Seward

Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. Ships dock at the cruise terminal, and the small downtown is about a mile away. The town has a waterfront with a harbour, fishing boats, and the Alaska SeaLife Center, a marine research aquarium with puffins, seals, and Steller sea lions. Kenai Fjords National Park is the main draw. Boat tours (half-day or full-day) head into the fjords to see tidewater glaciers calving into the sea, humpback whales, orcas, puffins, and sea otters. Exit Glacier, the park's only road-accessible glacier, has hiking trails to the ice face and to the Harding Icefield overlook. The town's main street has shops and a few restaurants. Fresh halibut and salmon are on most menus. The US dollar is the currency. Dress in warm layers since glacial winds are cold.