Gold-Panning Vacations

Locations in this article:  Anchorage, AK

Here’s a tip for beating the recession: Strike it rich on a gold-rush getaway. OK, odds are you won’t make millions, but with the price of gold rising, hey, it’s worth a shot.

If you’re really in it for the money, go for the gold at the source: Alaska.

Recreational prospectors can go gold hunting in 10 public areas of Chugach National Forest, at Nome’s famous “gold beach,” and in other sites near Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Just remember to check out the rules from the Alaska Mining Association.

Gold mining can be a serious business here, and you don’t want to venture onto private property or use techniques that are harmful to the environment.

For a more family-friendly experience, check out a company called Gold Prospecting Adventures in Jamestown, California, near Yosemite National Park.

Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s totally designed to keep the kids engaged with Gold Rush-era characters and there’s a guarantee that they’ll find gold on every trip of two hours or more.

And in the other gold country, Yukon, Canada, check out a company called Goldbottom Mine Tours and Goldpanning.

A half-day of panning costs only $20, and families can spend the night in an old-school log cabin, starting at only $65 a night.

So even if you don’t strike it rich, at least you come out ahead in experience.

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