The Arctic Glow: Planning Your Northern Lights Trip to Fairbanks
Updated: Oct 7
The quiet, the cold, the sight of your breath on every exhale and the pre-game jitters as you wait for the sky to explode in color. Standard travel destinations promise sights, but Fairbanks takes it to another level with a spectacle that feels entirely otherworldly: the Aurora Borealis.
Fairbanks is positioned directly under the "Auroral Oval" (a ring-shaped region over the magnetic poles where space particles collide with Earth's atmosphere). Fairbanks is widely considered one of the best places on Earth to witness the beauty of “The Green Lady”.
Whether you are already packing your warmest layers or just starting to dream of your Alaskan adventure, here is everything you need to know about hunting the aurora in Fairbanks.
When to Go: Timing Your Hunt
The aurora happens year-round, but you need dark, clear skies to see it.
The Aurora Season: Runs from August 21 to April 21.
True Winter (November – February): Long, pitch-black nights (up to 20 hours of darkness). While temperatures regularly drop below zero, the experience can be extra magical as the snow-covered ground reflects the green glow.
Equinox Sweet Spots (September & March): Around the autumn and spring equinoxes, geomagnetic activity often spikes. This can yield vivid displays! September brings milder weather and reflections on unfrozen lakes, while March offers warmer winter temperatures and clearer skies.
Golden Rule of Odds: If you stay in Fairbanks for at least 3 nights and actively look for the lights, your chance of seeing them jumps to over 90%.
How We Viewed the Northern Lights Near Town
While faint auroras can sometimes be seen from downtown, escaping the city’s light pollution makes a massive difference. We chose to get out of town in three different ways during our week of aurora hunting. Clicking on any of the names will lead you to our videos on YouTube. We did not receive any compensation for these recommendations; they are our true feelings on our experiences!
We stayed downtown Fairbanks at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge for the first nights of our trip. The lights downtown made it very difficult to see the lights, so we decided to grab a tour for one night, and were sure glad we did. This was a full night (over 12 hours!) of chasing the lights in very nice Sprinter vans. Ed and Elena were amazing to not only keep us safe on snow covered roads as we drove for hours, but to also find a fantastic light display and take pictures and video of us in front of the lights. We completely endorse this tour and would highly recommend them if you are staying in a hotel in Fairbanks to have your best chance of locating the lights.
What an incredible find for our continued stay in Fairbanks. We stayed two nights at this amazing property and wished for many more. There is nothing like watching the lights as you stay nice and toasty warm in a bed surrounded by windows. The host was incredibly welcoming and even lit a fire in our outdoor fireplace one day as we were returning from North Pole after visiting Santa’s Village. It is about a 15-minute drive north of Fairbanks, so you need a car or a ride to get to the property. Nicely equipped kitchens and a welcoming snack basket and drinks in the fridge were a great touch. The wood fired sauna was very enjoyable as nighttime temperatures were below -30F! We absolutely enjoyed our stay and would love to return.
I wish we had a true review of our stay at this property. We booked 4 nights in an igloo with extras including dogsledding, a sunset champagne trip and reindeer meet and greet. The igloos are heated through a hot water system. Unfortunately, they had a pipe burst the week before we were to arrive, so they had to shut down all of their igloos as they made repairs. We were heartbroken. I do have to give amazing kudos to the staff who took great care of us with the situation that was beyond their control. They found our rooms at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge and paid for them, still picked us up so we could enjoy time on property including a dogsled experience and dinner, and were extremely accommodating. A stay in an igloo remains on our bucket list!
How to Prepare: Essential Tips
1. Watch the Clock (and the Forecast)
The peak window for auroral activity generally falls between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM. We saw our biggest share of lights between midnight and 3am during our visit in March. Check the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute Aurora Forecast to gauge anticipated activity levels. We found that clear skies are more important than high solar activity ratings, seeing some of our best lights on nights with low activity ratings!
2. Dress in Layers
Interior Alaska winter nights are punishingly cold (we saw -31F in March!)
Base: Moisture-wicking wool or synthetic thermals (avoid cotton).
Mid: Fleece or down insulation.
Outer: Windproof and waterproof winter parka and pants.
Accessories: Insulated boots rated for sub-zero temps, thick wool socks, hand and feet warmers, a heavy beanie, and convertible mittens. We even took battery operated hand warmers for our coat pockets which were a lifesaver as we were taking pictures, so often had exposed hands!
3. Photography Basics
Capturing the lights requires a few manual camera adjustments:
Gear: A camera with manual settings, a wide-angle lens with a low aperture ( or lower), and a sturdy tripod. I actually had great luck with my GoPro Hero 13 for timelapse videos and the iPhones took nice shots of the lights. My Canon EOS R7 was not up to the task, having big issues with the cold weather and locking up during long shutter exposures.
Settings: Set your ISO between 800 and 3200, open your aperture as wide as possible, and set a shutter speed between 2 to 10 seconds depending on how fast the aurora is moving. I am definitely not the camera expert, but there are amazing videos on YouTube that walk you through each step to grab that beautiful shot!
Pro Tip: Keep extra camera batteries inside an inner pocket near your body heat; sub-zero temperatures drain battery life in minutes.
Final Thoughts
Patience is key. The northern lights don't run on a schedule! We took overnight shifts, then woke others when the show began. Be prepared to watch for a faint, gray band on the horizon then watch as they burst into swirling ribbons of green, violet, and crimson. Take a thermos of hot cocoa or coffee, find a way to distance yourself from the city lights, and let the Arctic night work its magic.
#travel #alaska #northernlights #auroraborealis #wildingfairbanks #borealisbasecamp #arcticnighttours
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