Seward to Anchorage tour: Exit Glacier, wildlife, seaplanes

Eight and a half hours from ship to city, with five stops that show why Alaska stops people cold

A full-day transit tour from Seward port to Anchorage that begins at Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, then follows Turnagain Arm through the Chugach Mountains with chances to spot beluga whales and Dall sheep. The tour includes the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Earthquake Park, Lake Hood (the world's largest seaplane base), and a chocolate factory with a 20-foot waterfall, ending with drop-off anywhere in Anchorage. The guide is live and speaks English. Bottled water and snacks are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Exit Glacier1h
2. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center2h · entry included
3. Lake Hood30m
4. Seward Highway3h
5. Earthquake Park30m

Seward to Anchorage full day tour

• Pickup from Seward port
• Visit Exit Glacier in Kenai National Park
• Travel through Chugach Mountains and Turnagain Arm
• Stop at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Lunch at scenic brewery with food trucks
• Visit Earthquake Park in Anchorage
• View seaplanes at Lake Hood
• Sample chocolates at chocolate factory
• Drop off at requested Anchorage location

The experience

You start at the Seward port and head straight to Exit Glacier, a 3,000-year-old glacier spanning 800 square miles inside Kenai Fjords National Park. The route takes you along the Seward Highway, where the drive itself is the first attraction: the road hugs Turnagain Arm, and the water below is where beluga whales surface and Dall sheep pick their way across the rocky slopes above. This is the transit part that doesn't feel like transit.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits on 200 acres and holds grizzly bears, black bears, reindeer, caribou, bison, elk, wolves and muskox: animals that have been rescued or orphaned. You walk a 1.5-mile loop with interpretive signs at each habitat, close enough to watch the animals move and feed. Earthquake Park comes next, a stop that marks the 1964 earthquake, the largest ever recorded in North America at 9.2 magnitude. The park shows where the ground literally swallowed a housing community. Then Lake Hood, where nearly 200 seaplane operations happen daily. You watch pilots take off and land from what is now the world's largest and busiest seaplane base.

The last stop is a chocolate factory with four working kitchens visible through viewing windows: the Jam and Jelly Kitchen, Hot Kitchen, Candy Kitchen, and Molding Room. The 20-foot chocolate waterfall uses over 3,000 pounds of chocolate, copper kettles and a custom warming system. The chocolate cascades down and pools below. Food trucks operate on-site most days, so you can grab lunch if you want it. The remaining two hours of the day cover travel time between stops. Drop-off is anywhere in Anchorage you request.

What’s included

• Port pickup in Seward and drop-off anywhere in Anchorage.
• bottled water.
• snacks.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• all fees and taxes.
• infant seat if needed.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 2 Apr 2027

Book up to4h before

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.Operator's directions: “We will meet you at the Port of Seward. Please look for the Black Mercedes Passenger Van with our company logo.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by White Raven Tours

Is this one for you?At eight and a half hours, this tour fills a full day between ship arrival and evening plans, leaving no time for a separate glacier hike or a long lunch break, but that pace is what fits five distinct stops into one booking instead of requiring separate excursions.

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Top questions

What is Exit Glacier and what can you do there?

Exit Glacier is a 3,000-year-old glacier spanning 800 square miles inside Kenai Fjords National Park. You can hike along the edge and view the ice formations up close, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests and streams where mountain goats, black bears and birds move through the landscape.

Will I see wildlife on the drive to Anchorage?

Yes. The route along Turnagain Arm passes through habitat where beluga whales surface in the water and Dall sheep climb the rocky slopes above the road. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center adds grizzly bears, black bears, caribou, bison, elk, wolves and muskox in a 1.5-mile walkable loop.

What is Lake Hood and why is it on this tour?

Lake Hood is the world's largest and busiest seaplane base, hosting nearly 200 daily operations. You stop to watch seaplanes take off and land and learn the history of how this remote location became a hub for bush flying across Alaska.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included, but food trucks operate on-site at the brewery stop most days during summer and weekends in winter, so you can buy food there if you want it. Bottled water and snacks are provided.

Where does the tour drop me off in Anchorage?

You can request drop-off anywhere in Anchorage. Tell the guide where you need to go and the shuttle will take you there at the end of the tour.