Chena Hot Springs Day Tour
Description
Sit back, relax, and take in the scenic Alaskan landscape as you're transported 60 miles east of Fairbanks to the famous Chena Hot Springs Resort. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled—you may spot moose, foxes, or even beavers in their natural habitat. Start your visit with a tour of the Aurora Ice Museum, home to stunning ice sculptures made from over 1,000 tons of ice and snow. Feeling adventurous? Try an optional Appletini in a hand-carved ice glass (21+, not included). Then, soak in the resort’s natural hot springs, explore scenic trails, or tour the greenhouse and geothermal energy facilities. Hungry? The on-site restaurant offers fresh Alaskan seafood and produce (meal not included). Before returning to Fairbanks, stop by the gift shop for locally made souvenirs. PLEASE NOTE: You are eligible for a full refund up to 7 days before your tour.
Tour Options
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.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will contact you the day before your tour with your exact pickup time. We can only pick up from hotels within the Fairbanks City-Limits. We cannot pick up from the airport. If you are staying at an Air BnB or outside of city limits, please contact the office via email or phone call.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
Reviews(278)
My 2 college age kids booked this excursion at the last minute at the end of camping trip to Denali. It exceeded their expectations. They enjoyed all aspects - the ice museum, hot springs, and dog kennel tour (this was an add on). Pickup/dropoff was at the door of their hotel. Dillon was a great host/guide.
Alaska Wild Lights was awesome. Our guide was John Kane, he was wonderful. He had helpful information and really made us feel the "love" of the area. The ice museum area was fun, but bathing in the hot springs made the entire trip for me.
Great day, loved the springs, ice museum, trails and dog kennels, They emailed us they were picking us up at 7 am and it was actually. They were very apologetic about it. But who wants to wake up and waste two hours of vacation. Their office doesn’t open til 9 am and the voicemail was full. If you have tours starting at 7am, someone should be available via chat. I feel like we should have gotten a small compensation, a discount off a future excursion or something. I guess I will go back to Expedia. Dylan was great through and this tour gives you enough time to fully enjoy and appreciate the area. Other tours available would be very rushed.
A full day of activity. Highly recommend. Our driver (John) was excellent!! The ice museum was excellent and the hot springs was unbelievable!!!!
The whole experience was well managed and adapted to our requirements. The hot springs were delightful, which were only surpassed by a sighting of a female moose with 2 young, in tow
Loved the ice museum and drinking an appletini out of a glass made from ice. Hot springs warm and relaxing. Drive from Fairbanks was beautiful and we saw two moose. Special shoutout to our driver Ripley, who was fantastic!
It’s a full and beautiful trip! Saw sled dogs, blk bear and moose! Ice house great and so was the apple martini, greenhouse tour great! We loved the hot springs, we found our spot!
The guide was friendly and knowledgeable making the day very enjoyable. A good time. Enjoyed! Fun time.
It was awesome! We had the whole place to ourselves being it was one week before season. The hot spring and ice house were cool.
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!
