5 Best Sights in Fairbanks, the Yukon, and the Interior, Alaska

As with visitor centers elsewhere, you can get help with everything at this multifaceted facility, from taking in local attractions to negotiating a backcountry adventure. But the highlights here are the museum-quality displays about Interior Alaska. A walk-through exhibit re-creates a fish camp, and you can walk through a full-size public-use cabin similar to ones you can rent on your own. Alaska Native artists frequently sell jewelry and other wares at the center; in addition to making a unique purchase, you can chat with them about growing up in the villages or, in some cases, at fish camps such as the one the exhibit depicts. Named for a Tanana leader who dedicated his life to building bridges between Native and non-Native cultures, the center hosts summer programs showcasing Alaska Native art, music, storytelling, and dance; it's also home to the Explore Fairbanks Visitor Center and the Public Lands Information Center. On the edge of the center's parking lot is Antler Arch. Made from more than 100 moose and caribou antlers, it serves as a gateway to the bike and walking path along the Chena River.

Free gold panning and in-season tours of a historic schoolhouse are among the activities offered through this RV park's gift shop. The shop also has gas and diesel, an ATM, and free Wi-Fi. Not equipped with a full-size motorhome? Guests can also stay the night in suites, camping sites, and cabins.

In addition to finding out what's up in Delta Junction, you can purchase an "I Drove the Alaska Highway" certificate ($3) here—technically, the highway ends in Delta because there was already a road this far from Fairbanks. Across the street is the Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum (ask about hours at the visitor center, but it's generally open June through August). If you're in town on a Wednesday or Saturday between mid-May and early September, check out the wonderfully named Highway's End Farmers Market, open both days from 10 to 5.

If you're even thinking of heading into the wilderness, the headquarters of the 2.5-million-acre Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve should be your first stop. Informal interpretive programs and talks take place here, and there are videos you can watch to prepare. You can also peruse maps and visit the reference library, and there are helpful books for sale.

To help with your planning, stop in at Tok's visitor center, which has travel information covering the entire state, as well as wildlife and natural-history exhibits. This is one of Alaska's largest info centers, and the staff is quite helpful.