Seward, Alaska & The Kenai Peninsula
Salmon Fishers in Bird Creek, one of our first stops along the Turnagain Arm, right outside ofAnchorage
Heading south out of Anchorage, we didn’t have to wait long to see dramatic scenery in the mountains surrounding the Turnagain Arm. I felt bad for Drew, stuck driving while I made use of the freedom to twist, gawk, and photograph. It was the first of many drives in which the hours in the car were not just tolerated, but enjoyed. The scenery all the way to the Kenai Peninsula was consistently impressive, and we took advantage of a few of the pullouts along the highway (at one of them we swore we saw a bear, that, upon further binocular inspection, definitely turned out to be…an impressively-shaped tree stump).
Mountains surround the Turnagain Arm
The view from the museum at the top of Alyeska Resort in Girdwood
The Forager Benedict from Froth and Forage and an awesome Girdwood Brewing sour
The Turnagain Arm
Right outside of Anchorage, we made a quick (and, I think, skippable) stop at Potter’s Marsh, then had lunch at Froth and Forage, a restaurant that had popped up a few times in my planning and had also been featured in the New York Times. Reading about its small size and potentially long wait times, I had made a 12:30 reservation, but when we arrived, we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. Still, though, I’d suggest making a reservation for a weekend visit. It was delicious and we were thankful we’d made a point to stop there.
What an awesome view for skiing in winter
Girdwood Brewing Company
Girdwood
On our way back north a few days later, we stopped in Girdwood, a town most known for its Alyeska Resort. After we parked, we stopped at the concierge desk to ask for directions to the tramway, looking to take advantage of the vistas promised by the clear, sunny day. The concierge said that previous guests who hadn’t found time to take the tram had actually left their tickets behind, and would we like to have them? We spent several hours walking around the top of the mountain appreciating the Turnagain Arm from above. We also enjoyed a stop at Girdwood Brewing Company before heading to Anchorage, though I regret not also having time to enjoy the well-reviewed Winner Creek Trail.
Along the Seward Pier
Seward
Seward is a charming fishing town (which, for most of the months I was planning the trip, I incorrectly pronounced sea-ward rather than the correct way, which sounds like sewer; I’m happy to report that the town in no way matches its unfortunate pronunciation). We’d return to it often throughout the next few days.
A photo opportunity for visitors who join fishing trips
Our first Airbnb in Seward
Seward Favorites
Stop at Seward Brewing Company for the excellent halibut curry dish but not necessarily for the beer, which was some of the least memorable we tried in ten days in this beer-loving state
We went to Thorn’s Showcase Lounge after our day of hiking the Harding Icefield Trail, and it was just right. We had beer, their famed “basket of butt” (solid!), and devoured the loaded tater tots (melty cheese with beans and green onions on the potatoes). We overheard the bartender telling a customer that their “specialty” was White Russians and looked at each other in immediate unspoken agreement that we’d be ordering a pair for dessert and boy were they great (“it’s because we use real cream”)
Resurrect Art Coffee Shop, located in an old church, was a welcome place to spend an hour during the misty days in Seward. Sit on the top floor to get a great view over Seward and the water and enjoy the excellent oil paintings of Seward scenery
We enjoyed our first Airbnb, a cute cabin on stilts just outside Seward. We loved listening to the water and drinking tea on the porch, and for anyone leery of other a more rugged camping situation will appreciate the kitchenette and great new bathroom.
A pretty mural in Seward
It’s not much of a photo opp, but we give two thumbs up to the “basket of butt” and the loaded tator tots at Thorns
The halibut curry from Seward Brewing Company- would love to try to recreate this at home!
Resurrect Art Coffee Shop
We loved the blue of the water at Seward’s harbor
Seward Skippables
The Alaska Sealife Center, founded using money collected from the Valdez oil spill, focuses on rehabilitating injured sea animals. It came recommended in all the guidebooks and online research we did. However, while we learned a lot and enjoyed the close up view of the seals and puffins, I admit that I don’t think it was worth the $25 per person we paid to see it, especially since we’d see so much wildlife on the boat tour the next day.
We joyed our anniversary dinner at The Cookery, but when we recounted our favorite eats at the end of the trip, we found ourselves much more fond of the more casual restaurants and neither of us mentioned this one
Fresh Oysters at The Cookery.
A photobooth shot from the Alaska Sealife Center