Fairbanks Exclusive: Chena Hot Springs & Ice Museum Trip

Seeing the Northern Lights was beautiful! Our tour guide, Elijah, was phenomenal. He was very personable and did a wonderful job. He knew a great spot to see the lights and was a great driver, as well. I would definitely recommend taking a tour with Elijah.

To start, Joe was an amazing guide! He was very knowledgeable about the area and the hot springs and had very interesting and humorous stories along with telling the history of the area. The hot springs resort was okay. The hot springs themselves provided a really nice and relaxing soak. The restaurant on the premises left a lot to be desired. Seemed like there wasn't enough staff to serve the many people that were waiting for hours to sit and eat at the only restaurant at the hot springs. Tables were empty and they still had people waiting for long periods of time. I don't let that diminish the otherwise great experience we had with Joe and the trip overall. Joe was also really helpful showing us how to spot the northern lights. Thanks Joe!

The rock pond was enjoyable. The locker room was cramped, dirty and lacked basic amenities. The ice house was interesting with some beautiful carvings but not all that much to see.

Our tour guide Ash was amazing. He is a true Alaskan with such an interesting life and wonderful stories. We did not realize the hot springs didn’t allow under 18 so that was a bummer but the ice museum was really fun and Ash made a little extra stop at a river bend (since we were really ahead of schedule).

Went to the chena hot springs and aurora ice museum with my mom for her birthday, and it was a fun and eclectic time! Our guide, Paul, was a hoot and made sure everyone felt comfortable. Also, he never made it feel like we were asking stupid questions as he gave commentary throughout the tour. The ice museum was one I’ll never forget, and the hot springs were so relaxing that I am now jelly. The restaurant on site was also spectacular. All the vegetables are grown on site and you can tell. Plus my mom never had a drink as good as the raspberry colada!

Paul was our guide and he was AMAZING! From start to finish he was full of interesting facts, Alaska stories and the traditions. Please ask for him- you’ll love the entire trip! We even saw a Moose on the way to Chena! If we make it back to Alaska we will definitely be meeting up!

Watch out the window on your drive - I did see a moose! Also, splurge for the Appletini in the ice museum!

Absolutely stunning place. Tour Guide Paul was amazing and very knowledgeable. We even saw a beaver building a dam on the way back. Loved the mushing dogs and ice museum and springs were a real treasure. A wonderful memory.

The ice museum was very neat to see. You have an option to drink a fancy drink from a glass made out of the ice and smash it outside when you're done. The hot springs were a pleasure to swim in. Nice size to mitigate cramming many people in together and it was a cool experience to be both warm and have frozen hair. Do be mindful that the ramp into the springs is quite slippery, but there is a hand rail. Indoor pools as well as an outdoor hot tub are also an option but the spring is much better. The night we went was temperate and we did get to see some of the northern lights both in their viewing room and outside. While cold, outside is the best place to look at them and colors really pop when caught on camera. Dress warmer than you think you need because you can always layer down if needed. Bob was our tour guide and he was very kind and accommodating to our needs. He went out of his way to chase the lights as we left the hot springs to give us more of a chance to see the lights. Overall, very kind people that showed us the wonder of God's creation in the state of Alaska.

Paul was an amazing guide on our trip to Chena Hot Springs! His passion made the day unforgettable. His storytelling brought the history and natural wonders to life. Highly recommend him!