Chena Hot Springs Day Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Relax in natural hot springs
- Explore the Aurora Ice Museum
- Enjoy scenic Alaskan landscapes
- Experience unique ice sculptures
- Learn about local geothermal energy
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip transportation from Fairbanks
- Access to Chena Hot Springs Resort facilities
- Guided tour of the Aurora Ice Museum
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
After arriving at the resort, you'll be taken to the restaurant for a bite of lunch where you can sample some home grown Alaskan fare (optional and not included in price). Enjoy a hot or cold beverage at the bar or don your bathing suit and head to the hot springs. The revitalizing mineral water soothes muscles with its warm temperatures of 106 degrees F (41 degrees C) year-round. Stay in the hot springs, or hit one of the many trails around the resort in the chance you might see wildlife, or just enjoy the beauty of Alaska's great outdoors. You can also take an optional tour of the resort's greenhouse and geothermal plant to learn more about how the resort is generating its own electricity and aiming to be more self-sustaining.
After arriving at Chena Hot Springs Resort, you'll enjoy a tour of the Aurora Ice Museum and marvel at the cool sculptures carved out of ice. You can also indulge in an Appletini served in a hand-carved ice glass (not included in price and photo ID required). Then check out the activities available or take a stroll in the expansive grounds. You will be shown to our table in the restaurant where you can enjoy some lunch and hot or cold beverages (optional and not included in price). Spend the rest of the afternoon soaking in the healing waters of the hot springs or wandering the surrounding trails enjoying Alaskan nature. Rejoin your group around 4pm and return to Fairbanks, keeping an eye out for wildlife and stunning scenery along the way.
Important information
Know before you book
- Confirm the tour departure time and location in advance.
- Be aware that meals and beverages are not included in the tour price.
- Understand that the tour duration is approximately 8 hours, including travel time.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable swimwear and bring a towel for the hot springs.
- Consider bringing a camera to capture the ice sculptures and scenic views.
- Check the weather forecast and dress in layers to stay comfortable throughout the day.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
Good to know
- If going in the hot springs, you will need a bathing suit. You may also wish to bring rubber shoes and a towel. Towels are available at a cost of $5.
- Lockers are available and take 2 quarters (50 cents). A change machine is on-site if required.
- Photo ID is required to purchase an Appletini in the Ice Museum or other alcoholic beverages in the restaurant/bar.
- Children under 18 and pregnant guests are not allowed in the outdoor rock pool, but may use the indoor pools.
- Our vans are not wheelchair accessible. However, we have enough room for a foldable one and the Hot Springs are wheelchair accessible. Please contact us before booking.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Cancellation for a full refund is possible if the minimum capacity is not reached or due to dangerous road conditions.
- Every guest must sign a waiver before any tour so they clearly acknowledge the inherent risks of wilderness travel, assume responsibility for their own safety, and confirm they are medically able to participate.
Traveler reviews
We had a great day at...
We had a great day at Chena Springs. We were picked up right on time, had good conversation and a very pleasant ride up north, liked the Ice Museum and lunch and then thoroughly enjoyed relaxing in the springs (and the hot tubs and pool). For us, it was a perfect day after traveling the entire previous day and we'd highly recommend this!
From cold to hot! The...
From cold to hot! The experience was great- the ice museum was definitely one of a kind and be prepared to pivot to hot when you enter the springs!
Hot Springs 109° in spots
A wonderful experience, 109° in some areas of the giant Hot Springs highly recommend going it’s about an hour and a half drive from North Pole Alaska. to see we saw moose in the wild
Great experience
Did not care much for the Ice Museum. The hot springs is an experience not to be missed. Tour guide Colton was marvelous. Educational, informative and did whatever he could to please and provide for the tour group. Saw beautiful Northern Lights.
Disappointing Last-Minute Cancellation
We booked a Chena Hot Springs tour with Alaska Wildlife Guide LLC for New Year’s Eve, but they canceled the afternoon before, citing weather as the reason. While I understand that cancellations can happen, we felt misled because we were able to quickly arrange our own transportation and had no issues getting there or back. The hot springs were open and fantastic, and so were the restaurant, the Ice Museum, and the dog sledding. Everything up there was operating normally and made for a great New Year’s Eve. I later noticed in the disclosures that tours may be canceled if there are not enough participants. If that was the actual reason, I would have appreciated more transparency. Canceling the day before, especially on a major holiday, almost left us without a plan. That said, the silver lining was that by arranging transportation ourselves, we ended up saving quite a bit of money and still had an excellent experience at Chena Hot Springs.