Our Little Trip to Seward, Alaska

Heading to Alaska was one of those trips that both Kaitlin and I had always wanted to take. Unfortunately, it also was a trip that neither one us really thought we ever would have the opportunity to do. It seemed like between work and kids, it just was not in the cards for us to go and explore the last frontier. We would watch all the TV shows set in Alaska, and dream of the beauty and the wildlife around every corner. We wished we would be able to make our way up there. Unfortunately, the resources were just not available for us to be able to really enjoy ourselves and see all the places we wanted to see. Alaska for us was the ultimate “bucket list” trip.

That’s when our friends Mat and Christy, creator of fromthestates.blog moved into the Anchorage area. Once they established themselves in Alaska they immediately started exploring. Finding family friendly hikes, waterfalls, and activities that everyone can enjoy. They invited us up for a few weeks of exploring and letting the kids play. Obviously, we eagerly accepted and jumped on a plane to Anchorage.

I would have loved to take the camper and spend the summer in Seward, Alaska! Unfortunately, my work schedule was not going to allow that. So instead, we were able to get 2 weeks there to fit in as much as we possibly could. We were so blessed to have been able to go and enjoy this amazing state. It was truly a dream come true!

This trip was a side adventure for us while we were visiting Anchorage. We mainly headed to Seward so we could do a fishing charter but once we got there we really fell in love with the entire area. Kenai Fjords National Park is right up the road. There is fantastic places to eat and plenty of adventures for the entire family. It is a must if you are visiting Alaska!

Kenai Fjords National Park

There are 8 National Parks in Alaska. Kenai Fjords National Park is one of them, and it’s the one that we visited on our trip. All the National Parks in Alaska showcase just how rare and amazing the landscape here is. Alaska truly is untouched land, and by spending any time there you will feel just how wild everything is. There is nowhere else like Alaska in this world!

Kenai Fjords National Park is located just outside of Seward, Alaska. Seward serves as the perfect location for you to base camp while you are visiting the National Park. There are many ways that you can explore Kenai Fjords National Park. One of them is by boat. Boat tours that depart daily from Seward will take you to the tidewater glaciers. Exploring by tour boat is a unique and beautiful way to explore the park without having to hike up the mountain. Boat tours will also give you a great opportunity to see many different varieties of wildlife including whales, puffins, Steller sea lions, sea otters, seals, and eagles.

If you are an experienced kayaker you can take a guided tour of the glaciers via a kayak. This can be a challenging but rewarding experience and a truly once in a lifetime experience to explore a tidewater glacier so close. This obviously is not a great way to explore for a family with little ones.

In addition to taking a wildlife boat tour, we also decided to hike to Exit Glacier. It was the perfect way for our family to explore Kenai Fjords National Park.

Exit Glacier

Hiking to Exit Glacier is what I would consider an easy to moderate hike. The Glacial Overlook Loop is partially paved and partially compressed gravel. This trail will give you stunning views of Exit Glacier. Something that was most memorable to me was that all along the trail there was a timeline of the glacier’s life along the trail.

This helps to showcase the glacier retreat from the 1800’s.  It is a living timeline of how the glacier has carved out the valley. Since 2010 the glacier has been retreating at a rate of approximately 162ft a year. It’s sad to think that one day the only way my children will be able to see Exit Glacier is by looking at the pictures we have of it.

I remember that the hike up to the glacier was so hot. The sun was beating down on us, and it didn’t help that we were visiting during an extra warm summer in Alaska. Once we crested the hill where we could see the glacier, it was like standing in front of a deep freezer door on a hot summer day. The brisk air coming off the glacier sent chills down my spine! It was so surreal.

There are so many different ways to enjoy this glacier, but I recommend making the hike up to the overlook. The beauty of the blue glacier up against the surrounding scenery is breathtaking. An easy hike with a big reward is the best way for me to describe Exit Glacier. If you are able, make time to come and visit the area before the glacier is no longer with us.

Seward, Alaska Fishing Charters

We chose to do a halibut fishing charter; I was super excited since I have never caught a halibut in my life. So, heading out into the Gulf of Alaska and fishing for these creepy looking (but delicious) fish was a huge bucket list experience for me. Fishing the rocky bottom, it did not take long for the guide to find the fish and for everyone to start puling them in. I did not catch the biggest one out of our group, but I did not care because I caught two of these prehistoric looking monsters.

After we all had caught our halibut limit, we headed to shallower waters to see what we could do with rockfish. Fishing for rockfish was a lot more familiar to me. As I am a bass fisherman here at home, it was a lot of jigging with artificial bait. It didn’t take long for us to find large school of fish and start pulling them up, we even got a couple bonus silver salmon in the boat.

It was a perfect fishing day and one that I will never forget. We spent most of the day on the water and when we were all finished, the captain found a perfect spot for everyone to get excellent pictures of the days catch. The drive back to port was filled with the beauty of the mountains and entertainment of watching the deck hand clean all the fish we had caught.  It took him no time at all to have everyone’s catch cleaned and sorted. It would have taken me all day to do half as good of a job as he did.

I must say eating fresh halibut, salmon, and rockfish for the rest of our visit was amazing. No meals I have ever eaten in my life tasted as good nor were as rewarding as these. If you do not want to indulge in eating all this fresh fish on your trip, you can have your catch shipped back to the lower 48 for a small fee. 

Seward, Alaska Wildlife Viewing Charter

If you are not into fishing but still would like to get out on the open water for some spectacular wildlife viewing. I suggest heading to Seward port and doing a wildlife viewing charter. Is whale viewing on your “to do” list? The Seward wildlife tours are going to be your best chances of seeing some whales and porpoise.

Unfortunately, while we were on the boat we did not get to see any whales but we did get to see plenty of other wildlife. We saw many animals from sea otters to puffins to Steller sea lions and seals lounging on the rocks; it was a perfect way to enjoy the scenery of Alaska. We will most definitely do another tour when we go back! As I do believe these boat tours will give us the best opportunity to view whales.

It was a cold and rainy day the day of our tour. Fortunately, the ship was equipped with open viewing decks as well as covered dry areas that we could take the kids and get out of the weather. The vessel was large enough that the rough seas did not affect us too much. Even with a smooth sailing boat I would recommend taking Dramamine with you. The last thing you want to do is getting sea sick on a cruise ship that is not going to return to port for a couple hours. I would also recommend Dramamine for the fishing charters, as we did see a few guys on our boat get sick; it seemed to ruin their entire experience out on the open water.

Seward Brewing Company

Before you start grilling all that halibut you have caught on the fishing charter, make sure you head over to the Seward Brewing Company for a nice dinner and drinks. What I really appreciated about this brewery is the selection of beers they have on tap. I am not really a fan of IPA beers! Unfortunately it seems like more and more breweries are going to IPA’s and not serving as much of that dark goodness I love. The Seward Brewing Company has not went to the IPA dark cloud just yet. They still offer a wide variety of stout beers and Ale style beers that make me very happy.

If dark beers are not your thing, I feel anybody can find what they are looking for. From the Darkslide Double IPA, to the Rockfish Red Ale, to the TK-421 Imperial Stout, to the inked-out stout there is such a wide selection of top shelf beer. You will not be able to settle on just one that you love. Anywhere that has a smooth Imperial stout, has my heart! The Seward Brewing Company has done a great job with their stout beer.

As far as food goes, there is also a wide variety that should cure any itch you may be having. I recommend the fish tacos made with Alaskan halibut/Alaskan cod (your choice) or the salmon fish sandwich made with Alaskan salmon. If you are like my wife and enjoy adult mac and cheese. Make sure you try out the Crabby Mac, made with Alaskan snow crab and white wine cheese sauce!

Not in the mood for seafood? Seward Brewing Company offers a wide variety to choose from including brisket and burnt ends. They also have traditional salads if you just need a fast lunch before hitting a hiking trail. The kids will enjoy the mac and cheese and root beer that is made right in house.

Spend some time in Seward, Alaska

Seward, Alaska was one of my favorite little towns we visited. The drive from Anchorage to Seward was breathtaking along the Seward Highway. Seward is known for being the beginning of the world-famous Iditarod trail. It is located right on Resurrection Bay and will give you some stunning views of the water and mountains surrounding the town.

Looking for a location that is close to Kenai Fjords National Park? I would suggest staying in Seward.  Once we got to Seward, we found a small playground that we spent an hour or so letting the kids blow off some energy before exploring more of the town.

Out of the Seward port you can find wildlife charters, Kenai Fjords National Park Glacial tours, and of course fishing charters. Not only are there plenty of guided water tours. You also can find guided hiking tours that will take you into the National Park for glacier viewing.

If you are looking for a place to camp, Seward has some campsites with spectacular views of the water and the surrounding mountains. These campsites are on my “must stay at” list. Once we get enough time and money to make the long drive from Illinois to Alaska. Seward is where I want to set up base camp! Simply because you cannot match the beauty and the solitude that Seward gives you.

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