Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon. It has spectacular scenery, and easy access to the natural splendor and recreational opportunities around it, such as paddling on the Yukon River and hiking, biking, or skiing its many trails. As the territory's largest city, it has museums and services.
Whitehorse has been the capital of the Yukon since 1953, and has a population of around 30,000 (2019), which is about 75 percent of the population of Yukon Territory. The city is along the banks of the Yukon River. It is in a rain shadow area, so Whitehorse is Canada's driest city. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in Alaska.
The Trans-Canada Trail runs through the city, and there are some bike trails. Whitehorse Transit, ☏ +1 867-667-6401. Bus service on 8 routes 12-14 hours a day. $2.50 cash fare (free 90 min transfer). (updated Jan 2025) Taxis are metered and cost $4.50 plus $2.25/km; a trip from downtown to the airport is $18 (as of 2018). Northern Taxi, ☏ +1 867 333-2200, northerntaxiyukon@gmail.com. 24/7. Discounts for Seniors & Students (with ID). (updated Mar 2024) Yellow Cabs, ☏ +1 867-668-4811. (updated Mar 2024) Yukon Cab, ☏ +1 867-333-4444. 24/7. (updated Jan 2025) Cadence Cycles, 505 Steele St, ☏ +1 867 633-5600. A small fleet of mountain bikes for rental.
1 S.S. Klondike National Historic Site, ☏ +1 867 667-4511, ssklondike@pc.gc.ca. Late May to early Sep: 9:30AM-5PM. A sternwheeler paddleboat, turned into a museum. Free admission. (updated Jun 2018) 2 Miles Canyon. The Miles Canyon Basalts are volcanic rocks exposed and easily accessible at Miles Canyon on the Yukon River south of Whitehorse. The former White Horse Rapids (now a hydroelectric generating site) represented the head of navigation for paddle-wheel river boats which could proceed no further. The townsite of Closeleigh (now the City of Whitehorse) was chosen because of this obstacle to navigation. 3 MacBride Museum, 1124 Front St, ☏ +1 867 667-2709, frontdesk@macbridemuseum.com.
1 Canada Games Centre, 200 Hamilton Blvd, ☏ +1 867 667-4386. The main centre for indoor recreation activity in Whitehorse. Includes, among other things, a large aquatic centre and three skating rinks. Adult $7.80/day, senior or student $6.35/day, youth (2-18) or disabled (doctor's note required) $4.05/day. Frostbite Arts and Music Festival, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. One full weekend (F-Su), early Mar or late Feb. A winter festival showcasing Canadian and Yukon musical acts. $15/afternoon, $30/evening or $90 for the entire weekend. Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. A popular cross country skiing facility with 85 km of groomed trails.
1 Alpine Bakery, 411 Alexander St (downtown, near 5 Ave), ☏ +1 867 668-6871, info@alpinebakery.ca. M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa Su 8AM-4PM. This bakery and café offers excellent organic breads and other baked goods, hand-made chocolates, and fair trade coffee. A hot daily special and hearty soups are also offered during lunch time hours. (updated Jun 2018) 2 Tokyo Sushi, 204B Main Street (downtown). This restaurant provides a reliable source of satisfactory Japanese food. It features a large menu, average prices, friendly staff, and ample Japanese pop music. 3 Giorgio's Cuccina, 206 Jarvis Street, ☏ +1 867 668-4050. Italian food. (updated Aug 2018) 4 Burnt Toast Cafe, 2112 Second Avenue.
1 Woodcutter's Blanket, 2151 Second Avenue. Bar which has decent food and brews their own beer. Tacos on Wednesday. (updated Jun 2019) 2 Yukon Brewing, 102 Copper Road. Micro-brewery with a large gift shop and a tiny tasting room. (updated Jun 2019) 3 Winterlong Brewing, 83 Mount Sima Road. Micro-brewery with a tasting room. (updated Jun 2019)
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Sep, Whitehorse typically sees ~15°C daytime highs and 11 rainy days.
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