Northern Lights & Fairbanks Alaska Area

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Gallivanting Like a Royal

Alaska September 2021 – Fairbanks Greater Area

by

Duchess DJ Love



Do you dream of seeing the Northern Lights? I do. While visiting Alaska last summer (Aug 2020), I found out that the aurora borealis begins dancing in the sky from August 21 to April 21. You guessed it. I plan a trip in mid-September to make my dream come true. Since Covid continues, airfare is reasonable. Lucky me steals a deal on 1^st class with American Airlines, my carrier of choice. Then I proceed to reserve a room at Chena Hot Springs Resort. I’m on a roll. The rental cars are a bit scarce, but I secure one. I like to Unpack the Trip b4 Takeoff which is an eBook that I wrote about my travel tips, planning and advice for a successful as well as enjoyable adventure. My goal is to have an expectation of what I will encounter and plan accordingly but always allowing time for spontaneity.



The airport scene is calm today. We drop by the Admiral’s Club for a cocktail to toast a good trip. TIP: Day passes to the Admiral’s club can be purchased for entry. Boarding the flight, I select a window seat to take in the view as we make the journey from DFW (Dallas-Ft Worth) to FAI (Fairbanks). Our flight is a long, non-stop one. Welcome to Fairbanks. If you have read my other blogs, you know I look for signs to snap a photo. FAI has just what I want for my first photo op. We must wait an hour to pick up the rental car. During the wait, acquaintances are made with a couple from San Diego. We pass the time in line chatting about what we plan to see while in the area. After the long wait, the agent offered me a SUV for my patience. I happily say, “yes” when he states, “we have a new blue Toyota 4Runner.” I accept it with a big smile. Now, I know lady luck is on my side. This is going to be a great trip!



We arrived late in the evening, so I reserved a hotel near the airport months ago based on the reviews. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fairbanks Airport does not let me down. Spacious room and very clean. TIP: They offer a shuttle to the airport if needed. After a good night's sleep and hot breakfast at the hotel, we make our way to the North Pole. Not the actual North Pole but home of year-round Christmas and best known for the Santa Claus House. It’s a short drive from the hotel on St Nicholas Dr. There’s a huge Santa with sleigh outside for photo ops, the walls of the building have beautifully painted holiday scenes and inside gifts galore. I enjoy browsing and get in line to have my picture taken with Mr. & Mrs. Claus. Hello Santa. Before leaving I sample the fudge and yes, a half-pound comes with me. On the way out, there’s the cool couple from the airport. Coincidence? It’s a sunny, pleasant day. Perfect for the drive to Chena Hot Springs Resort. The countryside is very scenic. Arriving at the resort around 3pm and check-in is not until 5, we walk around the property to stretch our legs a bit. The drive here was about an hour. My room is on the second floor of the Moose Lodge with a good view of the mountainside. TIP: No elevator. Upstairs is quieter but you must carry up the suitcases. Luckily for me, a handsome man hears me talking on my phone and offers to carry my luggage up to my room for me. How Sweet! We chat a bit and he goes on his way. Dinner is at the resort as there is nowhere to get food other than here unless you drive all the way back to Fairbanks. TIP: You may have to wait a while for a table. I like to eat early so my wait was only a few minutes. Food here is locally grown and from its own greenhouse which I’ll tour tomorrow. After settling into the room and relaxing a bit, it’s time to prepare for our 9:30pm Aurora Viewing Tour. We arrive early for the best seats. Eight people fit into the military looking SUV which is like a tank. We rode the SUSV (Small Unit Support Vehicle) up the bumpy two miles to the mountaintop. Charlie Dome is where we will spend the next 4 hours stargazing and watching for the Northern Lights. There are Porta Potties and a yurt to keep you warm and serve hot beverages. There are probably 50 or more folks with us in total. There’s a bom fire and we all sit around it talking and passing the night awaiting the dancing aurora borealis. The aurora tracker states our chances are low tonight. We make our way back & forth from the yurt to thaw out and back to the fire. The sweet gentleman that carried my luggage to my room is here on my tour. He’s from Houston and is taking the Arctic Circle tour tomorrow. I wanted to go but it was sold out months ago. We didn’t see the lights on this tour but it was fun and the guides provided historical information and shared tales of their adventures. At 2am, we make our way down the mountain. The rocky ride takes about 30 minutes.



Today’s agenda begins with the Aurora Ice Museum Tour. Going inside the ice museum is fabulous but I can’t stay long…it’s very cold inside even with the parkas the museum provides. We proceed on a guided tour of the world's largest ice environment. It has its own ice bar where I enjoy an Appletini on an ice stool. The tour lasts 45 minutes but I leave early – way too cold for my southern self. Outside, I finished the appletini. Then you throw the ice glass onto the ground, smashing it into pieces for good luck. I’m looking forward to my next activity, a Geothermal Energy tour. This one includes the greenhouse and steam energy. Learning the history of Chena and how the steam powers the resort is truly amazing. I’m in total awe. Visiting the green house is my favorite. I’ve never seen tomato plants this huge. It’s fascinating to observe the watering system and pollination process. Finally, it is time for the hot springs. There is an indoor pool and outdoor pool. I prefer the healing waters in the outdoor pool. Pampering is calling so off to the spa for a hot stone massage with foot reflexology. My hour of bliss went by too quickly. Dinner at the lodge is very tasty. I tried several dishes during my stay, and all were superb.



We drove back to Fairbanks in the snow. It has snowed every morning while at Chena and by noon the sun is shining brightly. Today we do not have any activities lined up. We park downtown Fairbanks and walk around sightseeing. We decided to try Soba, the one and only restaurant in Alaska that serves hearty Eastern European Food and Moldova's best wines per their ad. The delicious meal and décor deserve a special mention. With our sunny day and nothing planned, a drive to Denali happens. The shops have mostly closed. We find two open. One is closing today with 50% off everything including liquor. We fuel up and drive into Denali National Park. The snow is coming down heavily now. The park ranger informs us to turn around as the conditions are deteriorating. We see the first 5 miles of the park before turning around. Back in Fairbanks, we chose Lavelle's Bistro. Good thing we made a reservation as this place is packed. Again, another awesome meal. The two gentlemen sitting across from us strike up a conversation giving us tips on where to view the Northern Lights tonight. Their suggestion is to drive out to Fox as that’s a hotspot for viewing. We gave it a try, but it was too cloudy again. We spent our last night at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fairbanks Airport again. This hotel is so cozy. The staff are super friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this hotel.



This evening we fly back home to DFW. All packed up, we drive around sightseeing and shopping. We found Wal-mart, Fred Meyer and drove along the riverfront taking some photos. One last stop downtown, to pick up some jewelry that has been calling me back to Arctic Travelers Gift Shop. The couple that we met at the rental car desk and the Santa Claus house are here. We laugh about our timing of continual meetings. They are on our flight too. We exchange numbers as we are destined to be good friends. Our flight home is smooth, and I sleep on the overnight flight. I am told in DFW that the Northern Lights were visible on the flight as we flew near Alberta Canada.



TIP: The tracker lists 5 places with ratings on chances to view the Northern Lights. Check it out: www.explorefairbanks.com/explore-the-area/aurora-season/aurora-tracker.

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Photos

Heart and Welcome to Fairbanks
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