riverboat discovery dining hall

Alaska is ready

Make 2024 your year

Your three-hour tour will take you into the heart of Alaska and introduce you to a family who has made the rivers of Alaska their way of life for five generations.

Chena Village Living Museum

Be immersed in frontier living first hand with a guided walking tour of an Athabascan village. You’ll see an Athabascan  village with cabins made of spruce logs, a cache used for storing supplies, a primitive spruce bark hut and fur pelts. Our guides will explain how the wolf, fox, martin and beaver were used to provide food and protection in the harsh Arctic climate. They will also share how the Athabascans skillfully survived for over 10,000 years and how they adapted to village life and Western culture in the past century.

At the end of your guided tour, you will have time to explore the village on your own, interact with our guides and visit dogs from Susan Butcher’s Trail Breaker Kennel.

Bush Pilot Demonstration

See an Alaskan bush pilot takeoff and land right next to the boat! ( 1 ) ‍ Our pilot will share his stories of village life and explain the vital role planes play in remote Alaska.

Trail Breaker Kennel

Visit the home and kennel of the late four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher as we pass Trail Breaker Kennel along the Chena River. Learn first hand about kennel life and the challenges that go into making a champion dogsled team. Dave and Tekla Monson, Susan’s husband and daughter, share stories of life on the trails as puppies play in anticipation of joining the team. Keep your cameras ready; you will not want to miss the dog mushing demonstration!

Steamboat Landing

Trading posts in the early days of Western contact were popular with people in Alaskan Villages, and that tradition continues with the Discovery Trading Post (on-board Discovery III) and Steamboat Landing (onshore). Both stores offer gifts and products that are unique to Alaska and the Native culture. To this day, we strive to follow Captain Jim’s commitment to give visitors “the best value at the best price” by offering Fairbanks’ largest selection of Alaskan souvenirs and gifts.

Discovery Dining Hall

If you are hungry, be sure to check out our Discovery Dining Hall.  With seatings at 11:45 AM and 1 PM you can enjoy a full family-style meal and eat to your fill.  The Discovery Dining Hall offers our hearty miner's beef stew, rustic roasted vegetables, a kale apple pecan salad, sourdough rolls and, for dessert, a German chocolate brownie.  For beverages we offer iced tea, water, coffee and hot tea. Beer and wine are available for purchase as well.

Captain's Corner Grab & Go Lunch

For something quick, stop by the Captain's Corner located inside Steamboat Landing. We have fresh made sandwiches, wraps and salads ready each day. Enjoy your lunch on our beautiful outdoor deck as you soak in the sun and enjoy views of the Chena River.

Beer, wine and snacks are also available for sale aboard Discovery III.

A family business

The Binkley family’s steamboating tradition goes back over 100 years and five generations. In 1898, when Charles M. Binkley hiked over the Chilkoot Pass with other stampeders, he was not so much in search of gold as he was the chance to build and operate boats on the Yukon and its tributaries. He became a respected pilot and boat builder in the North. His son, Captain Jim Binkley, Sr., followed in his father’s footsteps and piloted freight vessels on the Yukon and Tanana Rivers in the 1940's.

As transportation systems changed in the north, railroads and airplanes began to carry much of the freight. In 1950, noting the coming changes in the freighting business, Captain Jim and his wife, Mary, began a river excursion business focusing on sharing their love of Alaska and its culture with visitors. Over the coming years, Captain Jim and Mary B’s business grew from the Godspeed, a 25 passenger vessel, to the Discovery III, a 900 passenger vessel. Today, Captain Jim’s grandchildren run the company and Mary B is still active in the business.

In addition to growing their sternwheel business, the Binkley’s have added a gold mining attraction: Gold Dredge 8. The family has developed a tour in the heart of the gold fields where the first gold strikes attracted miners from the Klondike. They have incorporated large scale industrial mining and the smaller 'Mom and Pop' side of mining into an all-encompassing tour that also features the Trans Alaska Pipeline and a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad.

Can I do both the Riverboat Discovery and Gold Dredge 8 tours in one day?

Yes, our tours are designed so you can do both tours in one day. However, please note that these tours are not at the same location.

Are reservations required?

Although reservations are not required, they are highly recommended. We recommend making reservations as soon as you know the date you would like to go on our tours.

What time should I arrive for my tour?

We recommend arriving at the Riverboat Discovery at least 30 minutes prior to departure time. When you arrive at the Riverboat Discovery you will need to check in at our ticket counter to pick up your boarding passes.

We recommend arriving at Gold Dredge 8 at least 15 minutes prior to departure time. When you arrive at Gold Dredge 8 you will need to check in at our train station in the parking lot to pick up your boarding passes.

How do I get to your location?

The Riverboat Discovery is located a few miles from Fairbanks International Airport. Take Airport Way West towards the airport; take a right onto Dale Road; continue about 1/2 mile and take a right onto Discovery Drive; we are located at the end of Discovery Drive.

Gold Dredge 8 is located about 25 minutes outside of Fairbanks on the Old Steese Highway. Take the Steese Highway (Route 2) North; take a left onto Goldstream Road; take a left onto Old Steese Highway (the first cross-road); our entrance is the first driveway on the right.

How long should I allow to get to each location?

The Riverboat Discovery is roughly 7 miles from downtown Fairbanks. We recommend allowing 20 minutes to get from downtown Fairbanks to the Riverboat Discovery.

Gold Dredge 8 is roughly 10 miles from downtown Fairbanks. We recommend allowing 25 minutes to get from downtown Fairbanks to Gold Dredge 8.

What address do I enter in my GPS to get to your location?

Riverboat Discovery: 1975 Discovery Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99709

Gold Dredge 8: 1803 Old Steese Highway North, Fairbanks, AK 99712

I don’t have a car. What is the best way to get to the Riverboat Discovery and/or Gold Dredge 8?

We recommend renting a car while in Fairbanks so you can explore the beauty of our widespread community. Many local hotels offer shuttles to the Riverboat Discovery. We recommend checking with the front desk at your hotel for the best transportation option to the Riverboat Discovery. Many of our Riverboat Discovery guests arrive via taxi or shuttle. We do not recommend taking a taxi to our Gold Dredge 8 location. It is outside of town and a taxi would be quite expensive. We recommend either renting a car or checking into a shuttle service such as Go North (907-452-9999) or Airlink (907-452-3337).

What should I bring on my tour?

We recommend bringing a camera and a light jacket.

What should I wear on my tour?

We always suggest wearing layers. A portion of our tours at both locations are outdoors where you are exposed to the elements. Our boats at the Riverboat Discovery have heated/air-conditioned decks for your comfort. The train at Gold Dredge 8 is open air and has a roof.

Is the tour ever cancelled due to the weather?

In our 70+ year history, we have never cancelled a tour due to the weather. If it is sprinkling rain, we provide ponchos, seat cushions and umbrellas for our guests at both locations. If it is pouring rain at the Riverboat Discovery, we will bring the village tour onto the boat.

Will I see wildlife?

You will see reindeer as part of the tour at the Riverboat Discovery.

Will there be a Bush Pilot Demonstration Today?

We strive to have every part of the tour available each day, however several weather factors can ground the planes doing the demonstration. We may cancel the Bush Pilot Demonstration due to severe winds, fog, ice flows, or any other weather conditions that make it unsafe to fly on that day.

Is there anything available to eat on the tour?

We have complimentary coffee and fresh donuts at the Riverboat Discovery. If you are looking for something more than donuts, we have three options available at the Riverboat Discovery: Discovery Dining Hall, where we serve a hearty miner’s stew (vegetarian and gluten-free options available upon request); galleys on board the boats that have snack food (reindeer dogs, chili, chips, etc.); Captain’s Corner, where we offer lunch boxes (sandwiches, salad, chips and a soda). We also serve locally made ice cream on the boats and at Captain’s Corner in the gift shop. At Gold Dredge 8, we serve complimentary freshly baked cookies, coffee and hot chocolate.

Is there assigned seating on the boat or train?

No, seating is on a first come first served basis. Every seat on board is a great seat. We have TV monitors on every deck and train car that feature a live broadcast and provide supplementary informational footage.

Is there alcohol available for purchase?

Yes, at the Riverboat Discovery, we serve beer and wine on board our boats and in the Discovery Dining Hall.

Are there restrooms on the boat and train?

At the Riverboat Discovery, there are restrooms available on the boats, at our village and in our gift shop. At the Gold Dredge 8, there are restrooms available at our train station and in the gift shop.

How long is the tour and how often do tours run?

The tour at the Riverboat Discovery is three hours long. The Gold Dredge 8 tour is two hours long. Both of our tours run twice a day from mid-May to mid-September.

I purchased my ticket through an on-line agency. Do I need to check-in on-site?

Yes, you will need to check in at our ticket counter/train station to exchange your voucher for a boarding pass.

What is your refund policy?

We offer a full refund if you cancel your reservation up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled tour time. After 48 hours, we do not offer a refund but you can reschedule your tour for another time.

Are your tours wheelchair accessible?

Yes, our tours are wheelchair accessible . At the Riverboat Discovery, wheelchairs must board at the stern (back of the boat near the paddle wheel). When you arrive please notify an associate at the ticket counter or collection booth as we require wheelchairs to pre-board and be escorted by a trained Deckhand. Our Athabascan Village has gravel paths that allow easy access. If you need assistance at the Athabascan Village please notify a Deckhand. At Gold Dredge 8, we have certain train cars that are wheelchair accessible. When you arrive notify the associate that is assisting with boarding and they will direct you to the appropriate train car.

Are animals allowed on the boat or train?

Due to customer allergies, we only allow designated trained service animals.

Is the paddle wheel decorative?

No, the paddle wheel is used to power the boat.

Are the tours appropriate for young children?

Yes, we find that all ages enjoy our tours.

1975 Discovery Drive Fairbanks, AK 99709

1-866-479-6673

907-479-6673

[email protected]

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Gold Dredge 8

Captain Jim's Salmon

Adventure Green Alaska

Alaska Travel Industry Association

Explore Fairbanks

PVA Green Waters

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Riverboat Discovery Cruise & Gold Dredge 8 Combo

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Book shore excursions with confidence! We offer competitive pricing, friendly service and unmatched destination expertise.

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Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Enjoy a cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler and watch a bush pilot takeoff and land on the surface of the Chena River in a float plane. Along the way you'll make a stop at the home of a late four-time Iditarod champion, meet some winning sled dogs and witness a dog sled demonstration. Next, you'll disembark the sternwheeler for a guided tour through a replication of an Athabascan Indian village, where you will learn in depth about Native Alaskan village life. Next you are off to Gold Dredge 8! Enjoy a close up view of the Trans Alaska pipeline and a presentation about the history and operation of the pipeline before boarding the train that will take you to Gold Dredge 8 where you will see first hand how the dredge worked the gold fields. You will find gold - we guarantee it!

Special Notes:

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“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” - James Michener

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Activity Review: Riverboat Discovery In Fairbanks Alaska

Discovery III

The Binkley family’s steamboating tradition goes back over 100 years and five generations. In 1898, when Charles M. Binkley hiked over the Chilkoot Pass with other stampeders, he was not so much in search of gold as he was the chance to build and operate boats on the Yukon and its tributaries. He became a respected pilot and boat builder in the North. His son, Captain Jim Binkley, Sr., followed in his father’s footsteps and piloted freight vessels on the Yukon and Tanana Rivers in the 1940’s.

As transportation systems changed in the north, railroads and airplanes began to carry much of the freight. In 1950, noting the coming changes in the freighting business, Captain Jim and his wife, Mary, began a river excursion business focusing on sharing their love of Alaska and its culture with visitors. Over the coming years, Captain Jim and Mary B’s business grew from the Godspeed, a 25-passenger vessel, to the Discovery III, a 900-passenger vessel. Today, Captain Jim’s grandchildren run the company and Mary B is still active in the business.

In addition to growing their sternwheel business, the Binkley’s have added a gold mining attraction: Gold Dredge 8. The family has developed a tour in the heart of the gold fields where the first gold strikes attracted miners from the Klondike. They have incorporated large-scale industrial mining and the smaller ‘Mom and Pop’ side of mining into an all-encompassing tour that also features the Trans Alaska Pipeline and a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad.

Although the Discovery III holds 900 passengers, they limit the number of passengers per voyage to just 700.  The voyage that I went on had just 461 people on board.  The ship sails down the Chena River to where it flows into the much larger Tanana River.

Float Plane Demonstration

Since the 1930’s, transportation by float plane has been essential in Alaska.  These very capable aircraft can change from floats for water to large “tundra” tires to skis for snow field operations.  Float planes have the ability to take off and land in very short distances.

The Discovery III stops at a point where you will watch a floatplane pilot take off in front of you.  The plane will continue as it circles the ships and then comes in for a water landing.  The ship’s public address system is switched to the aviation radio where the captain of the ship is talking with the pilot about the operations of float planes.

Trail Breaker Kennels

The kennel was founded in Eureka, Alaska by the late Susan Butcher, a four-time Iditarod champion, and David Monson, her husband and Yukon Quest champion. Built on a reputation of exemplary dog care and hard work, Trail Breaker Kennel became the premier racing kennel in the world. In 1990, Susan and David purchased the property in Fairbanks, Alaska and established Trail Breaker Kennel on the banks of the Chena River.

Today, David, his two daughters and dedicated staff members provide visitors from around the world a look at the lives of mushers and Alaskan huskies in Interior Alaska. For over 20 years, Trail Breaker Kennel has been a favorite stop on the Riverboat Discovery tour.  You will see demonstrations on what these amazing trail dogs are capable of.

Be immersed in frontier living firsthand with a guided walking tour of a native Athabascan village. You’ll see an Athabascan village with cabins made of spruce logs, a cache used for storing supplies, a primitive spruce bark hut and fur pelts. Our guides will explain how the wolf, fox, martin and beaver were used to provide food and protection in the harsh Arctic climate. They will also share how the Athabascans skillfully survived for over 10,000 years and how they adapted to village life and Western culture in the past century.

Visiting Riverboat Discovery

You can learn more about this adventure by clicking here .

• Tours run two times per day at 8:45 am and 2:00 pm,
• The cost is $75.95 for adults and teens, $45.95 for children aged 3-12,
• Duration: three hours and
• Walkability: easy, the most walking will be at the Chena Villiage.  There are stairs aboard the ship to the upper decks.

Related tour: Gold Dredge #8.  You can read my review of Gold Dredge #8 here .

Final Thoughts

The Riverboat Discovery is a great way to not only cruise the Chena River but take a look at life in Alaska both old and new.  The Chena village has expert guides that will take you back to life as the native Athabascan people did thousands of years ago.  An interesting cultural look back in history.

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Riverboat Discovery

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riverboat on the Chena river

landing sign

Captain Binkley

Son of an Alaskan who hiked over the Chilkoot trail to explore the Yukon, and became a riverboat Captain, Captain Jim Binkley piloted freight vessels on the Yukon and Tananna rivers in the 1940's. He started the river excursion business in Fairbanks in 1950. Now with the third generation sternwheeler, Discovery III, the business continues with his sons.

sternwheeler

the airplane has replaced the river boat  as the basic means of transportation to the interior

bush pilot demonstration of STOL (Short Take Off and Landing)

where the Chena meets the glacier fed Tanana (muddy look of the Tanana because it carries fine particle glacier flower)

The Tanana is a braided river

eagle on the bank

homemade sternwheeler

campaign barge of an Alaskan politician

Stop at the Athabascan village

Susan Butcher's

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News | GOLDEN HEART OF ALASKA

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It`s hardly the kind of thing one would expect the local chamber of commerce to allow, but it`s typical of the devil-may-care humor one finds in the interior of Alaska, reflected in the ubiquitous wearable postcard of our age, the T-shirt.

Actually Fairbanks and the area around it, called ”The Golden Heart” by Alaskans, is quite safe, grizzly and otherwise, for tourists who keep to the beaten path. More and more of them are coming here, as Alaska overall enjoys a 10 percent increase of tourism from last year`s record numbers. An estimated 700,000 visitors will visit the state in the 90-day summer season.

”Fairbanks is still kind of a pioneer frontier area, not a major city like Anchorage,” says Howard Clifford,” spokesman for Princess Cruise Lines, one of several tour companies serving the 49th State. ”In the 1950s there were some small cruise boats to Juneau and Skagway, but there was practically nothing up here (in the way of organized tourism). In the last 10 or 12 years, tourism has really developed in the interior.

”In the last four or five years, there have been a few new hotels. A new $12.5 million Fairbanks Princess Hotel got underway this spring west of the city.”

Otherwise, Fairbanks ”is pretty rough,” adds Clifford. ”It`s the jumping-off for the Arctic or the interior.”

From Fairbanks one can fly north to Prudhoe Bay and the oilfields, or take the Midnight Sun Express train south to mysterious, mauve-mountained Denali National Park and Preserve, and on to the Alaska`s largest city, Anchorage, or head west to Nome, or east to Dawson in Canada`s Yukon Territory.

But before moving on, cheechakos who dig deep into Fairbanks` motherlode of history will be sure to hit touristic gold.

Founded in 1901

Fairbanks was founded serendipitiously in 1901 when an adventurer named E.T. Barnette, seeking to set up a trading post in Valdez, found himself stranded on the shallow Chena River and disgustedly dumped goods from his steamer onto a high spot on the riverbank.

In 1902, a year after Barnette set up his trading post, prospector Felix Pedro struck gold nearby and started a stampede, the first explosion in Fairbanks` history of booms and busts. In 1909 there were 18,500 in Fairbanks mining district; by 1920 the town`s population had shrunk to 1,100. Today, it`s estimated there are 24,283 people in the city itself, and 74,000 in the surrounding borough, which functions like a county in the Lower 48.

Fairbanks` reckless, boomerang history sets the stage for its most popular tourist experiences, goldpanning and riverboat cruises.

The Little El Dorado Gold Mile at 1 Mile Elliott Highway, 11 miles outside the city, is almost like open-air theater in which visitors take on a role. Every day between June 1 and September 23, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. the Little El Dorado narrow gauge train boards passengers for a two-hour tour to an old mining camp with a wildly exuberant ”Paint Your Wagon” atmosphere.

A lifesized cardboard Mel Gibson with a gun stands in a window of the false-front ”bunkhouse.” Old woolen socks and underwear hang on a clothes line. A large white canvas tent, which once would have sheltered real miners, houses the new museum and gift shop.

Mining tourist gold

”Basically this is the way a camp would be in the `20s and `30s,” says Andrew Wescott, owner and tour guide, a genuine Alaska miner who runs a real placer mining operation on this site. A lookalike and talkalike for actor James Coburn, Wescott adds, ”Plus I get to mine you guys all summer. If anybody`s gonna get your money in Alaska I will,” jokes Wescott, who charges $20 per adult and $15 per child for the tour.

Wescott`s guarantee that every visitor leaves with some gold makes the tour price seem a good deal. (Reservations are available by calling 907-479-7613.)

Wearing a battered hat, biodegraded black jeans, a Bowie knife on his belt, former New Yorker Wescott came up here ”in 1965 in the (military)

service. ”I once held a 19-ounce nugget in my hand, and got the fever. Twelve years ago I got smart and started mining tourists,” Wescott says. He calls the $800 nugget he carries in his pocket ”a tourist teaser.”

After the tour, the tourists take ”pokes” of gold-laden dirt to panning troughs and try to swirl away the dirt from the heavier, gold flakes. ”It`s 21 to 22 carat, pretty good stuff,” and up to half an ounce gold nuggets have been found on his claim he says. The average tourist takes 35 minutes to accomplish what Wescott separates in about 35 seconds. (He mingles among them, showing them how to do it.)

”I like to entertain,” says Wescott, who keep up a constant patter as he shows how to separate the gold from the schist.

”Schist is decomposed bedrock. Some people call it bullschist,” he jokes.

”Gold is 19.3 times heavier than water, settles to the bottom of the pan. Nothing in my pan, nothing up my sleeve.”

Obviously, schist is a favorite joke around these parts: ”Schist Happens,” says a T-shirt at Gold Dredge No. 8 at 9 Mile Old Steese, a short drive from the El Dorado.

Historic gold dredge

For 30 years the mammoth Gold Dredge No. 8 scooped up gold-laden gravel, washed it and extracted more than 7.5 million ounces of the precious metal. Now the dredge is a National Historic District, like Gettysburg, Pa., and a major visitor attraction in Fairbanks.

More than 60,000 tourists are expected this summer; the dredge has even attracted Soviet visitors, who saw it featured on Moscow television.

Owner John Reeves, who hitchhiked up here from Florida 17 years ago, discovered the rusting dredge in 1982 when traveling to Fairbanks one day from his mining claim north of town. He turned the mining dinosaur into a golden opportunity for visitors to experience big-time mining (circa 1928) in Fairbanks, adding a hotel, restaurant, bar, gift shop and banquet hall. (The restaurant serves lunches and a Sunday brunch. Evenings only coffee and deserts.)

Reeves offers tours of the Dredge No. 8 and gold panning with pans, shovels and directions included, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Call 907-457-6058. Tours cost $8 or two for $15. (Westours offers bus excursions to Dredge No. 8 twice daily from major Fairbanks hotels.)

Along with any gold dust, Reeves said visitors are allowed to keep any fossils they find while exploring the dredge grounds. One lucky tourist took home a 4 1/2-foot tusk under that finders-keepers policy.

Another experience in the Fairbanks area is a four-hour tour of the Chena River aboard the sternwheeler Discovery III, symbolic of the sturdy little sternwheelers that carried prospectors and supplies to mining camps in the old days. The trip is pretty tame these days; the boat offers restrooms, wheelchair access, a snack bar, gift shop and protection from the elements.

The cruise offers a short course in Alaskan history. A narrator provides generous helpings of culture, anthropology, geology, glaciology and hydrology as the Discovery, piloted by Riverboat Captain Jim Binkley, whooshes its way up and down the wide and calm sand-bar filled Chena River and the muddier Tanana.

Fairbanks does not have the spectacular scenery one finds elsewhere in Alaska. It`s relatively flat and open. Mountains are distant and remote on the horizon. The trees, mainly spruce, are short and stunted-looking because of the permafrost just a few inches below the surface of the ground and the short growing season.

Athabscan village

Nevertheless there are exotic things to see, expecially on the rivers, beginning with what must be some of the most elaborate and beautiful log homes anywhere. Passengers at one point disembark at Old Chena Village, where guides take them ashore for a personalized tour of a noncommercial replica of an Athabascan Indian village.

Visitors walk among underground houses with bark roofs, see how salmon was smoked, watch an artisan do elaborate beadwork. During the summer, Mary Shields, the first woman to finish the grueling Iditorad sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome, demonstrates dog mushing with her long distance racing team. Visitors have a chance to chat with Shields and pet her dogs.

The Discovery III departs daily from its landing off Dale Road at 8:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost of the excursion is $29.50 for adults and $20 for children ages 3 to 12. (Call 907-479-6673 for reservations.)

There`s plenty more to see and do in Fairbanks-a salmon bake and the Eskimo Olympics with high-kick contests, at Alaskaland, a kind of Williamsburg of the North, the dog musher`s museum, the herd of musk ox at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.

A curious thing about being a tourist in Fairbanks is that many summer events begin at late hours, even 10 p.m., because of the Midnight Sun, 20 hours and more of daylight.

Just don`t overstay your welcome. August is historically the fairest time of year in Fairbanks, with temperatures often reaching the high 80s during the day and dropping to 40 degrees in the evening. But in winter Fairbanks has been described as living inside a plastic sack of ice cubes. Temperatures have plunged to 50 and 55 below for weeks on end.

Or as a T-shirt in a local hotel gift shop puts it: ”If You Don`t Think Hell Freezes Over, You Haven`t Been to Fairbanks, Alaska.”

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riverboat toy sternwheeler

Climb on board an authentic Alaskan sternwheeler, the Riverboat Discovery, and take a journey back in time along the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Since 1950, the Binkley family has operated riverboat tours in Fairbanks; now you can cruise out into nature with third- and fourth-generation captains and experience the area's history and beauty firsthand.

Approximately 7 1/2 hours. Price From. $169.95 Per Person. Easy Activity Level. Meal Provided. Shopping Opportunities. Wheelchair Accessible. Board the only remaining authentic Alaska sternwheeler for a cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers in Chena River State Recreation Area. During this narrated cruise, you will witness the unique line ...

May 27 - August 31, 2024. Child rate: $66. Child age: 3 to 12 years old. Tour overview: The perfect Fairbanks day tour combines river views and Alaska Native history and traditions! Climb aboard the Riverboat Discovery III for an unforgettable 3-hour cruise into Alaska's history. Travel the Chena and Tanana Rivers on Alaska's only authentic ...

Many local hotels offer shuttles to the Riverboat Discovery. Guests must coordinate their own transportation to the tour. 1975 Discovery Drive. Fairbanks, Alaska 99709. Here are the rates and operating dates for this product. Remember, we have a for nearly everything we sell. Child rates apply to children under the age of 13.

Riverboat Discovery. SEASONAL BUSINESS open May 11, 2022 to September 17, 2022. Two tours daily departing at 8:45AM & 2:00PM. Please call ahead if visiting in May or September. More than just a boat ride! Board the Sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery for one of the most unique Alaskan experiences available! This three-hour cruise will take you ...

This tour can be booked in conjunction with a Gray Line Alaska package or on its own. To book this tour, please call 1-888-425-1737. Enjoy a memorable day in Alaska's gold country with a visit to the Dredge, followed by a cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers in an authentic sternwheeler.

May 15 -September 15. 1:00pm (from hotel) Price from. Per Person - $99.95. Snack Included. Easy Activity Level. Family Friendly. Enjoy a cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler and watch a bush pilot take off and land from a riverbank landing strip. From late June through early August, these waters teem with salmon.

The Riverboat Discovery Cruise. 3.5 hours | Fairbanks | 2AK-FAI-600 2 A K - F A I - 6 0 0. Avg ... Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction. Board the only remaining authentic Alaskan sternwheeler for a cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers in Chena River State Recreation Area. With ...

On the way down the Chena River, passengers see a Bush pilot perform a short-field takeoff and landing from a riverbank strip. ... Visitors view the wedding of the clear Chena River with the silty Tanana River, then the sternwheeler turns around on the Tanana River, and passengers disembark at Old Chena Indian Village, where Native guides give ...

25% off children ages 4-12, and free for 3 and under. Greatland River Tours. Reserve by calling (907) 452-tour (8687) or email them at [email protected] . Hoselton Road (turn off Airport Way at Pikes Landing) Cruise the Chena River on an authentic sternwheelter while learning about old-time Fairbanks. Meals are served on board daily.

Many of our Riverboat Discovery guests arrive via taxi or shuttle. We do not recommend taking a taxi to our Gold Dredge 8 location. It is outside of town and a taxi would be quite expensive. We recommend either renting a car or checking into a shuttle service such as Go North (907-452-9999) or Airlink (907-452-3337).

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction. Enjoy a cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler and watch a bush pilot takeoff and land on the surface of the Chena River in a float plane. Along the way you'll make a stop at the home of a late four-time Iditarod ...

Full description. Enjoy a riverboat cruise along the Chena river. Discover the beauty of Alaska from the river and make multiple stops to truly understand the Alaskan way of life. You'll visit a local village, visit a dog-sledding kennel, and watch a bush pilot take off and land right in front of the boat.

Approximately 5 hours. Price From. $99.95 Per Person. Snack Included. Easy Activity Level. Family Friendly. Wheelchair Accessible. Enjoy a cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler and watch a bush pilot take off and land from a riverbank landing strip. From late June through early August, these waters teem with salmon.

October 02, 2021. Sternwheeler Riverboat. This three-hour leisurely cruise on the Chena River was one of the best experiences I had in Fairbanks. As our riverboat slowly made its way to the confluence with the Tanana River, I witnessed how life on the river evolved from the subsistence lifestyle of the nomadic Athabascan Indians to the arrival ...

Riverboat Discovery. 1 Map Website. $89.95 3 hrs. Climb on board an authen­tic Alaskan stern­wheel­er, the River­boat Dis­cov­ery, and take a jour­ney back in time along the Chena and Tanana rivers. Stern­wheel­er boats trans­port you out into the Alaskan wilder­ness, and also back to a time when Gold Rush fever was sweep­ing across ...

Where the Chena river intersects with the Tanana River. Although the Discovery III holds 900 passengers, they limit the number of passengers per voyage to just 700. The voyage that I went on had just 461 people on board. The ship sails down the Chena River to where it flows into the much larger Tanana River. Float Plane Demonstration

Riverboat Discovery. The Riverboat Discovery is a historic Sternwheeler that plied the rivers of Alaska in the pioneer years of the gold rush. It now takes tourists on a several hour tour down the Chena River in Fairbanks and talks about life and history living on and along the River. It is highly rated by many who visit Alaska.

riverboat on the Chena river . landing sign . Captain Binkley. Son of an Alaskan who hiked over the Chilkoot trail to explore the Yukon, and became a riverboat Captain, Captain Jim Binkley piloted freight vessels on the Yukon and Tananna rivers in the 1940's. He started the river excursion business in Fairbanks in 1950.

The Discovery III departs daily from its landing off Dale Road at 8:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost of the excursion is $29.50 for adults and $20 for children ages 3 to 12. (Call 907-479-6673 for ...

Today, we will board the Riverboat Discovery for a cruise up the Chena River. Along our journey we will visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher and see her champion sled dogs in action. We will explore an ancient Athabascan Indian village with an Alaskan Native Guide. Overnight at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel

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Dates & Rates. Contact us to book this tour.. Thank you for your interest in this tour! At this time, it is not currently available to book online. Please feel free to continue to

Answer 1 of 2: We intend taking a riverboat cruise from st petersburg to moscow ib early august on the ms tolstoy.are the riverboat piers centrally located close to the centre of the cities. if not how far out?any comments re this trip would be appreciated. Russia. Russia Tourism