Explora Journeys in Seward

Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula and is the gateway port to Kenai Fjords National Park, where tidewater glaciers calve into the sea and humpbacks, orcas, sea otters and seabird colonies are routine sightings. It is a compact, genuinely working harbor town backed by 3,000-foot mountains, and the day is built around a glacier-and-wildlife boat tour out of the small boat harbor. It earns the day because few ports put a national park, a tidewater glacier and a serious marine research aquarium all within reach of a single dock.

What to do on a day in Seward

• A Kenai Fjords National Park day cruise from the small boat harbor, 6 hours or more to reach tidewater glaciers like Aialik and Holgate, with wildlife throughout (the half-day Resurrection Bay version is the shorter alternative)
• Alaska SeaLife Center, the state's only public aquarium and marine rehabilitation center, on the waterfront at the end of 3rd Avenue and walkable from the dock
• Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, the most road-accessible glacier in Alaska, about a 10-minute drive plus an 8-mile road, with a gentle trail to the ice
• Mount Marathon, the 3,022-foot peak rising straight behind town, with the gentler Jeep Trail passing a waterfall for Resurrection Bay views
• The small boat harbor and Waterfront Park, an easy walk taking in fishing boats, sea otters in the bay and the town's harbor life

Getting ashore

Ships dock at the Dale R. Lindsey Alaska Railroad terminal on Port Avenue, adjacent to the small boat harbor and about a mile (a flat 10-minute walk) from downtown, with a free summer shuttle linking dock, harbor and town. The boat tours, SeaLife Center and harbor are all close; Exit Glacier needs a short drive. One day is enough for a glacier cruise OR a land combination of the SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier, but not comfortably both.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• May to early June (start of the season). The driest stretch of the year and the longest daylight (close to 19 hours near the solstice). Cool, typical highs in the upper 40s to low 50s F (around 8-12C); pack layers and rain protection but expect the best odds of dry decks.
• July to August (peak season). The warmest months, typical highs in the mid 50s to around 60F (13-16C), but also wetter, with rain a regular feature; the warmest, most reliable sea access for the long fjord cruises.
• September (season's end). Cooling and the wettest month of the year, often well over 10 inches of rain, with highs slipping toward the upper 40s F; fewer crowds, but plan for grey, damp days.