About the Port
Dawson City sits at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers, its wooden boardwalks and false-front buildings preserved much as they stood during the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s. Bonanza Creek, site of Claim #1 and the discovery that touched off the stampede, lies a short drive from town, while the SS Keno, a retired sternwheeler once used on the Dawson-Whitehorse run, remains on display along the waterfront. Parks Canada maintains several historic sites here, offering context on the era's rapid rise and fall.
Beyond its downtown core, the surrounding hills and river valleys reveal the scale of the gold fields that drew tens of thousands north. The town serves as a common overland link toward Fairbanks via the Top of the World Highway, a route that crosses back into Alaska with sweeping views along the way. Its compact center rewards those on foot, with historic storefronts, museums, and riverside paths all within easy walking distance.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Dawson City.
Climb the Midnight Dome
A steep road or trail leads above town to sweeping views over the Yukon and Klondike confluence and the surrounding gold fields; allow about an hour round trip by car or half a day on foot.
Catch a Show at Diamond Tooth Gerty's
Canada's oldest gambling hall still runs cancan shows and card tables in a saloon setting straight out of the gold rush era, just steps from the main boardwalk downtown.
Explore the Dawson City Museum
Housed in the former territorial administration building, its galleries hold gold rush artifacts, vintage locomotives, and exhibits on the stampede's boom-and-bust years, offering deeper context than a quick walk-through allows.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Dawson City
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 14 | $3,734 | |
| May 9, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 17 | $4,594 | |
| May 12, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 14 | $3,419 | |
| May 14, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 12 | $3,279 | |
| May 15, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 14 | $3,669 | |
| May 15, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 11 | $3,349 | |
| May 16, 2027 | Holland America | Nieuw Amsterdam | 17 | $4,574 | |
| May 17, 2027 | Holland America | Nieuw Amsterdam | 13 | $3,864 | |
| May 17, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 12 | $3,379 | |
| May 18, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 11 | $3,399 | |
| May 19, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 9 | $2,144 | |
| May 19, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 10 | $2,244 | |
| May 19, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 14 | $3,569 | |
| May 19, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 11 | $2,274 | |
| May 20, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 17 | $5,564 | |
| May 21, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 12 | $3,429 | |
| May 22, 2027 | Holland America | Zaandam | 11 | $3,349 | |
| May 22, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 11 | $2,374 | |
| May 22, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 13 | $3,014 | |
| May 22, 2027 | Holland America | Koningsdam | 10 | $2,344 |
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