Are you looking for a magical winter getaway that the whole family will remember? Imagine cozying up in unique igloos, surrounded by snow-covered landscapes, while the colorful auroras dance above. Borealis Basecamp in Fairbanks, Alaska, offers an incredible opportunity for families to witness the stunning Northern Lights in a comfy yet exciting environment.
My family of four, with two little kids ages three and six, braved the Alaskan winter in order to see the Northern Lights in December.
Yes, it was cold (0ºF – 15ºF), yes it was expensive (to the tune of $3,000 for two nights for a family of 4, including activities, breakfast, and transportation), but it was totally worth it. Here’s what you need to know before you take the plunge:
- What you need to know before you go
- 6 Reasons Why You Should Take your Family to Borealis Basecamp
- Borealis Basecamp Accommodation Options Explained
- Favorite Activities at Borealis Basecamp
- Food review of Borealis Basecamp
- Borealis Basecamp Cost Breakdown & Tips
- How to see the Northern Lights at Borealis Basecamp
Fairbanks, Alaska is located on the stolen lands of the Dene Athabascan peoples
Before you go
- Book your stay well in advance. Rooms are limited and fill up quickly for stays during peak aurora viewing season (August through April). Reserve your stay ASAP; reservations require a minimum two-night stay.
- Take the free shuttle from Fairbanks. Borealis Basecamp is located 25 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska. A 45-minute shuttle ride is included in the overnight package.
- Plan to pack warm gear. Weather temperatures can dip below 0ºF in the winter. Read our blog for more details on what to pack.
- Bring snacks, instant soups, or wine to enjoy in your room. While there is a restaurant on-site for hearty dinners, there isn’t a store (or great lunch options) at Borealis Basecamp. Pack all snacks, food you can cook with hot water (rooms have a instant kettle but no hot plate or other cooking is allowed), and a bottle of wine to enjoy from inside your igloo either for lunches or during the evening hours while you wait for the aurora borealis to appear. Food is not included in your stay.
Top 6 reasons why you should bring your kids to Borealis Basecamp
- Borealis Basecamp arranges a shuttle to pick up your group directly from the Fairbanks Airport or a hotel in Fairbanks. The ride is about 45 minutes long and the cost is included in your overnight stay cost.
- You get to sleep in an igloo – enough said.
- The Northern Lights are visible most nights from August-April from Borealis Basecamp, and the rooms are situated so you can view them from inside your warm bed.
- All winter activities are accessible on-site. It is a five minute walk from the igloo, to sled dogs, or to dinner.
- Staff are friendly and helpful. I know my kids are cute, but the staff at Borealis Basecamp made us feel like royalty. They played with our kids, remembered their names, and seemed genuinely happy to work there.
- Kids ages 0-3 are free!
Borealis Basecamp Accommodation Options Explained
There are 3 different room types at Borealis Basecamp.
Basecamp Igloo
Although I came to Borealis Basecamp with the goal of seeing the Northern Lights, staying in an igloo was probably 80% why I chose Borealis Basecamp over other nearby accommodations.
Igloos accommodate up to three people, not including children ages 0-3. The igloos are sadly not made of ice. Instead, you’ll be sleeping in a dome shaped structure made of metal with a plexiglass window from hip height to the ceiling on the northernmost wall, and wonderful insulation to keep you cozy in cold temperatures.
Each igloo has its own porch and seating area, all facing north for optimal aurora viewing. The inside of the igloos are small but well laid out, with a king-sized bed, a small trundle bed, a pot for tea/coffee, mugs, seating for two, and a mini fridge. There is also an enclosed bathroom with a hot shower, flushing toilet, and toiletries.
The king bed faces the window, allowing you to relax on your own bed while taking in the views. There are no curtains to cover this window, so be prepared to wake up with the sun.
Cubes & Cube Suites
Located on the east side of the resort, the cube rooms have floor to ceiling windows facing north with cozy queen beds, and a private bathroom and dining space.
Each unite has a “treehouse” bed, aka a loft twin bed, and can accommodate up to three people.
The larger cube suites offer two queen beds and one treehouse twin bed, an ensuite sauna and tub. This space can accommodate up to five people.
Kids under four years of age are not counted towards the total room capacity.
Favorite Activities at Borealis Basecamp for Families
Borealis Basecamp offers a variety of on-site activities for kids and adults.
Some of our favorite activities were:
- Reindeer and sled dog encounters
- Dog sledding
- Photography session
You must reserve and pay for activities in advance. Borealis Basecamp automatically includes some activities in the overnight package. Since one of the activities included in our package, snow mobiling, was only available for guests ages 16+, we were given credit to spend on other activities that were open to younger children.
See our blog post about some of our favorite activities at Borealis Basecamp and how to successfully enjoy them with your kids in winter.
Food Review at Borealis Basecamp
There is only one restaurant on the property for all meals - Latitude 65.
Breakfast:
A hot breakfast is included with an overnight stay. Head to the restaurant for an omelet bar with reindeer sausage, cereals, bagels, muffins, and juices. Coffee is also available. Breakfast hours are from 7:30am-10:30am.
Lunch:
Consider warming up at the restaurant after a long day out on the snow. Latitude 65 serves soups, sandwiches, and offers a kid’s menu with $10 dishes.
Dinner:
You will be asked to make dinner reservations after you book your stay at Borealis Basecamp. Seating is limited. Make sure to place a reservation in advance to ensure you can eat during a time that works for your family.
Dinner was expensive and offered a limited menu. Luckily, our kids enjoyed the salmon and steak. The staff at Latitude 65 were friendly and sweet with our little kids.
Borealis Basecamp Cost Breakdown & Tips
The cost of Borealis Basecamp can be daunting. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my family, and one we were willing to splurge on since it was to celebrate my 40th birthday!
Guests must stay a minimum of two nights, and pay per person ages 4+, kids ages 0-3 free. Overnight packages include:
- Minimum of two night accommodation
- Roundtrip transportation to/from Fairbanks
- Breakfast
- One-hour snowmachine tour (for guests ages 16+)
- One-hour dog sled tour
Our family had two kids ages 3 and 6 years during our visit. We paid for two adults and one child (6yo) while the 3yo was free.
Due to age restrictions, we were unable to go on the snowmobiling tour and received $151 per person in credit that could be used for other activities, gift shop items, or snacks from the front desk. It could not be refunded or used at the restaurant.
Credit could be applied towards the following activities:
- Reindeer Meet and Greet – $41 per person
- Sunset Tour – $121 per person
- Reindeer Walk – $71 per person
- Sauna – $35 per hour, $1 booking fee per person
- 10-12 Hour Arctic Circle tour – $1015 per private departure, $1 booking fee per person
- Express Aurora Portrait Session – $100 per room per night
- Birthday arrangement – $50
$151×3= $453 to play around with. We booked two photography sessions, a birthday arrangement (balloons and cake in the room), the reindeer walk and meet & greet. It was a lot of fun.
Borealis Basecamp Igloo or Cube price
Borealis Basecamp Cube Suite price
How to see the Northern Lights at Borealis Basecamp
The Northern Lights are visible from Borealis Basecamp from August to April. The days are shorter in winter, offering more opportunities for aurora sightings. Many factors impact how the aurora appears, so make sure to check the Aurora Forecast.
At Borealis Basecamp, you can see the Northern Lights from the comfort of your room. The front desk provides courtesy wake up calls when the lights appear, no matter the time of night.
Make it a successful sleepless night by:
- Checking the Aurora Forecast
- Mentally preparing your family the night before
- Sleeping in base layers
- Lay out winter gear so it is easy to find
Read our blog post for more tips on how to prepare your kids for an incredible aurora viewing.
Antiracist Travel Considerations
History Corner:
The Athabascans and Iñupiaq Eskimos have stewarded the land around Fairbanks, Alaska for 30,000 years. Alaska became the 49th state, part of the United States of America in 1959. Native Alaskans have been fighting for their rights for decades.
According to a children’s book by Inuit storyteller Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, the many Native Alaskans interpret the Northern Lights as the spirits of their ancestors. Also, dog sledding is an Indigenous tradition as well as a popular Native Alaskan sport.
Our experience
The staff at Borealis Basecamp were a mix of white and BIPOC people, as were the guests. We were the only family there with little kids. Staff and other guests were kind to us, and greeted us with smiles. We felt welcomed and safe.
Learn More
1. Watch this video about the dog sledding way of life for Alaskan Native communities. Read about Ryan Redington, the sixth Native Alaskan to win the annual Iditarod dog race.
2. Read Northern Lights: Soccer Trails by Inuit storyteller Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak.
3. Check out the Native Youth Olympics in the summer. Watch this video to learn more.
Borealis Basecamp was the perfect place to celebrate my 40th birthday. Watching the lights dance across the sky, slow moving and graceful, made me reflect on this new decade of my life.
I wanted to move into my 40th decade with grace, and light, surrounded by the people I love, and doing something I love – traveling!
Seeing the Northern Lights has been on my bucket list for many years. I knew, with the right preparation and the right accommodations, I could bring my little kids to Alaska in winter to finally see this natural phenomena.
It was cold, and the kids whined, but they loved it, too. I will always remember holding my kids under the greens and red streaks of the Northern Lights, as they nestled their cold noses into my cheek. Or when we got back into the igloo, as we snuggled in bed at 3am trying to get the kids back to bed, my toddler asked “mama look! Is that the Northern Lights?” as a stripe of green danced across the night sky, easily seen from our plexiglass roof.
I shushed her and tried to get her to ignore the beautiful cascade of colors in front of her, knowing that this moment would be a lasting memory for all of us.
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting Alaska with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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