SEWARD ACTIVITIES
Photo Credit: Joel Krahn
Seward is a scenic harbor town located at the end of beautiful Resurrection Bay. With the towering Kenai Mountains on one side of town and pristine ocean waters on the other, Seward offers an incredible array of summer and winter recreational activities for all interests and skill levels. Take a fishing charter into Resurrection Bay for world-class salmon and halibut fishing. Visit the Alaska SeaLife Center, an education and research facility to experience up-close encounters with marine wildlife. Lace up those hiking boots and discover the incredible scenery along the miles of hiking trails in and around Seward. Visit the Major Marine Tours office on the first floor of Harbor 360 Hotel for information about local Seward activities.
Summer Activities
Glacier & Wildlife Cruises
Kenai Fjords National Park is home to abundant wildlife and massive tidewater glaciers. Surrounded by steep mountain walls, the Kenai Fjords provide the perfect habitat for whales, Steller sea lions, sea otters, puffins, seabirds, and more. Explore this incredible area on a half-day or full-day cruise through Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park with Major Marine Tours. Add a cruise to your hotel reservation with one of our convenient cruise and hotel packages.
Kayaking & Stand-Up Paddleboarding
One of the best ways to get an up-close experience of Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay is in a kayak. Half-day, full-day, and multi-day kayak trips are available for all experience levels. Join a guided tour or rent a kayak and find your own adventure. Kayaking companies also offer guided stand-up paddleboarding tours.
Alaska SeaLife Center
The Alaska SeaLife Center is a state-of-the-art marine research, rehabilitation, and education facility on the shores of Resurrection Bay in downtown Seward. Learn about the Alaska SeaLife Center’s significant marine research and rehabilitation efforts for sick and injured marine animals. Watch marine animals up-close and get immersed in marine ecosystems in the naturalistic marine habitats.
Rafting
Paddle down Resurrection River or Kenai River for an immersive adventure though the wilderness with Kenai Backcountry Adventures. Witness breathtaking scenery and spot wildlife with a professional rafting guide. Bear viewing, hiking, and multi-day packrafting tours also available.
Hiking
Take a hike! The Seward area offers miles of hiking trails for all skill levels. Local companies offer guided glacier hikes, ice climbing, day hikes, and overnight backpacking trips. Or, do some exploring on your own on some of the most popular trails in the area: Exit Glacier, Harding Icefield Trail, Mt. Marathon, Caine’s Head, and Lost Lake. Visit the Alaska.org Seward trails website for a comprehensive list of the trails that can be found in and around Seward.
Fishing
The waters outside of Seward offer some of the best salmon and halibut fishing opportunities in Alaska. Fishing charter companies offer full-day and half-day charters and local fish processing companies can pack, freeze, and ship your catch home for you. Photo credit: Michael DeYoung
Dog Sled Tours
Experience the ins and outs of the Iditarod and dog sled racing on a dog sled tour from Seward. Several companies offer dog sled tours from their homesteads in Seward as well as glacier dog sled tours, where you can take a scenic helicopter ride to a glacier and embark on a thrilling dog sled ride on the snow.
Flightseeing Tours
Get a birds-eye view of the incredible scenery of the Seward area on a flightseeing tour. Climb aboard a helicopter or small aircraft for spectacular views of the area’s backcountry glaciers and mountains. Some companies offer glacier landings and glacier dog sledding tours, as well.
Gold Panning
Learn about the local history of gold prospecting and master the art of gold panning for yourself with a fun and educational gold panning demonstration by Adventure Sixty North. This family-friendly activity is located outside under a covered canvas structure, making it a great activity for all weather conditions.
Seward City Tours
Seward City Tours offers informative 1 hour and 5 hour historical city tours while shuttling guests to and from the train depot, cruise ship terminal, and Harbor 360 Hotel. Guests enjoy complimentary luggage storage for the day at no additional charge.
Winter Activities
Seward Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair
Get into the holiday spirit the first weekend of December at the annual Seward Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair. This two-day fair is held at the cruise ship terminal and features arts & crafts vendors, food, live music, photos with Santa, and a silent auction.
Polar Bear Jump
Every year during the third weekend in January, people flock to Seward to jump into the icy waters of Resurrection Bay. For over 30 years, Polar Bear Jump participants have dressed up in costume and jumped from the Seward Small Boat Harbor docks into frigid waters to raise money for the American Cancer Society. This popular event receives worldwide media attention is a must-see for winter visitors to Seward. Visit Seward.com and the American Cancer Society website for more information.
Alaska SeaLife Center
The Alaska SeaLife Center is a state-of-the-art marine research, rehabilitation, and education facility on the shores of Resurrection Bay in downtown Seward. Learn about the Alaska SeaLife Center’s significant marine research and rehabilitation efforts for sick and injured marine mammals. Watch marine animals up-close and get immersed in marine ecosystems in the naturalistic marine habitats. The Alaska SeaLife Center is open year-round and is a great activity for winter visitors.
Outdoor Adventures
Kenai Backcountry Adventures is offering amazing winter packages this season! Get outside this winter for skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmachining excursions. Kenai Backcountry Adventures has tours from 2 to 6 hours, or multi-day stay & play packages.
Heliskiing
Let Silverton Mountain Guides take you to some of the most beautiful heliski terrain in Alaska. They offer multi-day packages as well as single heli drops. Visit the Silverton Mountain Guides website for more information.
