Planning a trip to Seward
Visitor Information
The Seward Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 749, Seward, AK 99664 (tel. 907/224-8051; www.seward.com), has a visitor center, on the right side of the Seward Highway as you enter town, that's open year-round (summer daily 8am-6pm; winter Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). The chamber can give business information and last-minute help in finding a room.
Special Events
The Fourth of July is the biggest day of the year in Seward, when the whole town explodes with visitors, primarily from Anchorage. Besides the parade and many small-town festivities, the main attraction is the 3 1/4-mile Mount Marathon Race, run every year since it started as a bar bet in 1915. The racers go from the middle of town straight up rocky Mount Marathon to its 3,022-foot peak, then tumble down again, arriving muddy and bloody at the finish line in town. Strong binoculars allow you to see the whole thing from town, including the pratfalls of the runners on their way down.
The huge Silver Salmon Derby starts the second Saturday of August, although excellent fishing continues into the fall, including the peak of the silver run. The chamber of commerce visitor centers can provide tickets and rules.
Getting Around
You can easily cover downtown Seward on foot, but a little help is handy to get back and forth from the boat harbor. If it's not raining, a bike may be the best way. Seward Bike Shop (tel. 907/224-2448), in a railcar near the depot at the harbor, rents high-performance mountain bikes and models good for just getting around town, plus accessory equipment. A cruiser is $12 half-day, $19 full day; a mountain bike is $18 and $30. For a cab, try Alaska Mike's Taxi (tel. 907/224-6453) and PJ's Taxi (tel. 907/224-5555).
Getting There
Getting There
You can make the spectacular 127-mile drive down from Anchorage. All major car-rental agencies are in Anchorage.
By Bus: The Seward Bus Line (tel. 888/420-7788 or 907/224-3608 in Seward, 907/563-0800 in Anchorage) makes a round-trip from Seward to Anchorage daily, year-round (except Sun Oct-Apr); the fare is $50 one-way, $95 round-trip. They'll pick up and drop off passengers anywhere en route and, for an extra $5, take you to the airport.
The Park Connection Motorcoach Service (tel. 800/266-8625 or 907/245-0200; www.alaskatravel.com/bus-lines) connects Seward with Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park twice daily in summer in each direction with big, comfortable coaches. The fare is $55 between Seward and Anchorage, $145 between Seward and Denali, half off under age 12. Passengers going to Anchorage get a free pass to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center.
By Train: The Coastal Classic route between Anchorage and Seward is one of miraculous beauty. The Alaska Railroad (tel. 800/544-0552 or 907/265-2494; www.alaskarailroad.com) offers passenger service from Anchorage and back daily in summer. The route is even prettier than the highway, passing close by glaciers and following a ledge halfway up the narrow, vertical Placer River gorge, where it ducks into tunnels and pops out at bends in the river. The landscape looks as it did when the first person beheld it. The fare for basic service is $75 one-way, $119 round-trip; children ages 2 to 11 half price. Gold Star Service on double-decker cars with white tablecloth dining is $130 adults one-way, $219 round-trip. The railroad also offers packages with lodging and activities in Seward. Don't try to do it in 1 day from Anchorage -- the 16-hour marathon is too much. A rental car will almost always be cheaper for the day than the train, but here's a fluke of pricing and taxation that could save money: Rental-car taxes are so high in Anchorage that, depending on how long you keep your car, you may find it makes financial sense to take the train to Seward, rent a car from there from the local office of Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; www.rentacaralaska.com), and return the car in Anchorage.
Fast Facts
Bank -- Wells Fargo is at 908 3rd Ave., with an ATM.
Hospital -- Providence Seward Medical Center is at 417 1st Ave. (tel. 907/224-5205).
Internet Access -- Free at the Seward Public Library, 5th and Adams.
Police -- For nonemergency situations, call the Seward Police Department (tel. 907/224-3338) or, outside the city limits, the Alaska State Troopers (tel. 907/224-3346).
Post Office -- At 5th Avenue and Madison Street.
Taxes -- Sales tax is 7%. The room tax totals 11%.
