Seward Favorites

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Favorite thing: Seward Waterfront Park is located along Ballaine Boulevard, right on the beach of Resurrection Bay. It has paid camping (tents $8, RV's $12 , utility sites $25). To pay, use the self-registration stations at most campground entrances. It has water and electric sites or dry camping. There is a separate area for tents. There are picnic tables, fire rings, a shower house and restrooms. It is walking distance to the Small Boat Harbor and historic downtown. For more information the phone number is 907-224-4055 and campground@cityofseward.net is the e-mail address.

Besides the camping facilities, a bike path runs the length of the park. The south end of Waterfront Park includes the Alaska Sea Life Center, Founders' Monument, Mile 0 of the historic Iditarod Trail, and the Old Railroad Depot (see separate tips on each). There is also a skateboard park near the south end of the park.

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Favorite thing: The current Seward Chamber of Commerce Visitors' Center is located at 2001 Seward Highway out toward the airport. The old visitors' center was a 1916 Pullman railroad car at Third Avenue and Jefferson Street. It is not in use now. The Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center (1212 4th Avenue, P.O. Box 1727, Seward, AK 99664; 907-224-7500) is located adjacent to the harbormaster building by the Small Boat Harbor on Fourth Avenue. The Kenai Peninsula Online provides a nice writeup on things to see and do in Seward.

Favorite thing: I was born in Pennsylvania and lived there most of my life. I know what our flag looks like but I can't tell you why it has 2 horses and is blue. Looking it up, I see there's things on it I had no idea were there. Corn and ships and eagles...there's just too much. But the Alaska state flag--probably one of the most familiar-- is among the nicest flags of the states. (My opinion--don't take offense if you're really in love with your own state flag). The point of all of this is the flag of Alaska has a good story, the design is simple and deserves a monument to the boy that created it. There's even a song about the flag. If you don't know the story, the flag was created by a 13 year old native boy named Benny Benson who lived in Seward at the time. Usually I don't take direct information from other sites when writing my own tips, but his reasoning for creating the flag he did is worth quoting:

"The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear—symbolizing strength."

The monument is located in Seward by the lagoon coming in off the Seward Highway and 2nd Ave.

Favorite thing: The summer is short but the seasonal businesses open as early as possible to accomodate visitors. Many don't close down at all, which is wonderful for people like us who prefer to visit either on the shoulder or off seasons. Prices are much cheaper and while some choices may be a little more limited, you get more of a chance to interact with the locals and see what life is like without hoards of tourists. Granted, Seward doesn't get all the warm and they take the brunt of coastal storms, but it's quiet, friendly and has many places to hide from the weather. There are plenty of winter activities--guided or solo including winter fishing, snowmobiling (called snowmachining in Alaska), skiing and festivals.

Favorite thing: Coming in on the train or driving in on the Seward Highway from Anchorage, you'll go through Moose Pass before getting to Seward. A lot of times you'll see a town listed on a road map of Alaska, drive right through it and have no idea you did so. Or there are just a couple buildings along the highway and no place to stop. Moose Pass isn't like that...it's actually a village with some organization and character. It's not large--like 200 people live there but it's the type of town where everyone waves at you when you drive by. I love those places!! If it wasn't 100 miles away from Anchorage, it would be the perfect place for us to live. It has accomodations, an RV park and campground, a general store with a deli, a cute church, school and places to eat. Around the summer solstice, they have a festival with crafts, a triathlon, food and other activities. It's located on Trail Lake so it's setting is gorgeous. Quiet, pretty and friendly--it's a great place to stay if you really want an alternative to Anchorage or Seward. Even if you are staying in another place, you should make a stop at Moose Pass.

Favorite thing: Exit Glacier is a main attraction of Seward--it's the only part of Kenai Fjords accessible by vehicle. However, this road isn't maintained in the winter so you may feel a bit defeated having come all this way and not being able to drive the road. It is closed, technically. However, you are able to park your car at the gate and showshoe, snowmachine or ski out to the glacier in the winter. Throughout Alaska, the unmaintained roads have the sign you see in the picture and the advice is good--these roads receive the brunt of the fierce winter weather. Depending upon the road's location, there is information regarding the current status, how to access it and when it should open. Information for the Exit Glacier Road can be found at the Kenai Fjords website. Other back roads that aren't gated are marginally maintained but it actually may be easier to drive them when they're still partially frozen. When they thaw, it's usually a muddy mess of potholes.

Favorite thing: If you stroll along the harbor or anywhere along Resurrection Bay you are bound to see sea otters popping their little heads out of the water. They always appeared to be having fun, rolling over on their backs and perhaps consuming a tasty bivalve retrieved from the depths below.

Favorite thing: From May through September, it's common to see cruise ships docked at the harbor. Seward is either a final destination or starting point for smaller cruise ships sailing the Anchorage to Vancouver route. Passengers are bussed to Seward or Whittier from Anchorage. Larger vessels sail out of Whittier.

In general, Seward seemed like a quiet town until the cruise ships were docked and thousands of passengers were roaming the streets.