A Swan Nest Inn--Lodging in Seward, Alaska

Why Seward? Because whether you're looking for magnificent glaciers, rugged mountains, world-class fishing and touring, or the feel of rustic small-town Alaska, Seward offers so much of the best of the Great-land!

Resurrection Bay and the Pacific Ocean | The Mountains | Our History | Tour and Travel Information

Listed by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the top ten destination resorts in the United States, Seward is a postcard waiting for the scrapbook. Whether by car or train, the journey along Alaska Hwy 1 (Alaska's only National Scenic Byway) makes the visit worthwhile in itself. Upon arriving in Seward, guests are treated to one of the most spectacular vistas in the world. Perched on the end of the road, Seward is complemented by the rugged Chugiak Mountains which descend right into the Pacific Ocean creating a scene of intense natural beauty whether it is basking in the light of the unending summer day or the quite majesty of the snow covered winter night. Click here for Seward Travel and Tour Information

Why Seward? Resurrection Bay and the Pacific Ocean
Located at the end of a deep fjord, Seward is a natural harbor town. Resurrection Bay is protected on all sides, making it a great location for kayaking, sailing and small boat use. The mouth of the bay opens into the Gulf of Alaska. This rich fishing ground is home to the really big halibut. At the end of the day it is not uncommon to see 200, 300 and sometimes even 400 pound halibut at the fish cleaning stations. In early July, the Silver Salmon start schooling at the mouth of the bay; and in August they start heading up the streams and rivers. These same waters are home to Orca, Humpback, Finn and Gray whales, dolphins, porpoise, sea lions, seals, otters and many species of birds. Seward is also the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park and its many glacier-filled valleys. The park is home to several spectacularly active tide-water glaciers calving huge ice chunks into the ocean. Click here for Seward Travel and Tour Information

Why Seward? The Mountains

Seward is surrounded by majestic mountains to the North, East and West. They jut straight out of the ocean to over a mile in height. From downtown Seward it is 1 1/2 miles to Mt. Marathon. It is 1 1/2 miles not to the base of the mountain, but to the summit 3029 feet up. Every year on the 4^th of July we have a race up Mt. Marathon. This race is the second oldest running race in America (second only to the Boston Marathon). What makes our mountains special is that they are pristine. Walk 100 feet off the highway or a few feet off a hiking path, and you're walking on land that shows no sign that man has ever been there. Our streams are filled with salmon, trout and dolly varden. Our woods have moose, wolf, fox and bear. Our skies are filled with geese, swan, eagles, falcon and raven, the "Trickster." In our mountains, if you see a rainbow, there may actually be gold at its end. Click here for Seward Travel and Tour Information

Why Seward? Our History

Seward's past is an integral part of the history of Alaska. Long before white settlers arrived, this area was home to several groups of Alaska natives who relied on the salmon-rich streams and protected coastal waters for their survival. Then, on Easter Sunday of 1793, a Russian ship exploring the Gulf of Alaska was caught in a severe storm. With their ship badly taking on water and the waves mounting, all hope of survival was lost. But then the men spotted a cluster of rugged islands guarding the entrance to a bay. The bay afforded the men shelter from the storm, offered them a place to beach their battered ship, and gave the men a new chance to live. Since that Easter Sunday, the bay has appeared on nautical charts as Resurrection Bay. When Secretary of the Interior William H.

Seward purchased Alaska from the Russians in 1867, Resurrection Bay was an active fur trading center. When gold strikes in the interior of Alaska sparked several gold rushes, Seward became a busy transportation center. Because of it's depth and proximity to the currents of the Gulf of Alaska, Resurrection Bay is one of the northern-most ice free ports in Alaska. A majority of the freight, people, and gold entering and leaving Alaska crossed over Seward's bustling docks. The Iditarod Trail, a network of trails leading across Alaska to Nome began in Seward. Much of this trail is the present-day route of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that runs 1,100 miles from Anchorage to Nome. As the amount of freight passing through Seward increased, the Alaska Railroad was eventually constructed, linking Seward with the inland city of Fairbanks in 1923. Because of the town's central importance to transportation in Alaska, Seward was nicknamed the "Gateway to Alaska." During World War II, an Army garrison was stationed in Seward to protect the transportation interests there.

Numerous outposts, bunkers, and artillery batteries were constructed around the bay, and a special submarine sensing cable was strung under the waters of the bay. Although the submarine warning system was activated one night, historians still debate whether any Japanese submarines ever did enter Resurrection Bay during the war. In 1964, the residents of Seward were rattled by the Good Friday Earthquake and subsequent Tsunami. Most of the dock facilities part of the railroad yard were swallowed by the sea. But the spirit of the people of this small community remained steadfast, and Seward's waterfront has been rebuilt. In the decades to follow, Seward lost its title as the Gateway to Alaska. The Alaska Highway connected the state with the 'Lower 48,' air traffic was on the rise and Anchorage was a growing port city.

But Seward is still a major port city, the harbor still boasts a fleet of commercial fishing boats, and the residents of Seward open their town every year to hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. Much of the waterfront that was home to wharfs and piers prior to the '64 Quake is now oceanside camping, parks, and playground. At the south end of town near the old railroad depot, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a world-renown center for research, rehabilitation, and education relating to the fantastic marine life of the North Pacific and Bering Sea. Seward's future is bright. Click here for Seward Travel and Tour Information

A Swan Nest Inn offers an in-house tour booking service for your convenience. Many of the tours booked through our booking service come with special discounts offered only to our guests. Click here for more information.

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