Well, our 4 feet of snow and ice has melted from our yard, the rivers and ponds are melted and the lakes are starting to thaw, it's midnight sun season (meaning the sun doesn't dip far enough below the horizon to allow for darkness) and those infamous Alaskan mosquitos are out in full force! "Green Up Day" has been declared this past week and all of this together means it's officially summer in interior Alaska! In most places around the world, the greening up of plants after winter happens so gradually, you hardly notice the change but in interior Alaska the transformation from brown to green happens so fast that it literally is declared as a single day. When we say that it happens "overnight", it's not just a saying. And every year, it fills us with so much happiness after a winter wonderland for the last 8 months. For this post, I asked Jon what his favorite part about summer is and his exact words were, "It's not winter." Haha :D He also said, "I'll take 20 mosquitos gnawing on me at any given time over not being able to go outside because it's too cold." And I agree! But you don't have to experience the harsh contrast between winter and summer to appreciate the absolute paradise that Alaska becomes in this season. Summer offers a variety of activities that keep us entertained during the never ending daylight and this list can only be used as a jumping off point for all there is to do here. So here it goes, in no particular order, 10 things to do in Fairbanks in the summer: 1. Gold PanningIf you know anything about Alaska, you know that gold quite literally put Fairbanks on the map (as well as most other places in this giant state). When the ground thaws and the rivers are flowing again, gold panning is a favorite past time still and is fun for all ages. There are a few different tourist locations to try your hand and learn the special techniques of gold panning in Faibanks, our favorite being Gold Daughters. The entrance fee includes a choose-your-own adventure if you will, where you'll choose the bag of pay dirt that is guaranteed to have gold inside, priced depending on the size of nuggets in each bag, as well as an unlimited amount of pay dirt from their pile for guests to practice (from which we have found our own gold flecks). Your group gets a personal guide to instruct, answer questions and offer help for the best success. Afterwards, they clean your gold for you to take home and you'll be catching gold fever in no time. Pro tip: if you feel you are ready to go out on your own, the knowledgeable guide can answer questions on where you can pan without a claim. 2. Reindeer YogaReindeer Yoga is a truly unique experience that we're not sure you'll find anywhere else in the world. If you've been around here before, you may be tired of us talking about reindeer yoga, but that just goes to show that this is an activity that we love to participate in in the summer. This activity is offered at Running Reindeer Ranch only in the summer and their schedule can be viewed on their website, though we do recommend going earlier in the season when the reindeer calves are just oh so tiny and cute. 3. Fairbanks River CruiseThis is an activity we've talked about before as well and you can read all about our experience here. We have to include this activity on this list because we believe this tour is a great experience for locals and tourists alike. Nothing screams Alaska summer more than cruising down the Chena river on a historic sternwheeler learning about the history of the locals and what put Fairbanks on the map. 4. Visit Pioneer ParkSpeaking of the history of Fairbanks, we love visiting Pioneer Park (aka Alaska land for long term locals) in the summer. The park contains original buildings and cabins from the early days of Fairbanks all on one little walking street called "Gold Rush Town". On Saturdays in the summer, the "town" comes alive with people dressed in period clothing giving free tours of these buildings and talking about what life was life back in the day. The park also includes a train museum and Alaska's oldest operating steam locomotive offering rides around the border of the park. We love exploring this park even when there aren't any scheduled events but you can find when those are on their website. 5. Explore a botanical GardenWe love visiting the University of Alaska - Fairbanks campus throughout the year. Their Museum of the North holds some fascinating exhibits, including a 36,000 year old mummified steppe bison. But when it's summer, Alaskans want to spend as much time outside as possible and the university campus has venues for doing just that as well. Their botanical garden consists of 8 acres dedicated to the research and education of local horticulture. Make sure to check their website for current events they host but you can also just drop in and explore the garden at your leisure. 6. Shop Local at the Farmers MarketThe Tanana Valley Farmers Market, located in Fairbanks, is the oldest established farmers market in Alaska. Growers and artists through out the Tanana Valley - an area larger than the state of Indiana - gather throughout the season in one place to offer the best of local produce and handicrafts. We definitely frequent the market for the shawarma and kettle corn ;) but we love taking visitors to the market to find unique souvenirs too! 7. tour a peony farmMany are surprised to learn that Alaska is a big player in the world wide cut flower market, specifically when you're talking about peonies. Alaska is the only place in the world you can buy peonies in peak wedding season from July-September and as such, peony farms are easy to come by in the summer! While there are a few u-pick peony farms around the Fairbanks area, we recently came across a farm in Fairbanks that offers tours! Boreal Peonies offers tours and teach about how peonies are farmed and shipped to locations around the world. Of course, you get to take home some fresh cut peonies after the tour which is a win in my book! 8. KayakingMinnesota may be "the land of 10,000 lakes" but Alaska is the land of over 3 million lakes! Only a little over 3,000 of these lakes are actually named due to the size of the state and the remote wilderness covering the majority of it. But because of all these bodies of water, there is an enormous opportunity for water sports - our favorite being kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, etc. Some of the larger, more popular lakes around Fairbanks are Tanana Lakes Recreation Area as well as Chena Lakes Recreation area. Both lakes offer rentals and if you check the website, every so often Tanana Lakes Recreation offers free lessons for these activities, though you do usually have to register in advance. 9. FishingSpeaking of lakes and water activities, fishing is a popular activity all summer long. The lakes around Fairbanks are stocked with Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Arctic Grayling, Arctic Char, and King Salmon. There are a few fishing equipment rental areas in town and you can purchase a fishing license online. Jon has had a great time trying different lures and methods and has proposed his own blog post on what he's learned. Let us know if this interests you! 10. Berry PickingLast but not least, berry picking certainly is a favorite summer past time for me! Starting in early June, the wild strawberries start to pop up! These tiny, sweet morsels are literally nature's candy! You'll also find wild raspberry bushes throughout the summer and as it get later in the season, the blueberries start popping up. Wild Alaska blueberries are actually a superfood! They hold 10x the antioxidants than the berries you'll find in any store and they're organic and FREE! Can't get any better than that! And even later in the season, you'll find low-bush cranberries - aka lingonberries - which are super fun to hunt for as well. There are many other edible berries that Alaskans will forage for but these are the most well known. No true Alaskan will give away their berry picking spot ;) so be on the lookout! They really are everywhere, if you know what to look for!
Summer in Alaska is short and sweet so it's only fitting that the sun never goes down, allowing us to cram all our favorite activities into this short season. If you haven't been to Alaska in the summertime, we highly recommend it! If you have been, did we get all your favorites in this list? Let us know what you would add! If you're interested in a one-on-one chat to help plan a custom trip to Alaska, check out our options here! Comments or questions? We'd love to hear them! Make sure to pin so you can come back to this post! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for some of our day-to-day adventures and until next time, get out and explore where you live!
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AuthorWe're just a military family enjoying where we live, one PCS at a time. Follow us as we explore our current home, South Carolina, and beyond. The world is our backyard. Archives
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