Seward may be a small seaside town in Alaska but it has a lot to offer. Its location inside Resurrection Bay and close proximity to Kenai Fjords National Park makes it one of the “must sees” for an Alaska trip. Although many people go to Seward as a hop skip to board their cruise, we highly recommend to spend at least a couple of days to enjoy the immense natural beauty and incredible outdoor adventures in the area.
If you have 1, 2, 3 or more days to enjoy Seward, here are our sample itineraries. Not sure if you should visit Seward? Check out our post “Why we loved Seward and why you will too” to get inspired.
What to Do in Seward for A Day
One day in Seward isn’t really enough but you’ll be able to get a taste of the small town’s Alaskan charm. In one day, you can do a couple of activities depending on when your visit is.
One Day Trip from Anchorage
If you are visiting Seward as a one day trip from Anchorage by train, the best thing to do is the 1130 AM Kenai Fjords National Park boat cruise. The timing is tight but it’s totally possible as the train arrives in Seward at 1120 AM and the cruise departs at 1130 AM.
Once you get off the train, the Harbor 360 Hotel where Major Marine Tours departs is only a 2 minute walk. Kenai Fjord Tours is a 7 minute walk. Both companies offer boat tours. You will return back to Seward around 5 PM after the boat cruise and the train back to Anchorage departs at 6 PM.
If you feel like that is too tight, you could do the 4 hour Resurrection Bay tour that departs at 12 PM instead (Thursdays to Sundays only with Kenai Fjord Tours during March 13 – May 15).
Our Recommendations for 1 Day in Seward
Breakfast: If you don’t have breakfast at your hotel, head to Supaluck’s Bakery or Resurrect Art Coffee House. Supaluck Bakery has really good sandwiches and pastries.
Morning activity
Do the 6 hour Kenai Fjords National Park tour at 8 AM (only May 3 – Sept 1) to see glaciers, coastal seascapes and wildlife. You’ll return around 2 PM back to Seward. Hot lunch is included (wraps, chips and cookie). ~$225 USD per adult.
We saw sea otters, bald eagles, mountain goats and dolphins during our cruise for the wildlife. But the coolest experience was seeing some really active glacier calving. For someone who has never heard or seen calving in real life, that was impressive.
After the cruise, head back to your hotel to shower, freshen up and change for the afternoon activity. If you need an afternoon jolt, stop by Summit Sips for delicious coffee.
Afternoon
Time to see Seward by foot as this town is easily walk-able. Something else very cool about Seward is that it’s the “Mural capital of Alaska” with 12 beautifully hand painted murals strewn throughout town. While finding all the murals, you can check out the shops and stores around. You can also walk around the boat harbor.
Dinner: The Cookery. Great place for a nice dinner. They use fresh ingredients from local farmers, much of it is farm to table. The fried chicken and fish of the day was awesome. $$$
What to Do in Seward on Day 2
Breakfast: At your hotel or one of our breakfast recommendations.
Morning
Walk along the waterfront of Lowell Point to and head to Lowell Point State Recreation State to begin the trail to Tonsina Creek. This 3 mile (4.8 km) trail gradually climbs up through a beautiful forest along the shores of Resurrection Bay, crossing a couple of expansion bridges. The trail ends at the beach, with lovely views of the coastline and sprawling forests. Plan for approximately 2 hours for this hike. If you park at the state park, it is $5 USD. Easy difficulty. You can spot salmon from late June through September.
After the walk to Tonsina Creek, head to the Alaska SeaLife Center as it’s on the way. Learn about the local Alaskan wildlife and see puffins, sea lions, harbor seals and other marine creatures up close. Great place for families. Only need about 1.5 hours.
Lunch
Spice up your day at the Lone Chicharron Taqueria and get some tacos. You can also pair it with a beer as its neighbor is the Seward Alehouse. If you don’t feel like beer and it’s before 1 PM, Rowdy Radish is just a minute walk away for coffee, tea and brunch (open 6 AM to 1 PM).
Extra activity: Walk another 5-10 minutes to the Lowell Creek Waterfall.
Afternoon: Head back to your hotel to rest a bit.
Late Afternoon/Evening
Book a private sauna session with Seward Sauna for a special treat. These luxury mobile saunas can be brought to the location of your choice. Our group of 7 enjoyed a rejuvenating and relaxing steam up by the Resurrection River, right in front of towering mountains.
Dinner: The Flamingo Lounge. This place is cool. The moment you step inside, you feel the vibe. Great food like seafood and steak and they are well known for their cocktails.
If you are visiting during the winter, you can chase the Northern Lights. Many people drive up north on the Seward Highway to a Rest Area (that’s what it’s called on Google Maps). We saw a little bit of Northern Lights at that spot. ~15 minute drive from Seward.
What to Do in Seward on Day 3
Today is a busy day! Make sure to eat a full meal and bring some snacks as you’ll need the energy.
Exit Glacier Hike
Today you’ll hike Exit Glacier. This is the only part of Kenai Fjords National Park that is road accessible and it’s only a 15 minute drive from Seward. It is possible to hike this trail on your own without a guide.
To avoid a very strenuous walk, take the 1 mile (1.6 km) Glacier View Loop (universal access) that goes to a panoramic viewpoint of the glacier. You can continue another .6 mile (.9 km) for another sweeping view point. Take the entire day to enjoy Exit Glacier as there is no afternoon activity planned.
If you’re looking for a longer, more strenuous hike, do the Hartfield Icefield Trail instead. This is a 4 mile (6.4 km) trail along the glacier, taking you up 3000 ft (914 meters) to the ice field with amazing views along the way. No guide necessary for June to early October, but you do need to bring proper hiking gear and equipment and be in very good shape. You can turn around if you don’t want to go up the whole way.
Alternative option
If you’re not interested in hiking but still want some adventure, do a white water rafting trip down the Resurrection River to conquer Class I, II and III rapids. Enjoy impressive views of the mountains, forests and glaciers of Resurrection River while paddling down the ever changing river.
Available with Kenai Backcountry Adventures in the morning and afternoon (9 AM and 1 PM).
Another alternative option
A full day bear viewing tour. If you don’t have a chance to do bear viewing in another destination in Alaska, you can do one as a day trip from Seward. This full day adventure takes you on a scenic float plane ride fro Kenai, across Cook Inlet to land on a lake for 5 full hours to see these majestic creatures. This is a full day tour, about 12-13 hours. With Kenai Backcountry Adventures, they provide the 2.5 hour ground transportation from Seward to their Kenai office for the float plane departure. ~$1000 USD per adult. Available end of June – end of September.
Seward Hotels
There are several hotels and Airbnbs in Seward, some right by the boat harbor, others in the town center. If you stay by the boat harbor, it is about a 20 minute walk to the town center where more restaurants are.
Harbor 360: We stayed three nights at Harbor 360. This hotel had a very convenient location, just 2 minutes from the train depot and right at the harbor, so ideal for those getting on a cruise since it’s so close. They have rooms with boat harbor and parking lot/mountain view. Very cozy and comfortable with breakfast included.
Other hotels in Seward are Harborview Inn, Breeze Inn, Seward Adventure Lodge, Hotel Seward and A Swan Nest Inn.
We were hosted by Visit Seward for some activities, meals and our hotel stay. All thoughts and opinions are our own.