Getting Some Information

Before we begin, let me say that we have been talking about this vacation for several years, and began serious planning about 7 months before the trip.  Remember, we were self-directed, and made all the arrangements ourselves.  It was really nice taking all of that time.  By reading the information that we gathered, we became very familiar with the area before our vacation even began.  So - if you're thinking it is too early to plan your Alaska trip, it's not!

The Alaska tourist season is short - from mid-May to mid-September, so resorts, businesses, regions, and communities are quite agressive in publicizing their opportunities for tourists.  Most chambers of commerce have excellent web-sites and magazine-style tourism guides that they send quickly.

I went to the web-sites below, and requested the guides.  They all came within 2 or 3 weeks.  Be aware the the chambers of commerce and visitors bureaus share your information with their member businesses.  You can expect to get letters from hotel managers, flyers and brochures from tour operators, and even DVDs from fishing and tour charter services.  Just take it all in-stride -- you can't blame them for trying to make a living.  Read what you like, and trash what you don't.

• Travel Alaska - Official State of Alaska Vacation and Travel Information
• Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council
• Seward Chamber of Commerce
• Visit Soldotna
• Homer Chamber of Commerce
• Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau

Kenai Peninsula Visitors Guide - 2011 edition

Make contact, and check your mailbox.  It will soon be overflowing with Alaska information!

South to Seward: Exit Glacier and Resurrection Bay

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.

Exit Glacier from a lower trail

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.

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.

Sea lions on the rocks

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.

Seward: Day 2 - A More Relaxing Day

If you've been reading this blog so far, you know that we've been in motion since landing in Anchorage!  Our second day in Seward was a day to rest, relax, and take a slower pace.

We started the day with a great breakfast at Teddy's.  We enjoyed the atmosphere at Teddy's so much that we spent the entire morning there.  Then we drove to Seward for a visit to the Alaska Sealife Center.  We enjoyed seeing the animals, and learning about the ocean creatures in Alaska.  We spent about 2 hours at the Sealife Center.  We had a buy-one-get-one coupon from the Northern Lights book.

Alaska Sealife Center

Alaska Sealife Center

We spent the rest of the day walking around Seward and enjoying the atmosphere.  We had a nice seafood dinner, and watched the charter fishing boats display their catches.  One place that is well-worth a visit is Bay Traders True Value Hardware - a two-story hardware, clothing, fishing supply, and all-purpose gear store in downtown Seward.  If you need a hat, a sweatshirt, some gloves, a pair of jeans, or a flannel shirt, this is the place.  We also picked-up a couple of souvenirs.  Yes, the coffee mug was made in China, but it said "Alaska" on it, it was cheap, and it serves the purpose.

Back to Teddy's for another leisurely evening and a good night's sleep.

There's Hope tomorrow!