Things to Do in Fairbanks, United States: Walking Guide

Looking for things to do in Fairbanks? This city in Alaska’s Interior brings together historic churches, aviation heritage, railroad history, distinctive architecture and cultural landmarks. Its compact collection of places offers an accessible way to discover Fairbanks and understand the city’s connection to Alaska’s past. Neywo also has a free audio guide for Fairbanks with 6 narrated places.

Fairbanks is part of Alaska, the northern region of the United States, and makes a useful point of reference for exploring the state’s history and heritage.

What to see in Fairbanks

The most interesting places to visit in Fairbanks are spread across the city and Pioneer Park. Together, they tell stories of religion, transport, architecture and the development of Interior Alaska.

Lacey Street Theatre and the Fairbanks Ice Museum

The Lacey Street Theatre is a former movie theater that now houses the Fairbanks Ice Museum. Its Art Deco design makes it one of Fairbanks’s most distinctive buildings, while its later use connects the site’s cinema history with the city’s tradition of ice sculpture.

Designed by B. Marcus Priteca and built in 1939 by C. W. Hufeisen for Austin E. “Cap” Lathrop, the theater opened on January 25, 1940. It belonged to a chain of movie theaters built by Lathrop across Alaska and was one of only two in Fairbanks into the 1960s.

The building remained a movie theater until it closed in December 1980. In 1992, it became a museum devoted to ice sculpture. Its architectural importance was recognized when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Pioneer Air Museum

Pioneer Air Museum is located in Pioneer Park and focuses on aviation history in Fairbanks, Alaska. Its collection adds another perspective to the city’s past, showing the importance of flight in a place where distance and northern geography have shaped everyday life.

The museum’s setting inside the park makes it a natural stop when exploring Fairbanks’s heritage attractions.

Harding Railroad Car

Also located in Pioneer Park, the Harding Railroad Car is a historic Pullman passenger car with a direct connection to a major moment in Alaska Railroad history. In 1923, it was one of three cars used by a delegation that included President Warren G. Harding. The journey led to the Mears Memorial Bridge for a ceremony marking the completion of the railroad between Fairbanks and Seward.

The Alaska Railroad purchased the car from the Great Northern Railway in 1923. It was called Denali and carried the equipment number X-336, remaining in service until 1945. At the request of the Fairbanks chapter of the Pioneers of Alaska, it was restored in 1959 and 1960 before being given to the city.

The car was placed in Alaskaland, now known as Pioneer Park, in 1967, when the park was created to mark the centennial of the Alaska Purchase. For several years, it served as the park’s visitor center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

One detail is worth remembering: this is not the railroad car that carried President Harding’s remains after his death in San Francisco. That was a different car.

Immaculate Conception Church

Immaculate Conception Church, at 115 North Cushman Street, is a historic landmark and the first Roman Catholic church built in Alaska’s Interior. Constructed in 1904, it has played an important role in Fairbanks’s religious and civic history.

The church originally stood on Dunkel Street. During the winter of 1911 and 1912, it was moved across the Chena River so that it would be closer to Saint Joseph’s Hospital. After the move, the basement was enlarged to create a parish hall, electricity was installed and a parish house was built beside the church.

The steeple and vestibule were added in 1914, when the roof was also raised and a choir gallery installed. Inside, the stained-glass windows date from 1926 to 1928. Immaculate Conception Church once served as a cathedral and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is another registered historic place in Fairbanks. Its designation reflects the role of religious buildings in the city’s heritage and makes it a worthwhile stop for visitors interested in historic architecture and the development of Fairbanks.

The church is also one of the three narrated stops on Neywo’s Chena Riverwalk route, linking the city’s historic core with Pioneer Park.

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, also known as Sacred Heart Cathedral, is the principal Catholic place of worship in Fairbanks. It stands close to the geographic center of the city and provides another important point of reference for understanding Fairbanks’s religious landscape.

Together with Immaculate Conception Church and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, it forms part of the city’s collection of notable places of worship.

A Fairbanks self-guided walking tour

For an independent way to explore the city, Neywo’s bike route, Chena Riverwalk: From Downtown Churches to Pioneer Park, covers 2.8 km and takes 14 minutes. It has three narrated stops:

• Immaculate Conception Church
• St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
• Harding Railroad Car

The route connects downtown churches with Pioneer Park, creating a compact introduction to Fairbanks’s history. It is a practical option if you are looking for a Fairbanks self-guided walking tour while travelling at your own pace.

Fairbanks can also be combined with visits to other Alaskan cities, including Anchorage, Homer, Juneau or Talkeetna.

Explore Fairbanks with Neywo

Download Neywo to explore Fairbanks with a free audio guide that tells the story of each place as you reach it. Fairbanks has 1 bike route, covering 2.8 km in 14 minutes, with 3 narrated stops, while the city guide includes 6 narrated places in total.

The app plays each story at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, so you can explore independently while the city’s history unfolds at the places themselves.