We packed up the next morning, having spent 3 nights in Girdwood. The next leg of our adventure would take us south to the city of Seward, Alaska.
Our first stop was Exit Glacier, just north of Seward. Exit Glacier is located in Kenai Fjords National Park. There are several well-marked trails - some paved and some a little rougher - that lead to various parts of the glacier. We walked all the way to the face of the glacier and stood about 10 feet from the ice. We hadn't planned to walk that far, but I'm glad we did. We had seen Portage Glacier from the boat the day before, but standing only a few feet and feeling the chill from Exit Glacier was a totally different experience. One again, we did things we've never done before.
We then drove into Seward. Make sure to stop by the Chamber of Commerce in Seward for maps, information, and friendly advice.
We had reservations for a 3-hour cruise that afternoon. We selected the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Cruise from Major Marine. There are several tour-boat operators in Seward. Some offer full meals of steak and lobster, but that just wasn't our style. We opted instead for a cruise into Resurrection Bay that focused on wildlife viewing, and we were not disappointed. The fare was $69 per person, and we had a buy-one-get-one Northern Lights coupon.
This was another great Alaska tourist experience. Our captain quickly piloted the boat into Resurrection Bay where we saw seals, sea lions, puffins, and yes...humpback whales! We saw 7 of the "humpies" - leaping out of the water and waving with their tales. Maybe a leisurely surf-and-turf is more your style, but we were happy with hot coffee, a fast boat, and lots of Alaska wildlife. Highly recommended.
Our home on the road for the next four nights would be Teddy's Inn the Woods, our favorite B & B on the trip. Teddy's is actually north of Seward, between Seward and Moose Pass. Another great day in Alaska.
Our first stop was Exit Glacier, just north of Seward. Exit Glacier is located in Kenai Fjords National Park. There are several well-marked trails - some paved and some a little rougher - that lead to various parts of the glacier. We walked all the way to the face of the glacier and stood about 10 feet from the ice. We hadn't planned to walk that far, but I'm glad we did. We had seen Portage Glacier from the boat the day before, but standing only a few feet and feeling the chill from Exit Glacier was a totally different experience. One again, we did things we've never done before.
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| Exit Glacier from a lower trail |
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| Hiking near the glacier |
We then drove into Seward. Make sure to stop by the Chamber of Commerce in Seward for maps, information, and friendly advice.
We had reservations for a 3-hour cruise that afternoon. We selected the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Cruise from Major Marine. There are several tour-boat operators in Seward. Some offer full meals of steak and lobster, but that just wasn't our style. We opted instead for a cruise into Resurrection Bay that focused on wildlife viewing, and we were not disappointed. The fare was $69 per person, and we had a buy-one-get-one Northern Lights coupon.
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| The Kenai Fjords |
This was another great Alaska tourist experience. Our captain quickly piloted the boat into Resurrection Bay where we saw seals, sea lions, puffins, and yes...humpback whales! We saw 7 of the "humpies" - leaping out of the water and waving with their tales. Maybe a leisurely surf-and-turf is more your style, but we were happy with hot coffee, a fast boat, and lots of Alaska wildlife. Highly recommended.
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| Sea lions on the rocks |
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| A humpback whale - about 40 feet long |
Our home on the road for the next four nights would be Teddy's Inn the Woods, our favorite B & B on the trip. Teddy's is actually north of Seward, between Seward and Moose Pass. Another great day in Alaska.
