Aurora Pointe was the first place I went to try to see the northern lights in Fairbanks, and it turned out to be a really easy way to get started. This Aurora Pointe review breaks down what the experience is like and what to expect.
If you’re trying to figure out which Northern lights experience is best for your trip, I go through all the main options in my guide to seeing the northern lights in Fairbanks.
What Aurora Pointe Actually Is
Aurora Pointe is a fixed aurora viewing facility just outside of Fairbanks. You drive yourself there, check in, and stay in one location for the night. Instead of figuring out where to go, you’re already in a spot chosen for darker skies, and everything is set up for you.
Thank you to Explore Fairbanks for arranging my visit to Aurora Pointe. Everything here is based on my real experience.
What It’s Like When You Arrive
Normally, when you arrive, you have time to grab a seat in the heated indoor space and settle in. When we got there, though, the aurora borealis was already visible, so we quickly set our stuff down and went right back outside. Our guide, Sage, took individual photos of us with the lights in the background, which I’m especially glad he did because it ended up being the strongest viewing of the night.
Once the aurora faded, we headed back inside to warm up. I visited in December, and temperatures dropped well below zero, so we couldn’t stay outside for more than a few minutes at a time. Thankfully, the indoor space stayed heated (and actually pretty toasty), so we took off our hats, mittens, and coats and got completely comfortable.
The space offered plenty of seating, room to spread out, and a steady supply of hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, along with cookies. It was also decked out for Christmas, which made it feel even more cozy while we were warming up.
What You Learn While You Wait
While we were inside warming up, they walked through a short presentation that covered what we were seeing and why the sky can change so quickly. It started with a basic overview of how the aurora forms, then shifted into what affects it night to night, like solar activity and cloud cover.
What I found most helpful was how they break down the forecasts. Instead of relying on generic “low, medium, high” aurora apps, they pointed out which real-time numbers actually matter and how to tell if it’s worth staying out longer or calling it a night.
There were also live aurora monitors on screens inside, which made it easier to see how conditions were changing in real time.
When the Northern Lights Appear
When there’s aurora activity, everyone quickly bundles up and heads outside. A lot of the time, you can’t see much with the naked eye, but the colors show up in photos. The guide suggested using night mode on our phones to help capture them.
The staff also takes photos of you with the aurora when it appears. Those photos, along with additional shots from throughout the night and a time-lapse video, are shared via Google Drive. It’s a nice bonus, especially since it can be hard to capture the lights on your own.
I did manage to capture a few photos when the aurora was most visible, but cloud cover moved in pretty early that night. It wasn’t the biggest show, but it was still a really cool experience.
Is Aurora Pointe Worth It for Seeing the Northern Lights?
For me, this ended up being the easiest way to start my northern lights experience in Fairbanks.
I didn’t have to figure out where to go or second-guess if I picked the right spot, which took a lot of the stress out of that first night. Having a warm place to wait made a big difference in the middle of winter, and the presentation helped me better understand what I was looking at for the rest of my trip.
Once I had that baseline, it was easier to see how different each viewing setup can be. If I were doing it again, I’d still choose Aurora Pointe for my first night. It was the perfect way to start.
After that, I had a completely different experience staying at Borealis Basecamp and taking a guided northern lights tour at Chena Hot Springs.
What To Know Before You Go
- Keep the aurora’s unpredictability in mind when planning. Since the weather and solar activity are never guaranteed, I recommend visiting early in your trip so you have a few backup nights to try again if the first night doesn’t work out.
- You’ll need your own transportation to get there, as they don’t provide a shuttle.
- This is a fixed-location experience. You won’t be chasing clear skies, but you also don’t have to worry about navigating unfamiliar roads in the dark.
- Dress in more layers than you think you need. You’ll be moving back and forth between the warm indoor space and the cold outdoor viewing area all night.
- Listen to the presentation. They explain how to read the forecast and what affects the aurora, which helps you understand what you’re seeing.
- Take advantage of the indoor space. There are hot drinks, cookies, and plenty of seating, which makes the wait much more comfortable.
- Give your eyes time to adjust once you step outside. The aurora often looks faint at first and can be hard to spot with the naked eye.
- Download the provided media after your visit. Photos of you with the northern lights and a time-lapse video are included, so you don’t have to worry about capturing everything yourself.
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