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Combine a soak in geothermally heated outdoor pools with a walk through the world's largest year-round ice museum on a seven-hour escape from Fairbanks. This small-group tour balances easy driving, restorative hot springs, and Alaskan light that photographers crave.
Combine a soak in geothermally heated outdoor pools with a walk through the world's largest year-round ice museum on a seven-hour escape from Fairbanks. This small-group tour balances easy driving, restorative hot springs, and Alaskan light that photographers crave.
Book with Find Alaska
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Find Alaska · Fairbanks, Alaska
Chena Hot Springs, about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, is the setting for the Midnight Sun Hotsprings Day Tour, a seven-hour getaway that pairs geothermally heated pools with the world's largest year-round ice museum. The experience begins with an easy scenic drive into boreal forest, where roadside pullouts reveal braided creeks and long views across black spruce and tundra transition zones. At the resort, the main attractions are the outdoor rockpool and the open-air hot tub - mineral-rich springs that feel improbably warm against brisk arctic air - and the ice museum, a refrigerated cathedral of carved sculptures and lit corridors.
The tour is run by Find Alaska LLC and includes hotel pickup in Fairbanks (standard pickup time is 4:30 PM). Small-group vans keep the outing intimate (maximum nine people), letting guides point out natural features and local lore on the way. Towels are available for rent at the resort; lockers are free and cost fifty cents to lock. Water shoes or flip-flops are recommended for moving between pools and facilities. Guests eighteen and older can access the outdoor rockpool and jacuzzi; children are welcome but must stay with a parent or guardian.
What makes this outing special is contrast: geothermal warmth set into subarctic landscape and an ice museum that holds sculpted rooms cooled year-round. You can move from steamy mineral water into glittering ice halls without leaving the property, an unusual pairing that highlights Alaska's thermal diversity. The drive itself is part of the attraction - long light in summer means late-day panoramas; in shoulder seasons, frost edges the trees and the silence is palpable.
Practical notes: the tour lasts about seven hours, requires minimal fitness, and involves little hiking; it's designed as a restorative day trip rather than a strenuous adventure. Accessibility is limited - vehicles are not wheelchair accessible, though staff can accommodate compact mobility devices when space allows. All guests must sign waivers for Find Alaska LLC and Chena Hotsprings Resort; alcohol is allowed only if purchased on site and smoking is restricted to designated areas.
Why book it? If you're based in Fairbanks and want a single-day blend of wellness, short interpretive driving, and Alaska-specific spectacle, this tour is efficient and memorable. Photographers will love the juxtaposition of steaming water against late-day light and the crystalline detail inside the ice museum. For travelers seeking low-impact, high-return time outdoors, the Midnight Sun Hotsprings Day Tour is a rare, approachable taste of Arctic geothermal life.
Bring a swimsuit, warm layers for the drive, and a waterproof phone case for steam shots; guides will cover on-site rules. The small group and late pickup make it an evening option in summer and a prime winter aurora pairing when visible.
Guides pick up at your hotel or BNB in Fairbanks at your assigned pickup time, typically 4:30 PM unless specified otherwise.
The full outing runs about seven hours round-trip from Fairbanks, including drive time and time at the resort.
Towels are available for rent at the resort; lockers are free to use and cost fifty cents to lock.
Guests must be 18 years or older to use the outdoor rockpool and outdoor jacuzzi; children may visit other public areas only when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Vehicles are not wheelchair accessible, but guides can sometimes accommodate compact mobility devices when space permits; contact the operator ahead of booking.
Yes, all guests are required to review and sign waivers for Find Alaska LLC and Chena Hotsprings Resort before participating.
Find Alaska is a Fairbanks-based tour operator focused on guided day and evening excursions that showcase Interior Alaska’s natural and cultural highlights. From a convenient Fairbanks departure point, Find Alaska offers three signature experiences: the Fairbanks City Tour, a half-day itinerary featuring the Alyeska Pipeline, Native cultural insights, the University of Alaska Museum, and a stop at Santa’s North Pole shop; the Northern Lights Adventure, a flexible, personalized evening tour to prime viewing locations outside Fairbanks with hot drinks and guided photo assistance; and the Chena Hot Springs + Northern Lights trip, a day excursion to Chena Hot Springs with natural mineral pools, a large ice museum, and scenic Arctic views. Tours are led by local experts who select viewing sites and timelines to match current conditions and guest priorities. Small-group operations and flexible routing enable adaptation to weather and aurora activity, maximizing opportunities to see the Northern Lights and photograph Alaska’s landscapes. The operator emphasizes clear meeting logistics from Fairbanks and provides comfortable on-site stops such as hot springs and museum visits. Find Alaska’s itineraries combine natural attractions, cultural context, and practical comforts—hot beverages during aurora watches, easy access to Fairbanks attractions on city tours, and restful soaking at Chena Hot Springs. This practical, locally guided approach offers travelers seeking authentic Alaska experiences a direct way to explore Fairbanks-area highlights. Find Alaska is featured on The Adventure Collective, providing verified tour descriptions and practical booking details for travelers planning Fairbanks adventures. Schedules and availability vary by season and demand.
Book with Find Alaska