Getting around in Seward

[beechfor]

We are starting to make plans for our pre-cruise tour next June. Our plans are to rent a car in Anchorage to travel to Talkeetna and Denali and then back to Anchorage. From there we will take the train to Seward for a one night stay before our cruise. Since we will be in Seward without a car what options are available to travel to Exit Glacier? Are the Alaskan Sealife Center and the Fjord cruises easy to get to?

 

Thanks

Gayle

[photodoodle]

I know you can get taxis to Exit glacier, but I don't know how much they cost.

Taxis in 'downtown Seward' cost $5. The waterfront/harbor area, which includes the tour offices, is at one end. The SeaLife Center is at the other end. It's a longish walk between them, so I would recommend the taxi. Each end has shops and restaraunts.

[Cruiser Nonna]

Having just returned from doing this (7/23-8/4) - have you thought of flying into Fairbanks (MUCH closer to Denali) and then do Denali, Talkeetna, Anchorage and then Seward rather than back tracking - we did it the way you plan and wished we had started at the top and worked our way down. Driving from Denali to Talkeetna or reverse - stop at the McKinley Princess - go out onto the lodge balcony - fantastic CLOSE views of Mt McKinley if it is out - plus just a nice place to stop for a coffee.

 

We did one way car rental from Anchorage to Seward and kept the car and turned it in right before boarding the ship (Hertz has comp shuttle) - driving and parking was easy and we did see several taxis.

 

Have a fantastic trip

[Boo's Mom]

Hi Gayle ~

Having done this cruise before, and going again in June 08, ....

we decided to use our rental to drive to Seward.

 

We will be in Seward for 2 nights, so we will have our vehicle there to get around with...

 

Hertz will allow a one way: Anchorage to Seward.

 

[Budget Queen]

It depends on where you stay. But there is now an Exit Glacier shuttle, that is reasonable, and cabs to downtown are already posted. The marina is in the middle.

[Budget Queen]

There can be some negatives, if you want to consider a one way. First, if going into Fairbanks, I do suggest you consider 2 nights to see and do some of the attractions there. Rental cars are very costly and limited going one way to Anchorage, and there are far fewer flights available.

 

Round trip is very doable out of Anchorage, and the transit offers plenty to enjoy in both directions.

[beechfor]

We originally had a cruise tour booked with RCL that would have started in Fairbanks but after reading many posts :) on this board we cancelled the cruisetour and decided to do it on our own. Given the time we have we decided that we would spend the extra time in Talkeetna, Denali and Seward rather than go all the way to Fairbanks.

 

We haven't decided on where we will stay in Seward, but glad to here there are shuttles to Exit Glacier. We will more than likely stay somewhere central.

 

Gayle

[edinburgher]

The Exit Glacier shuttle goes from the opposite end of Seward from the Sea Life Center. The "office" looks like a railroad car and is next to the harbour and close to the cruise ship dock.

 

http://www.exitglacierguides.com/

From there to the Sea Life Center may be around 2 miles. We walked there and back...in the rain. To see something of Seward.....even in the rain We also saw what appeared to be some kind of shuttle bus. Or a local bus. It picked up some folks outside the Sea Life Center and we saw it again at the opposite end of Seward near the Exit Glacier Shuttle office. It must do a circuit. Someone local could tell you about it.

[fti]

The Exit Glacier shuttle goes from the opposite end of Seward from the Sea Life Center. The "office" looks like a railroad car and is next to the harbour and close to the cruise ship dock.

 

http://www.exitglacierguides.com/

 

From there to the Sea Life Center may be around 2 miles. We walked there and back...in the rain. To see something of Seward.....even in the rain We also saw what appeared to be some kind of shuttle bus. Or a local bus. It picked up some folks outside the Sea Life Center and we saw it again at the opposite end of Seward near the Exit Glacier Shuttle office. It must do a circuit. Someone local could tell you about it.

 

Exit Glacier Guides charges $9 round trip for their shuttle this year. Can walk from the train depot especially if it is nice weather.

 

Right across from Exit Glacier Guides is a bicycle shop in another renovated train car. You can rent bicycles to get around town for about $20 for the day if interested in that (not necessarily to get to Exit Glacier - that is 10 miles or so each way from Seward!). I would say it is quite a bit less than 2 miles from this office to Sealife Center but maybe I am wrong and it really is further than I think. Was there last month but didn't clock it.

[edinburgher]

FTI

 

You are probably correct. We walked from the ship and it was probably a good half mile to the Exit Glacier shuttle bus office. From there it was certainly more than a mile to the Sea Life Center, but unlikely to have been 2 miles.