Pike’s Waterfront Lodge on the Chena River offers classic rooms or log cabins with scenic views, riverside decks, restaurant, a comfortable lounge, and many unique and fun onsite activities.
Traveling to Fairbanks for the Aurora Viewing
When my son took a 7-day Alaskan cruise, one of his regrets was that the cruise itinerary did not include a stop in Fairbanks. As you may or may not know, Fairbanks is specifically known for the Northern Lights. In fact, there are many night-time activities centered around the aurora viewing including tours.
We took his advice and added a 3-night stay in Fairbanks during our Alaska visit.
Interesting Facts About Fairbanks
On this trip, we learned so much about Alaska! Fairbanks, named in honor of Charles Warren Fairbanks (Vice President of the U.S. under President Theodore Roosevelt), is located in the interior of Alaska, a 200-mile drive south of the Arctic Circle. Yes, I said the Arctic Circle!
Fairbanks only covers an area a little over 30 square miles. To give a better geographical perspective, Fairbanks is approximately 360 miles north of Anchorage.
Fairbanks is known as “Alaska’s Golden Heart,” a nickname that highlights both its central location and its rich history in gold mining.
The city also holds the nickname, “The Land of the Midnight Sun.” During summer, Fairbanks experiences nearly 24 hours of daylight!
Selecting a Hotel
Fairbanks has plenty of good accommodations, so we researched before booking our stay at the locally owned and operated Pike’s Waterfront Lodge. In addition to the quirky, eclectic lodge description and activities that caught our attention, it’s known as the “friendliest lodge in Fairbanks.”
We also thought it was so cool that the hotel offers an “aurora wake up service” that would let us know in the middle of the night, when the sky was a must-see attraction.
We booked several months in advance and as expected, our dates quickly sold out. It’s not a fancy, luxury hotel but definitely a one-of-a-kind place to stay year round that offers both warm hospitality and the Alaskan spirit. It’s truly a fun property both inside and out.
Location of Hotel
Pike’s Waterfront Lodge is minutes (2 miles) from the Fairbanks Alaska International Airport and there is complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport. The airport shuttle driver was very friendly and funny.
The only downside about the location is that it’s not walking distance to downtown. The hotel is about a 15-minute drive downtown where you’ll find several restaurants and shops. Most nights, we opted to not leave the lodge, and dined right next door at Pike’s Landing.
If you prefer to drive around the area, there is a very convenient on-site car rental. The lodge is also the ideal place to hop aboard group tours. Multiple tour operators pick you up at the lodge.
Note: Being so close to the airport does come with a bit of airplane noise and the location on the Chena River (active boat launch) also can be a bit noisy in the evenings.
About the Hotel
While we could have stayed at a recognizable brand hotel, Pike’s Waterfront Lodge offers an extraordinary list of amenities, activities, and things to see onsite.
We looked at those extras as justification for an already expensive trip. For example, breakfast is included and there are so many free activities just for guests.
There are common spaces, each capturing the Alaskan spirit, including a lobby full of taxidermy. Taxidermy is the art of preserving animals in a lifelike state! Sounds gross but was actually cool to look at.
The lodge lobby is like a museum and art gallery combined with Alaskan artwork and paintings, historical artifacts, colorful lighting, log designed railings, stained glass, fireplaces, and vintage leather chairs for sitting and taking it all in.
Everywhere you look, there is another nook and cranny to explore. In addition to fun board games and a checkerboard table, there is cozy book nook with a rolling ladder that leads to a 1,000-Book Alaskan Library.
Hotel Amenities
As with most hotels, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel grounds. The 24/7 fitness center features free weights, cardio machines, and other gym equipment.
Standout features of the lodge is that there is an onsite miniature golf course and bocce court, a 24-hour gift shop with a convenient ATM, and a 24 hour coin-operated laundry ideal to maintain clean clothes on a long Alaskan adventure.
Barnette’s Trading Post is a fun recreation and activity building. There, we enjoyed a film at the 14-seat Empress Theater, an aurora themed film.
To relax and warm up after a day of exploration, try the Aromatherapy Steam Room or spend time in “The Solarium,” a cozy glass room to enjoying the outside views from inside.
If you like animals, you can visit real reindeer and shop in a cute gift shop where you can touch reindeer antlers and dress up in costumes for a memorable photo opportunity.
We spent an hour each day strolling the gardens, each time discovering different features like the big swing, hand-carved fish bench, musical instruments, and staring at the huge “LOVE ALASKA” sign on the Chena River.
Lodge Accommodations
Pike’s Waterfront Lodge features 180 lodge rooms (year-round) and 28 log cabins available during the summer months. We selected a classic lodge room with a King bed, and a great view of the river. Our north facing room gave us the best chance of seeing the aurora lights.
We had been forewarned that if you stay in a log cabin, you’d have to walk to the main lodge for breakfast each morning. It was suggested to get a room in the main building, to avoid the extra walking each morning.
The room, a bit dated, featured a bed adorned with a wooden headboard, plush bedding, and four fluffy pillows. The lamps on each side of the bed made for a cozy, old fashioned feel.
The room is not what I’d describe as fancy, but clean and comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep. To be truthful, we didn’t spend much time in the room because we were either out sightseeing or when inside the lodge, we were exploring the common areas.
The room had complimentary high-speed wireless internet (felt slow to me), a microwave, mini-fridge, flat-screen television, coffee maker, electric tea kettle, and a desk workspace. We were quite pleased to have access to an individual climate control and spare blankets as I always felt cold.
The spacious bathroom offered a vanity mirror, hair dryer, Aveda aromatherapy bath products. Our towels were refreshed daily.
The room’s microwave came in handy, since the lodge market sells microwave meals and other treats, ideal for late night snacks.
Note: The housekeeping policy is to clean guest rooms every four days for longer staying guests but you can ask for fresh towels and extra amenities whenever needed.
Dining At Pike’s Landing
Pike’s Waterfront Lodge offers a complimentary continental buffet breakfast in the Binkley Art Gallery (lobby area) daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 am. The dining room overlooks the Chena River and offers both hot and cold buffet items. We enjoyed the oatmeal and waffles with strawberries along with coffee, tea, and fresh juice. It’s wonderful to get breakfast without leaving the hotel.
And while the lodge itself doesn’t have a full-service restaurant, it shares the property with Pike’s Landing, a riverside restaurant with an outdoor patio (weather permitting) providing scenic views of the Chena River. Impressively, Pike’s Landing is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As you can guess, the lunch and dinner menu offers Alaskan seafood and other local delicacies, plus American classics like cheese burgers and mozzarella sticks. The halibut fish and chips is highly recommended.
Also in the lodge’s lobby, is a fun daily ice cream social. Select a scoop of your favorite ice cream (Moose Tracks!) and top it with sprinkles and fudge.
The Northern Lights Saloon is a quiet place to relax and enjoy a beverage of your choice every evening from 5 pm to 10 pm.
Northern Lights Wakeup Call
The lodge offers convenient nighttime Aurora viewing from not one but two different enclosed spaces: The Aurora Conservatory and the Aurora Discovery Institute. You can sit down and stay warm while viewing at both places but at the institute, you’ll receive many viewing tips and information about the Northern Lights.
Now for the exciting part, we did get multiple overnight calls to look outside. When we were just about to give up, the last call came in and there it was … the aurora right outside our window. We were told that we were lucky because outside of some guest rooms, there is too much light to see the aurora. The atmosphere needs to be very dark to see the bright green strips of breathtaking swirling lights.
Remember, Fairbanks is located under the Auroral Oval, so the lights can be visible on approximately 200 nights yearly between August and April. If you plan to see the Northern Lights, Pike’s Waterfront Lodge is a great choice.
Final Takeaways About the Hotel
While we probably won’t visit Alaska again, we do recommend the lodge because of the excellent location near the airport and attractions, convenient shuttle service, rustic lodge appeal, and the clean, comfortable rooms. It’s the quirky extra touches that made our time in Fairbanks even more memorable.
- Convenient Aurora viewing
- Free breakfast
- Movie theater
- Daily ice cream bar
- General store
- Onsite laundry room
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Inn amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning travel.