Alaska Land Tour Day 3: Denali to Fairbanks

Me with an old canoe in the Chena Village
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We had breakfast at Rapids this morning which was a small fast food stand in our lodge. The breakfast was relatively cheap and quick which is exactly what we needed. We had a two hour bus ride from Denali to Fairbanks, our driver was very nice and talked alot about the local area and history as we went along.

She even pointed out the Stampede Trail and talked about the death of Chris McCandless, which was the story line for the movie Into the Wild.

Alaska's native american tribes were on hand to teach you about their way of life

A bush pilot landing in the Chena River
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Along our ride we got two photo stops that were scenic and allowed us to stretch our legs some. We arrived in downtown Fairbanks around lunch time and were given some time on our own.

We decided to get something to eat and went into a cute little place called the Fudge Pot. Our guide recommended it to us and said they had great deli sandwiches. When we went in the place was a mix of a cute art/tourist souvenir shop and a deli. We got some fantastic sandwiches on great local bread. We took a look through the shop and I found a canoe photo frame and a tiny little canoe made of birch that I bought. We also sampled some of their fudge and it was delicious so we ended up buying some to eat and some for gifts.

Area outside of Fairbanks, Alaska
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After lunch we walked around town and shopped in various shops. I was still looking at totem poles and my mom was looking at jewelry.

We went outside and took pictures in the town square and were then picked up by our guide and taken to the Chena River Discovery Paddle Boat Tour. We saw a bush pilot take off and land in the Chena River, we passed many nice homes situated along the river bank.

First we stopped at a dog musher camp along the river. The mushers came outside and talked to us about their jobs and what its like to race the dogs. We got a demonstration of the huskies pulling a 4 wheeler around the property.

Next we floated up to a reindeer village that raised local caribou and learned some about the local animals and other wildlife of the area. Afterwards our boat cruised up to the Chena Village where we were able to get off the boat and explore the village. In the village you walked around to several displays and locals from several of Alaska's native american tribes were on hand to teach you about their way of life, hunting and fishing methods, religious rites and customs, and symbolism of native dress. The tour was very informative.

On the way back my mom and I shopped in the gift shop on the boat and bought some local jewelry and a health totem for my uncle with cancer. After our tour we went back to our hotel where we had dinner. It was served family style in their dining room, the food was good but the ice cream was great.

We went outside for awhile and walked beside the river and took more pictures before retuning to the hotel room to shower and pack for the way home.

Things Learned on Day 3 of my Land Tour:

1. I wish I had more time than 1 day in each land spot. You needed more time to explore, especially in Denali National Park.