Kenai Fjords National Park

Behind the Kenai coast lies the Harding Icefield, a plateau of ice larger than some countries from which around forty glaciers pour down towards the sea, and the ones that reach salt water calve directly into the fjords. Day boats from Seward run out among them, passing sea otters, Steller sea lions hauled out on rocks, puffins nesting on cliffs and, reliably in summer, humpback and orca whales, before holding position at a tidewater face while ice falls. Exit Glacier is the one you can drive to and walk up beside, with markers along the road showing where the ice reached in past decades, which makes its retreat unmissable. A hard trail climbs from it to the edge of the icefield itself.

What you actually see

• A fjord day cruise - tidewater glaciers calving, with whales and sea lions on the way.
• Exit Glacier - the road-accessible glacier and the retreat markers along the approach.
• The Harding Icefield Trail - the steep climb to the edge of the icefield.
• Puffins and sea otters - the birdlife and marine mammals of the fjords.

When to go

May to September is the season, with the longest days and most wildlife in June and July; boats do not run in winter and Exit Glacier road closes to vehicles. Weather is frequently grey and wet, and swell can make the outer fjords uncomfortable or cancel longer tours.

Honest expectations

The full-day cruises reach the best glaciers but go into open water where seasickness is common; the shorter bay tours stay calmer but see less. Rain and low cloud are the norm rather than the exception on this coast. Seward fills in summer with cruise passengers and accommodation is expensive and books out.

Nearby

Seward and the Alaska SeaLife Center are at the port; Anchorage is two and a half hours north.