Fairbanks most celebrated bar is the Howling Dog, which is actually north of Fairbanks in the bedroom community of Fox. It has a long bar with a diverse crowd, where diesel mechanics knock down pints alongside aurora scientists. The floor's littered with peanut shells, and the ceiling's covered with bras, baseball caps and dollar bills autographed by whoever want to stick a dollar on the ceiling. There's a big dance floor and a little stage. Check out the old worn-out carpeting on the stage -- it's the red carpet that was rolled out at Fairbanks International Airport in 1984 when President Ronald Reagan met very briefly with Pope John Paul II, before both reboarded their planes and went their respective ways. The Dog closes from October through April.