worked. (more…)

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We have been helping folks plan their perfect Alaska vacation for well over a decade, and we started this blog during the summer of 2008 to share some of the insights and tips we have picked up along the way. Our staff of Alaska travel experts are busy creating ongoing posts on topics like places to stay, things to do, how to get around and where to eat. We will focus on many of Alaska’s most popular destinations like Anchorage, Seward and Denali National Park. We also hope to answer any questions you may have about our great state and hopefully entice you to come visit us in the near future.

Of course, Alaska Tour & Travel is here to help you plan your Alaska vacation of a lifetime. Whether you are looking for just a hotel or train trip, or a complete custom vacation package, we have you covered. Visit our main site at www.AlaskaTravel.com or email us at info@alaskatravel.com or give us a call today at 800-208-0200. We would love to hear from you and assist you with your Alaska vacation plans.

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