Seward is a small town 120 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula.
Our little town has a lot to offer visitors, and is an incredibly popular summer destination, featuring world class fishing, kayaking, hiking, flightseeing, adventure tours, glaciers, Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Fjords National Park. There is so much to see an do for all age groups!
A little information about Seward:
One of the most helpful things to remember about Seward, Alaska when planning your visit is that it is quite remote compared to most similarly-sized towns in the United States.
If you wait until you are here to provision for your visit to Alaska you may find that many things are hard to find and when you can find them they can be more expensive. Seward is at the start of the road system, and Anchorage offers a much wider variety of goods and services for this purpose – however it is still much more expensive than most other places in the United States. As such it is best if you try to bring everything with you that you will need for your time here, and spend a bit of time outfitting in Anchorage, especially when RVing.
The climate here in Seward is much more moderate than in some other parts of Alaska.
The close proximity of the ocean helps to keep temperatures much more constant so the winters are warmer and the summers cooler than in much of the rest of the state. In May the average high temperature is 52°F (11°C) and the average low is 39°F (4°C.) By July the averages will be up to 62°F (17°C) for a high and 50°F (10°C) for a low. By the time you leave in September it will be back down to an average high of 55°F (13°C) and a low of 44°F (7°C.) During your stay here you can expect that it will probably never get warmer than 75°F (24°C) or lower than 30°F (-1°C); however, the weather here can be quite volatile so be prepared for winter weather conditions (including snow and below-freezing temperatures) at any time of year.
The other thing that the closeness to the ocean brings is a very large amount of rain. Be prepared for rain (and sometimes flooding) on an almost daily basis during the summer. A waterproof jacket, pants, and a pair of water-resistant shoes are highly recommended. Wind is another common feature of the weather here in Seward so be prepared to face strong winds on a regular basis.
Given that you will need to be on your feet a lot we strongly recommend bringing extra socks and shoes that are very comfortable to wear for long periods; given the amount of rain here we also recommend that your shoes always be water resistant.
There are a few modes of transportation in and around Seward that you can use.
For travel between Anchorage and Seward you have three options:
The Seward Bus Line runs Mon/Wed/Fri during the summer. The trip takes about three hours each way depending on the conditions . Your second option is the train. The train also runs daily during the summer. The trip is about four hours each way and features stunning views with great wildlife spotting, room to walk around and relax, and a snack bar. Both the bus and the train will get you there but the train experience is vastly superior—of course it also costs more.
Other options to get back and forth to Anchorage are to arrange for a car rental or RV rental or to use the Park Connection which goes to and from Anchorage twice a day. There is an airport in Seward however it is undeveloped to commercial air service.
For travel to and from the local marine park areas, be sure to use our Water Taxi! Our custom built water taxi boats access all manner of beaches, public use cabins, remote wilderness lodges, and hiking trails. There are a lot of amazing possibilities awaiting you for day or overnight trips!
For transportation within Seward you also have several options.
First is the Seward Trolley/Local Seward Connection Bus which runs around the main part of town every 30 minutes or so between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM. The bus is free to ride as much as you need to.
The second is to take a taxi. There are several taxi services in Seward which operate like a car service, you call them to your location as opposed to hailing them on the street. Seward has many taxi operations and they can be very helpful for early morning access to tours and activities for those without rental cars.
A few taxi operations phone numbers: Seward Taxi: 907-224-5678; PJ’s Taxi: 907-224-5555; Independent Taxi: 907-224-3958.
Another other option is walking; Seward has paved sidewalks in most areas and foot travel is very plausible as long as you don’t need to go too far.
It will be of great benefit to you to have a telephone that you can use here in Seward.
Free internet access is available at the public library. For those with existing phones and service packages, Anchorage has a variety of cellular providers and most popular providers work fine in the area. Cellular data can be slow in Seward when cruise ships disembark, but most public buildings have free wifi available for use as well. Major providers should have no issue, but SIM cards can also be purchased in Anchorage.
Seward has it’s own Post Office.
You can get a post office box here to receive mail. The cost of a PO box is $65 for six months. If you do not get a post office box you can still have mail sent to you here via general delivery. General delivery mail is held for you at the post office and you can pick it up at the counter during business hours. For general delivery have mail sent to the following address:
[Your Name]
General Delivery
Seward, AK 99664
Other Services in Seward:
It’s important to know there’s only 1 major local grocery store, called Safeway, and a small health food store down town. There is also Seward Marketplace, where bulk items can generally be found. These are the only real grocery stores in town so if you have special dietary needs you may need to provision in Anchorage.
Household items like kitchen utensils, personal care items, cleaning supplies, and a number of other useful items can be found at both the grocery. There is also a pharmacy in Safeway where you can get both over-the-counter and prescription medicines. The True Value hardware store (also known as the Fish House) is a general outfitter and has all kinds of items including hardware, tools, home furnishings, furniture, clothing, office supplies, sporting goods, and a number of other things.
There are two Laundromats
One is in town and one is out at Miller’s Landing itself. Miller’s laundry facilities are open 24 hours and feature commercial washer and driers. If you come during office open hours we also have complimentary coffee and a great view while you wait at the camp store.
Should you need medical care
Seward does have a small hospital which provides both emergency and non-emergency care. There are also a few doctors’ offices and a dentist here in town should you require them.
If you have any other questions about Seward please do not hesitate to email us at reservations@millerslandingak.com We love hearing from you and we will email you back!
Free Kids Activities (or Adults)
Evan Casey Skateboard Park – On the waterfront, local skateboarders helped design this mini-course. It has moderate jumps, curbs & more. Bring your helmet*, pads* & board.
* Required gear
Walk to the Falls – It’s about 2 miles down Lowell Point Road, easy walking conditions and gives you a chance to see what the animals are doing and who’s catching what from the rocks.
Hanging of the Catch – Be sure to be around Miller’s Landing when the boats hang their day’s catch. Ask at the Main Office to find out when the next boat comes in!
Bike Riding – Hills & flatland, the trail along the waterfront starts at the Iditarod Memorial, bring your bike or rent one from the Bike Shop in town
Shore Fishing – Bring your own or rent a rod & reel. The culvert and the falls outlet will offer fishing action before the rest of the shore and Lowell Point beaches draw fish
Fly a Kite – On the beach, the air is usually moving around here, from slight breeze to whoa! South Beach has lots of sand to launch from and gently land on.
Pocket Parks – City of Seward
#1 – 3rd Ave between Adams & Washington
#2 – Ballaine Blvd behind the 4th Ave baseball park
#3 – Adjacent to the Skateboard Park at the waterfront
Almost Free
Earthquake Movie – Film of the 1964 disaster & it’s effects on Alaska – Seward Community Library Memorial Day to Labor Day, Tuesday – Saturday
Shown at 2pm – $5/Adult; 17/under free
Seward Museum – displays photographs of the quake’s damage, model rooms and artifacts from the early pioneers, historical and current information on the Seward area. $5/Adult