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Murphy Dome Northern Lights

Tour from/to fairbanks.

Aurora Borealis Viewing Fairbanks, from Murphy Dome – one of the best northern lights viewing areas near Fairbanks above the tree line.

See the Northern Lights above treeline

Free guest pick up from downtown hotel or B&B

360 degree view from top of dome

Tour Summary

• Your Murphy Dome / Aurora Borealis night begins right at your Fairbanks hotel.
• Free guest pickup from 9:30pm to 10:15pm.
• One of the best northern lights viewing areas near Fairbanks and a favorite spot for many aurora photographers.
• With 2,890 feet altitude, Murphy Dome is one of the highest peaks in the Fairbanks area.
• This 360 degree horizon sets the stage for a phenomenal northern lights show.
• Viewing the Aurora Borealis above tree line presents you with a wide horizon and an incredible view of the Alaska night sky.
• The preferred viewing area is right on top of Murphy Dome and does not have restroom facility.
• Stay warm in the 12-15 passenger van while waiting for the dancing northern lights.
• Hot beverages are complimentary.
• Return to your Fairbanks accommodation around 3am.

** Note: The Aurora Borealis / Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon and can not be guaranteed. There is no refund if the Aurora Borealis / Northern Lights do not appear.

RATES 2023/2024

Available from Aug 21 to April 10, 2024

From/to Fairbanks, 10PM departure

CANCELLATION POLICY

up to 40 days prior $30 per booking / Later 100%

Use this form to request a non-binding quote for the Murphy Dome Northern Lights Tour. One of our destination specialists will contact you shortly with specific pricing and itinerary information.

Tours & Sightseeing Trips in Fairbanks, Denali & the Arctic Circle.

Touren & sightseeing in fairbanks, zum denali park & polarkreis ., murphy dome.

DESCRIPTION

Cancellation & refund policy.

Aurora Borealis Viewing Fairbanks, from Murphy Dome – one of the best northern lights viewing areas near Fairbanks above the treeline.

Your Murphy Dome / Aurora Borealis night begins right at your Fairbanks hotel, so you don’t need to plan how to get to us and you will save additional taxi costs.

Free guest pickup from 9:45pm to 10:15pm.

One of the best northern lights viewing areas near Fairbanks and a favorite spot for many aurora photographers.

With 2,890 feet altitude, Murphy Dome is one of the highest peaks in the Fairbanks area.

This 360 degree horizon sets the stage for a phenomenal northern lights show.

Viewing the Aurora Borealis above tree line presents you with a wide horizon and an incredible view of the Alaska night sky.

Our preferred viewing area is right on top of Murphy Dome and does not have restroom facility.

We stay warm in our 12-15 passenger van while waiting for the dancing northern lights.

Hot beverages are complimentary.

* ATTENTION * Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon and can not be guaranteed. There is NO refund if the Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights can not be seen.

• Cancellations 30 days prior to the tour date are subject to a 5% banking charge.
• Cancellations within 30 days are non-refundable.

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect yourself in the event of a medical emergency or flight delay/cancellation. 1st Alaska Tours is NOT refunding inside the 30-day cancellation policy.

Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon and can not be guaranteed. There is NO refund if the Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights can not be seen. 

IMPORTANT : A minimum of 2 people is required for online booking. Single travelers and short notice reservations (within 7 days of tour date) always have to contact us for availability at [email protected] or 907-590-5900.

Tour Details-旅行細節

location/Lage/接送地點: Pick up from Fairbanks

Start Time/Startzeit/開始: 10pm

Finish Time/Rückkehr zum Hotel/結束: 3am

price/Preis/售價: $110

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT US - Fragen? Sprechen Sie uns an.

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Northern Lights Tour at Murphy Dome

Quick Details

• User Ages: All ages
• Hour Glass Duration: 5 hours
• Bus Activity Type: Northern Lights

Murphy Dome near Fairbanks is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights in Alaska!

Venture 20 miles Northwest of Fairbanks to Murphy Dome for unobstructed views of the Northern Lights. At 2,890 feet, Murphy Dome is 2,500 feet above the city of Fairbanks. At this elevated viewing location, you can gaze out over the treetops and take in 360 degree views of the vast night sky. Stay warm in the van, or hop out to breathe in the fresh air during a night spent star-gazing and marveling at this natural phenomenon.

• Chevron down Tour Description

Venture out of Fairbanks to Murphy Dome for unobstructed views in an ideal spot for viewing the Northern Lights. Stay warm in the van, or hop out to breathe in the fresh air during a night spent star-gazing and marveling at this natural phenomenon. This Northern Lights Tour takes you away from city lights, and is often above the temperature inversion during cold spells.

Murphy Dome is located 20 miles Northwest of Fairbanks, Alaska. At 2,890 feet, Murphy Dome is 2,500 feet above the city of Fairbanks. It is also one of the highest peaks in the Fairbanks area. At this elevated viewing location, you can gaze out over the treetops and take in 360 degree views of the vast night sky.

Get picked up from your hotel in Fairbanks and head out of the city. Escape the city light pollution as you make your way to Murphy Dome. The best time to start your tour in between 9:45 – 10:15 p.m. Our guide will bring you back to your hotel around three o’clock in the morning.

Watch for shooting stars. Chat with your guide about the science behind the Northern Lights. Set up your camera equipment to take photos of the aurora as it dances. If you get chilly, you can cozy up in the van and wait for an unforgettable kaleidoscope of color.

Prefer viewing the Northern Lights from inside a cozy cabin with some hot chocolate? Check out our Aurora Viewing Lodge Tour!

• Chevron down Notes

The top of Murphy Dome, our preferred viewing location, does not have public access restrooms. Airlink Shuttle and Tours cannot guarantee that the Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis will appear on your tour. The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that guests who stay in Fairbanks three or more days have a 90% chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Let Airlink Shuttle and Tours maximize your chances of seeing nature’s light show.

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Experience The Northern Lights From Murphy Dome

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NORTHERN LIGHT & ARCTIC CIRCLE TOUR

Quick Details

• Tags Category: Northern Light Tours
• Hour Glass Duration: 14 hours

Coffee Inclusions:

• Pick up/drop off from hotels within the city limits of Fairbanks or North Pole. If you are staying at an Air BnB, please contact the office on 907 712 4529 (landline) for the closest pick up location.
• 2 Sandwiches, snacks, bottled water and hot beverages
• “Cross the Arctic Circle” certificate

Info Note: We make no guarantee that the Northern Lights will be visible as they are a natural phenomenon.

Our Most Picturesque Tour in Fairbanks, Alaska

On this full-day adventure starting in Fairbanks, you will cross the Arctic Circle, watch the Northern Lights, and enjoy the expansive landscape of Alaska’s untouched wilderness. You’ll experience Alaska like you have never seen it before while enjoying a comfortable drive and narration from your expert guide. Please note that seeing the Northern Lights is not guaranteed.

Highlights:

• Picks ups commence from 2:00pm
• After pickup from your Fairbanks hotel, travel to the legendary Arctic Circle. Stop here to take pictures and receive your ‘Cross the Circle Certificate!’
• We drive along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which stretches over 800 miles (1,287 km) through Alaska. You will learn the history of its inception to its completion.
• Drive across the mighty Yukon River Bridge and stroll along the riverbank and gaze at the scenic landscape.
• Stop and walk the 1/2 mile informative loop at Finger Mountain. Look over the Kanuti Flats below you and learn about the symbiotic relationship of the environment around you. (seasonal stop)
• Cross the Arctic Circle and enjoy a snack and a hot drink.
• Travel back toward Fairbanks at night, looking for Lady Aurora to make her appearance in the sky above you. You will have several opportunities to take photos or simply marvel at and be mesmerized by this phenomenon.
• Gaze up at the spectacular Northern Lights as you drive through the night, arriving back in Fairbanks at dawn.
• We require a minimum number of 4 people to operate this tour. If minimum numbers are not met you will be advised and offered either a refund or to be rescheduled.
• The appearance of the northern lights is not guaranteed as it is a natural phenomenon we have no control over.
• This tour is not recommended for children under 10 years of age.
• This tour requires being able to enter and exit our van with limited assistance.  Please contact us if you have any concerns about mobility.
• Clothing is not provided for this tour.  Please dress appropriately. The temperatures can reach extreme conditions during the winter month and we recommend to dress in layers with warm socks and boots.  We recommend contacting Alaska Element for your clothing needs.  They provide clothing appropriate for the Alaskan climate at an affordable daily rate.
• You will be contacted the day before your tour with your pick up time (or on Saturday for tours on Mondays). Please check your voicemail messages in the event you missed our call.
• Vegan/Gluten Free requests: Please note that vegan and gluten free products are limited in availability up here in Alaska and we cannot guarantee we can provide these options.

We booked this trip about two months in advance. The company called a couple days ahead to check on pickup date and times- much appreciated! Jessica arrived at our hotel for pickup right on time. She was friendly and knowledgeable, and an excellent experienced driver on snowy/icy roads. She was kind and helpful at all times, and always put the wellbeing of her passengers first. Things to know - this is a 14 hour tour, so very late at night when you return. You need to be able to dress for very cold weather and climb in/out of a van on slick surfaces. Jessica provided a boxed lunch, and we also stopped at the Yukon River Camp for supper. She was an expert at assisting with various kinds of cameras and phones for excellent pictures. I highly recommend this tour and suggest requesting Jessica as your guide!

Great tour! Very informative and friendly! Jessica was a blast and we learned so much about Alaskan history! Would highly recommend!

So glad I did this tour. I would not be able to drive in snow and in most areas, without network connection. I would be so lost! Our guide was very skilled and knowledgeable. Despite the cold, she would pull over and clear the lights from ice/snow to ensure we are all safe. We were rewarded with Aurora's presence :) Just as we were about to leave the Arctic Circle, our guide paused and saw a small streak of "green"... true enough, the northern lights appeared! We were all delighted and stayed longer to enjoy this amazing experience. After we left, we again pulled over at another stop for yet another chance to view Aurora Borealis from a different location. I would take this tour again if I find myself in Fairbanks again.

Our tour on Thursday January 18th was perfect!! I think our tour guide’s name was Gavin, he was a great driver and taught us all about the sights on the way to the circle!!! We saw the lights at the perfect moment in the arctic circle, and our tour guide video taped my proposal for me, going above and beyond what was asked. The lights were great, the drive was beautiful and the tour was perfect!!!

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Murphy Dome

64 ° 57' 9" N, 148 ° 21' 11.999" W

Fairbanks North Star

2877 ft (876.91 m)

Murphy Dome in Detail.

Getting to Murphy Dome is quite simple, go north behind Fairbanks . From highway 2 (Steese Hwy) turn on to Sheep Creek Rd, or highway 3 (Parks Hwy) turn on to Goldstream Rd. Both meet up and become the other. Either way you come from you'll be looking to turn North on to Murphy Dome Rd, then follow it to the end.

Murphy Dome is the highest point close to Fairbanks. The last couple hundred feet of the domes elevation is actually alpine. It's a good place to go if you just need a quick break from the city. There are three trails off Murphy Dome. The first one, a road the turns off to the left before reaching the summit, runs out along the ridge line and out above Minto Lakes and down to the Chatanika River . The second and third trails which you can also drive down from the summit. These roads may be a little too rough for some cars to make it down. Most motor vehicles on these trails are often ATV's. The third trail, the road the splits to the right, runs along a ridge and passes by some tors, or medium sized granite rocks, about 25ft high. The trail also continues down the ridge to the Chatanika River . The top of Murphy Dome is low vegetation for easy off trail exploration. There are a couple tors along the western end of Murphy Dome. Fun to climb on and just sit and enjoy the view from. Nothing really technical. Murphy Dome can offer good star gazing or northern lights viewing. Especially when Fairbanks is covering in ice fog. There are no public restrooms available on Murphy Dome. (We've been asked. So just putting it out there.)

Starting in the 1950's Murphy Dome used to be used as an Air Force defense radar station, on the prowl for Soviet attacks. It was closed November 1, 1983. One of the radar domes is still in operation today as part of the Alaska Radar System. Naming: Murphy Dome was a local name published in 1949 by the USGS.

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Alaska Guide Co is based in Valdez, Alaska. We offer year round tours and seek to provide helpful information on all things Alaska outdoors related.

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Gov. Phil Murphy tours Metuchen's Forum Theatre to promote EDA arts funding

3-minute read.

Despite a dreary Tuesday outside, local officials gathered at Metuchen’s Forum Theatre to talk about plans for brighter days ahead.

Gov. Phil Murphy was on hand for a tour of the local landmark from Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch and Christopher Paladino, president of New Brunswick Development Corporation.

Busch led Murphy, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and other local officials on a 20-minute tour through the 96-year-old theater. It was purchased by the borough in 2019 and is part of a local arts district . The borough is vying for a grant from the state’s Economic Development Authority that would fund restoration of the facility.

'Game changer' for Metuchen

The theater has been sitting empty since the start of the pandemic.

Busch explained that the theater is a point of pride for the borough and holds special memories for residents and visitors. He joked that the local police chief tells the story of his first kiss taking place in the theater.

The mayor told the governor that over the years the theater has seen different uses, from movies and vaudeville acts to civil and social gatherings, but that the borough became concerned for the future of the landmark and stepped in five years ago.

Murphy asked what Busch envisions as a perfect night in five years, and he responded that it could be a show or a dinner, but it would be something that “brings the community together” and that ultimately the goal is to build a black box to serve as a flexible space with a flat floor and movable seats.

The governor compared it to the venue at Oceans Casino Resort in Atlantic City, which also has movable seats.

When Coughlin asked if there are plans to keep the stage or even one of the chairs, Murphy jokingly responded that the speaker can keep it in his house, before noting that he has a seat from the old Boston Garden in his basement.

Busch said he heard that Murphy used to be a performer himself, and the governor responded, “Sometimes I still am.”

The mayor showed Murphy some images of the Forum through the years, including a photo of then-Sen. John Kennedy driving by the theater. Murphy told Busch he had been in a production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," though he did not say which role he played.

The tour concluded with images of concept art displayed on the theater stage, where Murphy asked more pointed questions about use and capacity of the venue as well as transit accessibility.

The governor noted that the venue is in a “sweet spot” in relation to other theaters in the region and that it will be a “game changer.”

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Theater vying for EDA grant

The Forum, first opened in 1928, was bought by the borough in an effort to preserve and restore it as part of the Metuchen Arts District.

Murphy said the borough's grant request it is “exactly the kind of thing” he envisioned when signing a law that created the program, which was established last year.

It is geared toward funding cultural, educational or artistic facilities in ways to create larger-scale economic development in communities.

The facilities funded through the program have to apply for tax credits necessary for a project to be able to establish occupancy costs at a competitive level.

Projects have to make a capital investment of at least $5,000,000 to be eligible for tax credits to cover project and operating costs as necessary to ensure that these projects can get over the finish line and flourish. 

It is part of the broader New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020, which created a seven-year, $14 billion package of tax incentive, financing and grant programs to help with the ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: [email protected]

Would a Browns dome fuel bigger-ticket concerts, entertainment in Cleveland? The answer is a decisive ‘maybe’

• Updated: Apr. 07, 2024, 7:09 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 06, 2024, 5:30 a.m.

Taylor Swift performing at First Energy Stadium, now known as Cleveland Browns Stadium, as part of her "Reputation" tour in 2018. (Joshua Gunter, Cleveland.com) The Plain Dealer

• Peter Chakerian, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – If Jimmy and Dee Haslam actually decide to build a domed stadium for the Browns in suburban Brook Park, it could provide a boost to Cleveland’s status as a year-round concert destination.

Or would it?

The question of whether superstars like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen or U2 would make Greater Cleveland – and the Browns dome – a more regular stop on their stadium tours isn’t that cut and dried.

With apologies to the ghosts of “Field of Dreams,” even if the Haslams build it, the stars may not come.

“On the concert side, I don’t think [a dome] will impact music events,” says Cindy Barber, owner of the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Cleveland, who has decades of experience booking shows. “They won’t be a big factor. It might bring one more big show through a year. I’m not sure there are enough big-type shows with a production effort to do them, but I could be wrong. That might be a question for Taylor Swift!”

Tom Chema, former executive director of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex who oversaw the development of the downtown complex that hosts Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, agrees.

“The fact of the matter is there are very few acts who play stadiums anymore,” said Chema. “That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. There’s Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift and Taylor Swift.”

“We are not missing concerts in the area,” says Chema. “Yes, there are other big events you might lure in, but there are not a lot of them and if you get one — like a Super Bowl or Men’s Final Four — it’s going to be every 15-20 years. And who knows what’s going to happen with BCS, which might continue at neutral sites.”

So, what will really happen with concerts and other big-time entertainment in Greater Cleveland if the Haslams do build a Browns dome in the suburbs?

In cities that have domed stadiums, what does the concert situation look like? How does it differ from Cleveland? Do musicians abandon basketball and hockey arenas for the greater capacities of the dome stadium? How often? And if they do, what might a domed football stadium in the suburbs mean for Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, for which taxpayers just provided huge subsidies?

These and many other questions have bubbled up with news of the Haslams considering a new dome.

While experts don’t necessarily agree on a dome or even where it is supposed to go, nearly all agree that it’s never a domed stadium alone that drives answers to those questions — nor the decisions behind where those big-ticket entertainment and sporting events land.

There are complex demographics and financial decisions to be made, infrastructure and lodging around those sites to consider. Competition from surrounding markets comes into play, as do population demographics, public transit, expendable incomes, existing venues itineraries and amenities and with hundreds of other factors.

Bottom line: a business doesn’t run on feelings. It runs on hard data.

More Browns stadium coverage

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• Building a domed stadium in Brook Park means looking to the future, not staying mired in the past
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The Rolling Stones are performing June 15, 2024, at Cleveland Browns Stadium as part of their "Hackney Diamonds Tour." Courtesy AEG Presents

Reach for the (mega)stars

For the purposes of this analysis, let’s start with the dessert: The artists who can currently fill the stadiums of North America.

The list of marquee stadium-sized names is longer than one might expect, but it does have a hard stop. Here, in no particular order, are the acts with stadium potential:

Taylor Swift, Beyoncé (with or without hubby Jay-Z), Metallica, AC/DC, the Rolling Stones, Kenny Chesney, U2, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, P!nk, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Morgan Wallen, Ed Sheeran, George Strait, Elton John, Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Dead & Company, The Weeknd, Drake, Luke Combs, Depeche Mode, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Some of these names are likely to be absent from the list if/when a Cleveland-area dome is finally built. Because, well, mortality .

But here’s an interesting fact, Cleveland. In the last decade, 22 of the 28 mentioned artists have performed in Cleveland. (The Rolling Stones are performing at Browns Stadium on June 15.) So, we haven’t missed them and they haven’t skipped us.

They just haven’t visited as often -- or played to as large an audience -- when they do. They’ve also charged more for tickets to compensate for smaller audiences. So that kind of blows the whole “we don’t get big names here” hyperbole out of the water.

There are some divergences among industry analysts around how viable stadium-scale concerts will be in the future and what kind of long-term or deep impact they would have on a market like Cleveland if a domed venue was available for them.

“There are more acts that can play stadiums than ever before, but they want to play during the summer, outdoors,” said Bob Lefsetz, music industry analyst and critic in an email interview this week.

The entertainment business attorney, former head of Sanctuary Music’s American division and consultant to major record labels was very matter of fact when asked if a dome would make a difference for Cleveland in how megatours are routed.

“Nothing significant,” he said.

Once you get out of that stadium stratum, there are a whole host of artists who can play the American arena circuit. We won’t endeavor that longer list but mention it to note that while a lot of the mega bands of their eras still do arenas, they can’t all fill stadiums—at least not without teaming up for a blockbuster bill in the summertime anyway.

Consider Def Leppard with Mötley Crüe / Poison / Joan Jett, which played Browns Stadium last year in Cleveland, and Journey and Heart / Cheap Trick, scheduled to perform July 30 this year at Progressive Field. Even Billy Joel has teamed up with Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart and Sting to fortify his recent stadium date sales. The Joel/Stewart double bill will be at Browns Stadium on Sept. 13.

To hear concert industry veteran Denny Young tell it, we still have a great shot of getting larger events - dome or no dome. But a dome would open up Cleveland to hosting a very exclusive -- and very limited -- strata of mega events, such as the Super Bowl, NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and the College Football Playoffs.

Young, the co-founder/president of the Elevation Group, has long experience in the concert business and created the LaureLive and Wonderstruck concert festivals locally. He says operators of a Cleveland-area dome won’t be able to rely on the mega events to survive, but will need to get creative with packages and bookings.

“With a venue — any venue — you either book things that are offered to you or you create things that you think would do well,” said Young. “But if you don’t have one, you often don’t have a shot at all.”

Connecticut guard Jordan Hawkins shoots against San Diego State during the second half of the men's national championship college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) AP

Upsides and downsides of a dome

What are the upsides and downsides of having a domed stadium in Cleveland (or a nearby suburb)?

On the upside, the increased capacity and enhanced amenities might attract those aforementioned larger/major events, leading to a diversification of entertainment options. That could draw visitors from a wider geographical area for “destination events” and create economic development and ancillary business opportunities for the whole region.

“[Without a dome] we have no shot at a Super Bowl, we have no shot at NCAA Final Four Men’s. Those are the first things that come to mind that require a 68,000-plus indoor venue,” Young said.

“Those events happening [in Cleveland] depend on how aggressive the operator of the potential domed stadium is. My instinct tells me that they would be pretty aggressive and I mean that in a positive way.”

“I think that getting Cleveland in the mix at all is an accomplishment,” Young added. “Right now, we can’t do a Men’s Final Four. Consider the amount of attention and impact that it would bring to Cleveland. Now, let me be clear: I don’t know at the end of the day what taxpayer monies would go into building [a dome] or how many dollars we get out of having one in the next 10 years.

“Does that pay for what the taxpayers put in?” Young said. “I don’t know [about] any of that. But having one of those big events opens the door for more. Let’s say you do get one Super Bowl or one Final Four Men’s, I think that’s amazing. I also think that before you start counting how many you can get, you’ve got to get one and you’ve got to nail it.”

The downsides for a dome in the suburbs?

The experts say competition for events will require an aggressive stance from whoever is responsible for the venue/booking and that could draw events away from existing large venues such as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Blossom Music Center, even Progressive Field.

If enough events shift from Cleveland to the suburbs, that could ultimately impact businesses and communities that rely on event-related foot traffic, like the restaurants and bars in the Gateway District and The Flats, near Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland.

And operating a domed stadium comes with considerable maintenance and operating costs, which may strain government budgets or require additional taxpayer support—especially if revenue from special events does not meet projections or expectations.

The impact on existing venues like Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or Blossom would be greater if the dome can be configured for smaller, arena type shows with a capacity of less than 60,000 seats. That could also be true if the dome development includes separate, smaller performance spaces around it.

“You can make arguments that not everyone can do 60,000 seats,” Young said. “But if you do 28,000 seats, 30,000 seats, 40,000… it can be profitable.”

Bruce Springsteen stopped at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 during his “Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour.” David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Deep impact or no?

So, are we vastly overstating the impact a dome stadium might have on a Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and other existing venues?

Possibly. Experts say Rocket might lose a handful of events to a dome over the course of a decade. But the argument could be made that they already lose just as many (or more) events due to being unavailable with 41 NBA Cavaliers and 36 AHL Monsters home games, playoffs and perennial family events like Disney on Ice.

The dome would essentially be available outside of the eight NFL Browns home games and playoffs. But then it’s a question of how many of one-off entertainment events we could/should expect at said dome.

The answer might come from our Detroit neighbors, the closest and most similar city and situation.

Detroit opened Ford Field in 2002 and hosted an NFL Super Bowl less than four years later. Ford Field was the site of the 2009 NCAA Final Four.

Open-air Cleveland Browns Stadium was completed three years earlier has not held either, for obvious weather reasons.

Outside of the 2023 season, which had two nights of Taylor Swift, two nights of Metallica and two nights of Morgan Wallen and more, Ford Field has averaged around 2.5 mega-concert events a year—slightly more than Cleveland Browns Stadium has had.

In the last 10 years without a dome, the Cleveland stadium has hosted Machine Gun Kelly/Avril Lavigne, the Def Leppard/ Mötley Crue Stadium Tour with Poison and Joan Jett, Jay-Z & Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, U2 w/ OneRepublic, Luke Bryan w/ Thomas Rhett and One Direction. That’s under one show a year on average.

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) brought the “Built Ford Tough Series” tour to Ford Field in March 2012. Prior to that, the only metro Detroit venue they’ve visited is the Palace of Auburn Hills (2001, 2006 and 2007). The United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA) holds multiple “Monster Jam” Monster Truck events at Ford; AMA Supercross Championships have been held there 2006 - 2008 and 2014 - 2017.

These are events that might transition from a Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to a new dome if the opportunity existed. But Browns Stadium has hosted World Cup-level soccer, college hockey and college football.

Which could all be expanded upon, argued Young.

There are also opportunities for high school, college and university athletic uses (football, basketball, even hockey) to consider as well. Young said that demographics, market size, recent market history and the expense of doing a large-scale show or event absolutely matter. The caveat?

“At the end of the day, if [Foo Fighters’] Dave Grohl, who’s from Youngstown says, ‘I wanna play Cleveland , I want my grandmother to come to the show,’ you’d better believe they’re playing Cleveland.”

From Young’s perspective, Cleveland does seem to be hyper-fixated on what events it doesn’t get—so much so, that “we seem to forget what we do get” when we get it. Especially when other cities don’t.

“That seems to come up in a lot of interviews over the years,” Young said.

“Depeche Mode came to Cleveland in the past year. They didn’t play everywhere. That was a really good get for Cleveland. The Cure was in Cleveland [within] the last year,” Young said. “They didn’t tour everywhere, either. That was also really good get. Sure, Ed Sheeran didn’t come to Cleveland, Taylor Swift didn’t come to Cleveland this time . So that’s where focus is [in interviews]—who didn’t come.”

The scene at Ford Field for Taylor Swift's first of two "The Eras Tour" concerts on Friday, June 9, 2023. (Photo by Edward Pevos | MLive)

Let’s do the numbers

Let’s look at Detroit and Cleveland from a demographics perspective.

Both major Midwest cities have diverse populations. We are slightly smaller than Detroit (around 380,000 compared to their 670,000) and while both cities have significant BIPOC populations, Detroit’s is larger. Detroit also skews slightly younger (median age in Cleveland is around 36; Detroit 34) while median incomes appear to be similar.

Both cities have experienced population declines in recent decades, younger residents leaving for opportunities in other cities or regions and similar economic challenges—including the decline of industry, which has impacted discretionary income levels for residents.

The number of cities with a population of 75,000+ or more within reasonable drive (90 minutes) of Cleveland? There are five: Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Toledo and Erie (Pennsylvania). That’s part of your potential audience. Within a 60-minute radius of Cleveland, Ohio, there are several colleges and universities—with an estimated 60,000 students or more. That’s also part of your potential audience.

Seemingly robust demographic drivers in favor of our city so far.

Now let’s look at the Detroit area. Number of cities with a population of 75,000+ or more within reasonable (90 minute) drive of Detroit? Six: Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Fort Wayne (Indiana), Windsor and London (Ontario). The number of college and university students within an hour’s drive of Detroit is double Cleveland’s—with University of Michigan-Ann Arbor alone sporting over 46,000 students.

Seven other higher education institutions drive that number up into six figures.

Similar numbers (except for city center populace) can be pointed to in competing cities Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnati and even Indianapolis. But only one of those cities has a dome (Indianapolis) and they are likely getting a lion’s share of events because of demographics and not solely because of a conditioned stadium.

This explains, at least to some degree, the Detroit-Columbus/Cincinnati-Pittsburgh corridor that large-scale entertainment tour itineraries seem to chart (and Clevelanders complain about).

There’s also an unwritten understanding about Cleveland’s concertgoers that mirrors the hearty minor-league hockey following we have in the Cleveland area: we have about 8,000-10,000 diehard music fans who will drive to any one of these other stadium markets to see a big-ticket concert with next to no thought about it. Why?

Our city’s “Rock and Roll Capital of the World” history, pedigree, nostalgia and FOMO (fear of missing out).

It’s unclear how much of that sort of thing might be happening in reverse, though U2 ostensibly sold-out Cleveland Browns Stadium on a Saturday night a few years ago. Ponder this:

Was it because of U2? The fact they were playing their seminal album “The Joshua Tree” in full? Was it because folks from far and wide could spend the weekend in Cleveland? Would the show have sold as well if held on a Tuesday? Did sales suddenly pick up the week before the show, because the weather forecast looked great?

Food for thought. And if we’re thinking about all this, believe that all the big-money players involved are, too.

The “knock-on” effect

One thing that stadium mega-ticket entertainment might do is whittle away at Clevelanders’ discretionary income.

“In theory, [a dome] might make Cleveland more attractive, but there’s a knock-on effect and dichotomy and reality of economics when it comes to smaller, club-level entertainment tickets,” said Sean Watterson , owner of The Happy Dog.

“The overall trend with big shows is that they take up more of peoples’ recreation and entertainment budgets, which means less spent in the local clubs. And if you’re far outside the city, the dollars follow.”

Watterson, along with the Beachland Ballroom’s Cindy Barber, was responsible for the recent Cleveland Music Census . He pointed to The Sphere in Las Vegas as the direction large venues might start leaning, with advanced technological capabilities steering business decisions on a more macro level.

“We might see more events, more alternative sports and the Convention Center might have some opinions about things that could be held in there—where they’d need a really big conditioned or heated space,” said Barber.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is seen in this aerial photo in Atlanta. The stadium was the site of Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik) AP

The biggest “special events” of all: The Super Bowl and NCAA Men’s Basketball

In the last 25 years, only four Super Bowls have taken place above the Mason-Dixon line: 2006 Detroit, 2012 Indianapolis, 2014 MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey, outdoors) and 2018 Minneapolis.

That total jumps to six if you scroll back to 1980: 1982 Pontiac Silverdome (now defunct/demolished); 1992 Minneapolis (also defunct/demolished).

Of the 54 Super Bowls, 20 have been played in domes. Since 2000, however, the majority of Super Bowls have been played indoors.

With Ford Field, the $500 million stadium broke ground mid-November 1999, three years after Wayne County voters approved a funding referendum that paid 51 percent of the building cost. The construction then took 32 months to complete. It opened in 2002 and had a Super Bowl in 2006.

None in the 18 years since.

What does that say about the likelihood of a Super Bowl at a domed stadium in Cleveland before, say 2030? Or more after that? Having a dome means that the odds for hosting a Super Bowl are never zero—which is certainly the case at present—but again, it’s not domes themselves driving hosting factors, either.

Florida and California have combined to host 12 Super Bowls, with Louisiana and Arizona at three a piece; Georgia and Texas at two each and Las Vegas with one. Translation: destination locations with robust infrastructure are equally (or more) important than domed stadiums for bringing the NFL in.

Men’s NCAA Basketball has been a little different and more frequent.

By 2027, NCAA men’s tournament play will have been hosted at Ford Field three times. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis has hosted at least as many and are scheduled for more.

How events would be in the cards after our new domed stadium opens? We’re probably looking at maximum of 20-25 days of total potential events in a banner year (mirroring Ford’s 2023), in a given 365-day calendar. Otherwise, it’s going to be less. Other domed venues’ event calendars bear that out.

“It’s true, but with the Big Ten, there could be opportunities. A retractable roof offers opportunities. Temperature and climate-controlled events offer opportunities—monster trucks, motocross, all kinds of things you could do indoors regardless of the weather,” Young said.

“At the end of the day, it will all come back to how aggressive the operator of the stadium going to be,” he added, citing his own Elevation Group being approached about indoor music festivals and the like.

“We get inquiries. Milwaukee’s baseball stadium has a retractable roof. Minnesota’s football stadium is an indoor stadium,” Young said, adding that “owners of these kinds of venues are always on the lookout for innovative content to bring to their venues.”

Just the same, no one can predict what will happen, including what kind of venue will emerge, Young said. But as with any business owner, the eye is always on the return on investment.

“I think whatever the end result is—a new stadium in Brook Park or a renovated or new stadium downtown—the Haslams will be very aggressive to bring events here.”

The Richfield Coliseum, aka "The Palace on the Prairie" was home to the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1974-1994. (Photo by Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer) Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer

One more voice of experience

Tom Chema agrees with Young, that it all comes down to a cost-benefit analysis. But because of Chema’s history with Gateway, he comes at it from an entirely unique view altogether.

“How much revenue will those few events—which might not even happen until 2030 or later—generate against the expense of the venue itself, capital and operations? Domed stadiums are hugely expensive to build, to operate, to maintain,” he said.

“Most of the time, no one is in them and the electric load that is carried to operate them—especially if it’s a retractable dome—is crazy.”

Chema believes that a dome might hurt Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, but not necessarily in a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” kind of way.

“Anytime you have competing venues, the winners are the promoters ,” he said. “They’re sharks and really good at what they do. It isn’t that you will miss the event; you’ll get it. They’ll just take advantage of the competition, which is harmful.”

A move to Brook Park, Chema said, would likely mirror a slow buildup of a sports complex/campus that other successful cities like Dallas (Arlington), Phoenix (Glendale), Boston (Foxboro), Atlanta and others have endeavored. But for every one of those success stories, he cautions there’s also a Richfield Coliseum.

In essence, we’ve seen this movie before. Or at least most of the plot.

“It took those other locations upwards of 20 years to build,” said Chema, noting that in those same 20 years, the buildup expected around The Coliseum never came, which led to a move back downtown.

Richfield also had parking and ingress/egress with transportation as being a factor, Chema said.

“There’s nothing like being in a city to disperse people quickly,” he added. “When you commit to a game in some of these other modern places, there are maybe a couple highway exits to shoot for and that’s it. No four directions out, like Gateway.

“At these other places, you can be stuck in traffic for hours and that’s your day,” he said.

“It’s about infrastructure. If you have a concert downtown at the arena or the stadium, there are hotels, watering holes, tourist spots, public transit and other things people can take advantage of,” he said.

“To my knowledge, [suburbs] don’t have an option that can rival what downtown has to offer. At least not yet. You could build that up over time, I suppose. But is that a good idea? I guess that remains to be seen.”

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

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Newly restored Michigan capitol rotunda and dome unveiled

LANSING — After nearly a year of careful, time-consuming work, officials have unveiled the newly restored Michigan Capitol rotunda.

Capitol officials showed off the freshly cleaned, repaired and updated showpiece of the 150-year-old building during a pair of tours Friday.

Officials hope the restoration of the rotunda and dome will last at least four decades, but expect the central hall could remain in good condition far longer because of better HVAC systems and other new technology.

The work was slated to cost $3 million, but will come in under budget and be finished a month ahead of time, officials said. The past year's update was needed because it had become dusty and dirty, and paint was pealing and cracking, mainly from temperature changes, Barbra Thumudo, assistant director for capital facilities, said. Some sections hadn't been cleaned in years simply because they are too difficult to reach safely.

The dome features several pieces of iconic artwork, including eight "allegories" — figures of women representing arts, agriculture, law or philosophy, sciences, justice, industry, commerce and education — that represented the state's priorities for the future of Michigan.

The works were created by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris, whose identity was lost for decades following the dome's construction. Juglaris, who lived in Boston, was chosen through a national artist search. He painted the 8-foot tall works in his Boston studio and they were shipped to Michigan and placed in the dome in 1886.

Malden, Massachusetts-based Gianfranco Pocobene Studio handled the restoration of the works, cleaning them, reattaching any loose paint, varnishing and then filling in missing paint.

Among the updates completed were UV blocking film on windows to further preserve artwork, a new fire suppression system to replace the nearly 50-year-old network currently in place and new temperature and humidity sensors.

The project has been on the commission’s agenda for about seven years, but other projects took priority, Thumudo said, including installation of a new electrical system and construction of Heritage Hall, a years-long project that wrapped up in 2022.

The dome was last refurbished as part of a $58 million project completed in 1992. Since 2015, the Michigan Capitol Commission has overseen several restoration projects , including cleaning and repointing the sandstone blocks, replacing sandstone modillions, repairing interior plaster ceilings, repairing the portico columns, and repairing and repainting the exterior of the dome, among others.

Portions of the ground and first floors of the Capitol, for which construction began in 1873, were closed off to visitors as the dome work began in 2023. The ground floor was filled with metal supports under the rotunda's glass floor and above that 70 tons of scaffolding filled the interior to a height of 150 feet.

Officials said scaffolding will begin coming down April 9 in a process that will take about four weeks.

The historic structure, which cost a little more than $1.4 million when constructed more than a century ago, remained mostly open to visitors. However, display items on the first floor — including replica flags from Michigan’s Civil War units — were removed and safely stored, Thumudo said. The process also allowed staff to clean those display cases.

The other items in the rotunda — a collection of portraits of Michigan’s previous governors — remained in place, although many were covered for protection.

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Tour Championship 2024 schedule: Date, times, results with Ronnie O’Sullivan into final of huge ranking event

• Nyle Smith , Sport SEO Editor
• Published : 21:49, 7 Apr 2024
• Updated : 21:50, 7 Apr 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

SNOOKER tournaments keep coming thick and fast and the Tour Championship 2024 is well underway!

Shaun Murphy currently holds the title after beating Kyren Wilson in what turned out to be an incredible 2023 final.

But there is guaranteed to be a new champion with Murphy not participating in this year's competition.

Another twist to this iconic tournament is that it will be the first world-ranking event in the North West of England in four years.

And SunSport can reveal all of its details including the full list of participants.

When is the Tour Championship 2024?

• The Tour Championship 2024 got underway on Monday, April 1
• It is scheduled to run for the week - concluding on Sunday, April 7.
• Manchester Central is the chosen venue for this iconic tournament and it can host approximately 10,900 fans.
• Shaun Murphy is the reigning champion after beating Kyren Wilson during the 2023 final.

Read more on snooker

Judd Trump BEATS Ding Junhui to claim back-to-back titles

'I was nearly crying,' says Ronnie O'Sullivan rival over 'unforgiveable' mistake

How can i watch the tour championship 2024.

• Fans can watch the Tour Championship 2024 for FREE on ITV 1 in the UK.
• The tournament can also be streamed through ITV X or the ITV Sport website.
• Alternatively, SunSport will have frame-by-frame action through our live blog.

What is the schedule and how does it work?

The Tour Championship 2024 is the third and final event in the Players Series that brings the best players of the season together based on current form.

In recent years, it had been a field of eight players but this will be expanded to the top 12 from the one-year ranking list.

Organisers have confirmed that the top four will be seeded straight into the quarter-finals, with the other eight to compete in the opening round.

Most read in Other Sports

Tour Championship 2024 prize money: How much can be won?

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And all matches are played at the best of 19 frames over two sessions.

• Mark Allen 4-4 John Higgins
• Gary Wilson 5-3 Mark Selby
• Mark Allen  10-7 John Higgins
• Mark Williams 5-3 Tom Ford

Tuesday, April 2

• Barry Hawkins 1-4 Ali Carter
• Gary Wilson 10-8 Mark Selby
• Barry Hawkins 8-10 Ali Carter
• Mark Williams 10-9 Tom Ford

Wednesday, April 3

Quarter-finals

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 7-1 Ali Carter
• Zhang Anda 4-4 Gary Wilson
• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-2 Ali Carter
• Ding Junhui 3-1 Mark Allen

Thursday, April 4

• Judd Trump 1-3 Mark Williams
• Zhang Anda 8-10 Gary Wilson
• Judd Trump 4-10 Mark Williams
• Ding Junhui 8-10 Mark Allen

Friday, April 5

Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-7 Gary Wilson

Saturday, April 6

Mark Allen 5-10 Mark Williams

Sunday, April 7

Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-10 Mark Williams

Current seeding list

• Judd Trump - 711,000 pts
• Ronnie O'Sullivan - 435,500 pts
• Zhang Anda - 334,000 pts
• Ding Junhui - 256,000 pts
• Mark Allen - 244,500 pts
• Gary Wilson - 211,500 pts
• Barry Hawkins - 203,000 pts
• Mark Williams - 203,000 pts
• Tom Ford - 177,000 pts
• Ali Carter - 174,500 pts
• Mark Selby - 173,000 pts
• John Higgins - 142,500 pts

What is the Tour Championship 2024 prize money?

There will be a total of £500,000 in the pot.

This is £120,000 more than the full prize money pot in 2023 when Shaun Murphy took home a share of £150,000.

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Here is the full breakdown:

• Winner: £150,000
• Runner-up: £60,000
• Semi-final: £40,000
• Quarter-final: £30,000
• First round: £20,000
• Highest break: £10,000

Northern Lights Tour at Murphy Dome in Fairbanks, Alaska

• We also pick up from local B&Bs.
• Fairbanks Intl Airport, 6450 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Infants must sit on laps
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Not recommended for travelers with back problems
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
• You'll get picked up See departure details
• Pass by Airlink Shuttle and Tours
• You'll return to the starting point

• gigib502 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Shuttle to Chena Hot Springs We had a great driver who shuttled us to Chena Hot Springs. We had a blast! We also had a city tour through them and saw the pipeline, museum of the north and downtown. I highly recommend Airlink!! Read more Written January 3, 2024
• Ushi-Guide 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Unreliable! Booked 4 shuttles in spring for July. Two were cancelled by the company, for one I was asked to pay for one seat more, as only 2 passengers signed up and minimum is 3 (got this info less than 24 hours prior to departure) , 4th shuttle I cancelled as I was totally fed up with them Read more Written September 4, 2023
• SPBMAS 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles NOT Reliable. Deceptive. Literally left us stranded on a curb This company has two separate websites (airlinkalaska and alaskashuttle). Alaskashuttle advertises "Daily service with multiple stops" and their Terms and Conditions page states "Guaranteed seats require completed reservations". I completed a reservation for their Parks Highway Shuttle service and my credit card was charged over a week in advance. On the evening before, the company sent an email confirming our reservation and reminding us of the pickup locations. We got up at 6am and took an Uber to the airport to catch the shuttle. The bus never arrived. About ten minutes after it was supposed to pick us up, I called the company and was told unapologetically that our reservations had been cancelled, we'd get a refund, and 'you should have got an email'. When I asked why, I was told that they require a minimum of three passengers to run the shuttle, and we were only two. There's NO mention of this policy anywhere on their websites that I can find. When I asked how we were supposed to get to our destination (a 2+ hour drive), I got the verbal equivalent of a bored shrug, and "I don't know... maybe take a taxi?" So much for those 'Guaranteed seats' and 'Daily Service' advertised on the website. In order to make it to the next leg of our trip without losing an entire day, we ended up having to cram ourselves and our stuff into a taxi for over twice the cost. I eventually did receive an email stating that our reservations were cancelled. It arrived over an hour AFTER the shuttle was supposed to pick us up. My credit card was eventually refunded. We were off the grid for a week and so were unable to make alternate plans for our trip back to Anchorage. As a result, we ended up keeping our reservations for the return trip. I called the company several times to confirm they'd actually pick us up. The logo on the website shows a large tour bus which are ubiquitous on the Parks Highway (at least between Anchorage and Talkeetna). The actual shuttle is an old econoline-style van that smells of smoke and has doors that have to be slammed just right to stay closed. Our driver, Guy, was great. Very friendly, helpful, and safe. I'd be happy to ride with Guy again if only he worked for a decent company. Read more Written June 27, 2023
• ckf722 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Do not ever use this company HORRIBLE experience with owner of this company! Paid $1344 for a future trip (including generous $200 tip) which we had to cancel 2 days later. Tried texting owner with text he’d sent to us confirming trip, no answer. Called owner & he was very unpleasant about our cancellation but at NO point did he ever tell me they had a 24 hr cancellation policy. Contacted my credit card company, but business owner lied to them & said he’d told me about the cancellation policy so we had to pay for a trip we never took. (We didn’t even know he hadn’t cancelled it until the charge went through more than a week later). Unscrupulous business owner, lied to credit card company - do not trust this business. Read more Written June 18, 2023
• PTUsher 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Northern Lights Lodge Larry the driver and guide was a plus for the trip. He ensured that we saw the lights. The lodge could have been better for viewing. The price was right. Read more Written March 5, 2023
• AlGJr 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles 14 hours Arctic Circle Tour in a Church van We participated in the Arctic Circle tour from 12 pm to 2 AM. First and foremost, on the website it states that we would stop at Fred Meyer for food before this long adventure and the driver acted like he was unaware. I am not sure where the breakdown in communication happened, but the driver was making snide remarks throughout the trip because we asked him to do something that we paid to do. The shuttle was in a van, not a Mercedes sprinter, not a bus with speakers and possibly a bathroom, a van with non functioning air vents and no possible way to hear the driver when we made stops. The tour was not worth the money or time spent. The main highlight was stopping at the Yukon River Camp, where we ordered hot soup on the way back which was amazing and well prepared. Do not waste your money or time with this company. Read more Written December 30, 2022
• sravanikuruganti 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Had a delightful and happy experience We did the arctic winter tour with airlink, it was one of the best decisions. Our guide Carl was amazing , not only did he take us safe through the whole trip he also showed us some good spots where we got amazing views of the northern lights . We were completely delighted and had an amazing experience . We were also traveling with two young kids (2 and 5) and the whole group was co operative in making it a pleasant experience Read more Written December 30, 2022
• benischie 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Arctic Circle Tour This was such a great tour! I was picked up at my airbnb, which was very accommodating of them, and we all had plenty of time to buy food and supplies at a shop before leaving. Drive was beautiful, and our guide John was the best! Such an impressive, knowledgeable, pleasant guy! He taught us so much, was a very skilled driver, and went out of his way to try to get us to see the northern lights, which isn't part of the itinerary for the tour, but was much appreciated, even if we didn't end up seeing them! Dinner at the Yukon Base Camp was also excellent! Good food. Overall, such a good day, highly recommend. Read more Written December 26, 2022
• Travelfamily2 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles ARTIC circle tour We booked the arctic circle tour with my two daughters (16 and 21). Ronald, our driver picked us up early and waited patiently for us to grab our layers of clothes. He also drove us to a local market for food and allowed us to take as much time as possible to get our food. The tour was amazing. It’s a long drive but we knew this and where prepared. The driver was very experienced and we felt very safe throughout. He was very patient with us allowing us to take as much time as we needed at stops. We also mentioned my daughters wish to see the northern lights and he made sure we got amazing views. It was like having two tours in one. I love how excited he was showing us his beautiful state and made the time go by fast with his stories of growing up in Alaska. No one else booked that night so the four of us had the large bus to ourselves and as it got late my kids fell asleep knowing we where in excellent hands. He dropped us off safely at our Airbnb. I don’t know how to thank you you made incredible memories for our family. Read more Written December 20, 2022
• Curious819569 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Terrible don’t take it Terrible service In the morning they forgot to pick us up to go to the dogsled experience. After calling them they showed up 45 minutes after. We are lucky that the people at rodalska put us in another time. After that they forgot to pick us up at the museum!! We had to take an uber back . They didn’t even apologize and were súper agresive. Still waiting for my city tour refund. Read more Written November 25, 2022
• Chbatra22 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Very good We booked a tour for the Arctic Circle. Our driver Carl, was very friendly and accommodating. He made sure to stop at all points on way and gave us ample time to spend there and take pictures. On our way back, we saw Aurora on the Dalton Highway and our driver was very kind to pull up and gave us time to take pictures. Overall a great experience. Read more Written September 6, 2022
• Flyer08726188173 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Booked a privat tour, but did not get it. The driver on the trip was very good, but we had the problem that we couldn't hear what he was telling in the car. We were 8 people on the tour and sat in the back seat of the car. Due to good weather, the windows were opened, and the air conditioner was on. It made so much noise that we couldn't hear anything. The car was old, the seats were very worn and there was little space between the seats, so it was difficult to get to the backseat where we sat. There were no other available seats. We had booked a private tour of 5 to 6 hours but came along on a “standard tour” with six other customers. The trip we got as quite a bit shorter. We have approached the company to get the amount of what we had ordered and paid for and what we got, but have not heard anything from Airlink Alaska. It is not recommended to use the company. Read more Written July 4, 2022
• Stephen S 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles cranky driver I traveled on a shared ride from the train depot to our hotel. We were lucky to get on the shuttle as there were lots of folks there trying to arrange a ride. Michelle was kind and helpful and charged a fair price. We were the last to be dropped off and had a chance to chat with the driver for a moment. He was overall just a cranky guy and and let us know that he thought the increased price of fuel lately was related to the "stolen election " He chose not to share with us the proof he had about that. Perhaps he should watch some of the highlights of the Jan 6 Committee's findings and keep his offensive and disproven political theories to himself. And he could have at least offered to help unload the bags. Instead he just opened the back door and nodded at them - giving us a clear indication that we would have to unload them ourselves. Didn't even say thank you for the undeserved tip. Read more Written June 20, 2022
• Bob M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A nice drive with a safe and friendly driver We travelled from Anchorage to Denali with driver Paul who was an excellent driver and a nice guy. He chatted with us all the way and ensured we had enough refreshment stops along the way. Read more Written May 23, 2022
• aneliram 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing Experience The tour was: Arctic circle. Our driver was Larry and he was excellent answering all my husband questions and giving us information about the area and Alaska in general. He was super cautious in his driving as the road had a lot of ice and is in very bumpy, we feel very secure with him driving. We make about 8-9 stops on the way to see the views, Dalton Rd sign, Pipeline, Finger mountain, Frozen trees, Yukon River, other stops to see the view, and of course the Arctic Circle sign. I make the reservation on their website and it says Arctic Circle tour (no Northen Lights included), even though we think was a possibility to see them as the tour returned time is around 2-3am. We were not expecting to stop to see them in case they show up, but the Auroras show up big time and the make couple of stops to see them as was amazing. Pick up was on time and we returned on time at 2am. Was a long trip but worthy. I read another review for March on a cancelation of a Chena tour, the person did not specify why was canceled, but that week that Chena Rd was terrible on ice, we drove on the 23 and had to returned because was super dangerous, we even encounter an accident of a tour bus with 2 injures taking in an ambulance and even the ambulance were sliding on that ice. Better a cancelation of a tour that the cost of your life. For what we experience they are very careful driving, as they have our life in those roads. Read more Written March 30, 2022

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Northern Lights Tour at Murphy Dome in Fairbanks, Alaska provided by Airlink Shuttle and Tours