Visit Dawson City, Canada

Few places in Canada evoke such a strong sense of history as Dawson City, now registered as a National Historic Site.

For a few short years from 1896 Dawson City had the richest gold mine of all time, and was at the heart of the Klondike gold rush. Nearly 100,000 people struggled across almost impenetrable mountains and huge tracts of wilderness to seek their fortunes.

Step back in time

Today the town’s wooden boardwalks, historic saloons, false-fronted wooden houses and rutted dirt streets retain that frontier atmosphere. The ghosts of legendary characters such as Skookum Jim, Tagish Charlie and Soapy Smith echo throughout the poetry of Robert Service and Jack London and can still be felt in this perfectly-preserved time-warp gem.

Things to see and do

There are many places to visit here, including the Palace Grand Theatre, Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling House, the Robert Service and Jack London cabins and the Dawson City Museum. Nearby are the famous goldfields of Bonanza Creek and the Klondike River where it is possible to tour Dredge No. 4 or try panning for gold yourself.