Free & Cheap Things to Do in Seward

Wildlife & Nature

Alaska's only public aquarium and a working marine research and wildlife-rescue center on Resurrection Bay. Walk through an undersea kelp forest, watch Steller sea lions and harbor seals dive in two-story tanks, meet puffins in the aviary, touch tide-pool creatures, and learn how its scientists rehabilitate stranded animals.

Address: 301 Railway Ave, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: The Center uses dynamic 'Plan Ahead & Save' pricing, so book online for a set day and time to beat the walk-up rate. A free audio tour is included; bring your own earbuds. Open daily; allow 1-2 hours.

Glaciers & Nature

One of Alaska's most accessible roadside glaciers, a 12-mile drive from town inside Kenai Fjords National Park. A flat half-mile path leads to the glacier's outwash plain, while year-markers along the road show how far the ice has retreated. Free daily ranger-led walks run Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Address: Exit Glacier Rd, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: Exit Glacier Road is open roughly mid-May to mid-November, weather permitting, so check current conditions before driving. The lower loop is easy and stroller-friendly; the Harding Icefield Trail above it is a strenuous 7-mile round trip. No entrance fee.

History & Museums

The national park's main visitor center, beside the Seward small-boat harbor. Free exhibits explain the park's tidewater glaciers, the vast Harding Icefield, and Resurrection Bay's marine life, and rangers staff an information desk, show a park film, and help plan hikes and glacier cruises.

Address: 1212 4th Ave, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: Open daily roughly 9am-5:30pm in summer (mid-May to September) and closed in winter. Pick up the free park map, ask about ranger programs, and get the latest on Exit Glacier Road conditions before heading out.

Hiking & Outdoors

The steep mountain looming over downtown, home to one of Alaska's oldest traditions: the Fourth of July Mount Marathon Race, run straight up and back since 1915. You don't have to race, as a marked hiker's trail climbs to big views over Resurrection Bay at a steadier pace.

Address: Jefferson St & Monroe St, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: The full climb is strenuous with loose scree near the top, so wear sturdy shoes and start at the well-signed hiker's trailhead, not the racers' route. Even the lower switchbacks reward you with bay views. Allow 3-5 hours round trip.

Parks & Nature

A pocket of old-growth forest right in town, with easy gravel trails linking two small lakes beneath Mount Marathon. A footbridge, picnic spots, and benches make it a quiet, family-friendly stroll just blocks from downtown, good for a leg-stretch between harbor and museum stops.

Address: 2nd Ave, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: Access the park from behind the State of Alaska Seward Job Center on 2nd Avenue. The flat loop takes 20-30 minutes and connects to the base of the Mount Marathon trail if you want to keep going.

Parks & Nature

A grassy shoreline park and paved path stretching more than a mile from the small-boat harbor to the SeaLife Center along Resurrection Bay. Walk past historical markers, playgrounds, a skate park, and beach access while watching for sea otters, bald eagles, and sea lions in the bay.

Address: Ballaine Blvd, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: The waterfront trail is flat, paved, and stroller- and bike-friendly. Walking it is free; only the campsites cost money. Morning light and low tide are best for spotting otters and shorebirds along the rocky beach.

History & Museums

A modern downtown library with a local-history museum on the ground floor, curated by the Resurrection Bay Historical Society. Exhibits cover the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and tsunami that reshaped Seward, the Iditarod Trail's Mile 0, Russian-era artifacts, and Rockwell Kent's Alaska paintings.

Address: 239 6th Ave, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: Museum admission is $5 (free for kids 12 and under) May through September and free the rest of the year. Don't miss the earthquake film and the Rockwell Kent collection. The library itself is free, with restrooms and Wi-Fi.

Hiking & Outdoors

A local-favorite forest-to-beach hike south of town in Caines Head State Recreation Area. The roughly 3-mile round trip through spruce and cottonwood leads to Tonsina Point, where the creek meets Resurrection Bay and a wide gravel beach opens up for tide-pooling and spotting salmon in season.

Address: Lowell Point Rd, Seward, AK 99664

Tip: Start from the Lowell Point trailhead; the trail can be muddy, so wear waterproof boots. Continuing to Caines Head's WWII fort requires timing the low tide, so check a tide table first. Watch for bears and carry spray.