Oh, honey, let’s be adventurers. I have the travel bug, and high on my list is the unquestionably darling state of Alaska! If you have the travel bug like me and you’re planning a trip to Alaska, you’re probably thinking of vacation cruise to some of the must-see places to like Glacier Bay, Juneau, Anchorage and while all of those cities are definite must-sees. Fairbanks should be on top of your list. Heavy with snow, steaming waters, and icicles growing on heads of hair. Fairbanks had little winter wonderland located within driving distance from the main part of the city.
From Fairbanks
The route to the hotel is very simple, but with the snowy weather, the roads will be pretty treacherous. Chena Hot Springs is located around an hour and twenty minutes from Fairbanks, but it took me couple of hours to get there. I do recommend driving all-wheel drive & you must download offline maps on google. Chena Resort does provide paid to pick up from the airport.
Chena resort has an on-site activity center where various activities can be booked. The center is open 24 hours for guests to hang out and relax. There is a cute Café is located in the activity center.
My trip was during the Thanksgiving holiday, Chena Resort had a special buffet menu during holidays & I feasted on special thanksgiving dinner right next to the cozy fireplace! Being vegetarian I particularly loved salad and soup it was deliciously fresh and full of flavor, even in the middle of winter!
Later I found out many of the vegetables used at the restaurant are grown fresh in the onsite greenhouse.
Word to the wise: when you are at Chena Hot Springs, you won’t have an easy time getting a phone or internet service although the resort does offer paid internet.
Ice Museum
Once you are checked into our hotel, I recommend visiting the year-round ice museum. Almost everything inside the museum is made of ice. The museum uses geothermal energy to stay a consistent 25°F (-7°C) all year long. During our visit, the weather outside was around 40° colder outside than inside, so the temperatures actually felt quite comfortable in our normal winter gear. Make sure to grab your tickets from Activity Center :)
I would not spoil too many details about what is inside the museum. But each and every the sculptures were amazing to look at. But one of the main features inside the museum is the Aurora Ice Bar. The bar, bar stool, and even the glasses are made from ice. You can order delicious appletini. It was so weird to sip from a glass made of ice it felt as though it was melting every time it touched your lips!
Chena Hot SpringsThe main reason you want to visit the resort is for Hot Springs, and it will not disappoint! Sitting outside amongst piles of snowcapped rocks, was the star of the resort. The natural hot spring lake. Steam floated slowly off the top of the water. To reach the pool, I had to rush down a long, covered corridor in nothing but our swimsuits before I submerged in the toasty water. It was a mesmerizing assault on my senses. The longer you soaked in the steamy pool, the colder your ears became. Eventually, hairs will start to freeze. Tiny icicles grew on your heads. If you wish to stay in the pool for a long time I recommend carry drinking water with you to avoid dehydration.
Aurora Viewing
If you are dying to see the northern lights while you were in Alaska, you should check out the Aurora Viewing Tour during your stay. But I was lucky enough to see Auroras from the Chena Resort Aurora viewing area.
If you are planning your trip I recommend trying to visit during no moon nights. Check aurora forecast on the University of Alaska website.
Snowmachine Tour & Dog Sled Rides
After a long night of Aurora watching it was difficult to wake up even at 10 am and there was minimum sunlight day. Chena Hot Springs Resort offers a wide range of other adventures in both the summer and winter. I had fun snowmobiling through this winter wonderland. I also visited Dog Kennel & went for dog sledding.
I had three more days of adventures in Alaska, but that story is for some other day. It goes to show, no matter which season you visit, there is definitely an exciting adventure that awaits!
Amazing !! Such a great insider guide , cant wait to go there the pictures are beautiful !