The Best Things To Do in Kenai Fjords National Park

More than half of Kenai Fjords National Park is covered by a giant sheet of ice. 51% of the park, to be exact. So, of course, some of the best experiences in Kenai Fjords involve getting up close to all that ice. You can take a boat to a glacier, kayak to a glacier, hike to a glacier, ice climb on a glacier, and even fly over a glacier. There are a lot of glaciers here!

But there's more to Kenai Fjords than just ice. The park is also home to an incredible amount of wildlife, including orcas, humpback whales, puffins, eagles, sea otters, seals, and sea lions. A wildlife cruise is an incredible way to spend a day in the park. You can also go fishing, go on a hike through alpine meadows, or feed octopuses at the Alaska Sea Life Center.

We spent four wonderful days in Kenai Fjords National Park, using Seward as a home base. We kayaked beside Aialik Glacier, cruised deep into the park in search of wildlife, hiked to the Harding Icefield, and squeezed in a bonus 14-mile hike to a secluded lake when our weather buffer day turned out to be sunny.

Below, I'll share my list of the best things to do in Kenai Fjords National Park, what our favorite experiences were like, and all of my tips for planning your own visit.

AN INTRODUCTION TO KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK

Kenai Fjords is a national park in Southern Alaska known for its epic glaciers, coastal fjords, and abundant wildlife.

The majority of the park is covered by the massive Harding Icefield. The Exit Glacier area is the only portion of the park accessible by road and there is only one road in the entire park.

To see the coastline and many of the park's glaciers, you'll need to head out on the water or into the air.

GETTING TO SEWARD

Seward is the closest town to Kenai Fjords National Park. It takes ~2 hours and 15 minutes to reach by car from Anchorage, the nearest city with a major airport.

Planning Tip

The drive from Anchorage to Seward is incredibly scenic. It's arguably one of the best drives in the United States. On your way to Seward, make sure to stop at Bird Point for epic views and Moose Drop-In Trading Post for delicious fudge. Added bonus: there are bathrooms, albeit basic, at Bird Point. We made a few other stops along the way, including Potter Marsh and Beluga Point, but Bird Point and Moose Drop-In Trading Post were our favorites.

If you prefer not to rent a car, you can also take the train. However, keep in mind that getting to some of the trailheads outside of Seward will be more difficult without your own transportation.

BEST THINGS TO DO IN KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK

SPOT WILDLIFE FROM A BOAT

If you're a wildlife lover, you're going to want to put a boat tour in Kenai Fjords on your bucket list. On this tour, you'll have a chance to spot humpback whales, orcas, fin whales, Dall's porpoises, otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, eagles, puffins, and more.

An orca surfacing during a boat tour in Kenai Fjords National Park — *An orca we spotted on the Northwestern Fjord Boat Tour.*

You'll also cruise past magnificent glaciers and stunning landscapes.

Glacier and mountain scenery in Kenai Fjords National Park

Coastal cliffs and water in Kenai Fjords National Park

We went on the Northwestern Fjord boat ride with Kenai Fjords Tours. This 8 hour journey takes you deep into the remote corners of Kenai Fjords National Park, all the way to Northwestern Glacier, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.

Northwestern Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park — *Northwestern Glacier.*

Read about our experience on the Northwestern Fjord Boat Tour with Kenai Fjords Tours here.

KAYAK IN FRONT OF A GLACIER

Alex and I are not kayakers. Usually, it's not our favorite activity, but we absolutely loved Liquid Adventures' Aialik Glacier kayaking tour.

Kayaks waiting near Aialik Bay in Kenai Fjords National Park

This tour involved a ~2.5 hour boat tour to and from Aialik Bay that gave us the opportunity to spot wildlife, including a humpback whale and a raft of otters. Yes, that's what a group of otters is called. Afterwards, we spent 3 hours kayaking next to giant chunks of ice in Aialik Bay and enjoying the view of the huge sheet of ice that is Aialik Glacier. It was not only epic but also so serene and enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

Aialik Glacier with kayaks in the distance for scale

Read about our experience kayaking next to Aialik Glacier with Liquid Adventures here.

HIKE TO THE HARDING ICEFIELD

Was this a hard hike? Yeah, you bet. Worth it, though? Absolutely.

One of the best hikes in Kenai Fjords National Park is along the Harding Icefield Trail, which guides you to the largest icefield contained entirely within the United States: the Harding Icefield. Along the way, you get wonderful views of Exit Glacier, one of the icefield's outlet glaciers.

Exit Glacier from the Top of the Cliffs on the Harding Icefield Trail — *A view of Exit Glacier from the Top of the Cliffs, about two-thirds of the way through the hike.*

*View of the Harding Icefield from the end of the trail.*

While the Harding Icefield is the main attraction, we actually thought the views from the Top of the Cliffs were the most spectacular part of the hike. From here, you get an incredible view of Exit Glacier and the gorgeous purple Nootka lupine flowers that bloom on the grasses that run alongside it.

Read about our experience hiking to the Harding Icefield here.

OR SEE EXIT GLACIER WITHOUT THE STRENUOUS HIKE

If the idea of a strenuous hike is off-putting, you can opt for an easier trail with views of Exit Glacier from a different angle. The Exit Glacier View and Overlook Loop is a 2.2 mile loop with only 300 feet of elevation gain and estimated time to complete of 1-1.5 hours.

HIKE THE LOST LAKE TRAIL

The Lost Lake Trail is technically outside the boundary of Kenai Fjords National Park, but it's just an 11 minute drive from Seward, making it a convenient addition to a Kenai Fjords itinerary.

Wildflowers and mountain scenery on Lost Lake Trail near Seward

Alex stumbled upon this trail on a run and we decided to hike it last minute. We loved this hike because the scenery was constantly changing. We started the hike in a dense forest of moss-covered trees and passed through green valleys, alpine meadows, and snow-capped mountains as we made our way to the secluded lake at the end of the trail.

Moss-covered forest along Lost Lake Trail near Seward

Afternoon light over the Lost Lake Trail near Seward

This hike is long at 14.2 miles, but the incline is very gradual, so this hike felt much easier than the Harding Icefield hike. It has a great effort-to-reward ratio and it was a wonderful way to spend a day.

Sunny mountain scenery on Lost Lake Trail

Read about our experience hiking to the Lost Lake Trail here.

GO ICE CLIMBING

We strongly considered going ice climbing in Kenai Fjords, but ultimately decided to pass. We had already been ice climbing before in Norway, so even though we loved it, we decided to prioritize more novel experiences. Plus, the typical ice climbing tour on Exit Glacier requires a strenuous hike along part of the Harding Icefield trail, which we had already committed to hiking once in full. We weren't excited about doing it twice, especially on consecutive days.

Alex ice climbing on a glacier in Norway — *Alex ice climbing in Norway.*

There are tours that skip the hike and transport guests to the glacier by helicopter, such as this one by Exit Glacier Guides. If I were to go ice climbing in Kenai Fjords, this would be the tour I picked, but of course, this tour will be more expensive than the version where you hike to the glacier, roughly double the price.

Either way, ice climbing is a thrilling experience and I think Kenai Fjords would be a pretty spectacular place to do it. You should absolutely consider adding this to your itinerary.

GO FLIGHTSEEING IN A HELICOPTER

There are several operators in Seward that offer flightseeing tours, including Seward Helicopter Tours, Marathon Helicopters, and Alaska Helicopter Tours. Tours range from short scenic flights over Resurrection Bay to longer flights over the Harding Icefield, with options for glacier landings, dog sledding, and other backcountry adventures.

We opted to fly in Girdwood instead of Seward as we already had plans to see Resurrection Bay and the Harding Icefield from the ground, so we wanted to diversify our experience a little more.

We did an epic flightseeing tour with Alpine Air Alaska, flying over more glaciers than I can count and the jaw-dropping Prince William Sound. I highly recommend this tour, which can be done as a day trip from Seward as it's just ~1.5 hour's drive away.

Prince William Sound and mountains seen through the helicopter window

Textured ice on Colony Glacier

Small helicopter before takeoff in Girdwood, Alaska

Glacier scenery around Prince William Sound

Blue glacier pool with mountains in the distance

However, both Girdwood and Seward are magnificent locations for a flightseeing tour. Seeing Alaska's glaciers from the air gives you a completely different appreciation for just how massive they truly are.

Read about our experience on a helicopter flightseeing tour over Girdwood here.

GO FISHING

Kenai Fjords National Park is a fantastic place to go fishing. The waters in and around Resurrection Bay are home to all five species of Pacific salmon, as well as halibut, rockfish, and lingcod.

The easiest way to go fishing in Seward is on a guided charter. Depending on the season, you can book trips targeting salmon or halibut. Many charter companies can also arrange to have your catch cleaned, frozen, and shipped home. We saw so many people at the airport with boxes of fish.

Alex and I chatted to one tour operator, inquiring about a fishing charter, but ultimately decided to use our free day to do the Lost Lakes Hike instead. Therefore, we can't personally vouch for an operator, but one with great reviews is Crackerjack Charters.

VISIT THE ALASKA SEA LIFE CENTER

If you're looking for an indoor activity on a particularly miserable weather day, the Alaska Sea Life Center would be my first choice. Alex and I didn't go, but the reviews are very positive.

The Alaska Sea Life Center is a marine research and wildlife rescue center, so it's a great place to learn more about many of the animals you might encounter while exploring Kenai Fjords. It's a great place to see seals, sea lions, puffins, and giant Pacific octopuses, among other animals. And yes, it's octopuses, not octopi.

The Sea Life Center also offers "encounters" with marine mammals, octopuses, and puffins. I recommend booking those encounters in advance if that's something you're interested in. I tried to book the Octopus Feeding Encounter last minute and it was sold out. Apparently, I'm not the only person who wants to feed an octopus.

Did You Know?

Octopuses are my favorite animal.

A NOTE ON THE WEATHER

I won't beat around the bush: a typical day in Kenai Fjords National Park is cloudy, gray, and wet. Even in the middle of summer, gray skies, drizzle, and passing showers are completely normal. You might get lucky with a beautiful sunny day, but I wouldn't plan your trip assuming you will. You need to come prepared for rain.

Given the prevalence of rain in the area, you should bring a high quality rain jacket with you on every activity, even if the forecast doesn't call for rain.

I also highly recommend building at least one buffer day into your itinerary so that you have flexibility if the weather refuses to cooperate.

We got incredibly lucky with the weather. We had two gray but dry days and two very sunny days and were able to do activities on all four days. However, the weather was a major topic of discussion amongst every single local we encountered. They constantly thanked us for bringing the good weather and told us just how lucky we were. I even met one guy from Anchorage who said he had been to Seward ten times and this was the first time he saw the sun here.

All that to say, be prepared for the rain. Don't let the drizzle scare you off. Give yourself enough flexibility that one truly miserable weather day doesn't derail your entire visit.

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED IN KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK?

That depends on how many of the activities listed above sound interesting to you!

We spent four days in Seward and I thought that was perfect. We had three "must do" activities: the boat tour, kayaking next to Aialik Glacier, and hiking the Harding Icefield trail. The fourth day was reserved as a weather buffer day so that we had a day open if we had to reschedule one of our activities. We got lucky and had great weather the entire time, which is very uncommon in Seward, so we added the Lost Lakes hike to the list. We felt ready to move on by the time the 4th day came to an end.

At a bare minimum, I would recommend two days in Seward. That will give you a chance to take a boat or kayaking tour and do a hike. I would also personally add a third day, so you can do an ice climbing or helicopter tour in the region.

BEST TIME TO VISIT KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK

The best time to visit Kenai Fjords National Park is during the summer, from late June through the end of August. Most activities in the park, including boat tours and kayaking tours, run from the end of May through the beginning of September, but can vary each year based on the weather.

If hiking is a priority, I would personally aim for July or August. Snow can linger at higher elevations well into June and early July, including along the Harding Icefield Trail, so visiting later in the summer gives you a better chance of snow-free trails.

WHERE TO EAT IN SEWARD

For a casual, quick, and relatively inexpensive meal, I recommend Lone Chicharron. We ate there twice and it was the perfect post-hike meal. We also got burritos from Firebrand BBQ on our kayaking tour and they were delicious.

For something a little fancier, I recommend Fifth Avenue Bistro. Their lemon pepper and parmesan fries were TO DIE FOR, and I consider myself a fry snob. Their halibut with carrot sauce was also light and delicious.

Dinner at Fifth Avenue Bistro in Seward — *Our meal at Fifth Avenue Bistro.*

Unpopular opinion, but we weren't a fan of the Cookery. It's probably the most popular restaurant in Seward. They don't take reservations, so you'll commonly see giant lines outside the restaurant. We were quoted a two hour wait time the first night we visited, so we lined up 15 minutes before the restaurant opened the next night. By the time it opened at 5pm, the line had grown to 25 people. The food was bland and very expensive. It was alright, but not something I'd recommend you go out of your way for, especially if there's a long wait.

A meal at the Cookery in Seward — *Our meal at the Cookery.*

For delicious coffee with fun flavors and syrups, try Resurrect Art Coffee House. The coffee is delicious, but be prepared to wait. There can be long lines. We admittedly waited in line for 25 minutes before we could place our order. It's worth it though. Yum!

FAQS

How far in advance do you need to plan a visit to Kenai Fjords National Park?

I would book at least six months in advance. I was stressing out because I was looking for hotels with availability in Seward at the end of July/beginning of August in February and every hotel I checked was sold out. I ended up snagging a reservation on AirBnB and it worked out great, but to maximize your options, book earlier.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in this small AirBnB and really liked it! The location was perfect, just 5 minutes' drive away from the town center.

What should I pack for a trip to Seward?

You need to pack:

Bear spray. My recommendation is to rent it at Alaska Bear Spray Rental.
Rain jackets
Hiking boots
Merino wool long sleeve shirts or other athletic quick dry shirts
Hiking pants
Rain pants, which are helpful for the kayaking tour if you have them
Layers: warm jackets, fleeces, etc.
Warm hat
Gloves
Small daypack
Dry bag for electronics, optional, as the kayaking tour provides them
Waterproof phone or camera case, optional
Rain ponchos
Bug spray
Water bottle or water bladder
Binoculars. We have the Vortex Diamondback binoculars and love them.
Camera gear. See the full list in the next question.
Dramamine
Advil
Bandaids
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Eye mask, since the sun doesn't set until 11pm in the summer
Hiking poles, optional, but helpful for the Harding Icefield hike
Snacks

What camera gear did you bring?

We brought a Sony a6700 camera with a Sony 200-600mm lens and a Sony a6400 camera with a Tamron 18-300mm lens.

Can you visit Seward on a day trip from Anchorage?

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. The drive is over 2 hours each way, plus most activities, including the boat cruise, the kayaking tour, and the ice climbing tour, leave early in the morning. There's also a lot to see and do in this park. I would recommend at least 2 full days in Seward.

Do you need a rental car in Seward?

I recommend getting a rental car in Anchorage and driving it to Seward, but you do not need a rental car to visit Kenai Fjords. You can instead take the train from Anchorage. Seward is a small town, so if you're planning to do tours departing from Seward, you can just walk from your accommodation. However, if you plan to hike, you will need to make a plan to get from the center of town to the trailheads and back.

Is there an entrance fee for Kenai Fjords National Park?

No, there is no entrance fee.

Are there bears in Kenai Fjords National Park?

Yes. Both black bears and brown bears live in Kenai Fjords National Park, although black bears are far more common. We encountered a black bear on the beach during our kayaking tour in Aialik Bay and another black bear on the Harding Icefield Trail. However, we came prepared and were not nervous during these encounters.

Bring bear spray if you plan to hike in Kenai Fjords. Keep the spray accessible, not buried in a backpack, and test it out at home before you hike so you know how to use it if necessary. Don't hike alone and talk constantly to let the bear be aware of your presence, especially as you round corners. You can also bring bear bells, although frankly I found those to be quite annoying when other hikers had them.

Most bear encounters do not involve an attack. Maintain your distance and only deploy the bear spray if the bear is within 30 to 40 feet or if it charges. Do not run away if you spot a bear. Don't turn your back on the bear. Just back away slowly.

If a black bear attacks, fight back. If a brown bear attacks, lay down. Specifically, you should drop to the ground, face towards the ground and neck covered with your hands.

But don't just take it from me. I highly recommend reading the National Park Service's guidance on bear safety before your visit.

I do want to reiterate, though, that bear attacks are uncommon and the vast majority of visitors explore the park without incident. Don't let the presence of bears deter you from visiting this incredible park.

Is Kenai Fjords National Park crowded?

We found it to be delightfully uncrowded and the numbers back up how we felt. In 2025, it received less than half a million visitors, a fraction of the millions that visit national parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon each year. It ranks #45 out of 63 in the list of most visited national parks in the United States.