EXPLORE
The Seward motto is “Alaska Starts Here,” and it is just the beginning of some legendary adventures in The Last Frontier. Located 120 miles south of Anchorage on Alaska’s southern coast, Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Though it is the smallest national park in Alaska, it is among the most scenic, with nearly 40 glaciers continuing to carve its rugged landscape where mountains, ocean, and ice come together. Much of the park is accessible only by boat or air, but groups can easily access the Vistor Center for film presentations, educational programs, and even ranger-led hikes in summer.
Seward offers numerous opportunities to take a stroll through nature, both in and out of the national park. Choose from a variety of hiking trails, from the low-key Exit Glacier Trail to the strenuous Harding Icefield Trail, which offers stunning views as a reward for an 8.2-mile, 3,000-foot climb for a view of the Harding Icefield that feeds nearly 40 glaciers. For capturing memories worth 1,000 words each, book a tour with Alaska Photo Treks. They’ll design an itinerary for your needs, ensuring you get a great vantage point for shots of wildlife, glaciers, or something else.
CRUISE
With its ample waters, Seward is popular for its many boat cruises, allowing for unique views of the region. Seward Ocean Excursions is the only year-round operator in Seward, and offers whale watching, bird watching, glacier cruises, and sightseeing tours, and even combinations of all of the above. Major Marine Tours schedules trips designed about whatever kind of wildlife your group is after, from orcas to otters.
Back on land, the most authentic way to see Seward is via dog sled. Seward is at the start of the historic Iditarod Trail, which lends its name to the famous sled dog race won a record six times by Dallas Seavey. Seavey’s family runs Ididaride Dog Sled Tours in Seward, where visitors can try their hand at “mushing” while seeing some beautiful scenery in the process.
INDULGE
Seward is known for its unique coffee shops. For a pick-me-up in a place where it’s dark 18 hours a day in winter, check out Resurrect Art Coffee House, located inside a church built more than a century ago. Or, grab some homemade confections alongside your coffee at Sweet Darlings.
In a seaside down like Seward you’ll of course find fresh seafood with a view, and Ray’s Waterfront Restaurant has been a local favorite for nearly 40 years. This family-owned staple serves up crab legs, halibut, salmon, and more, all from the waters just below its windows. Seward can do land-based proteins just fine too. At Firebrand BBQ, they bring authentic Texas barbecue to the Last Frontier.
LEARN MORE
Seward Alaska
seward.com
Main Image: Exit Glacier; Credit: Adobe/Galyna Andrushko
