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Tours and
outdoor activities is where Seward really shines. Before I get into describing tours
I would like to share my philosophy on booking tours. I do not make my living selling
tours. I am an Inn Keeper,
and as such, I try to provide a quality service to my guests. My goal is to find tours that
fulfill your individual needs while making the best use of your limited
vacation time and money. Most
tour companies pay a 10% commission to booking services, while others do
not pay a commission. This is
OK because compensation is not my goal. Of course I do need to be
compensated for the cost of providing this service, and you want
discounts. So I split the commissions
I'm paid.
Half I keep, and the other half I give to you in the form of a
discount on your room reservation with me. If you find a price lower then
what I have quoted, please let me know because for the most part I can
match or beat any special offers, and I'm not always aware when specials
change.
I only recommend
tours in the Seward area. I
make it a point to take the tours I recommend.
Tour descriptions and recommendations are based on personal
experience and comments made by previous guests. Tours are booked directly with
tour companies. I will
provide you with confirmation numbers so you can communicate directly with
the tour companies if needed.
Reservation change and cancellation policies are provided by the
tour companies. If you are
not aware of a company's policies at the time you are making your
reservation, be sure to ask me.
I look forward to providing you with the best possible stay while
you're in Seward.
I'll start with
my four favorite tours. --Tom Swann, A Swan Nest
Inn
 My first recommendation is one
of the boat trips to the tide-water glaciers in the Kenai Fjords National Park. No where else in Alaska will you
have the opportunity to see more kinds of marine life in the span of one
tour and throw in the experience of seeing building-size chunks of
ice calving into the ocean.
 Wow!!!
While in Alaska this is a must-do. There are a dozen different tours
offered by three major companies, all of which are very good (Kenai Fjord
Tours, Major Marine and
Renown Charters). Which is
best for you will depend on your individual needs, what other tours you're
planning and, of course, how much time you have available If you get seasick, let me know as
there are some alternatives worth discussing. These tours run between
$120 and $175 per adult, and some offer on-board meals or
buffets.
 Second is Seward's summer sled dog
tours. That's
right; believe it or not, Seward has a couple of the best sled dog tours
in Alaska. Mitch Seavey,
winner of the 2004 Iditarod Sled Dog Race has a summer-time, land based
tour operation that is second to none. IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours is
one of those tours that you will keep talking about for days. I can't tell you how many times I
have had a guest tell me it was the highlight of their trip. This is a land based tour so the
ride is not on snow but rather on a wheeled sled through the woods. If you want to know what the
Iditarod and dog sledding are all about and meet the  dogs that will race
across 1100 miles of the roughest terrain in the world in the dead of
winter, then this tour is a must-do.
On the other hand, if the thrill of gliding across a snow-covered
slope behind a team of a dozen Alaskan huskies is what you're looking for, Seward is still
the place. Summertime visitors to
Seward can fly to a glacier for a ride on snow. Godwin
Glacier's helicopter
tours are a bit expensive but the memories will last a lifetime. The land based and glacier based
tours are different enough that doing them both is not redundant. I highly recommend these tours.
Tours run $59 per adult for IdidaRide to $400 per adult for Godwin Glacier.
 Third, the halibut fishing out of
Seward is world class.
If you're a big fisherman then you probably already have heard
about the halibut fishing here.
If you're not a big fisherman, the thrill of catching a big halibut
is still available. The
charter captains supply all the gear and the deck hands will be happy to
help you to land a big one. The
salmon fishing out of Seward is also good, with numerous runs occurring
throughout the summer. So what do you do with 50 or 100 lbs
of halibut filets? We have a
couple businesses that will freeze and hold your filets until you get home
to receive the shipment. When
your friends are over to see your pictures, you will be able to serve them
fresh Alaskan halibut for dinner.
With about 100 charter companies in Seward, picking a good one is
the tricky part. That's were
I can help. Halibut
Charters run about $200 to 225 per person.
Fourth is the town of Seward itself
with its historic downtown, museum, Sea Life Center, art and gift
shops, restaurants and harbor shops all within walking distance of each
other. Seward is a great
place to take a day and just walk around or hike one of our local
trails. This is one of the
few towns in Alaska that you don't need a car to get around. A taxi ride from one end of town
to the other is about $5.
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| Seward's downtown has been a
center for trade and commerce from its beginnings. Dog teams
would carry supplies from Seward along the Iditarod trail to the
mining towns of Iditarod and Nome and points
between. |
Activities in
Seward:
- The
Alaska Sea Life Center is a 55 million dollar facility
dedicated to research, animal rehabilitation and education. If you're at all interested in
what is happening under the surface of the water, the Sea Life
Center is definitely worth a visit ($14 for adults, summer hours
8am to 8pm).
- Seward's History goes way back, and our
museum is small but quite interesting (open daily in the
summer--$3).
- At
2pm daily, the Seward Library shows a couple of films on the 1964 Good
Friday Earthquake. This
9.2 quake is the largest to hit North America in recorded
history. Between the earthquake, tsunami and the subsequent
fires, it is surprising anything survived, ($5 and well worth your
time).
- At
about 5pm the fishing charters start coming back in, and it is always
entertaining to see what they bring in. There are two fish cleaning
stations, one at each end of the harbor (no
charge).
Other great
tours that I recommend include:
Alaska Railroad:
 The train leaves Anchorage daily at 6:30am, arriving
in Seward around 11:00. It
departs Seward at 6:00pm and arrives back in Anchorage around 10:00. It is a two hour drive between
Seward and Anchorage, but the train takes a leisurely 4 hours so you have
plenty time to take in the scenery while enjoying morning coffee or an
after dinner drink. Most of
the route is through uninhabited territory which is only accessible by the
train. This is an outstanding
way to see the back country.
The food is good onboard and reasonably priced. The railroad continues past Anchorage to
the Mat-Su Valley, Talkeetna, Denali Park, and Fairbanks. Contact me
for more information about timetables. ($109 per
adult round trip between Seward and Anchorage)
Kayaking:
Resurrection Bay is
surrounded by mountains or islands on all sides, making it a great area
for beginning kayakers. Half
day, full day and multi day tours are all available. All the local kayak companies will
provide the training necessary for  beginners to take tours. For the advanced kayaker, there
are multi-day guided tours or you can rent kayaks by the half day or full
day for an adventure on your own.
Sea taxis will get you out to remote areas. Small cabins or bunk-room style
accommodations are available at the mouth of the bay at Kayaker's
Cove. For more comfortable
remote accommodations Little Orca Island has some wonderful Yurts which
are accessible by sea taxi or kayak.
For a once in a lifetime kayak experience, try a full day tour to
one of the tide water glaciers with an evening at the remote Little Orca
Island. (Kayaking
tours start at $59 and go up.)
Flight-seeing Tours:
 Most of Alaska is only accessible by air, and a
flight-seeing tour should be on your list of things to do. It's the only way to get a grasp
of just how vast and remote most of Alaska is. Regular planes, pontoon planes and
helicopters are all available here.
Seward is the best jump off point to fly over the Harding Ice field
and its glaciers or out over Prince William Sound. If you're a hiker or biker, think
about a flight to a back country lake and then an easy downhill hike or
bike out. The same goes for
you freshwater fisherman. Fly
in and out or fly in and hike out.
The helicopters can set you down on the glaciers for guided
treks. While in Alaska you
pilots might think about getting your seaplane certification. (Flights start at $50
and go up.)
Bicycles:
Bicycles are available
to rent in Seward. Use them
around town, or better yet, take the bus to Exit Glacier and ride
the 10 downhill miles back to town.
The Resurrection River Trail, Iditarod Trail and Trail Lakes Trail
are all good mountain bike trails. For more advanced riders, the
Lost Lake Trail is a beautiful and challenging ride.
Boat Rentals:
 Whether it's a small fishing boat to troll for salmon
or a multi-day sailing excursion you're looking for, a Seward business can
fill the bill.
Horseback Riding:
Horseback riding tours
are available here in Seward on the Resurrection River delta, or about a
one hour drive to Cooper Landing for backcountry rides. (Rides start at
$60.)
SCUBA Diving:
Dive Alaska
runs a dry suit SCUBA boat out of the harbor. The high oxygen concentration of
the water at this latitude make for some extraordinary diving. If you are not dry suit certified,
Dive Alaska will provide the training.
 Rafting:
Two rivers for rafting
are within an hour's drive.
Hope River Rafting offers the adventurous guest Class 4 and
5 rapids down a pristine remote canyon. The tour companies provide the dry
suits because you are definitely going to get wet. Rafting on the Kenai
River is gentle with little in the way of rapids. Drifting down this river is a
great way to see the natural beauty of the back country. Drift fishing with either flies or
spinners is very popular on the Kenai also.
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