SLR International

Nature lovers love communing with nature at every opportunity. One such opportunity is an outdoor excursion on the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail. This trail offers alpine-style backpacking over the course of its 27.3 miles. Along the way, you can enjoy truly stunning views of the mountains and other scenery that includes several summer wildflowers, alpine azaleas, forget me nots, and lots more.

The Arctic Circle Flight Adventure Tour gives you the best of both worlds. The tour departs in a small plane from Fairbanks and lands across the Arctic Circle. When you deplane, you can walk on the tundra and marvel at the treeless landscape. Once you get back on the plane for your return flight, you will see such memorable sites as the Arctic National Park, the Brooks Range and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline from the air.

Preservation is raised to art form–literally–when you visit the University of Alaska Museum of the North. While there are many dramatic exhibits to take in and absorb, the biggest attraction here is a meticulous presentation of a 36,000-year-old mummy. Other equally captivating exhibits include those that highlight Alaska's five major geographic regions that include artifacts, important objects and other items of interest from each region. In addition to research-based projects, the museum offers a wide variety of educational programs.