FAIRBANKS SIGHTSEEING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Soak the Midnight Sun: A Day at Chena Hot Springs Beyond Fairbanks
A seven-hour day trip that pairs a soak in natural outdoor mineral springs with a visit to the world’s largest year‑round ice museum and scenic views en route from Fairbanks.
Soak the Midnight Sun: A Day at Chena Hot Springs Beyond Fairbanks.
This day tour from Fairbanks delivers a quiet, restorative stretch of Alaska: a scenic drive under endless daylight, a plunge into natural outdoor mineral springs, and a walk through an enormous year‑round ice museum. It’s a compact escape where wellness and Arctic spectacle meet in a single seven‑hour outing.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Outdoor mineral springs and resort soak
Unwind in Chena’s natural outdoor mineral springs—an intentional pause in warm water framed by Alaskan light. Towels are available for rent, lockers are provided (50¢ to lock), and water shoes or flip‑flops are recommended but not required.
The world’s largest year‑round ice museum
A signature stop on the tour is the resort’s year‑round ice museum—an engineered, refrigerated space that houses large sculpted ice features and exhibits in constant cold.
Scenic drive from Fairbanks
The journey itself is part of the appeal: a daytime drive from Fairbanks that showcases Alaskan landscapes and leads directly to the resort’s hot springs and ice museum.
What the day feels like
How the day unfolds
Over seven hours you’ll leave Fairbanks, move through open Alaskan terrain, arrive at Chena Hot Springs, and spend time between the resort’s outdoor mineral springs and its year‑round ice museum—an economical, restorative day that balances travel and time on site.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this day tour suits — and who should plan differently.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Expect a seven‑hour day trip that leaves from Fairbanks and returns the same day.
Bring swimwear and an extra change of clothes; water‑shoes, flip‑flops, or slides are recommended though not required. Towels are available to rent at the resort.
Lockers are free to use; it costs 50¢ to lock a locker. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas.
Vehicles used for the tour are not wheelchair accessible; the operator can store compact wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers in limited quantities.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the tour?
The day tour is seven hours in duration.
Do you pick up passengers in Fairbanks?
Yes — the operator provides pickup from Fairbanks.
Are towels and lockers available?
Towels are available for rent at the resort; lockers are free to use and it costs 50¢ to lock a locker.
Can I wear water shoes or flip‑flops in the springs?
Water‑shoes, flip‑flops, and slides are recommended but not required.
Can I bring my own alcoholic beverages?
No — alcoholic beverages are not permitted unless purchased during the tour.
Is the vehicle wheelchair accessible?
No — the tour vehicles are not wheelchair accessible; however, there is limited storage available for compact wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.