Alaska is a region that has constantly inspired travelers to explore the frigid and untamed wilderness of America’s northernmost state. Before you can head out to the seas or begin hiking through the vast forests, you will need to first touch down in Fairbanks. With adventure at your doorstep, you will have everything from hiking trails to fishing all within your grasp!
Much like many of the other cities in America, there is an obvious lack of backpackers hostels in Fairbanks. With budget hotels sparse, many travelers would abandon their dreams of exploring the wonders of Alaska just after seeing the cost of a dorm bed.
Don’t unpack just yet! I have brought together all the best hostels and BnBs to one place so you can find that perfect place to stay to suit your budget!
I know you are excited now! You will be exploring the snowy mountains and roaring rivers of Fairbanks in just a few clicks!
Quick answer: The best hostels in Fairbanks
- Overall Best Hostel in Fairbanks- Billie’s Backpackers Hostel
The Best Hostels in Fairbanks
This is the first step to have you exploring and adventuring through the Alaskan wilderness! Take a close look at these hostels and BnBs, with each of the stays a little bit different from the next, you are bound to find that perfect hostel for you!
Billie’s Backpackers Hostel – Best Overall Hostel in Fairbanks
For nearly 40 years, Billie’s Backpackers Hostel has been a haven for budget travelers passing through Fairbanks! As one of the few proper hostels in Fairbanks, Billie’s has made a name for itself for giving travelers that authentic hostel experience. With its shared kitchen, lounges, and garden, mixing and chatting with the other guests is a big part of the vibe at Billie’s.
Complete with your average dorm rooms and even beds located in a glass gazebo, you can have a truly one of a kind stay at this backpackers hostel! Top it off with free bikes and all the best sights of Fairbanks nearby, there is no better place to kick off your adventure!
Alaska Heritage Hostel – Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Fairbanks
Alaska Heritage Hostel is another one of the few places in Fairbanks where you can find a cheap dorm bed to rest your head! Located in more of a house than a proper hostel, your stay will blend right in with the suburbs of Fairbanks, allowing you to pretend you are a local! With its shared kitchen and living room, you can make yourself at home in this welcoming and cozy atmosphere. Putting you right by the Oriental Market, some great restaurants, and the airport, you could not ask for a better hostel to stay in Fairbanks!
Glacier House – Best Cheap Hostel in Fairbanks
This backpacker hostel will have you feeling like you are part of the family rather than a guest. This homestay style hostel has some of the cheapest beds in all of Fairbanks with all the charm and warmth of a BnB! The owners will go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need to feel right at home in their dorm room, treehouse, or tent in the backyard! Before you head out and start your day exploring Fairbanks, be sure to hang around for the delicious breakfast served every morning! If you are lucky, the hosts may even give you a free ice sculpture lesson! For a hostel experience unlike any other, the Glacier House is calling your name!
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.
Want more deetz on why these packs are so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIFairbanks Basecamp – Best Hostel for Couples in Fairbanks
Rather than staying in a backpackers hostel with your special travel buddy, why don’t you cozy up in a homey BnB? Fairbanks Basecamp will have you staying in a local house with all of its down to earth suburban charm and warmth. Known for being the perfect place to catch the aurora lights, you can wait for the green colors to come out while you are lounging in the sunroom or soaking it up in the hot tub! With its shared kitchen and inviting living rooms, you will feel like you are part of the family while staying at Fairbanks Basecamp!
Fairbanks International Hostel – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Fairbanks
As a digital nomad, you will want to find a quiet hostel with tons of space to spread out in, get comfortable, and get to work. Fairbanks International Hostel ups the ante with its very own library shared computers, and cozy lounges perfect for posing up in and diting to your heart’s content. Even though this is a backpackers hostel, you will only find private rooms as a solo traveler. The only dorms are available to big groups exclusively. But for a couple of dollars more, you can get some added comfort while still enjoying the laid back atmosphere of a backpackers hostel!
Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.
It looks exactly like a normal belt except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)
Hide Yo’ Money!More of the Best Hostels in Fairbanks
7 Gables Inn & Suites
Why don’t we upgrade you from those shared dorms in a backpackers hostel to this homey budget guesthouse? With its tasteful design and all the subtle touches of home, you will feel like you are staying in more of a BnB that a hotel! Complete with vintage furnishings and undeniable charm, this is one guesthouse you can’t help but to fall in love with! Although it may not be a hostel, you still have tons of ways to meet other travelers. With its shared kitchen, patio, and barbeque pit, there is no better place to pull up a chair next to the fair and exchange travel stories!
Duck Pond Lodge
Bringing together all the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness and the convenience of the city, this log cabin on the edge of Fairbanks will give you a unique experience with spotting moose during the day and fine dining in the evening! With all the comforts of home, this BnB will have you living just like a local with a kitchen and living room in one of the quietest neighborhoods of Fairbanks. What will really win you over is the views from the porch that offers stunning views of the surrounding woods and occasionally the wildlife! Top off with a delicious breakfast served every morning and you have the perfect start to your adventure in Alaska!
Borealis Inn
If you are wanting some added comfort and privacy while you are traveling through Fairbanks, Borealis Inn will give you a spacious room for just a little bit more than the hostels! With its very own patio, you will have tons of space to spread out in and relax! Complete with its very own shared kitchen, you can also save some extra money by cooking for yourself! Borealis Inn will also put you in the heart of Fairbanks. With supermarkets, restaurants, and even a movie theatre nearby, you will have everything you need to feel right at home!
Jeremiah’s BnB
That small yet cozy studio apartment will provide you with everything you need to make this BnB your perfect home away from home in Fairbanks. With a large yard, fire pit, kitchen, and warm atmosphere, this homestay will have you feeling like you are part of the family. Putting you in a central location, nearby all of the best sights in Fairbanks, this BnB is great for travelers looking to head to North Pole. With its thoughtful touches and budget price, staying in this BnB is the first step to kicking off your dream vacation!
Ryan’s BnB
This is one cozy BnB located in the suburbs of Fairbanks that you will not want to miss! Giving you all the privacy of your own home, this tiny and cozy bungalow detached from the main house will give you all the privacy you need. Perfect for solo travelers or those who don’t mind snuggling up a bit, this bungalow will provide everything you need to feel right at home in Fairbanks. With hosts that will make sure you are comfortable and will give you local tips on where to start your adventure, this is one of the best spots in Fairbanks to base yourself out of!
Minnie Street Inn
Why not pamper yourself and check into a budget hotel in downtown Fairbanks for only a couple of dollars more? This Inn located in the heart of Fairbanks will give you all the comfort and cleanliness of a 5-star hotel with the charm of a BnB! Putting you just 3 minutes away from downtown Fairbanks, you will have all the most popular restaurants and museums waiting just outside your door! Minnie Street Inn wows in guests with its cozy rooms and laid back atmosphere, complete with a shared kitchen and even a business center you can make yourself right at home in the center of Fairbanks!
Skylight Tree House
This BnB is an extension of the Glacier House Hostel, but rather than staying in a dorm bed, you will be calling this private treehouse your home! Although you will not have any heat, the hosts will make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable in this cozy bungalow in the trees! When you aren’t lounging about in bed, this BnB also has a spacious yard with a fire pit, several lounges, and even a shared kitchen. If you are looking to go out and explore Fairbanks, this BnB will also hook you up with some bikes so you can see all the sights without having to worry about buses!
What to Pack for your Fairbanks Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from me, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art I have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out my definitive Hostel Packing list for even more top hostel packing tips!
Why you should travel to Fairbanks
When traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska you are truly blazing a new trail. But that also means you won’t find that many backpacker’s hostels awaiting you when you touchdown in the wilderness. If you are still unsure on where to stay in Fairbanks, let me give you an extra pointer. Billie’s Backpackers Hostel is the one place in Fairbanks where you can get that classic backpacker’s experience and has our vote for the best hostel in Fairbanks!
FAQ about Hostels in Fairbanks
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Fairbanks.
How much do hostels in Fairbanks cost?
A night stay in a hostel in Fairbanks starts from $43 for a dorm and $100 for a private room.
What are the best hostels in Fairbanks for couples?
Fairbanks Basecamp is the best homely hostel for couples in Fairbanks. It is cozy and a perfect place to watch the aurora lights.
What is the best hostel in Fairbanks near the airport?
7 Gables Inn & Suites is the best budget guesthouse, 3km from the Fairbanks International Airport. It is a charming guesthouse with vintage furnishings.
Travel Safety Tips for Fairbanks
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
Over to you
No matter if you are heading to Fairbanks to see the mesmerizing aurora lights or trekking through the vast Alaskan wilderness. Fairbanks will be the city where your journey both starts and ends! As the perfect base for exploring the countryside and with loads of bars and restaurants, there is no better place to kick off your Alaskan adventure!
Although you will not find an abundance of backpackers hostels in Fairbanks, the youth hostels and BnB available will set the tone and get your vacation started off right!
Am I missing any great backpackers hostels of budget guesthouses from my list? Let me know in the comments below!
- Skip the dorm and find a super cool Cabins in Alaska if you’re feeling fancy!
- Remember to grab yourself an international sim card for USAÂ to avoid any issues.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate USA backpacking guide.
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
