Road Trip: Alaska's Seward Highway - from Anchorage to Seward

From Anchorage to Seward, the drive along Alaska’s Seward Highway is a visual buffet of towering mountains, wildlife and sparkling water. The Seward Highway is also one of my absolutely favourite road trips.

On our most recent visit to Alaska, we decided to shake things up a bit. Instead of our usual trip down to see friends in Kasilof (because we were going to see them later in the week in Anchorage), we decided to drive down the Seward Highway and spend the night in the little town of Seward, Alaska. The breathtaking land shaped by glaciers, nestled between mountains and the ocean. Population, 2800 (give or take few).  And as some would call it, where Alaska starts.

Starting in Anchorage, the Seward Highway meanders generally south 127 miles (204 km) from sea to mountains to sea across the Kenai Peninsula, ending in the harbour town of Seward, on Resurrection Bay. The time-pressed traveler could make it to Seward and back in a full day, but take my advice, this memorable road trip is best enjoyed across one or more nights.

There’s a few reasons why this drive is one of my favourite road trips. One, it’s short – only about 2.5 hours – which is key when you have antsy little ones in the car. But by far my favourite reason is because of its stunning beauty. In fact, the Seward Highway has garnered many awards for this stunning beauty – among them are the National Forest Scenic Byway, All American Road and Alaska Scenic Byway. In a nutshell, all of those titles mean its stunning.

You may also like >> Road Trip: From Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

You get the idea right? It’s stunning. If I haven’t hammered home that point enough, I’m going to take you along on our little road trip, and share some equally stunning photos from our adventure.

One of the most impressive things about Anchorage is how quickly you can leave the “big city” of Anchorage behind. We hit the highway, heading south past Potter Marsh, with the city quickly disappearing behind us. 

Normally, we would stop at places along the way – Potter Marsh, Bird Point, Beluga Point, McHugh Creek, Girdwood, to name a new – but this road trip, we only had one stop in mind, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC).

Believe it or not, in the three years we lived in Anchorage and three times we have visited since, AWCC has not been a destination for us to visit. No real reason why. But when you have little ones that are HUGE animal lovers, it’s added to the itinerary. 

This nonprofit conservation centre provides large-enclosure spaces for orphaned and rehabilitating Alaska animals such as bears, moose, musk ox and caribou, and is open year-round. Visitors can view the animals by either driving or walking the 1.5-mile loop that encircles the centre. We chose to walk, and splash in muddy puddles along the way. Because it’s more fun that way, of course.

After peeling off our many layers (and letting the rental car warm up a bit), we hopped back in the car and were on our way. The terrain around us quickly changed as we entered the Pass. Aside from a few glacial lakes, there was no water until we the end of the road, in Seward.

We did make one additional mandatory stop, at the Kenai Peninsula welcome sign.  I love to see the difference between this photo and the one we took in the exact same spot just two years ago. 

We arrived in Seward around 12:00pm AKST (which is four hours behind EST), and checked into our hotel for the night - Harbour360 Hotel, the premier waterfront hotel in Seward located right on the small boat harbour. If you plan to visit Seward, I highly recommend this hotel - if not for the stunning view from your harbour view room, for its close walking distance to Seward’s finest restaurants, shops and the Alaska Railroad Depot, and the delicious continental breakfast included in your stay. If you’re visiting in the busy season (May to August), I also highly recommend a wildlife cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park with Major Marine Tours - you check in and board straight from the hotel.  We did a cruise for my 25th birthday a few years back, and it was such an amazing experience!

After a quick bite for lunch, we headed to the Alaska SeaLife Centre, Alaska’s leading public aquarium and only marine mammal rehabilitation facility. If you know me even slightly, you know we would NOT miss visiting an aquarium. Stellar sea lions, harbor seals, a variety of sea birds and native Alaskan fish and invertebrates such as rock fish, salmon, sea stars, octopus and more call the SeaLife Centre home. The Aquarium also has a viewing area where you can look down onto the pools that are home to some of the animals are being rehabilitated and studied by researchers to better develop an understanding of the role of marine mammals, birds and fish in the arctic and subarctic marine ecosystems, and to generate scientific knowledge relevant to resource management and policy.

The great thing about visiting the Aquarium at this time of year was that we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves, giving the girls freedom to run from exhibit to exhibit to check out all of the Alaskan animals. They even braved sticking their hands in the cold water invertebrate touch tank to get a “hug” from a sea urchin, and feel an anemone, sea star and more. 

Another highlight of our visit was watching the stellar sea lions "dancing" in the water with their newly introduced enrichment, a piece of firehouse. We were told it was the first time they had received this item to play with, and clearly it was a hit. 

After our visit to the Aquarium, we decided to take a walk through the harbour to check out all of the boats and look for any sea life that may be swimming through (think sea lions, otters and seals). Believe it or not, people are still fishing this time of year. So while there may not have been as much action as there would be in the summer with all of the tourists, it was still fun to watch the fishing boats go out. 

While things being quiet at the Aquarium were a bonus, one of the downsides of visiting in the “shoulder season” (the time between busy summer and dead quiet winter) is that once the tourists leave, a good majority of the businesses close for the winter. A lot of the restaurants were closed, meaning our choice for dinner was limited. Luckily, one of our options was The Highliner Restaurant. They support local, natural, sustainable  & organic whenever possible, and their Alaskan seafood pasta (think shrimp, halibut and scallops) was delicious!

With the days getting shorter, the darkness sets in pretty quickly. I remember that being one of the toughest things about winters in Alaska. Not the cold, that I could handle. It was the darkness. But then again, if you can make it through that, the long days of summer more than make up for it.

We headed back to the Harbor360 Hotel to pack it in for the night before our drive back to Anchorage in the morning. In the morning, we got to witness a beautiful sunset over the Seward harbor. Let's be real, it was about 9:00am AKST, but that's Alaska in the fall - the run doesn't rise until you've been up for at least two or three hours.

Before hitting the Seward Highway back to Anchorage, we decided to make one last stop, at Exit Glacier - one of the most road accessible glaciers in the entire state. In that same trip to Seward for my 25th birthday, we spent one night camping at Exit Glacier. To this day, it still remains one of my favourite ways I’ve celebrated my big day. Unfortunately, this visit wasn’t as memorable. While we had talked up seeing a “giant ice cube” to Morley (really is the only way to logically explain a glacier to a 3 year old), we didn’t do our homework. Turns out, the road to Exit Glacier had recently closed for the winter. Our bad.

So, back to Anchorage it was. But not without seeing that giant ice cube we had promised. While Exit Glacier is the only one you can walk to, glaciers aren’t a rare sight in Alaska. Instead, we decided to hit the road and stop at Portage Lake, about an hour south of Anchorage, to see Portage Glacier. Like Exit, the Begich Boggs Visitor Centre was closed for the season, but that didn’t stop us from hoping out of the car in the whipping wind and rain to point out the giant ice cube that is the glacier, and all of the small ice cubes bobbing in the lake. 

While summer may the best time to visit Alaska, there is still plenty to do in the “off season”. Alaska offers so much in all seasons, it really just depends what you want to get out of your trip. And personally, a road trip from Anchorage to Seward, should ALWAYS be on the itinerary.

Is Alaska in your future travel plans? Check out my recommended Alaska travel planning resources.

What is your favourite road trip? Have you been to Seward, Alaska? I’d love to hear!

Disclosure: We were provided complimentary accommodation at Harbor360 Hotel in Seward, Alaska in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% that of To & Fro.

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Favourite Outdoor Spaces in Anchorage, Alaska

When people hear that we lived in Alaska, their initial response is usually shock. They picture it to be this exotic, yet cold and dark, place and me to be this insane person for choosing to live there and loving every minute of it.

Let me tell you a little secret - it's not so remote a place. Yes, at times it can be dark and cold, but I wouldn’t necessarily use the words exotic or remote. At least, not where we lived in the largest city of Anchorage. For a city of 300,00(ish) people, despite being well over 4500 miles from what we call home, it does have all of the modern conveniences of home - Walmart, Costco, Target, to name a few. 

What is different than life in the concrete jungle of Toronto is that Anchorage is home to some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces we have ever seen, both in the city and just outside. You can drive a mere five minutes out of the city and be, well essentially, in the middle of nowhere.

And while we loved to explore outside of the city, we also enjoyed frequent afternoon trips to the more local outdoor spaces. Today, I'm sharing some of those popular outdoors spaces in Anchorage, Alaska with you. 

An oldie, but a goodie. The first time we climbed Flattop, circa summer 2011.

Flattop Mountain

Flattop is easily Anchorage’s most identifiable peak because of its  well, flat top, and is also Alaska’s most visited peak. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can ascend the 1.5 mile, 1,350 vertical foot trail to the rocky, football field-sized summit in about an hour and take in panoramic views from Denali to the Aleutian Islands. And when I say ascend, it is not a simply foot path. The last part of the climb involves a bit of skill. If you want vistas without the challenge, you can walk the short path from the parking lot to the overlook. 

If you don’t have a car, Flattop Mountain Shuttle has a service that transports you from Downtown (at 4th and C Street) to Flattop. And, if you are driving, visitor beware, the parking lot does get crowded in the warmer months. There is also a $5 fee per car, or you can purchase an annual State Parks pass.

Kincaid Park

Kincaid Park offers the easiest way to get outside right in the city. This 1400-acre forest sits atop an old glacial moraine and offers one of America's top trail systems as well as Anchorage's largest moose population. The park is home to a maze of walking, biking and skiing trails, including the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail which connects Kincaid to downtown Anchorage. Be warned, if you visit in the winter, a lot of the trails are designated for skiers only. Be courteous of their trails. 

This park is also home to Anchorage’s only sandy beach, a secret to most. It holds a special place in our hearts, but you can read more about that here.

Potter Marsh

Potter Marsh, part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, is one of the most accessible wildlife viewing areas in Alaska. The marsh is a rest area for migratory birds including trumpeter swans, and is a year-round home for beavers, moose and bald eagles. Occasionally, you may even spot salmon spawning in the deeper water. You can get close to the marsh without getting your feet wet by walking the 1550-foot boardwalk, complete with interpretive signs and spotting scopes. Flanked by the Chugach Mountains on one side and the Turnagain Arm (and Seward Highway) on the other, this area provides excellent photo opportunities without leaving the city.

The Alaska Zoo

It might not be your conventional way to get outside, but it is still outside none the less. The 25-acre wooded hillside setting of the Alaska Zoo allows visitors to get up close views of many animals that call the great state home, as well as some from other like-climate parts of the world. What started as a home for an elephant named Annabelle who was won in a contest, has evolved into a home for orphaned and injured wildlife from across the state. Today, the non-profit Alaska Zoo is home to 100 animals and is dedicated to promoting the conservation of arctic, sub-arctic and like-climate species through education, research and community enrichment. 

It holds a very special place in our hearts, but you can read more about that here. 

Have you visited Anchorage, or live in the area? What are your favourite outdoor spaces? I’d love to hear!

A Walk Through the Alaska Zoo

Whenever we travel to a new destination, the animal lover in me always enjoys visiting the local zoo or aquarium.

Our recent visit to Alaska was no exception. Except this time, the local zoo wasn’t a new place to us. We’ve been there many times before.

The Alaska Zoo is a pretty special place - not only is it the only zoo in the entire state of Alaska, it has a proud, and extremely interesting, history dating all the way back to 1969. 

What started as a home for an elephant won in a contest (crazy, I know), has evolved into a home for orphaned and injured wildlife from across the state.

Situated on 25 acres on the Anchorage hillside, today The Alaska Zoo is a non-profit dedicated to promoting the conservation of arctic, sub-arctic and like-climate species through education, research and community enrichment. 

It also holds a special place in our hearts. When we lived in Anchorage, the Alaska Zoo gave me an opportunity to do something I love, experience some incredible adventures, meet some amazing people I still consider good friends and ultimately, hockey aside, was a large part of the reason we were able to stay in Alaska for three years.

And this visit around, I was very excited to be able to share it with Morley.

Allow me introduce you to some of my furry and feathery friends… 

Wandering down the trails, you’ll pass the two resident polar bears, wolverine, moose, red fox, Canadian lynx, musk ox, owls, eagles, and wolves just to name a few. Venturing further you’ll meet the resident porcupine, black bear, bald eagles, coyote, dall sheep, mountain goat and three brown bears. Jake, the Kodiak, is the oldest resident at the zoo and arrived in the 80s. Amur tigers and snow leopards, not found in Alaska but in similar climates elsewhere, also call the Zoo home. 

All of the animals come with a special story, and all play a big part in why the zoo is so popular amongst Anchorage residents and visitors.

For example, my pal Peabody the great horned owl (pictured above on the right) is missing a wing. As a result, he can't fly. And an owl that couldn't fly wouldn't be able to hunt for food or avoid predators in the wild, and therefore would not survive. Having been rescue and rehabilitated, he now has a permanent home at the Zoo and is a favourite amongst the school children he visits. 

That's Lauren the dall sheep and Maya the musk ox above. They both came to the Zoo at just a few days old. Lauren was separated from her herd in Nelchina, AK and Maya rejected by her mom shortly after birth.  I had the fortunate opportunity of working hands-on with both of them, harness training them and eventually being able to take them for walks on the Zoo trails and even off grounds for outreach. Now Maya is well over 200 lbs (with some pretty sharp horns), and a mama herself. 

You can say I have a pretty strong connection with the place. 

When the fact that I worked at the Zoo came up in conversation, Anchorage locals were never shy to tell me their own connections to the magical place. And I was always happy to listen. Whether it was remembering visiting the elephant as a child, having Peabody the great horned owl visit their classroom or just enjoying a Christmas-light lit stroll down the snow-covered trails, every person’s connection with the Alaska Zoo is unique, and just as special. Much like the animals that call this place home. 

If you are visiting the Anchorage area, I highly recommend scheduling time to visit the Alaska Zoo. Two hours is all you need to take the quick drive up the hillside, say hello to my furry and feathery friends and help support a place that does amazing things for conservation and the animals of Alaska. 

The Alaska Zoo

4731 O'Malley Road

Anchorage, AK 99507

Ph: 907-346-2133

Do you enjoy visiting zoos and aquariums in your travels? What one is you favourite? I’d love to hear! 

50+ Ways to Occupy a Toddler on an Airplane

I'll be honest here, going into our recent trip to Alaska, I was nervous. Not nervous for the visit itself, but nervous for the plane ride there and back.

It wasn't the fear of flying itself that made me nervous. Nah, it was the fear of the 14 hour travel day with a toddler that sparked the nerves. 

I knew the flight would be different than her last two at 3 months and 10 months. Toddlers are fully mobile, opinionated and most times, it’s their way or the highway.

So ya, I was nervous.

I know you're dying to know... how did it go?!

I would love to tell you that the flights (that's plural, for three flights each way) were all rainbows and butterflies, but they weren't. There were a few times when we became "those people” - the people that everyone rolls their eyes at when they see a small child in tow. The people with the screaming, inconsolable toddler. The people whose anxiety immediately shoots through the roof because we knew things could go downhill real fast if we didn't act quick.

But, at the end of the flight, we were also the people who received comments about how well their child traveled. Even from a few of those initial eye rollers.

It really wasn't so bad.

I had worked myself up for it to be so awful, that when in reality, it was not all that bad.

Despite a few short moments of anxiety, it was all worth the memories we made with Morley, and we would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Are you planning a trip on an airplane with a toddler? There are many ways to keep them occupied that don't take a lot of prep work. Here are 40+ tried and true options to consider for your next airplane ride with a toddler.

PRE-FLIGHT

My first piece of advice comes before you even get on the plane, and involves booking your flights. If possible, schedule your flights around your child’s nap time or overnight, in hopes that they sleep. Avoid times when they are cranky. Don’t pick a flight that sets you up for failure before you even leave.

If your child will be sitting on your lap, book your seat in the aisle. When time comes, this will allow your child to wander up and down the aisle, and you easier access to chase them/the washroom.

When packing, add extra clothes, pjs, stuffy and blankie to your carry on for some added comfort. 

Remember there is often 2-3 hours of waiting time in the airport, between check in and boarding. For us, this was possibly the hardest part. (Especially when one of our flights home was delayed and that initial 2.5 hours turned into 4.) Bring a small umbrella stroller to push your child through the airport. While you’re waiting to board, this could also become a toy for them, allowing them to push it around. Most airlines will also allow you to gate check this free of charge.

COMFORT

Once you get on the plane, work with what is available to you. If your child will be sitting on your lap and you see an empty row, immediately ask the flight attendant if you can take advantage. Giving your lap infant a seat of their own will give you more room as well. 

Comfort is key, especially on long flights when you're trying to get your child to sleep. Ask the flight attendant for an extra blanket.

If the flight is during their normal sleeping time, change them into their pyjamas and give them a bottle (if they take one) to signal its time to sleep. If your child drinks milk, don’t worry about bringing your own. Ask your flight attendant. On our recent Delta flight, they had small cartons available. 

If your child still takes a pacifier, now is not the time to leave it at home. Not only will this help with comfort, it may also help alleviate some discomfort during takeoff and landing. Bring a pacifier clip and attach it to your child's clothing so it doesn't fall on the floor. 

 

TOYS & ENTERTAINMENT

Ask the flight attendant if they have any activities for younger children - often times this may be as simple as a colouring book and crayons. 

Next, there's always the inflight entertainment system - pop on a movie or tv show your child enjoys. Depending on the carrier, nowadays the selection is pretty impressive. Read through the magazine and safety card in the seat back pocket.

As much as we try to avoid the use of the iPad, we knew it was not going to happen on a long travel day. In fact, we encouraged it. Prior to the trip, we downloaded lots of new and exciting toddler-friendly apps. Elmo ABC, KidsDoodle (pictured below) and Toddler Flash Cards (pictured below) topped Morley’s favourites list.  Don't forget about a solid case to product the iPad incase your toddler drops it. 

Since we did not want her using headphones, we opted for apps that did not need sound. This also helped to minimize the disruption to our neighbours. If you have a Netflix subscription, download a few of their favourite shows a head of time. 

Real books are heavy, and with carryon space at a premium, I recommend that you leave them at home. If your toddler enjoys reading, try downloading some picture books on your iPad or tablet. 

The busy bag I created was a hit. I filled it with some of Morley’s favourite things (crayons, colouring book, stickers) and some things she had never seen before (play-doh, animal dominoes, gel window clings, etc.). I packed items that were small and could be sorted, stacked, or otherwise moved from place to place - foam blocks, coloured popsicle sticks, small animal figurines, to name a few. 

The bag itself (her school backpack) was also a hit - she loved playing with the zipper. 

FOOD & DRINK

When the snack and drink service comes around, take advantage of what they have to offer. Grab extra snacks, some for now and some for later. Toddlers love to sort and move things from place to place. Ask for a few extra creamers for your coffee and an extra cup. Put down the tray table and let them use their imagination.

Snacks are a must. Our go-tos are squeezable apple sauce pouches and small finger foods, such as goldfish, cheerios and veggie sticks. Small, individual pieces will take your toddler time to eat. (Be sure to check FAA regulations before you pack your snacks.) 

To save on space, only pack enough for one leg of your journey. If you have a layover, plan to restock your snacks at an airport store. Fruit snacks, granola bars, yogurt and fruit cups can easily be found. Don’t forget to grab utensils, or bring your own from home.

For drinks, make sure you have a sippy cup with a straw and/or closable lid. Last thing you want is the water spilling all over, or falling on the gross floor.

Have you taken an airplane with a toddler? What are some of your favourite ways to occupy a tiny traveler? I’d love to hear!

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Road Trip: From Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

*This post was sponsored by Cars.com, however, all opinions are 100% that of To & Fro.

Road trips are our thing. We love a good road trip. 

When we lived in Alaska, our favourite thing to do during our summer weekends was to pack up the car with our outdoor gear and just drive. Drive to explore new places and spaces, down roads we had never been. 

When planning our Alaskan adventure this time around, we knew the three(ish) hour trip down to the Kenai Peninsula to visit friends was a must. We had done the drive a handful of times before, but this time was a bit different. Not only did we have a little one in tow this trip, Anchorage had been blanketed by dense fog the days leading up to our road trip. We knew that there was the potential the drive could get a bit dicey going through the mountains pass. But, as they say in Alaska, you can't plan around the weather. 

Despite the weather, the drive down to what is affectionately known as "Alaska's Playground" is always an adventure, and one serious visual buffet. 

Hop in the car. Let me take you on a scenic road trip from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.

It’s 9:30am on an early November day. We hit the Seward Highway and head south out of Anchorage just as the sun is rising. The dense blanket of fog and cotton candy skies make the first leg of the journey along the Turnagain Arm especially stunning, and easily the most dramatic. 

As we leave the “big city” behind, the highway narrows to two lanes, and is sandwiched between Potter Marsh on our left and the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet on our right. 

Potter Marsh is a favourite for nature lovers, often welcoming snow goose on their migratory stopover, spawning salmon, bald eagles and the occasional moose. Maybe we’ll stop there on the way back, hoping the fog has lifted.

Past the marsh, the road begins to wind - this time, we have the ebbing and flowing tide of the Cook Inlet on our right and the steep rocky cliffs of the Chugach State Park on our left. A bit of a change of scenery. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the white specks in the mountains - they may just be dall sheep.

We’re in a bit of a time crunch. But, if we could, we would stop at one, or more, of the many scenic lookouts or tiny towns along the way - Beluga Point, Bird Point, Girdwood and Portage Valley, just to name a few.

As we pass the Portage Valley turnoff, where you would catch the access tunnel to Whittier and Prince William Sound, we begin to wind ourselves around the tip of the Turnagain Arm. Again, the scenery changes. Now with mountains as far as the eyes can see. We have officially reached Turnagain Pass. 

Continuing on the highway, we make a short pit stop to get our photo taken at the Kenai Peninsula welcome sign. A must do.

Back on the highway, a sign for Hope suddenly appears. Seeing as we’re on an adventure, let’s go down a road we’ve never traveled and check out the small town. Population 192. 

And, just as quick as we arrive, we turn back around to the highway. I'm sure its a beautiful, bustling little town in the summer, but in early November, there's not a soul in sight. 

At Tern Lake, we take a slight right at the fork and meet up with the Sterling Highway, one of Alaska's Scenic Byways. This highway is a popular place in the summer months as it leads to some of the best fishing spots along the Kenai River. 

During a road trip in the summer, its not rare to see shoulder to shoulder “combat” salmon fishing along the banks of the turquoise-coloured Kenai and Russian Rivers, or the odd bear wandering the banks in search of its next meal. 

This area truly is Alaska’s Playground, and is also a haven for rafting, flight seeing, horseback riding, hiking, camping and more. This time of year the bears are sleeping, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles and moose!

Continuing on, we pass the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and drive through the small towns of Sterling and Soldotna. Not far from Sterling is Funny River. You may have heard about the terrible forest fire that happened there a few years back. 

If you hook a right through Soldotna, you’ll be taken to the Peninsula’s namesake, the town of Kenai itself. 

Seeing as we've been in the car for a few hours now, lets make a pit stop for a snack at one of our favourite places in Soldotna - The Moose is Loose. Morley will tell you, they have the best apple fritter donuts. 

We're almost there, I promise.

Driving just a few miles past Soldotna, we’ve arrived at our destination of Kasilof. If time allowed, we would keep on driving to the end of the Sterling Highway and reach Homer, the halibut fishing capital of Alaska. I highly recommend planning a trip to come back during the summer months for some halibut fishing on the Kachemak Bay, a must on anyone's Alaskan bucket list. 

Now that we're here, it's time to kick back and relax for a night while we catch up with some good friends.

Thanks for coming along, we hope you enjoyed the ride!

Are you planning an upcoming road trip vacation, and in search of the perfect rental car? For peace of mind before you rent, check out cars.com for the latest expert reviews, multi-car comparisons and more! 

Have you taken any good road trips lately? I'd love to hear!