Trip planning

Interior lodging and restaurants: Fairbanks, Denali and more

Region has wide range of motels, B&Bs and restaurants

By Leon Unruh / Alaska.com

Fairbanks' hotel selection is broad. The city, with a population of 30,000 the largest city in the Interior (the Fairbanks North Star Borough counts 83,000 residents altogether), has about two dozen motels and hotels, more than three dozen B&Bs and several hostels.

In addition, lodges welcome visitors to locations outside Fairbanks such as Chatanika, Chena Hot Springs, Ester and Salcha.

Fairbanks has family-owned lodging, as well as a number of establishments operated by national chains. Several hotels are new, built in the past couple of years to handle summer tourism. There are also a half-dozen RV parks and campgrounds.

Dining

Dining in the Interior runs from solid meals served at riverside to national hamburger chains.

Chena Hot Springs Resort, about an hour's drive east of Fairbanks and close to a state park and campground, is popular with Alaskans year-round. In addition to the 156-degree springs used for bathing, it has lodging and a restaurant. The Angel Creek Lodge, a Yukon Quest checkpoint, and hostels are nearby.

Restaurants -- including national hamburger chains and the world's northernmost Denny's -- are available throughout Fairbanks. Most of the larger hotels have restaurants. Locals dine along the water at three Chena River establishments: Pike's Landing, Chena's Fine Dining & Deck at the River's Edge Resort, and the Chena Pump House, which is as much a museum as a restaurant.

Downtown Fairbanks has several restaurants, among them Gambardella's Pasta Bella, which has garden seating, and the Co-op Plaza on Third Avenue, which includes a diner.

A popular spot with tour groups is the Alaska Salmon Bake at Alaskaland Pioneer Park. North of town, Alaskans get nice cuts of meat at The Turtle Club in Fox and pizza at the Vallata Restaurant on Goldstream Road. Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream is a favorite near the university.

Near Fairbanks, the Chatanika Gold Camp, Mile 28 of the Steese Highway, has a popular restaurant and saloon. Off Mile 351 of the Parks Highway south of Fairbanks, the Ester Gold Camp has a dining hall, inn and revue.

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