We had an incredible experience with 1st Alaska Tours and would absolutely recommend them…read more We originally booked an outdoor Aurora Borealis tour for December, but the day before the tour they called us to explain that temperatures were already around -41°F and that being outside for hours would likely be miserable. Instead of pushing forward anyway, they upgraded us to their Yurt experience, which was the perfect solution. We could stay warm inside and step outside only when the aurora appeared, warming up in between with hot chocolate, coffee, and soup. One unexpected bonus was that the yurt next to us was offering dog sled rides, so we got to see a dog sled team up close, and that was also an option we could have added. It was a really fun and unique part of the experience. Our driver and guide, Zach, was fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and very accommodating, and shared great insights about the aurora, Alaska's history, and geography. He was also very honest when he did not know something and tried to find the answer. The next night at the hot springs, we ran into Paul, another guide from 1st Alaska Tours who was leading a different group. He was just as friendly and helpful and offered some great tips, which really says a lot about the company. If you are considering an aurora tour in Fairbanks, 1st Alaska Tours is a great choice. I do apologize for my photography skills and the video was from inside the yurt!

George, our tour guide lead a fun and educational experience throughout Fairbanks. He was extremely…read morehelpful with questions and made our happiness his #1 priority!

A couple of days ago while traveling in Alaska, we were driving a rental car on a snowy highway…read more Because of heavy snow and a sharp turn, our car slid off the road into a ditch and narrowly missed a utility pole. It was a frightening moment, especially since we were traveling with children. Golden North Inn happened to be located right in front of where our car came to a stop. Although we did not have a reservation, we went inside to ask for help. The reception staff showed us incredible kindness and compassion. They immediately offered assistance, provided us with a snow shovel, and allowed my children to use their restroom to warm up and regroup. In a stressful and vulnerable moment, their help truly meant more to us than words can express. Even though we were not guests, they treated us with genuine care and humanity. I wanted to leave this review simply to express my sincere gratitude and to recognize their willingness to help others. I would highly recommend Golden North Inn to fellow travelers--not only for their service, but for the kindness and heart they show when it truly matters.

Beautifully decorated moose and bear light fixtures. Plus excellent location in the middle of…read moredowntown. Close to businesses, stores, and parks. Also beautiful store of indigenous arts and crafts and t shirts.

One of the best experiences we've had in Fairbanks! Tabitha and Danielle were so kind and down to…read moreearth. It was very chill vibes and the dog mushing was so fun! We bought our tickets through Viator. I highly recommend if you want to see the cutest dogs! I was able to borrow some snow shoes and gloves that went over my own gear. The dogs were so sweet and very energetic. We ended the day with some complimentary hot cocoa and hot cider. I highly recommend this experience!!!

My husband and I had the best time on our dog sled ride with Tabitha and Danielle. It was a…read morebeautiful day and the dogs were so excited to get going. Tabitha gave great direction, what to expect and we really enjoyed learning so much about dog sledding and traditional Alaskan living. Playing with the puppies after our ride was so much fluffy fun and we even learned how to harvest Chaga growing on the birch trees! I would recommend this to others and hope to experience this again. Thank you!

I had the best Fathers Day Ever! The staff was super friendly and helpful!…read moreThey provided my wife and I riding gear for a beautiful Harley Davidson Electra Glide, We ar from Atlanta Georgia and this was a awesome way to travel and take in the beauty of Alaska!!! I would give 10 Stars if I could!

Perri and the staff at Alaskan Adventure Riders are good people. Highly recommended. Would…read moredefinitely do business with them again.

We stay at the Rivers Edge at least 2 time per summer. WE have family in the area so the park is…read morenot only convenient it is in such a beautiful setting. We love hanging out by the river and enjoying watching the ducks float by. The spaces give us plenty of room to enjoy our stay. The staff are friendly and helpful and you can tell how much they truly care about the property. The bathrooms/ showers are always clean, the laundry mat is as well. Our family is in North Pole but we prefer to stay at Rivers Edge in spite of there being other parks closer. We did eat at Chena's Alaskan Grill this past may. They had changed to only having a buffet. It was a tad expensive for my taste but the food was very good and the service was too. The Rivers Edge Rv park is our home away from home while visiting Fairbanks.

I stayed here after my husband recently passed away while I was trying to figure out where I was…read moregoing to live. I paid $1,600 upfront for one month and explained my situation to the office staff, including that I would probably be extending for an additional 2-3 weeks. I was hoping for a little compassion and understanding during a very difficult time, but that was not my experience. Once I parked, I realized the sites were very small and cramped, with the picnic table sitting right by the sewage line. There was very little room between campers, and it was not what I expected. Also the WiFi was very slow and almost none existent. I was told the overflow parking could be used for guests or an extra vehicle, so I had a friend park there when she visited. I was never told she needed to check in at the office first or that there would be a fee. Over the Fourth of July weekend, my friend parked in the overflow lot and, within minutes, two office employees came over and rudely told her she could not park there because the park was "full." In reality, there were around 20 overflow spaces and only one vehicle parked there all day. The next day, I went into the office to ask where a guest could park if they were picking me up. I was told there was a $10-per-day parking fee, but that I would not be charged because I was staying long term. I had no problem paying, but that had never been mentioned when I checked in. I was also told my friend's vehicle had been trespassed from the property for parking there a few days earlier. My friend was never contacted by police or notified and only found out when she returned to visit. She had to park outside the park and walk in. I only had company over five times total, and they never stayed more than an hour. The staff's communication was inconsistent, and the rules seemed to change as they went. I felt singled out and harassed throughout my stay. At that point, I had been planning to extend for another month, but I decided not to. The day before I checked out, my son stopped by for about five minutes to load my barbecue into his truck. Despite the park being nearly empty and check-in not starting until 4 p.m., staff were knocking on my door and questioning us almost immediately. This was one of the hardest times in my life, and I expected professionalism and kindness. Instead, I experienced rude treatment, confusing policies, and constant harassment. I would not stay here again or recommend this park.

It was a great time learning about the animals. The tour started on time, with lots of good info…read morefrom the student guide. We were able to see and hear about the reindeer, muskox, and bison. They've got a small gift shop and a variety of artifacts inside to see up close. Enjoyable tour.

This Large Animal Research Station was a pleasant visit while spending the day in Fairbanks,…read moreAlaska. I came here back in the middle of June 2021, and they opened at 10am for a 1 hour guided tour. When I walked inside the research station, I was able to purchase a ticket at the gift shop. From my memory it was $10. We waited a few minutes to see if anyone else would join me on the tour, but I was the only one. Cool! I got my very own personalized tour! And...this Large Animal Research Station is run by students from the University of Alaska - Fairbanks so yes, a student gave me a tour of the grounds and provided insightful information on everything about the two primary animals they house...the musk ox and caribou (or more commonly known as reindeer). In general, I'd say we spent about 35 of the 60 minutes hanging out and talking about the musk ox...a very interesting animal that I had never even heard about prior to coming to Alaska. The other 25 minutes were spent by the caribou (reindeer). Btw...lol, I know the difference between caribou and reindeer.... A caribou is a reindeer set out in the wild, and a reindeer is one that has been domesticated. Obviously, the reindeer were pretty cute, and it would've been fun to have had a chance to make nice with or possibly pet them. Unfortunately, they were behind a fence though they did approach us when the guide handed them some tree branch leaves to munch on. And same thing with the musk ox. They were exclusively behind the fence as well though just like the reindeer, they happily approached us when they spotted tree branch leaves being set beside their fence. I will say that the musk ox are dangerous to the point where they cannot be allowed to interact with humans and or tourists, but the reindeer are a different story. And that sort of leads me to my next point... Okay so here at the Large Animal Research Station you have featured these musk ox and reindeer. But actually, during my itinerary through Alaska I was visiting two specific farms solely dedicated to both the musk ox and reindeer. These farms were located in Palmer, Alaska...about 330 miles south from here in Fairbanks. Though, they fit in well with my entire journey, so I kind of felt like here at the Research Station it was a good introduction and "preview" to the main events out on the farms in Palmer, AK. Just briefly mentioning them, the Reindeer Farm in Palmer is totally hands on for the 1-hour tour where you can feed, pet and cuddle with all the reindeer. It was an absolutely beautiful and memorable experience for me! Meanwhile the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer was 1 hour as well but once again the animals are enclosed behind fencing due to safety reasons. And so, the Musk Ox Farm wasn't nearly as good as the Reindeer Farm, but I highly recommend both in Palmer. Finally, getting back to here at the Large Animal Research Station, it was still a worthwhile 1-hour tour where I definitely took away a lot of good info about the animals. And plus getting to speak with the tour guide and have their full undivided attention was great. I felt like a VIP and got to be as close to the musk ox and reindeer as possible without actually touching them. As the tour ended, I returned to the gift shop hoping to buy a souvenir but unfortunately when looking around inside never found anything that piqued my interest. Though...I did sign the Visitor Logbook saying that I officially made it here, lol. Regardless that I didn't get an opportunity to pet/feed the musk ox or reindeer, I still enjoyed my 1-hour tour on the grounds of this the Large Animal Research Station. For those tourists visiting Fairbanks, I'd certainly recommend making a stop here and getting a chance to learn more about these two distinct animals commonly found in Alaska. And for $10 it's also good to help fund students and their research here at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks.

I would absolutely recommend the Chena hot springs tour! This was simple to book and I so…read moreappreciated that they picked us up right at our hotel - very convenient! The driver we got, Dillon, was incredible! He was professional, helpful, kind, genuine, and a great DJ! He played tunes on the ride to and from the hot springs and made the long drive along a bumpy road part of the actual experience and fun! He coordinated everything at the springs and was always around and available if needed. He was great! The Chena hot springs was an unforgettable experience. The actual hot springs were so beautiful and relaxing (even in the summer). The grounds were well kept the restaurant was convenient and food was delicious. We did a tour of the geothermal plant and gardens which was also very interesting, impressive, and unique. And finally, the ice museum!!! This was so fun to see. Getting a drink in an ice glass and smashing it afterward was a fun touch. Overall, this was a great experience and I would definitely recommend if you have an extra day in the Fairbanks area. Great experience and value for the price.

Based on our experience (4 adults) I would NOT book any tour done with Alaska Wild Lights. Our…read moretour was the Arctic Circle Day Tour and was the worst experience in our whole two weeks in Alaska. I booked this tour in February for a June 2026 trip to the Arctic Circle Day Tour. Before booking this tour, I called to confirm the information shown on their website stating a maximum of 8 people would be allowed on the tour as well as the type of vehicle would be a Sprinter (bus type vehicle allowing guests to fully stand up and also have ample leg room). Two weeks before our tour, I called again to confirm max number of people and the vehicle type in which I received an email confirmation stating 8 people max traveling in a Sprinter. The day we were picked up for the tour, it was NOT a Sprinter but an old passenger van AND there would now be 11 people on the tour. The passenger van was horribly uncomfortable with that many people crammed into the space and very difficult to get in and out of (could not stand up). There was absolutely no leg room or room to move around while traveling. Not only that, the air conditioning was not working and the passenger windows did not open at all, it was a very warm day. They provided a snack which was ONE bottle of warm water, a very small snack bag of chips and some sort of granola bar. This for a 15 hour road trip and there was no ability to buy water/snacks along the way. We did stop at the Yukon River Camp, no snacks or water available there to purchase either but you could buy a hamburger to eat there. We only stopped at port-a-potty locations when needed and at the Arctic Circle wood sign, no walks across the tundra as shown on their website, no stop at the Hilltop Restaurant & Marketplace just port-a-potties. I reached out to the owner of the company several times before writing this review with NO RESPONSE.

Look no further. Ben will take great care of you. Our flight landed at 1:40 AM. The car rental…read morecompanies close at 2:00 AM. So it was very important for the taxi we pre-arranged would be there. Ben was there early, waiting for us at the curb. Thank You Ben for being such a nice and reliable man.