Yukon: The Dawson Gem

Dawson City has more than just Gold, it is in of and itself a gem. A cross between Clifton Hill Niagara, part Black Creek Pioneer Village, part old west, Dawson City is as authentic as it gets!

All the bells and whistles of Clifton Hill. Want to gamble? Whether you’re seeking cheesy penny slots, blackjack or even a poker game, Diamond Toothed Gerties is your destination! It’s also Canada’s oldest gambling hall. Want to take in a show? Check out the show (3 times daily) at said gambling hall, and each performance is different (and saucier) than the last! Looking for a fancy cocktail? Head over to Bombay Peggy’s (or BonTon), they’ll mix you up something delicious! And if you’re looking for a themed place to stay (akin to what you’d expect in Niagara) check in for a night at Peggy’s, a former brothel! Fancy cocktails not your thing? How about an oddity or two, I mean toe… literally. The Sourtoe Saloon has a drink that comes with a fermented human toe – just to be kissed, NOT consumed! Also and a bit of an oddity is this morbid looking mortuary, there’s just something so off-putting about this font. Let the fun begin!

All of the history and architecture of the past, akin to Black Creek Pioneer Village. The entire downtown core is made of (mostly) transplanted buildings from the Gold Rush era, each with their own plaque and story. The list of businesses run out of each structure is a mile long and speaks to the rise and fall of the various industries over the last 120 years. Whether it’s the aforementioned brothel turned hotel (which was also a CIBC office, a mining company office, and the home of a woodcutter), the Westminster hotel (which has been a grocer, an ice cream shop and the offices of the Klondike Thawing Machine Company), or the Strachan Grocer (which has been two restaurants, a clothing business, a bakery, a cigar store and a hardware store).

From the structures with fake facades to the dirty roads, Dawson is very reminiscent of the old west. To say that Yukon is dusty, is an understatement. Whether it’s due to the former tundra and lingering desert sands, the lack of paved roads most places (including the entirety of Dawson City), or the output of the massive and long standing mining operations, Yukon is a very dry and dusty place. The sides of the streets in Dawson are either gravel, or uneven wooden boardwalk. Additionally, the city planning is non existent, streets just seem to start and end based on where buildings allow. Front street lines the shore and the rest is somewhat grid, somewhat curved, somewhat dead end. All told, Dawson was born out of necessity, not design.

The cherry on top that makes Dawson such a gem is that you will likely run into all of the employees you interact with at the various businesses, partaking in the same activities that you’re doing. It could be because Dawson is so small that all of the “touristy things” are just “the things” that everyone does, or that the things to do in Dawson are just authentically fun.

So come to Dawson, step back in time and you experience Dawson like a local.

Dawson City is an authentic gem and I look forward to the next time we can spend a weekend! But I won’t be driving there…