Fairbanks: Chena Hot Springs & Ice Museum Day Tour

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1/16

Duration8h

GroupUp to 14

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

What happens when you soak in 106-degree water surrounded by Alaskan wilderness

You're picked up from your Fairbanks hotel and driven 60 miles to Chena Hot Springs Resort, where you tour the Aurora Ice Museum, soak in natural hot springs heated to 106°F, and explore scenic trails. Lunch and drinks are available separately. The drive back to Fairbanks happens around 4pm, with wildlife spotting likely both ways. Plan for a full day out of the city.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Chena Hot Springs Resort

Travel from Fairbanks to resort
Tour Aurora Ice Museum
Optional Appletini in ice glass
Lunch at resort restaurant (optional)
Soak in natural hot springs
Explore trails and resort grounds
Optional greenhouse and geothermal tour
Return to Fairbanks

The Experience

The driver picks you up from your Fairbanks hotel early enough that the road still feels quiet. Sixty miles east, the landscape opens up—spruce forest, the occasional glimpse of something moving at the tree line. Someone on the van always asks if that was a moose. The guide knows the answer before you finish the question. By the time you pull into Chena Hot Springs Resort, you've already seen why people come back to this part of Alaska.

The Aurora Ice Museum hits different when you walk in cold and see a thousand tons of ice carved into shapes—chandeliers, sculptures, a bar where you can order an Appletini in a hand-carved glass if you're 21 and have your ID. It's the kind of place that photographs don't quite capture; the ice is colder than you expect, and the light inside makes everything look like it's underwater. After that, most people head straight to the hot springs. The water stays at 106 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, mineral-rich enough that your skin feels different after twenty minutes. You can float there for hours if you want, or grab a towel and walk one of the trails around the resort—the greenhouse and geothermal plant are open if you're curious how the place powers itself.

Lunch at the on-site restaurant is optional and not included, but the Alaskan seafood is worth the extra cost if you're hungry. The bar has hot and cold drinks either way. Around 4pm the group gathers again, and the drive back to Fairbanks gives you another chance to scan the trees. The gift shop near the entrance has locally made souvenirs if you want something that isn't a postcard. The whole day is built around not rushing—you soak as long as you want, walk as much as you want, and the van waits.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Fairbanks, round-trip transportation to Chena Hot Springs Resort 60 miles away, admission to the Aurora Ice Museum with its ice sculptures and carvings, and access to the natural hot springs.
A driver and guide accompany the group.
Meals, beverages, towel rental, locker fees, and the optional Appletini are separate.
The gift shop and scenic trails are available during your free time at the resort.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by Alaska Wild Lights

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Fairbanks without a rental car who want to experience Alaska's geothermal landscape and wildlife in a single day. The 60-mile drive is part of the tour—it's where most wildlife spotting happens, and the guide uses the time to share local knowledge.