Nice interior gem.
Written: Jun 15 '06
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Relaxed atmosphere + friendly people.
Cons: Slow drivers, mosquitos,mosquitos,mosquitos
The Bottom Line: Nice place if you make it nice.
|
|
|
| skigt's Full Review: Fairbanks |
There aren't any realy mountains to speak of in the near area, nor any glaciers, or snow covered hills (in summer), but you gotta make your own time here.
My wife and I just returned yesterday from Alaska and we stayed in Fairbanks at a B&B and made our own fun. Somethings are annoying like the drivers. Theya re WAY too SLOW!!!!!, but I have to chalk it up to them driving in snow most of the time and not getting used to driving fast. You can always seem to tell the tourists from the "lower 48". We're the ones weaving in and out of the "traffic". Traffic? HAHAHA. Rush hour in Fairbanks is when more than 4 cars are lines up at a traffic light.
Take the time and do the tourist stuff and mix in a little adventure of your own. I would suggest using a company that specifcally rents cars fro the Haul road if you wan to go up to the Arctic circle (or take a flightseeing tour or bus tour) for that stuff. I ran over a rock and tore off the rental's oil pan on the Steese highway near Pedro's monument. (you can see my trail coming in and stopping at the restrooms for you future travelers- just look efor the hugh black line and to the black circle :) )
If you want to go to a hot spirngs I would suggest Chena Hot springs. The road in paved all the way there and there is little traffic. Just be aware of the frost heaves (yes even in mid june) and the occasional motorcycle nutjob doing 120mph on the long straight-aways.
I would suggest contacting the Fairbanks visitor center and arragening a "golden heart greeter". They are volunteers who meet with guest who request it. You can request someone with a specific interest or a general type of informative meeting. They will share as much or as little as you want. What better way to learn about an area than meeting meeting with a local and getting thier unique perspective on what it's like to live in 22 hours of daylight for 4 months with 70 (possibly even 100 degree temps) to 4 hours of "light" for the 8 months and a chilly -40 degrees in the winter.
While your here go pan for gold. Your in the gold belt so you might as well goto the Alaskan outfitter and get yourself an authentic gold pan. I'd recommened the REAL mining outfitter on College Ave and go for the 16in metal pan. The pastic ones are nice and cheaper, but they take longer to wash down the dirt. And the crusty old sourdogh at the shop will tell you that too :)
P.s. Take LOTS of bug spray, then stop at the Walmart or Fred Meyer and get more bug spray.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
skigt
|
|
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.