Calling all time travellers! We’ve collected our favourite Dawson City experiences that will make you feel like you’ve hitched a ride in Doc’s DeLorean. Step back into history with us!

Walking through Dawson City is like stepping back through time. Take in the historic scenery as you stroll down dirt roads and boardwalks next to Gold Rush-era buildings. Every corner makes for an incredible photo op!

If you’re in the mood for entertainment, catch a cancan show at Canada’s oldest gambling hall! Diamond Tooth Gerties stages three unique performances a night and offers classic games of chance like roulette, poker, and blackjack.

Feed your curiosity at the Dawson City Museum!  Located inside the stately Old Territorial Administrative Building, the newly-renovated Dawson City Museum is the perfect place to embark on your Klondike exploration. From Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in heritage to Gold Rush history, the regal two-storey building houses incredible artifacts and antiques, displaying them within the context of beautifully-told stories.

Pan for gold on the legendary Bonanza Creek! Upstream from the famous Discovery Claim where gold was discovered in 1896 that would kickstart the Klondike Gold Rush, Free Claim #6 is open for public panning. Just bring your own pan (you can borrow one for the Visitor Information Centre on Front Street in Dawson City) and keep everything you find!

Visit the beautiful Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre and learn about the traditional and contemporary indigenous culture of the land.  Dawson City is located on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and no visit to town is complete without hearing their story. Learn about their heritage on a guided tour of the Hammerstone Gallery, see rotating art exhibits in the Gathering Room, and watch the Welcome Film in the theatre!

The Paddlewheel Graveyard, AKA The Shipwrecks, are a group of vessels that have been abandoned on the Yukon River shore in West Dawson. Once the main mode of transportation to and from the Klondike, these paddlewheelers would make lengthy journeys when rivers were the highways of the region. A short crossing on the George Black Ferry and a 200-metre walk through the Yukon River Campground will take you to their resting place. Be aware that the site is unmanaged and should be explored at your own risk. Drop by the Visitor Information Centre to ask about weather and water levels before venturing over.

Nestled on Eighth Avenue are two humble cabins of historical literary significance. You can pay homage to the writer of classics like White Fang and Call of the Wild at the Jack London Museum or to the man who penned iconic poems like The Spell of the Yukon and The Cremation of Sam McGee at the Robert Service Cabin.

Known affectionately by locals as “The Pit”, The Westminster Tavern is stationed in a gold rush building from 1898.  Step inside and feel the history pouring through the slanted walls and sloping floors.  Yukon icons are abound in this colourful, character-filled space where there are plenty of local histories to be told!

Look the part at Peabody’s Photo Parlour!  Dress up in gold-rush-era costume, play with props like pick-axes and parasols, and pose for your very own sepia-toned portrait!  The perfect souvenir for any time traveller.

The Dawson City Fire Department has been protecting the Klondike community since the gold rush and they’ve collected some amazing artifacts while they were at it.  Pay a visit to the Dawson City Fire Fighters’ Museum to admire firefighting vehicles and equipment through the ages!

Retrace some historical footsteps on a Parks Canada Walking Tour! Running daily from May to September, you can explore the Klondike National Historic Sites with a seasoned storyteller guiding you through Dawson City’s most intriguing spaces.