After the museum, we headed to Fairbanks to visit Pioneer Park, which commemorates Alaskan history with the original homes from the founding of the city. There are museums there, a theater, and an art gallery. The Harding Car is what brought President Harding to Alaska. I liked the Gold Rush Town the best, since you can go inside the shops and some are museums. Judge James Wickersham’s house is there, and you can speak with him while he is drinking his coffee. There are other people dressed up that can tell you some Alaskan history. There is a native village that you can explore. One of the only wooden steam boats left, SS Nenana, is in on display.
The art gallery that is located in the Centennial Center for the Arts displays the work of Alaskan artists. I was drawn to the wax works of Nancy Burnham, especially her corset series where she also used porcupine quills. The quills represent the pain associated with wearing a corset. Her abstract paintings contain beautiful colors. The art work is priced very reasonably as well. The trip to Pioneer Park was fun, and full of Alaskan history. There are so many things to see that I can’t see anyone in a group vetoing a visit there.
For dinner, I am happy we made a reservation at Silver Gulch, America’s most northern most brewery. This place was packed so it felt nice to be seated right away. I had the most delicious coconut chicken salad. I had a raspberry ale that was really good. There are burgers and other types of bar food- I went with the healthiest option that I could. I definitely recommend you eat there when visiting Fairbanks. After returning to Chena, it was back to the hot springs until they kicked me out!
Around midnight, I went outside to watch the Northern Lights, which was of the most magical experiences of my life. Words cannot describe how beautiful the lights are, and the way they dance across the sky. A simple explanation of why we can see the lights is because of the electrical discharge created by solar wind collisions with reactive atoms clinging to the Earth. The discharge from the solar wind reacts with oxygen causing the neon green glow.
I was able to see the green auroras; I know the other colors are possible to see during different seasons and times of night. I did not have a great camera, but used my phone to snap some photos, and what came out reminds me of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. I brought a chair outside and blankets, in addition to the layers I was wearing since it was cold. Something warm to drink is recommended as well. I feel gratitude to have been able to experience this natural phenomenon; it was definitely a bucket list item for me!
The next day I had some time before checking out, so I took a last soak in the springs, and walked around the resort, taking in how beautiful it is. There are reindeer, goats, donkeys, and horses on the grounds. You can also go on a sled ride with the dogs. You can tour the kennels and the green house. Older objects like cars and tractors are used as flower pots. There are also some neat sculptures as well. I was drawn to the dragon.
The springs are in a remote spot so internet was not available unless you purchased wifi, which was only accessible in a few buildings. The rooms contained no televisions so you really felt disconnected from the world. Sometimes we all need to get away, take a break from social media, and take in some natural beauty.
After that it was back on the road to Juneau! Again it was a long, beautiful drive on the Alaska Highway. It was sunny so I felt like the landscape looked even more amazing! We stopped at Beaver Junction again, where we spent the night, and left early in the morning. Later we took another break, and ended up finding Village Bakery, a great place to have a snack at in Haines Junction. I had never tried sunflower milk…pretty interesting taste. We got to Haines (in Alaska) again, and had a little time before we caught the ferry to Juneau. The Chilkoot River view in Haines was beautiful. We drove along the trail, and took in some fantastic views! When in Juneau, I had to try the dumplings at Pel’menis-delicious!
The next day was my last day in Alaska so I had to finish my things to do in Juneau list. I had breakfast at Gonzos, which has the most amazing waffles! After that it was a hike up Mt Roberts. It is a 2.5 mile hike uphill so once we got to the top, we celebrated with a beer at the restaurant.
The gift shop was a great place to get last minute souvenirs. I took the shuttle down since I had enough exercise. On the way back to the car, I stopped at a local brewery Barnaby where I tried another kind of spruce beer (I stuck with the theme). One more stop involved buying rain boots at Shoefly before we headed back to my sister’s place. I got to see the colored homes up close-beautiful!
Afterwards, my sister took me to the Shrine of St Therese, in honor of the Carmelite French nun. I wouldn’t think to find her shrine in Alaska but it is a peaceful place. She was renowned for her simplicity and practicality of faith, and as a result she became one of the most popular saints. It is a place of retreat, and you can stay in the lodgings there if you need a place to pray. The Shrine is a restful and relaxing place to end the day. It’s a hidden gem I recommend visiting if you are in Juneau.
This concludes my adventures in Alaska. I had a great time in this beautiful state! I’ve never experienced such a wild and rugged landscape. You really feel disconnected from the rest of the world. I only had cell reception in Juneau and Fairbanks. Blockbuster Video still has locations there since people have to still rent videos since streaming services are unreliable. Most people take a cruise, but I really enjoyed my road trip to the interior. Seeing the Northern Lights was one of the most incredible things I have ever experienced! As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to message me any feedback. Follow me on Instagram (Wayfaringgal) and like my Facebook page for future updates.
