As a mountain town, a coastal fishing village and the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward is a world class destination and an ideal basecamp to start your adventure in Alaska.
With this list of top 10 things to do in Seward, you will quickly understand why Seward is a favorite playground for many visitors from around the world.
Visit Seward Boat Harbor
Being the heart of the town, you will end up stopping by the Boat harbor for one reason or the other.
Taking a walk around the marina is a must to check out boats, spots some wildlife (usually seagulls, otters and harbor seals) or to depart on a grand fishing adventure.
Most of Seward fishing charters depart from the harbor and have small office to inquire for information. There is also a large fishing cleaning station by the marina for fishermen to clean their catch.
Even if you don’t go for a fishing charter, stopping by the cleaning station by the end of the day to witness the cleaning process of huge halibut and salmon is absolutely worth it.
There are a lot of small, quaint shops and coffee shops around the marina, as well as some companies offering boat tours of Kenai Fjords.
Kenai Fjords Boat Tour
Boat tours depart Seward’s small boat harbor daily in the summer months to take visitors on boat tours in Kenai Fjords.
Taking a boat tour is one of the best ways to explore some areas of the park that are only accessible by water. A full day cruise is a great opportunity to learn about and spot wildlife native to the area. That includes sea lions, sea otters, eagles, whales and more.
Visit Alaska SeaLife Center
Support a cause and stop by Alaska SeaLife Center. The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is a facility that combines marine research education and wildlife response.
The center is home to rescued animals like puffins, octopus, harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine life.
If learning about marine life is not your thing, you can still enjoy a fantastic view of the bay and spot some whales during the right season. The best time to spot whales in Alaska is June and July, when whales have made their migration.
Hike Exit Glacier
Kenai Fjords National Park is the only National Park in Alaska that is accessible by road. From Seward, turn on to “Exit Glacier Road,” at mile 3 of the Seward Highway (AK-9). Proceed 8.4 miles. The road will end at the parking lot for the nature center.
The parking lot for the nature center is the trailhead to two of the most popular hikes in Alaska. Exit Glacier Trail and Harding Ice field Trail (HIT)
Take Exit Glacier trail, a 2.3 mile moderate hike to the face of Exit Glacier. Exit Glacier is a glacier derived from the Harding Icefield in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska, and one of Kenai Fjords National Park’s major attractions.
This hike is a striking documentation of glacial recession due to climate change. On your way to the glacier, keep an eye out for signs on the road marking the fast recession throughout the years.
Hike Harding Ice field Trail
If you are looking for a challenge and some epic views of ice fields stretching as far as the eye can see, take a day hike to the end of the Harding Ice field Trail.
The HIT is a strenuous 8.2 mile out and back hike that takes up to 8 hours on an average to complete. The trail is well marked and easy to follow.
Before you take on this epic adventure make sure you are fully prepared. As you will be hiking in prime bear country, make sure you carry a bear canister and you know how to use it. Bear encounters on the HIT are very common.
Stay near Resurrection bay
Resurrection bay is a Fjord on the Kenai peninsula of Alaska. It is called the “gateway to the Kenai Fjords” since water taxis, kayak tours, anglers, and recreational boaters use the bay to access nearby Kenai Fjords National Park.
As we were looking for accommodation, we came a cross a lodge on the bay with jaw dropping views of the mountains, bald eagles sighting and a sound of waves all night long.
Resurrection Lodge on the bay is hands down one of the best places we have stayed in Alaska. If you book early on, prices are overall reasonable.
Enjoy Sea food
A visit to Seward is not complete if you don’t enjoy some fresh catch straight from the ocean. In my opinion, nothing beats grilling your own catch with nothing but salt and pepper to preserve the raw flavor and taste. But that may not be possible.
Seward offers a good number of dining options that we were very pleased with. Here are a few options of where to eat in Seward:
Alaska Seafood Grill
We ate at Alaska Seafood Grill three times. This restaurant offers a diversified menu of seafood. Fish ‘n’ chips, burgers, fried fish baskets,grilled fish and more. My absolute favorite meal was grilled halibut with rice and a salad.
Chinooks Restaurant
We are usually skeptical when it comes to restaurants with a view. We always assume that they might not focus on a top notch quality. But Chinooks really changed our mind.
This restaurant is right on the boat harbor, you can enjoy watching boats and seagulls while dining. Their menu selection is very appetizing and is definitely worth checking
Seward Waterfront park
Take a walK IN the waterfront park. Seward Waterfront Park extends from the boat harbor to the SeaLife Center and contains tent and RV camping, playgrounds, picnicing areas and beach access.
The trail starts out of town at Mile 5 and continues through the small boat harbor, along the shoreline and ends at the SeaLife Center. Mile 0 of the Historic Iditarod Trail can also be found there.
A walk by the water opens a lot of opportunities for wildlife viewing especially sea otters and harbor seals.
Attend Seward 4th of July celebration
If you happen to be in Seward during independence day, you will be in for a treat! Every year, Seward has a packed agenda for the 4th of July. A famous race up mount Marathon, fireworks and a lively historic downtown.