Seward

Both Homer and Seward are not exactly places you visit along the way. They are both interesting places you go out of your way to visit. When in Seward, we went to the Kenai Fjords National Park and walked on a trail that led to the Exit Glacier. Exit Glacier is one of numerous glaciers that is part of the Harding Icefield which is a vestige of the last ice age.

We visited the Alaska SeaLife Center which is a non-profit, world-class, cold water marine research facility, aka Alaska’s premier public aquarium and marine wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre. Part of the capital funding for this facility was made possible through the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Settlement. We enjoyed seeing the puffins and seals. As we left Seward, we saw a Celebrity Cruise Ship docked at the pier.

We left the Kenai Peninsula and onwards to Palmer. Palmer is famous for their giant sized vegetables. We went to the Palmer Visitor Center which has a garden beside it showcasing some of their flowers and vegetables. We stopped by a produce stand to pick up some of their local vegetables. It was a tad pricey but when we are travelling, we like to buy local.

Our last stop for the day is Wrangell St-Elias National Park, the largest in the US. We considered going all the way into the Kennicott/McCarthy area but decided against driving 3.5hrs on a gravel road. Instead we spent a couple hours at the park’s visitors centre and attended a ranger talk and watched a short and informative documentary about the park. And despite a short stay, the kids were able to earn another Junior Ranger Badge.

As this is the halfway point of our trip in terms of distance – we will start to make our way back home. We will spend a night in Eagle River just outside of Anchorage and another night in Tok again.