Over Thanksgiving Break, we flew north to Fairbanks and then drove the icy, snowy, utterly beautiful 55 miles out to the Chena Hot Springs Resort. My birthday is always at this time of year and I have wanted to check out the hot springs in the winter ever since I moved to Alaska. Since it was my one request, Derek agreed and (bonus!) my parents were also visiting so we all got to experience the magic together.
The kids loved swimming and hotel shenanigans, Derek and I got A TON of alone time (thanks mom and dad!), and even my mom who really hates the cold got into the beauty and relaxation of the place. We spent the last half day and night in Fairbanks at Pike's Waterfront Lodge which was also fantastic. More on everything below...
Why in the world would anyone want to go even farther north in Alaska in the winter time? I'll tell you my reason in three words - The Northern Lights. That's pretty much the draw for a lot of folks - Alaskans, lower 48ers, and lots of folks from other countries, too - who choose to spend our vacation time in near zero temps (it was -19 the day after we left!!) basically out in the middle of nowhere. But the thing is, those beautiful green lights are definitely not guaranteed, so you need another one or two draws, and Chena Hot Springs has them.
There is an indoor pool and two indoor hot tubs - perfect for the kids and anyone who is reticent to run outside in bare feet when the thermometer reads 2 degrees. There is a large outdoor hot tub with a constant temperature (also great for kids) and then there is the hot springs pool - an open-air, rock-walled, frosted-tree-lined dreamscape where you can lay back and literally soak up relaxation. I did get to see the northern lights from the pool on the first night, and let me tell you, I cried. It was that beautiful.
Now, I was sharing that experience with a lot of other folks. So I highly recommend, if you can swing it, going to Chena during the day or, even better, staying overnight so you get both experiences because there are far fewer tourists out there during the day (remember, people go there for the Aurora). We visited all the pools both days we were there, and while the indoor spaces still had a few folks, there was almost no one in the hot springs pool before dark. An empty pool in the soft light of 65 degrees latitude is a whole different kind of relaxing, you know?
Families take note - children under 18 (14?) are not allowed in the hot springs pool. I think this is because a) the temperatures vary as you get closer to the vents, sometimes reaching scalding temps that were even too hot for me, and b) it is supposed to be a calm, quiet place. However...I want to note that there were plenty of noisy groups of young adults taking selfies and daring each other to go into the hotter parts at night, but the families who snuck their children in after dark were totally chill. Just saying....
For eats, Chena has a decent restaurant with super friendly (if not super fast) wait staff and an "activities center" with some pre-made food and a cafe as well as a big indoor space for kids to run around. This is also the place where you would book a sled dog ride, snow machine adventure, or Aurora tour.
Also part of the resort is an Ice Museum/Palace which looks very cool but we didn't check out because I think you have to be at least six years old to go in. Then there are basic trails around the resort and more adventurous trails a few miles down the road. It was very cold while we were there, but Derek and I bundled up one afternoon and went exploring, stumbling upon a sled dog trail, a giant airplane propped up high in the air, and a stream with boiling hot water flowing into it, presumably from the natural creek that feeds the hot springs pool.
A note on Chena in the summer - We took a road trip north during the first pandemic summer (2020). It was before we had our travel trailer so we stayed at a public use cabin on the Chena River for this part of the vacation. It was a beautiful spot, and close enough to the Hot Springs that we made a day trip of it. Derek and I took turns playing with Isaac in the hot tub while one of us went into the hot springs pool. We ate a delicious lunch on the patio. We also explored some gravel bars and trails along the road between Fairbanks and the Resort. So, just to reiterate - this is a year-round destination.
Fairbanks
We stayed in the eccentric and thoughtfully sound-proofed Pike's Waterfront Lodge right on the Chena River. The kids loved the Alaskan animals mounted all over the lobby and the outside play areas including a bocce ball court, the "love tunnel", and the sled dog sculpture that they could climb on. They also were psyched about the ice cream social and the fact that grandma and pop pop's room connected to ours so we could leave the door open and have "two rooms". We went for a walk on the Chena River and, we promise, no one punched through the ice. :)
We ended up getting a late lunch at Brewsters in town, so for dinner we chose not to eat at the hotel restaurant and instead opted for fruit, snacks, and sandwiches from Fred Meyer, the big grocery store just down the street. The rooms have fridges and microwaves which made dinner from a grocery store that much easier. After the kids went to bed, Derek and I headed downstairs for a date at the hotel bar. It was cloudy, but on a clear night in the fall, winter, and spring, you can see the Aurora from the floor to ceiling windows in the banquet room next door (and from rooms on the river side).
Before heading to the airport the next day, we checked out the Museum of the North on the University of Alaska-Fairbanks campus. It has quite a bit for kids to gawk at and touch in the regular exhibits, and a very thoughtful kids space on the second floor where even my 20-month-old daughter found activities she could try. If you have time, step into the Sound Space for a surreal, mostly relaxing moment. Just don't fall asleep!
Our flight was delayed (by a couple of hours), but the Fairbanks airport is small and has a good restaurant and plenty of space for the kids to run around. If we'd known we had extra time, we might have taken the kids to the free Information Center (officially, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center) which has a dynamo historical exhibit that can be walked in less than 30 minutes and is great for kids and adults of all ages. FYI, in the summer they also have a downloadable app for a walking tour that's easy and informative, but it's mostly for adults.
We highly recommend Chena Hot Springs at any time of the year. Fairbanks has its own charm and is also worth a visit. While we are by no means experts on this part of Alaska, we have been up there more than a few times so feel free to ask any questions that you have about traveling north, and as always please share your insights about this area if you can!
See you out there.
Unforgettable adventure with family.