Seward

Seward is a small port town on the Kenai Peninsula, about 120 miles south of Anchorage, best known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.

Getting There

The drive from Anchorage takes roughly 2.5 hours via the Seward Highway, one of Alaska’s most scenic drives, running alongside Turnagain Arm before crossing into the Kenai Peninsula. The Alaska Railroad also runs a seasonal summer route between Anchorage and Seward. Seward is a port of call for some Gulf of Alaska cruise itineraries, alongside nearby Whittier.

What to See and Do

Most visitors come for boat tours into Kenai Fjords National Park, which depart directly from the Seward harbor and range from half-day wildlife trips to full-day tours that reach tidewater glaciers. Exit Glacier, the park’s only road-accessible glacier, is a short drive from town. In Seward itself, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a public aquarium and marine wildlife rehabilitation facility worth a couple of hours, and the small boat harbor and downtown waterfront are easy to explore on foot. Sport fishing charters for halibut and salmon are widely available, and the Mount Marathon race, a steep and famous mountain race up the peak above town, is held every July 4th.

When to Go

May through September is the main season, when boat tours, fishing charters, and the railroad are running. Winters are quiet, with far fewer services open, though the town still sees some visitors for ice fishing and Nordic skiing nearby.