FAIRBANKS ALASKA NORTHERN LIGHTS FREE

I watched the most unbelievable display of green, red, orange and purple hues covering the entire sky.

Seeing the northern lights at Chena was the highlight of my trip. There is a yurt with space heaters, hot chocolate and Ramen noodles set up by Chena. Don’t worry, you won’t be outside in negative temperatures. And hopefully, a star studded sky filled with colorful Auroras as well. You will feel like you are in a winter wonderland, with nothing but snow as far as your eyes can see. On the top of the mountain, there is zero light pollution and pin drop silence. But each night, the resort offers a guided tour, where you ride on military grade SUSV snow trucks up to the top of Charlie Dome. And you may see them from your bedroom window.

Of course, the main reason to visit Chena Hot Springs during winter is to see the northern lights. Snow machining at Chena Hot Springs Resort Other fun outdoor winter activities while at Chena are dog mushing (make sure to stop by the kennels to see Alaskan Husky), snow machining, ice skating, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. This is where most of the food that is served in the resort’s restaurant comes from. Get married here, or just drink an apple martini out of an ice glass! The geothermal power plant and greenhouse on the property are also worth visiting, as you get to see how your food is grown sustainability in a remote location. There is an ice museum with ice rooms and sculptures, and ice chapel. Your eyelashes may have icicles on them, but thats a different story. Now, it may be a daunting idea to get in a bathing suit when its freezing outside, but once you get into the springs, you feel instantly relaxed. Most popularly known for its healing hot springs, Chena has all-natural mineral-rich indoor pool and outdoor lake, reaching temperatures of 106F. Set on 440 acres, the wilderness resort offers comfortable accommodation and lots of on-site activities. You can visit the aurora conservatory on site, sit by the fire pit under the stars, and opt to receive a Northern Lights Wake-Up Call. This means the front desk will call your room to let you know when the lights are out.Ĭhena Hot Springs Resort is a must during your northern lights visit to Alaska. in downtown is of course, the northern lights. The rooms are comfortable and have balconies overlooking the river and fireplaces to keep you cozy. The lodge is somewhat rustic, but that sets the tone for an adventure trip. There’s also a great chef driven restaurant – Pike’s Landing, right next door.

FAIRBANKS ALASKA NORTHERN LIGHTS FREE

They offer free airport transfers, family-style breakfast and a small sauna. Spend a couple of days at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge located on the banks of the Chena River, and a mile away from Fairbanks International Airport. There are many motels and hotels in Fairbanks. You may not see another car or human for miles or hours! View of Chena River from Pikes Waterfront Lodge Best Places To Stay There are often icy roads, moose crossings, no cellphone reception, and scarce facilities along the highways. Bear in mind, driving can be difficult in the vast and remote wilderness. If you want to double your chances to see a northern lights spectacle, head further north to Chena Hot Springs, or the villages of Barrow, Nome, Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, and Fort Yukon. Both attract participants and spectators from around the world. If you time it properly, you can even see the annual World Ice Art Championships or the Iditarod iron dog mushing race. There are nice hotels, restaurants, museums, and a quaint downtown, where you can shop for souvenirs, fishing gear and sportswear. You can fly directly into Fairbanks International Airport (most flights come from Seattle) and start your adventure right away. The city of Fairbanks is one of the best places to see the northern lights. Sunset from top of Charlie Dome Where in Alaska? So, this time I decided to plan a trip to Alaska, which is one of the best places in the world to see Aurora Borealis aka the northern lights. But it snowed the entire time I was there and I couldn’t see any northern lights. I also traveled to Lapland, Finland and stayed at the famous glass igloo resort. Sure, I had seen them once in passing before, while staying at a sheep farm in Greenland.

One of the things that I wanted to do was see the northern lights. It was just about this time last year, when I was making my travel bucket list.

Fairbanks alaska northern lights