Chena Hot Springs: Soak Under the Northern Lights

Sixty miles northeast of Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort is one of the most popular places in Alaska to watch the aurora — because you can do it from a steaming outdoor hot spring.

Soak and watch

The big draw is simple: ease into the natural outdoor rock lake while the Northern Lights move overhead on a clear night. It's hard to beat.

More than the springs

The resort also runs the Aurora Ice Museum (kept frozen inside year-round), aurora wake-up calls for overnight guests, and snowcat or heated-yurt rides up the ridge to darker skies for a better view.

Day trip or stay

Chena is about a 1.5–2 hour drive from Fairbanks on a paved road. You can visit for the day, but staying overnight gives you the wake-up call and multiple chances at the lights.

See the full season and tips on our Aurora Season guide, and read when to go and how to photograph the aurora.