Why We Loved Seward, Alaska And Why You Will Too

For our first trip to Alaska, Seward was a town we heard so much about. It was always mentioned as one of the places you had to visit in Alaska and after our trip, we definitely found out why. Although some people visit Seward for one day, you can perfectly stay many more days in this small seaside town inside Resurrection Bay.

Here are the reasons why we loved Seward, Alaska and why you will too. To read more about our adventures, you can check out our blog post How to Spend 1 or 2 days in Seward.

Getting There Is Half the Fun

Seward, the tiny coastal town with a local population of around ~2700 people is on Alaska's southern coast, inside Resurrection Bay.

To travel the 127 miles (204 km) from Anchorage, there are a few ways to get to Seward, Alaska: train, shuttle bus, car and float plane. Although all of them offer incredible scenic views along the way, the train is one of those bucket list experiences that you will never forget.

We took the Alaska Railroad train from Anchorage to Seward and this 4.5 hour Coastal Classic train ride quickly settled into my things to do before you die list. The scenic views on this train ride, particularly the latter half towards the Kenai Peninsula took our breaths away as we passed by impressive glaciers, vast wilderness and majestic mountains.

As we took the train mid September, we enjoyed the perfect autumn day, starting off with a bit of rain and clouds. Soon after departure, the clouds cleared up, allowing the mountains to show off their varying shades of fall colors and golden fall foliage. In the summer, you'll have sunny, clear and blue skies from boarding time to your arrival in Seward.

What to know about the Anchorage to Seward train: The morning departure from Anchorage is at 645 AM and arrives in Seward at 1120 AM. Same train departs from Seward at 6 PM and arrives back to Anchorage at 1015 PM so this is a great way to do a day trip to Seward from Anchorage on your own. This train stops in Girdwood for 5 minutes along the way. 

Close Proximity to Kenai Fjords National Park

Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, being the launch point for small cruise ships that take visitors through the national park for the day. The highlights of Kenai Fjords National Park are the massive glaciers, abundant land, sea and sky wildlife and stunning fjords.

The easiest way to experience the national park is a day cruise, although visitors can also hike the trails inside Exit Glacier Area to the Hardin Icefield Trail (8 mile roundtrip). We did the Kenai Fjords National Park boat tour with Kenai Fjords Tours. Their tour went through Resurrection Bay, past No Name Island, Aialik Bay, Holgate Glacier, around Harbor Island and back to Seward.

This 6 hour tour includes a hot lunch and captain narration to see islands, glaciers, rainforests and wildlife and all things Alaska is known for. For me personally, seeing the cute sea otters was one of my favorite parts. But the glacier calving was incredible. I'll never forget seeing and hearing the gigantic chunks of glacier ice fall.

The Kenai Fjords National Park is Seward's main attraction, receiving thousands of visitors from all over the world who want to see the park's incredible sights and sounds. To get a fuller experience, opt for a multi-day cruise into the national park for even more breathtaking scenery.

What to Know About the Kenai Fjords National Park Boat Cruise: Take anti-nausea like Dramamine before. It got really rocky as we cruised around a fjord to get to the glacier. Kenai Fjords Tours includes a hot lunch in their rate, it's pretty simple (burrito and chips) so bring some snacks as you may get hungry later. Dress warmly, even in the summer. The wind makes it feel more colder. 

Outdoor Adventures Galore

Seward's location and close proximity to rivers, glaciers, waterfalls, forests and mountains makes it the ultimate playground for adventure lovers. Go hiking, white water rafting, surfing, ATV'ing, kayaking, jet skiing, flightseeing, fishing, bear viewing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice climbing all in Seward. There is literally something for everyone in Seward, even if they're not the most adventurous person on earth.

Friendly Locals and Welcoming Vibe

Everyone we met in Seward was friendly, welcoming and happy. Many of them who work in tourism are outdoor lover transplants from the Lower 48, who go up to Seward during the crazy rush of the summer season to work. You could feel the love they have for Alaska and for Seward as they talk about how amazing the town is and how much they love being there, whether the sun is out or whether there's 6 feet of snow on the ground. 

With such a short boom of tourism during the spring and summer, I could see why locals get tired of the hundreds of tourists traipsing through Seward all at the same time. But at the end of the day, you could tell it's just because they love their seaside town and want everyone to have the best experience in Seward. We didn't encounter anyone who wasn't helpful or friendly in Seward and we received nothing but warm welcomes and big smiles.

Great Tourist Infrastructure

One thing we really loved about Seward, Alaska was how great the tourist infrastructure was. The town being really tiny and very clean and easily navigable.

We felt very safe in Seward. We had no problem walking around downtown and the harbor at night. Some locals even came up to us at 11 PM at night, to give us some tips as we were trying to find out where we could see the Northern Lights in Seward. 

Seward is a fantastic place for first time Alaska visitors, families, solo travelers. It really is a place for anyone looking for a charming seaside town with plenty of Alaskan flair, thrilling outdoor adventures and fantastic scenery.