Perched at the top of the world, Fairbanks, Alaska sits just 198 miles south of the Arctic Circle, deep in the interior of the largest state in America. Far removed from the coastal glamour of Anchorage or the cruise ship corridors of Juneau, Fairbanks is raw, unfiltered Alaska, where temperatures plunge to 20 below zero and the wilderness stretches endlessly in every direction. Yet it is precisely this extremity that makes Fairbanks and its crown jewel, Chena Hot Springs, one of the most fascinating and unforgettable destinations on earth. Here, the cold is not a deterrent. It is the attraction.
Aurora at Old Murphy Dome
Rising 2,650 feet above the Fairbanks basin, Old Murphy Dome has earned its reputation as one of the premier aurora viewing spots in all of Alaska. Its elevation lifts visitors above the light pollution of the city below, while its wide, unobstructed horizon creates a natural amphitheater for the Northern Lights to perform. Fairbanks sits directly beneath the auroral oval, a ring-shaped zone of maximum aurora activity, making sightings frequent from late August through April. Locals and seasoned aurora chasers alike return to Murphy Dome knowing that no two nights and no two displays are ever the same.
Mushing Through the Wild
Just 60 miles east of Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort offers one of Alaska's most visceral winter experiences, dog sledding through a snow-blanketed wilderness. The resort's kennels are home to Alaskan Huskies, the same breed that defines the legendary Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a grueling 1,000-mile race from Anchorage to Nome held every March. Iditarod dogs are extraordinary athletes, capable of covering 100 miles per day across frozen tundra, fueled by high-fat diets of up to 12,000 calories daily.
Sculptures Carved
Chena Hot Springs is home to one of the world's most unique artistic environments, the Aurora Ice Museum, a year-round ice castle maintained at a constant 25 degrees Fahrenheit entirely through the resort's geothermal energy. Unlike seasonal ice festivals that melt away with spring, this museum endures through summer and fall, housing elaborate sculptures of dragons, chandeliers, and sweeping archways carved entirely from ice harvested on-site. Guests can sip cocktails from ice glasses at the ice bar and walk through a year round frozen museum.
Alaska's Last Frontier
Fairbanks and Chena Hot Springs are not places for the faint of heart. For those willing to brave the cold, they offer something truly irreplaceable. Alaska does not meet you halfway. You go to it, fully and completely, and it rewards you with a world unlike anything else.
