Chena Hot Spring Day Trip

BUYER BEWARE! I booked weeks a one-day tour with a pick-up at our hotel weeks in advance. The skies were clear, but when I called, they said the tour had been cancelled. The excuse I got over the phone was that it was too cold to operate their equipment. That was a lie. I called when we returned from our trip and the tour guide said they were operation that day and had lots of customers who got to see and photograph the Aurora. I suspect that we were the only ones booked that day and they just didn't want to bother come out just to pick us up. Moreover, they said they sent an email Great; we're on vacation not checking email! They should have at least texted us. I am beyond angry. We planned the trip specifically to see the Northern lights and missed the only clear night we had while we were there.

The place is great has decent lockers and showers. Id bring some quarters for the lockers if not they have some on hand. Bring flipflops or sandals the floor is cold on the path to the water. The water itself is very nice and u dont ferl the cold from outside. But bring something to cover ur ears just in case. The museum is also a nice experience and thr martini is good

The hot springs were beautiful and very much worth the trip. Recommend that your driver/ guide provide history and other Alaska facts along the 1 hour journey. We also paid the additional $20 per person for the Ice Museum which I would Not recommend. 10 mins of tour and certainly not worth the price. They also offer a $20 Appletini per person which we did not purchase. Stay longer in the hot springs and pass on the ice museum would be my advice.

The outdoor hot springs, surrounded by nature, are truly refreshing. The environment is serene and beautiful, and the water is warm and comfortable—perfect for relaxation. The guide was enthusiastic and friendly, providing excellent service that made us feel at ease. Overall, the experience was amazing! This is definitely a place worth revisiting, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to relax and enjoy!

Such an amazing experience! Our guide picked us up right on time (super reliable!), and the hot springs were absolutely incredible—so relaxing and magical! The roads were super slippery, and honestly, driving there myself would have been a nightmare. So glad I booked a guide—it made the trip stress-free and so much more enjoyable!

Chena is touristy, but worth going to see. The drive from Fairbanks was long and the driver spoke over a mic in Chinese only. It should be disclosed the tour would be in Chinese. The second van in our tour had a driver that spoke English and was able to communicate where and when to meet up for the drive back to Fairbanks. Fortunately we read other reviews and knew to book the ice museum in advance, booked early in the morning the day of our trip. It was sold out upon arrival. Hot springs is amazing but locker room chaotic. Give yourself plenty of time to shower, dress and dry your hair before the end of the tour. It seems Chena accepts too many visitors in the hot springs than the locker room can handle.

I recommend Chena hot springs but not this tour. Worst tour operator and driver to deal with. Paid almost 800 bucks for family of four but no admission tickets were included in reservation. Tour description says don’t miss Ice museum but didn’t mention clearly that tickets are not included and may sold out so book in advance. Same thing happened and we couldn’t visit Ice museum. There was no reminder from Viator as well. It took long time to convince tour operator that hot springs tickets are included as Driver was not sure, neither the operator. Ruined my day!!

The hot springs was definitely worth it and the operator communicated with me so no need to worry. Michael was a great guide. The aurora museum can be skipped