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Riverboat Discovery

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Roadtrippin’ 2024: Explore the Chena on Riverboat Discovery

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) - The sound of the Discovery 3 Steamboat horn blasting on the Chena River in Fairbanks has been a symbol of the start of summer in Alaska’s Interior for decades. The steamboat cruises down a 7-mile stretch of the Chena River during its Riverboat Discovery tour , an excursion that dates back to the 1950s.

“My grandparents, Captain Jim and Mary Binkley, they were a two-person team from the beginning. This small idea to bring visitors and guests from outside and share their hometown,” said Wade Binkley, the president of the Riverboat Discovery tour.

Now five generations later, the Binkley family continues giving tours on the river to teach visitors about the Alaskan lifestyle. The tour includes a demonstration of a float plane taking off, seeing the late 4-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher’s dog kennel, and getting to visit the “Chena Village,” a living museum centered around Athabascan culture.

MORE: Explore all the areas our Roadtrippin' crews visited on our interactive map!

“I’m very proud to share my culture with everyone,” said Gareth Earhart, an Elder tour guide for the Riverboat Discovery tour.

During the tour, Earhart teaches visitors about traditional fish camps, as well as how Athabascan clothes and shelters were made — something, he says, his family has done for generations.

“It’s important to hear it from generations because it shows that we’re authentic and that we have lived this lifestyle, and that it’s something that we’re passing down. And it’s not going anywhere.”

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Riverboat Discovery

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Riverboat Discovery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Alaska is ready

Make 2023 your year

DINING OPTIONS

We have various dining options on Steamboat Landing and Discovery III:

•  DISCOVERY DINING HALL >

• CAPTAIN'S CORNER SNACK BAR >

• RIVERBOAT DISCOVERY GALLEYS >

CHENA VILLAGE LIVING MUSEUM

Be immersed in frontier living first hand with a guided walking tour of an Athabascan village. You’ll see an Athabascan  village with cabins made of spruce logs, a cache used for storing supplies, a primitive spruce bark hut and fur pelts. Our guides will explain how the wolf, fox, martin and beaver were used to provide food and protection in the harsh Arctic climate. They will also share how the Athabascans skillfully survived for over 10,000 years and how they adapted to village life and Western culture in the past century.

At the end of your guided tour, you will have time to explore the village on your own, interact with our guides and visit dogs from Susan Butcher’s Trail Breaker Kennel.

INTERNATIONAL SCRIPTS

•  SPANISH >

•  FRENCH >

•  GERMAN >

•  CHINESE >

•  JAPANESE >

•  KOREAN >

A family business

The Binkley family’s steamboating tradition goes back over 100 years and five generations. In 1898, when Charles M. Binkley hiked over the Chilkoot Pass with other stampeders, he was not so much in search of gold as he was the chance to build and operate boats on the Yukon and its tributaries. He became a respected pilot and boat builder in the North. His son, Captain Jim Binkley, Sr., followed in his father’s footsteps and piloted freight vessels on the Yukon and Tanana Rivers in the 1940's.

As transportation systems changed in the north, railroads and airplanes began to carry much of the freight. In 1950, noting the coming changes in the freighting business, Captain Jim and his wife, Mary, began a river excursion business focusing on sharing their love of Alaska and its culture with visitors. Over the coming years, Captain Jim and Mary B’s business grew from the Godspeed, a 25 passenger vessel, to the Discovery III, a 900 passenger vessel. Today, Captain Jim’s grandchildren run the company and Mary B is still active in the business.

In addition to growing their sternwheel business, the Binkley’s have added a gold mining attraction: Gold Dredge 8. The family has developed a tour in the heart of the gold fields where the first gold strikes attracted miners from the Klondike. They have incorporated large scale industrial mining and the smaller 'Mom and Pop' side of mining into an all-encompassing tour that also features the Trans Alaska Pipeline and a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad.

DISCOVERY DINING HALL

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

RIVERBOAT DISCOVERY GALLEY

Can I do both the Riverboat Discovery and Gold Dredge 8 tours in one day?

Yes, our tours are designed so you can do both tours in one day. However, please note that these tours are not at the same location.

Are reservations required?

Although reservations are not required, they are highly recommended. We recommend making reservations as soon as you know the date you would like to go on our tours.

What time should I arrive for my tour?

We recommend arriving at the Riverboat Discovery at least 30 minutes prior to departure time. When you arrive at the Riverboat Discovery you will need to check in at our ticket counter to pick up your boarding passes.

We recommend arriving at Gold Dredge 8 at least 15 minutes prior to departure time. When you arrive at Gold Dredge 8 you will need to check in at our train station in the parking lot to pick up your boarding passes.

How do I get to your location?

The Riverboat Discovery is located a few miles from Fairbanks International Airport. Take Airport Way West towards the airport; take a right onto Dale Road; continue about 1/2 mile and take a right onto Discovery Drive; we are located at the end of Discovery Drive.

Gold Dredge 8 is located about 25 minutes outside of Fairbanks on the Old Steese Highway. Take the Steese Highway (Route 2) North; take a left onto Goldstream Road; take a left onto Old Steese Highway (the first cross-road); our entrance is the first driveway on the right.

How long should I allow to get to each location?

The Riverboat Discovery is roughly 7 miles from downtown Fairbanks. We recommend allowing 20 minutes to get from downtown Fairbanks to the Riverboat Discovery.

Gold Dredge 8 is roughly 10 miles from downtown Fairbanks. We recommend allowing 25 minutes to get from downtown Fairbanks to Gold Dredge 8.

What address do I enter in my GPS to get to your location?

Riverboat Discovery: 1975 Discovery Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99709

Gold Dredge 8: 1803 Old Steese Highway North, Fairbanks, AK 99712

I don’t have a car. What is the best way to get to the Riverboat Discovery and/or Gold Dredge 8?

We recommend renting a car while in Fairbanks so you can explore the beauty of our widespread community. Many local hotels offer shuttles to the Riverboat Discovery. We recommend checking with the front desk at your hotel for the best transportation option to the Riverboat Discovery. Many of our Riverboat Discovery guests arrive via taxi or shuttle. We do not recommend taking a taxi to our Gold Dredge 8 location. It is outside of town and a taxi would be quite expensive. We recommend either renting a car or checking into a shuttle service such as Go North (907-452-9999) or Airlink (907-452-3337).

What should I bring on my tour?

We recommend bringing a camera and a light jacket.

What should I wear on my tour?

We always suggest wearing layers. A portion of our tours at both locations are outdoors where you are exposed to the elements. Our boats at the Riverboat Discovery have heated/air-conditioned decks for your comfort. The train at Gold Dredge 8 is open air and has a roof.

Is the tour ever cancelled due to the weather?

In our 70+ year history, we have never cancelled a tour due to the weather. If it is sprinkling rain, we provide ponchos, seat cushions and umbrellas for our guests at both locations. If it is pouring rain at the Riverboat Discovery, we will bring the village tour onto the boat.

Will I see wildlife?

You will see reindeer as part of the tour at the Riverboat Discovery.

Is there anything available to eat on the tour?

We have complimentary coffee and fresh donuts at the Riverboat Discovery. If you are looking for something more than donuts, we have three options available at the Riverboat Discovery: Discovery Dining Hall, where we serve a hearty miner’s stew (vegetarian and gluten-free options available upon request); galleys on board the boats that have snack food (reindeer dogs, chili, chips, etc.); Captain’s Corner, where we offer lunch boxes (sandwiches, salad, chips and a soda). We also serve locally made ice cream on the boats and at Captain’s Corner in the gift shop. At Gold Dredge 8, we serve complimentary freshly baked cookies, coffee and hot chocolate.

Is there assigned seating on the boat or train?

No, seating is on a first come first served basis. Every seat on board is a great seat. We have TV monitors on every deck and train car that feature a live broadcast and provide supplementary informational footage.

Is there alcohol available for purchase?

Yes, at the Riverboat Discovery, we serve beer and wine on board our boats and in the Discovery Dining Hall.

Are there restrooms on the boat and train?

At the Riverboat Discovery, there are restrooms available on the boats, at our village and in our gift shop. At the Gold Dredge 8, there are restrooms available at our train station and in the gift shop.

How long is the tour and how often do tours run?

The tour at the Riverboat Discovery is three hours long. The Gold Dredge 8 tour is two hours long. Both of our tours run twice a day from mid-May to mid-September.

I purchased my ticket through an on-line agency. Do I need to check-in on-site?

Yes, you will need to check in at our ticket counter/train station to exchange your voucher for a boarding pass.

What is your refund policy?

We offer a full refund if you cancel your reservation up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled tour time. After 48 hours, we do not offer a refund but you can reschedule your tour for another time.

Are your tours wheelchair accessible?

Yes, our tours are wheelchair accessible. At the Riverboat Discovery, wheelchairs must board at the stern (back of the boat near the paddle wheel). When you arrive please notify an associate at the ticket counter or collection booth as we require wheelchairs to pre-board and be escorted by a trained Deckhand. Our Athabascan Village has gravel paths that allow easy access. If you need assistance at the Athabascan Village please notify a Deckhand. At Gold Dredge 8, we have certain train cars that are wheelchair accessible. When you arrive notify the associate that is assisting with boarding and they will direct you to the appropriate train car.

Are animals allowed on the boat or train?

Due to customer allergies, we only allow designated trained service animals.

Is the paddle wheel decorative?

No, the paddle wheel is used to power the boat.

Are the tours appropriate for young children?

Yes, we find that all ages enjoy our tours.

Summer Employment Opportunities - Riverboat Discovery & Gold Dredge 8

The work environment at the Riverboat Discovery and Gold Dredge 8 is unlike any other in town!  You can expect to meet people from all over the world, work hard on the job but laugh and have fun with your co-workers at the same time.  Some of them might even become friends for life!  We have multiple crew parties and get togethers throughout the season that are always a blast!  Thank you for your interest in joining our family! Click here to meet our managers and see a video of our jobs!

All content will be securely submitted to our HR Department via email and you will receive a confirmation. If you choose not to submit directly via email, deliver the printed application and questionnaire to our office in person, or by mail at the address listed to the left. Our season runs from mid-May to mid-September.  Wages start at $15.00 per hour and include a $1.00 per hour bonus paid at the end of the season.

Click here to complete the online job application.

Please feel free to contact us through e-mail at [email protected] with any questions or comments.

Retail Sales Associate

‍ Retail Sales Associates serve as a customer service representative for visitors to the Riverboat Discovery; assist visitors with purchases; prepare and stock merchandise for sale; perform inventory control duties; organize and distribute merchandise. Perform other duties related to the successful operation of a retail store including cleaning and moderate lifting.

Dining Hall Associate

‍ Dining Hall Associates serve as customer service representatives for visitors to the Riverboat Discovery; provide dining service to guests and meet their needs to ensure a pleasurable dining experience; set up/remove food service items; greet and seat guests in a prompt and courteous manner; reset tables according to service standards; operating commercial dishwashers; ensuring cleanliness of dishes including some polishing of glass for water spot removal; maintain sanitation and safety standards.

Reservationist

‍ A customer service focused position where you spend about half your time face to face with our guests and about half your time answering phones, responding to emails and giving lots and lots of directions.

Accounting Clerk

‍ Accounting Clerks enter accounts receivable into an accounting program; prepare invoices and journal entries; prepare daily receipts ledgers; post credit card payments to accounts receivable; assist with timekeeping and perform cash counting and reservation support duties.

Kitchen Assistant

‍ Kitchen Assistants primarily work in our kitchen area with some duties performed in our dining hall. Their duties include operating kitchen cooking equipment to heat fixed menu food; preparing all food for our gift shop café; serving food in the dining hall; maintaining the cleanliness standards required in the kitchen.

Donut Maker

‍ Donut Maker duties include operate the donut-making machine, clean the donut-making machine and Commissary; ensure that donuts are properly produced, boxed and refrigerated.

‍ Guides greet passengers and serve as ambassadors for Alaskan Native culture; conduct the tour of the Chena Indian Village; serve coffee and donuts and assist Deckhands in the snack bar during busy times.

‍ Deckhands cast off at departure and secure the Riverboat Discovery on landing; maintain the safety and cleanliness of the boat; staff the snack bars when passengers are on board; provide general passenger assistance and if necessary, provide emergency first aid until trained EMTs arrive. Mandatory drug testing per the U.S. Coast Guard.

Grounds Crewmember (full-time and part-time)

Full-time (11am - 7:30pm) and part-time (5pm - 7:30 pm) Grounds Crew members clean the Riverboat Discovery and premises twice a day (after the boat returns to the dock at 12:30pm and again at 5:30pm).  Duties include dusting, vacuuming, emptying trash, washing windows, cleaning restrooms and miscellaneous warehouse/grounds maintenance duties; some off-site maintenance tasks to be performed as directed.

1975 Discovery Drive Fairbanks, AK 99709

1-866-479-6673

907-479-6673

[email protected]

Gold Dredge 8

Captain Jim's Salmon

Adventure Green Alaska

Alaska Travel Industry Association

Explore Fairbanks

PVA Green Waters

Trip Advisor

Trail Breaker Kennel

ELECTROSTAL HISTORY AND ART MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Riverboat Discovery

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Riverboat Discovery - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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