Alaska

Ft. Wainwright – Updated 2025

The Obvious Bucket List
The Oddly Specific Bucket List
In and Around Fort Wainwright
Celebrations and Major Events

Alaska: “The Last Frontier!” “The Land of the Midnight Sun!” “Find Your Alaska!” Alaska is a truly magical place that is unlike any other (and we are coming from Hawaii, so that’s saying a lot!). Yes, there are challenges about being stationed at Ft. Wainwright – 24 hours of darkness, 24 hours of sun, expensive goods, being far from everything, the cold – but we are an adaptable species right?, and with the right gear and adventurous attitude, living in the interior of Alaska is one of the most unique – and fun – opportunities available. I wish we had longer to explore one of the most incredible stations the Army can offer. Please share more bucket list ideas in the comments, as this state is HUGE and we had less than a year to explore living in “the Golden Heart of Alaska!”

The Obvious Bucket List

10 things you just gotta do while stationed at Fort Wainwright (in no particular order)

  1. Witness the Aurora Borealis
  2. Find a glacier
  3. Take a dog sled ride
  4. Visit a National Park
  5. Celebrate summer solstice
  6. Celebrate winter solstice
  7. Explore an igloo or ice cave
  8. Go fishing
  9. Learn about native Alaskan customs, traditions, and history
  10. Eat all the king crab, salmon, yak burgers, sourdough bread, berries, and beer

The Oddly Specific Bucket List

10 random experiences I hope you have while stationed at Fort Wainwright (also in no particular order)

  1. Try the blueberry (or any!) ice cream from Hot Licks (It’s the best! Did you know more ice cream is consumed per capita in Alaska than anywhere else in the USA?)
  2. Play in the snow – really anywhere, but most easily at Birch Hill Ski & Snowboard Area – try your hand at snowshoeing, tubing, skiing, snowboarding, or snowmachining (what locals call snowmobiling)
  3. Visit the 49th State Brewing after seeing Denali (our favorite brewery ever, and we have toured our fair share of breweries across the country!)
  4. Paddle the Chena River to the Pump House (or any of the other handful of restaurants / bars along the river) under the midnight sun
  5. Explore Juneau, the most unique capital in the USA (only accessible via boat or plane!)
  6. Drive from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula (one of the most stunning drives ever with countless adventures) and stop at Alyeska Resort to take the gondola up for a scenic drink overlooking seven (7!) glaciers
  7. Visit Chena Hot Springs, where you can not only soak in the delightful springs, but also knock off having a drink in an igloo, going dog sledding AND seeing the northern lights from this list!
  8. Drink an Alaskan Amber – or anything from local Fairbanks favorites Hoo Doo or Silver Gulch. There’s a saying here: “Fairbanks, where the people are unusual and the beer is unusually good!”
  9. Take part in the Nenana Ice Classic, an annual lottery tradition in which people try to guess when a tripod placed on the frozen river will fall over, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring (yay!), what locals call “breakup.”
  10. Cheer on the local NHL D2 team, the Ice Dogs – live hockey is so much fun and there’s some crazy promotion nearly every night!

In and Around Fort Wainwright

Originally inhabited by Athabaskan Indians, Fairbanks became a gold rush boomtown in the early 1900s. It is located in the “Interior” of Alaska, about 6 hours to the Artic Circle to the north and 6 hours to Anchorage to the south. Renowned for its incredible views of the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun, the city experiences nearly 70 days of straight darkness (more like “twilight”) and 70 days of straight sunlight – it’s a wild experience.

Known today as the “Golden Heart City” (there are a lot of remnants of it’s gold rush past…), Fairbanks is home to only 100,000 residents – the second largest city in Alaska after Anchorage. People in Fairbanks are often described as “hearty” or “quirky” and everyone seems to have an interesting story. Most military folk seems to develop deep friendships here (70 days of darkness sure is a bonding experience!), and help the colder months pass through a variety of festivals and celebrations. Living here is not always easy, but it sure is unique, and I look back on our time here as a blessing.

The “city” of Fairbanks is small with a few bucket list gems, but similar to the other more remote bases, finding your people and getting out to explore the rest of the state are critical. You are missing out on this station and opportunity if you stay in Fairbanks the whole time.

Here are a few ideas about things to check out around town, in addition to the ones mentioned above in the Obvious Bucket List and Oddly Specific Bucket List sections. And don’t forget to check out the Aurora Borealis and Midnight Sun forecasts!

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center – Recommended as the “first stop in Fairbanks,” this free museum / visitors center has exhibits, films, events, and more.

University of Alaska’s Museum of the North – Museums aren’t usually at the top of my list, but this one was rated by everyone I talked to as awesome and a Fairbanks must-see. As far as museums go, I agree! It was short, sweet, and informative.

Chena River State Recreation Area – Offers everything from hiking to kayaking to skiing, to fishing to aurora viewing and more. Famed for its catch-and-release Arctic grayling fishing and road-accessible ponds stocked with rainbow trout. During the warmer months, check out Chena Lake Recreation Area (different from the River Recreation Area) or Tanana Lakes Recreation Area for swimming fun.

Murphy Dome – The highest point in Fairbanks, which used to be where military protected the continental United States from unfriendly enemy aircraft. It is now one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, and a great spot for hiking, ATVing, and more during the day.

Fort Wainwright MWR – Hosts a ton of on and off post activities (and they are usually the cheapest way to do really cool activities like dog sledding, etc). Many base activities and events seem a little…lame? But the ones offered here are incredible valuable and usually pretty fun!

Pioneer Park – A “historic theme park” village in the heart of Fairbanks that features original buildings moved from downtown Fairbanks, as well as museums, carousel and train, local shops, and rustic cabin restaurants. Touristy, but fun once.

Riverboat Discovery – Take a trip down the Chena through Fairbanks and visit a living museum, see a bush plane take off, visit the home and kennel of an Iditarod champion, participate in a trading post, and more. We never did get to ride this, but it looked like a fun experience.

Gold Dredge 8 – Beginning at the Trans-Alaska pipeline, hop aboard an open air train ride, learn about Alaska’s “black gold”, see an old time dredger, and get a chance to pan for gold yourself. OR, check out Gold Daughters – veteran panners from Gold Dredge 8 who have set up their own shop where you are guaranteed to find real gold!

Hoo Doo or Silver Gulch are two famed local breweries, but there will always be more coming and going throughout the years, so make sure to Google. There’s a saying here: “Fairbanks, where the people are unusual and the beer is unusually good!”

North Pole – See where “the spirit of Christmas lives year-round” right outside of Fairbanks. It’s kitchy and nowhere near as picturesque as the “North Pole” from the movies, but it’s worth a postcard to Santa, especially if you have kids in tow. Plus, who doesn’t like to be able to say they’ve visited the real north pole?!

Chena Hot Springs Resort – An only an hour outside of Fairbanks, you can make it a day trip or stay overnight at this lovely resort. Activities change by season, but my favorite is winter, where you can relax in the healing mineral hot springs, watch the aurora borealis, check out Aurora Ice Museum, have a drink in the Aurora Ice Bar, try dog mushing, visit the dog kennels, go on a snow machine tour, hike, and more!

Denali National Park and Preserve – Not exactly IN Fairbanks, but only 2 hours away, which by Alaska standards means it could even be a day trip! Denali is the highest point in North America and the park is stunningly beautiful. There a many tips and tricks about how to visit (and what you are able to see based on the time of year, if you are allowed to drive your own car in to the park, etc), so make sure to do your research. Don’t miss Prospectors Pizza and 49th State Brewing right outside the gates!

Celebrations & Major Events

Fairbanks is chock full of unique and fun events – with highlights during the summer (June 21) and winter (December 22) solstice.

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