Whether you are traveling Alaska by land or sea, Seward is a bucket-list stop on your Alaskan adventure (and one well worth your spending money).
Seward is located on the Ressurection Bay, 2 hours south of Anchorage. This makes it a great weekend trip for Alaska locals or an easily accessible tourist town for the out of state visitors.
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Things to do in Seward, Alaska
The drive from Anchorage to Seward is known as the most beautiful drive in Alaska, although it is a quick 2 hour drive, for most it takes a half (or full) day to really enjoy the scenic drive. Not up for the drive? No worries, the Alaska Railroad connects Anchorage to Seward also! Check out my blog on the Alaska Railroad!
Seward is a must do in Alaska because of its easily accessible location, beautiful scenery and national parks, abundance of wildlife, and world-class seafood. No trip to Alaska is complete without a Seward visit so here are my top 10 favorite things to do in Seward.
Kenai Fjords Boat Tour/ Resurrection Bay
Cost: $153+
Arguably the most popular attraction in Seward is visiting Kenai Fjords National Park. This park is only accessible by boat, and if you are a tourist you will most likely need to book a boat tour.
I booked the Kenai Fjords National Park Tour through the Alaska Collection, and it was amazing!
Depending on the time of year you visit there is spectacular wildlife viewing. Humpback whales, orca whales, puffins, sea lions and more call this national park home.
I visited in late September and unfortunately, we missed out on whale watching, but we still had a beautiful clear day coasting and saw otters and sea lions.
One tip I have after my adventure is to dress in warm layers (yes, even in the summer!) and pack a good camera. These are some of the most stunning views I have ever seen so you will want to have some good photos to take home with you.
Things to do in Seward Alaska
Picnic along the coast
Cost: FREE
Seward is a beautiful coastal town with a walkway right on the waterfront. The Seward waterfront shore path is a moderately trafficked 1.9 miles out and back paved path following the bay. Pack a lunch and picnic around here, or just enjoy the fresh air of Seward outside. This trail can be easily reached by walking from downtown.
If you are prone to motion sickness and opt-out of the Kenai Fjords Boat Tour, this is a great alternative activity to enjoy.
Alaska SeaLife Center
Cost: $29.95 Adult/ $17.95 Children 12 and under
Super interested in seeing the native wildlife? Head to the Alaska SeaLife Center for the opportunity to catch these animals up close! Puffins, Sea Lions, Seals, many species of fish, and more can be found at the SeaLife Center.
Located in the heart of the city, it is easily reachable and you should plan to spend about 2 hours here. This is a great activity for a rainy day in Seward or if you are traveling with kids!
Things to do in Seward Alaska
Exit Glacier Hike
Cost: FREE
Exit Glacier is a must-do adventure for anyone visiting Seward. Located about 12 miles north of the city, this is a perfect spot to see (or hike) a glacier by land. Exit Glacier is the only part of the Kenai Fjords National Park accessible by road.
Exit Glacier is also one of the few national parks that charge no entrance fee, but I would highly recommend buying an America the Beautiful National Park pass to support the national park system.
Once you reach Exit Glacier Parking Lot there are a couple of different hikes you can take. I recommend hiking the Exit Glacier Overlook Trail. This is a 2.2 mile loop with an elevation gain of 308 feet. I saw lots of people on the trail when I visited in late September, so if you visit during the summer I would expect it to become very crowded.
If you want something more intense you can keep climbing higher and higher from this trail to reach the top of the glacier and get some more views. I did not have the time to do this, but I spoke with other visitors who went to the top and said it was well worth it.
Shop Downtown
Seward is very much a seasonal town, meaning that it thrives in the summer and shuts down in the winter. That is why if you are visiting in the summer it is a great time to walk the city streets of downtown and support the local businesses!
Seward in the summer hosts many events. When I visited there was a rock band playing outside in the streets! You never know what will be happening in Seward on your visit.
Downtown boasts many shops, from candy shops and souvenirs to delicious seafood and coffee shops you are sure you enjoy a stroll in Seward.
Things to do in Seward Alaska
Enjoy Seward Coffee Culture
I will be the first to admit that I am not a coffee connoisseur, in fact, I hate it. BUT I do love myself an iced Chai or a warm hot chocolate with a cute atmosphere.
Seward is known for its coffee culture and has many super cute laid back coffee shops scattered around. I stopped by Resurrect Art Coffee House and Gallery on my way out of Seward and loved it. I wish I had enjoyed more coffee shops during my time in Seward. On a cold September morning, this was the perfect activity to get in the fall spirit.
Stony Creek Canopy Adventure
Cost: $153+
Looking for an adrenaline rush?! Check out Stony Creek Canopy Adventure. Alaska is an adventure seeker and adrenaline junkies paradise! With so many fun activities you cannot go wrong.
Stony Creek Canopy Adventure is not your average zipline adventure. This is truly a spectacular one sending you through the dense, lush Pacific forest with views of the Kenai mountains.
The TripAdvisor reviews rave about this adventure and if you have time in Seward, definitely do not skip out on this.
Things to do in Seward Alaska
Go Kayaking!
Cost: $99+
Take a half-day, full-day, or multiple days and head out on some Kayaks to enjoy beautiful Ressurection Bay!
Kayaking is an activity that tends to sell out in advance. Plan and book your Kayak tour early so you can be sure to enjoy this activity. One plus of the Kayak tour is that is more personalized than the boat tour. You have the ability to talk with your tour guide and ask as many questions as you want. Plus the photos turn out stunning!
Keep Reading: The Alaska Railroad – EVERYTHING You Need to Know!
See Seward by Airplane!
Cost: $335+
By far the most expensive activity on the list, but well worth it when in Alaska! Take a scenic flight over Seward and the Kenai Fjords National Park.
From a full day helicopter glacier landing to a 30 minute scenic flight, there is a wide range of options to see the region from the sky. Checking out the dramatic landscapes of the coastline from the air is a bucket-list worth excursion worth considering.
Hike Mount Marathon
Cost: FREE
Follow the locals and embark on the most popular hike in town! Mount Marathon is a challenge mountain to hike, not for the faint of heart. With an elevation gain of almost 3,000 feet in 4 miles, be sure to bring lots of water for this adventure.
Because of the difficulty of the hike, expect this activity to take at least half your day, if not most of it. The views from the top are spectacular, overlooking the surrounding mountains and the bay.
