Page 727 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

ALASK A  725

The magnificent Exit Glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park, north of Seward
8 Seward a deep-blue river of ice within has become a popular
the valley it carved. destination for visitors. Its main
* 2,500. ~ £ @ 4 downtown.
n 3rd St, (907) 224-8051. focus is Homer Spit, a 4-mile
∑ seward.com O Alaska SeaLife Center (6.4-km) finger of land that juts
301 Railway Ave. Tel (907) 224-6300, into Kachemak Bay, with the
One of the only large towns on (800) 224-2525. Open Oct–late Feb: rugged Kenai Mountains
the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is a 11am–3pm daily; Mar–late May: glistening across the water. A
charming fishing port at the head 10am–5pm daily; late May–Aug: busy road traverses the entire
of Resurrection Bay, surrounded 9am–9pm Mon–Thu, 8am–9pm Spit, passing beaches, a colorful
by the snow-capped Kenai Fri–Sun. Closed Thanksg., Dec 25. collection of fishing boats,
& 7 ∑ alaskasealife.org
Mountains. One of its main fishing-supply stores, and lively
attractions is the Alaska SeaLife O Kenai Fjords National Park restaurants. Known as the
Center, which exhibits the Park & 7 Visitor Center: Tel (907) “Halibut Capital of the World,”
marine life of the surrounding 422-0535. Open late May–early Sep: fishing is its main attraction.
ocean. The centerpiece is a 8:30am–7pm daily; winter: 8am–5pm Charter operators and their
string of three huge aquariums Mon–Fri. ∑ nps.gov/kefj boats line the Spit; day trips
holding colorful puffins, seals, include tackle and bait as well
and sea lions. Smaller tanks as instruction. Those who
provide a home for crabs and 9 Homer manage to hook a halibut or
octopuses, while a “touch tank” * 5,300. ~ 4 Homer Spit. salmon can arrange to have it
encourages a hands-on approach n 201 Sterling Hwy, (907) 235-7740. frozen and shipped home. The
to exploring sessile life along ∑ homeralaska.org Islands and Fishing Hole on the Spit is a
the tidal zone. Ocean Center: 95 Sterling Hwy, man-made water hole stocked
Seward is bordered by the (907) 235-6961. with salmon for an easy catch.
Kenai Fjords National Park, a The magnificent wilderness of
906-sq-mile (2,347-sq-km) At the end of the Sterling the Kachemak Bay State Park,
glaciated coastal wilderness. Highway lies Homer, a delightful on the bay’s opposite shore, can
From the gigantic Hardy Icefield, little hamlet by the water. It was be explored through a number
glaciers radiate in all directions, discovered by Homer Pennock, of hiking trails. The best known
eight of which are “tidewater a gold-prospector who arrived of these leads the visitor to the
glaciers” extending to sea level. here in 1896. Today, this town Grewingk Glacier.
Seward’s downtown dock is the
departure point for boat trips
along the park’s coastline. These
day cruises also provide excellent
opportunities for viewing
whales, seals, sea lions, porpoises,
and large concentrations of
photogenic puffins perched on
rocky outcrops. The park’s most
accessible glacier is Exit Glacier,
located off the highway, 4 miles
(6.4 km) north of Seward. From
the end of the access road, a
short trail leads through a forest
of stunted trees, emerging at Fishermen with a halibut “weigh-in” on Homer Spit

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