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Seward

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Scenic Seward, flanked by rugged mountains to one side and sparkling Resurrection Bay on the other, has a way of luring visitors. There is fantastic hiking nearby, a quaint downtown, the amazing Alaska SeaLife Center and excellent in-town camping where you can park your vehicle and walk to most attractions.

About Seward

Located at the terminus of both the Alaska Railroad and the Seward Highway, and an embarkation/disembarkation port for many cruises, this town of 2,619 residents is easily accessible from Anchorage yet can serve as a base for anybody who likes to kayak, hike, fish, whale-watch and glacier-view.
Overshadowing Seward is Mount Marathon, the scene of one of Alaska’s most famous and challenging foot races. A friendly wager in 1909 resulted in this annual 3.1-mile run to the top of the 3,022-foot peak. The race attracts advanced runners from all over the world and is a highlight of Seward’s lively Fourth of July celebration, one of the best in Alaska.

Things to do

The city also serves as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Created in 1980, Kenai Fjords spreads over 587,000 acres and is crowned by the massive Harding Ice Field from which countless tidewater glaciers pour down into coastal fjords. The impressive landscape and an abundance of marine wildlife make the park a major tourist attraction. Many visitors take a day cruise along the coast south of Seward to watch glaciers calve into the sea and spot seals, sea lions and whales. Another popular attraction in Kenai Fjords National Park is Exit Glacier, which lies just north of town. This road-accessible glacier offers an impressive up-close view of the glacier along with information and hiking trails.

The more adventurous can rent a kayak and arrange a drop off deep in the park to spend their afternoons paddling among sea otters and their nights gazing at glaciers. There is also a series of public-use cabins that can be rented in advance. For more information on activities in the park contact Kenai Fjords National Park.

History

Seward was founded in 1903, when settlers arrived to plot construction of a northbound rail line. By the time the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923, this ice-free port became the most important shipping terminal on the Kenai Peninsula. The city also served as the southern terminus of the 1,200-mile Iditarod National Historic Trail to Nome, long a major dogsled thoroughfare via the Interior and Bush. Like many towns in Southcentral Alaska, Seward began a new era of history in 1964 after the Good Friday Earthquake caused fires and tidal waves that destroyed 90 percent of the town. One of the only reminders of the natural disaster is in the public library where the slide show covering the earthquake, “Waves Over Seward,” is shown.

Seward

Seward is situated on Resurrection Bay on the east coast of the Kenai Peninsula, 125 highway miles south of Anchorage. It can be reached by road via the Seward Highway, via the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks and Anchorage and scheduled bus service from Anchorage. Seward is also a popular cruise port.

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Seward

Nearby Parks

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Attractions

Alaska SeaLife Center +

The Alaska SeaLife Center is one of Alaska's finest attractions. The exhibits range from oil-spill displays and the Alaska Waters Gallery, aquariums holding colorful fish and gossamer jellyfish to a tidepool touch tank, where you can hold sea anemones and starfish. The highlight for most visitors is a series of two story, glass-sided tanks where you get the above-water view of seabird rookeries and recuperating harbor seals or a below-the-water view of prowling sea lions and puffins diving for dinner. An outdoor observation platform offers a fabulous view of the mountains ringing Resurrection Bay and a chance to watch salmon thrash their way up a fish ladder.
Boat Cruises +

The most popular way to view and Resurrection Bay and the dramatic fjords, glaciers and marine wildlife of Kenai Fjords National Park is to book passage on one of the many tour-boat cruises. Tours range from wildlife cruises in Resurrection Bay to day-long outings that take visitors to Holgate Arm or Northwestern Fjord within the national park. Some offer a stop for lunch buffet lunch on beautiful Fox Island.
Charter Fishing +

Seward has a large charter fishing fleet that is well developed to take visitors out into Resurrection Bay and further for some of the best angling of any Kenai Peninsula port. The main catch is silver salmon that start to appear in July in large schools to feed on candlefish in preparation for the spawning runs at the end of August. Other species of interesting to anglers are king salmon and halibut.
Exit Glacier Nature Center +

Overlooking Exit Glacier is Exit Glacier Nature Center. The National Park Service visitor center features interpretive displays on the natural history of the glacier, has a small gift shop and is the starting point for ranger-guided hikes.
Flightseeing Tours +

For those limited on time, the best way to view the glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park and the stunning mountain scenery that surrounds Seward is on a flightseeing tour. Several air taxi companies operate out of the Seward Airport and offer a variety of tours and options.
Kayaking +

Some of the best and most impressive kayaking in the Kenai Peninsula is found within Kenai Fjords National Park with many visitors utilizing water taxis to reduce the amount of paddling needed to reach the tidewater glaciers and marine wildlife found in the heart of the park. Others chose to kayak right outside Seward in Resurrection Bay. Within town are outfitters that rent kayaks, provide water drop-offs and offer guided trips.
Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center +

Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center is located in Seward's small-boat harbor and has displaus on the national park. Visitors also stop by for information on hiking and camping or to obtain maps and field guides to the area.
Seward Museum +

Exhibits at the Seward Museum range from an excellent Iditarod exhibit and a rare 49-star US flag to relics of Seward's Russian era, the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake and 1989 oil spill. Most surprising to many visitors is a 'cow raincoat' designed for the oft-drenched cattle at the now-defunct Seward dairy.
Seward Silver Salmon Derby +

The annual Seward Silver Salmon Derby is staged in mid-August and attracts anglers from around the country. The lucky anglers who finish with the largest silver salmon divide a prize pot totaling more than $100,000.
Sled-Dog Mushing +

In Seward visitors can tour a sled-dog kennel and listen to stories from veterans of the state's famed Iditarod Seld Dog Race. Or they can hop on a helicopter for a flight to a glacier, where they'll be met by a musher, his dogs and an opportunity for a sled-dog ride, even in July.
Wilderness Cabins +

Surrounding Seward is a number of public-use cabins that can be reserved for a wilderness get-away. The remote, rustic cabins are reached by paddle, float plane or on foot and are maintained by the Alaska Division of Parks in Caines Head State Recreation Area, the U.S. Forest Service in Chugach National Forest and the National Park Service as Kenai Fjords National Park has several boat-accessible public-use cabins.