Seward Highway

Drive the Seward Highway on your own or head out with a guided tour of the Turnagain Arm from Anchorage. You can easily drive the route from Anchorage to Seward in a day or spend an entire week enjoying the scenery in between. Highlights include whale-watching at Beluga Point, the Turnagain Arm bore tide, Portage Glacier cruises, and visiting the orphaned animals at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

• The Seward Highway is a designated National Scenic Byway.
• Wildlife crossings are frequent on the Seward Highway so use caution especially at dawn and dusk.
• The Seward Highway features many wheelchair accessible viewpoints and boardwalk hiking trails.

The Seward Highway begins right in downtown Anchorage and heads south along the Turnagain Arm to Portage. The first 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the highway wind along the base of the Chugach Mountains and along the coast. At mile 90, you’ll find the junction with Sterling Highway which leads west to the Kenai Peninsula and Homer. In Seward, the highway ends at the intersection with Railway Avenue.

The Seward Highway is a popular Alaska attraction so traffic can get heavy during the busy summer months. Start your day early to avoid getting stuck behind a line of tour buses or visit outside the summer season. The Seward Highway is the only roadway that connects Anchorage with Seward so it is maintained during the winter months. Traveling the route at nighttime in winter is not recommended.

If you don’t have time to drive the entire length of the Seward Highway from Anchorage, the 50-mile (80-kilometer) stretch along the Turnagain Arm is well worth the trip. Several guided tours of the Turnagain Arm area attractions are offered from Anchorage or you can choose a hop-on hop-off tour and explore the area highlights at your own pace.