Whitehorse, Yukon sits beside the Yukon River, ringed by hills and clay cliffs, with a small downtown you can cross on foot in a few minutes. When the days turn short, couples here make the most of warm water, Ice Age history, First Nations culture and a busy arts scene. This is the first Yukon city in our date ideas series. Every place below was checked on its official website on October 31, 2026.
A Warm Soak Under Cold Skies
Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs: About 10 kilometres up Takhini Hot Springs Road, natural mineral water fills shallow rock pools built in the style of a Japanese onsen. The water is not chlorinated, and it flows through fast enough to stay fresh. Along with the pools you will find a sauna, steam rooms and quiet rest areas. This spot is for adults only, ages 19 and up, and it is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. On a frosty day, try the hair freezing contest: dip your head, let the cold air turn your hair stiff, then ring the bell near the pool entrance so staff can snap your photo. Pack swimwear, two towels and sandals, or rent them at the front desk.
Northern Animals Up Close
Yukon Wildlife Preserve: More than a dozen northern species roam across 350 acres here, including animals you rarely see up close. From November 1, the gates are open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can walk the 5 kilometre loop yourselves, or ride the guided bus tour, which leaves at noon and 3 p.m. through March 31, 2027 and lasts about an hour and a half. Cars stay in the lot, but skis and kicksleds are welcome, and kicksleds can be rented on site for a playful lap together.
Ice Age Stories by the Highway
Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre: At Kilometre 1423 of the Alaska Highway, this centre tells the story of Beringia, the land that stayed free of glaciers during the last Ice Age. Its exhibits cover the giant animals that lived here and the first people who hunted them. From October 2026 to April 2027 it opens Saturday, Sunday and Monday, from noon to 5 p.m., which makes it a good pick for a slow weekend afternoon.
Culture on the Riverfront
Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre: This gathering place of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation stands at 1171 Front Street, at the corner of Black Street, between Shipyards Park and Main Street. Winter hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so plan a weekday lunch break or a day off together.
Fireweed Winter Market: From December 7 to 20, 2026, the centre's Longhouse hosts the Yukon's largest Christmas market. It runs daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closes at 5 p.m. on the last day. Expect local art, crafts, books, photos, farm goods and treats, plus buskers playing while you shop. Since the market runs on weekends too, it is an easy way to see the Longhouse on a Saturday.
Galleries and Hands On Art
Yukon Arts Centre gallery: Up on University Drive, the territory's main arts centre keeps its gallery open Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. In the lobby, look for the William Yaxkasei Callaghan Commemorative Totem before you wander the exhibition rooms.
Arts Underground: This downtown gallery and studio runs short classes that work well for two. On Saturday, November 21, from 1 to 4 p.m., you can learn lino printing and each leave with two hand printed bandanas and the blocks you carved. On Sunday, November 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., a class shows you how to stitch a small coiled basket or bowl from reused fabric. On Saturday, December 5, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., a hand building class covers vases and pitchers. The Yukon Art Society members' show opens Friday, December 4, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Sample Date Itineraries
1. Weekend of warmth: An Ice Age afternoon at the Beringia Centre on Saturday → an evening soak at Eclipse, open until 10:30 p.m.
2. Makers' Saturday (November 21): Lino printing at Arts Underground from 1 p.m. → a stop at the Yukon Arts Centre gallery before it closes at 5 p.m.
3. Market and wildlife (December 7 to 20): The noon bus tour at the Wildlife Preserve → Christmas shopping in the Longhouse at the Fireweed Winter Market.
Pro Tips for Memorable Dates
Check the hours for each day of the week, since several spots close on Sundays, Mondays or weekends in winter.
Pack a dry hat and warm clothes for the drive home from the hot springs.
Enjoy the frozen Yukon River from the shore or a bridge, and never walk onto river or lake ice.
Northern lights can show up on clear winter nights, but they are never certain, so treat them as a bonus.
Arts Underground classes have limited spots, so look at the events page early.
Bring a thermos of something hot for the walk around the Wildlife Preserve loop.
From mineral pools to a Longhouse full of local makers, Whitehorse gives couples plenty of reasons to bundle up and get out together this winter.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Photo credits: Yukon River at Whitehorse by Gareth Sloan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Yukon River, Whitehorse by Anthony DeLorenzo, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Whitehorse panorama by Whitehorse_Panorama.jpg : Dlogic derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.