WHITTIER & SEWARD, ALASKA
Two towns … each quite different … but both lying at a terminus of a road. There’s always something interesting about towns and people that have reached the end and the only choice is to go back the way you came … or stay.
Whittier, Alaska
Whittier is billed as ‘The Gateway to Prince William Sound’, and that about sums it up. There’s really nothing much else to draw you there except to get out of it!
It’s only about 50 miles from Anchorage along the Seward Hwy, then about 5 miles further on the Portage Glacier Road. It’s a beautiful drive from Anchorage; with mountains, glaciers & ocean all at a glance. Unfortunately, it’s a very popular highway and can become quite congested in the ‘high’ tourist season of June, July & August. Expect to take your time and take in the views … but that’s why you’re here, right?
Once you turn off the Seward Hwy, you drive past Portage Lake with it’s magnificent Portage Glacier. The lake itself is only about 100 years old as the glacier used to cover the whole valley! You can kayak the approx. 2 mile lake to view the glacier and calving icebergs, but be careful! The only put-in for small boats is just before the Portage Tunnel which is at the far end of the lake – and you are warned to stay at the far side of the lake – away from direct contact with the icebergs as the glacier is constantly calving and you can be seriously injured. For more information on paddling Portage Lake check out our post: Exploring the Portage Valley. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you can opt for a cruise on the Portage Glacier Cruise boat and come within 300 yards of the glacier from the comfort of the mv Ptarmigan. A very worthy trip and only $39 (as of 2016) for the hour cruise.
Portage Glacier Cruise
Portage Glacier
Paddle on Portage with the icebergs!
Carry on from Portage Lake thru the small Portage Tunnel and almost immediately you’ll see your next tunnel – the famous ‘Whittier Tunnel’. It was constructed in 1941 by the U.S. Army as a railroad tunnel to transport fuel and other supplies from Whittier to Anchorage. Change came in 2000 when for the first time ever, residents were able to reach Whittier by road. The State of Alaska transformed the existing railroad tunnel into a combination highway and railroad tunnel! This created the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America at 2.5 miles long! There is a toll for all vehicles – only $13 for all vehicles less than 28’ long – but it is well worth the toll. The tunnel is a very tall, rough-hewn rock masterpiece with ‘safe houses’ along the way in case of emergency. You will drive directly on the tracks, but it’s very smooth and easy to navigate.
Waiting for the tunnel at Whittier, Alaska
Inside the Whittier Tunnel
Train Going thru Whittier Tunnel
Once in Whittier, pretty much all you’ll find is companies that want to take you somewhere else. Fishing is a big draw and the marina is huge with boats of all sizes ready to head out on the next fishing adventure! There are guides who’ll take you on tours by kayak or you can hire a water taxi to take you out and drop you off to explore on your own. It’s not cheap … can be weather dependent … and I’m not sure how many people would end up on the same beach that you want to camp on. Could be crowded! There are also cruises on larger boats to view glaciers and wildlife. There is also a cruise ship terminal, and of course the train which you can take to Whittier from Anchorage and back the same day.
Boats in Whittier
One of the few shops in Whittier, AK
Other than that … Whittier is a very small, very utilitarian town with not many places to wander/shop/eat. There are some interesting historical buildings you can view from the roadways, such as the many buildings constructed during the cold war as a base of operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There is also a small museum which has 27 detailed exhibits about the men and women who pioneered and served in the Territory of Alaska. It’s pen daily 10 – 8 at the Anchor Inn Hotel.
Buckner Building from the cold war – Whittier, AK
There are only about 200 people who live full-time in Whittier and they all pretty much live in the 2 apartment blocks that dominate the town. The only other ‘feature’ is the very large container area where containers from ships await loading onto trains.
And that’s Whittier. Not really a place to go if you’re idea is strolling around looking in shops etc. But if you’re into fishing or getting out into Prince William Sound … this may just be the place!
Seward, Alaska
At the terminus of the Seward Highway, about 127 miles south of Anchorage, lies the town of Seward – pop. around 2,700. It is one of Alaska’s oldest communities with tourism, shipping and fishing being the biggest part of the economy.
In fact, from what we saw, fishing is THE BIGGEST! I’ve never seen so many boats! It has a huge RV park right on the waterfront (Resurrection Campground) that sounded pretty cool in the brochures, but is basically a gigantic parking lot along the beach with hundreds and hundreds of RV’s parked next to each other – and going several rows back from there! Most seem to be there for the fishing as you can either fish directly from the beach, take your boat out on the nearby boat ramps or hire a boat and guide for the day, then come back to the park and have fires on the rocks at night. At fees of $20/dry camping and $40/water & electric it’s pretty steep but obviously it’s perfect for many MANY people who just want to fish!
Huge Campground in Seward, AK
Silver (Coho) salmon is the big draw here during the summer, but with their main arrival in mid-July; and Halibut can be caught during most of the summer season.
There is a quaint main street with some excellent shops and restaurants. A great cafe is Zudy’s … facing the waterfront in an old railroad station. We went there for the internet, but was glad we ordered lunch – homemade soup & sandwiches are truly amazing!
Main Street in Seward, Alaska
The scenery around town is stunning with mountains forming an impressive backdrop. The dangerous Mount Marathon Race on the 4th of July is quite the feat as runners race up to a stone marker on Mt. Marathon then hurtle down the slopes at high speed as part of the race. Runndrs have been seriously hurt and most cross the finish line muddy, bruised and exhausted!
Church in Seward, Alaska
Funky Signs in Downtown Seward Alaska
Other things to do are the SeaLife Centre – a large aquarium with starfish, salmon, Stellar Sea Lions & puffins. The fee was quite steep, so we didn’t go in, but it seemed very popular, especially for the kids. It’s open in summer from 9 – 9 and winter 10 – 5 daily. No reservations needed for general admission, but they do offer special encounters and behind-the-scene tours which do requite reservations.
Another thing to do near Seward (and it’s free) is the hike to Exit Glacier. The road to the parking lot is right at the entrance to the town (at mile 3.7) then you drive about 8 miles on a gravel road to the Nature Centre and the walking trails. There are several trails, some paved, some gravel with scree and rock debris. Exit Glacier retreats about 50 feet a year, and special markers date the retreat of the glacier. You can either take a self-guided walk or there’s park interpreters who’ll walk with you. A worthy side trip!
Exit glacier near Seward
Exit Glacier trail
During the Gold Rush, Seward was the start of the famous Iditarod Trail which ran from Seward to the northern gold fields. Now this iconic race begins in Anchorage and ends 1,000 miles later in Nome. You can still find places that will take you on dog sledding tours in the winter!
As you walk around town, look for some of the interesting murals on the buildings, highlighting some of the history and activities in the area.
One of many murals in Seward, Alaska
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