Ever since the gritty gold rush days, Dawson City has been a good-time town. While there’s far less gold dust in the floors now, the entertainment goes on with fun for the whole family.
Visit dawsoncity.ca to learn more about this vibrant northern community.
Check in at your accommodation, and give everyone a little time to stretch after your arrival. If the family is feeling snacky, head down to Front Street to get a quick bite at Riverwest Café and Bistro before taking the town by storm. After that, check in at the Visitors Information Centre and pick up your copy of the Xplorer booklet, which is full of fun activities for kids from six to 12!
To finish off your exploring, continue walking down Front Street until you reach the Dawson City Fire Fighters Museum. There you will see fire trucks new and old and maybe even have the chance to live out childhood dreams and sit in the front seat of one!
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, slide into a booth at the Triple J Hotel restaurant. The friendly staff will help entertain the wee ones with crayons and colouring sheets and you can choose from a selection of cold, Yukon Brewery beer after your long day. Once you’re done dinner, treat the family to ice cream from the Klondyke Cream and Candy, and walk along the Waterfront Park.
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Better get moving, there is a lot to do today! Start the day off with a genuine gold panning experience from Goldbottom Mine Tours. Learn about the Millar Family’s authentic gold mining operation, how to pan for gold, and get a chance to pan yourselves. You can even keep the gold you find!
Head over to the Visitors Information Centre to borrow a GPS so you can search for one of the many hidden geocaches around town and in the goldfields! After that you can head across the Yukon River to check out the “Shipwrecks”. There you’ll see massive boats that were abandoned on the banks of the Yukon River during the end of the Gold Rush. There are many great picnic spots including the sandy river bank in front of the Shipwrecks and the playground in the campground along the way.
Hop aboard the Klondike Spirit and ride the current of the Yukon River while enjoying dinner on this narrated cruise. Relax while you take in the beautiful landscape and learn about Dawson City, the Klondike Gold Rush, and the historical site of Moosehide. There are lots of opportunities for spotting wildlife, so make sure the kids keep an eye on the shoreline!
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Grab some breakfast before getting ready to make a trip up the Dempster Highway to Tombstone Territorial Park. Located only approximately 1.5 hours from Dawson City, Tombstone is 2,200 square kilometers of pristine wilderness. The friendly and knowledgeable staff at the Tombstone Interpretive Centre will provide you with everything you need from trail maps and interpretive programs, to a cup of “Mountain Wild” tea by the fire.
Don’t have a vehicle on your trip? Husky Bus offers tours to the park that include: transportation, scenic viewing with plenty of photo opportunities, a visit to the Interpretive Centre, a guided hike, and lunch!
If you have any energy left after your day trip, the Dawson City Pool is a great place to burn it off! With a variety of different swims and activities each day, there are always fun things happening at the pool. (Located on Fifth Ave beside the baseball field.)
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Finish packing up and make sure no one has left anything behind before checking out of your accommodation. After treating the family to breakfast out at one of Dawson's local restaurants, go visit the Dawson City Museum. The whole family is sure to enjoy the different exhibits and interactive demonstrations offered by the knowledgeable interpreters. The Rockerbox Demonstration and Train Shelter Tour are two of our favorites!
It’s going to be hard to say goodbye so before you hit the road, stop in at Peabody’s Photo Parlour to take an old fashion family photo. Everyone will look great dressed up in Gold Rush costumes, even the dog, and you’ll have a fun memento of your family trip!
