Alaska Day 12 Whittier to Seward AK

Up early for 6AM departure from ferry! Alaska greeted us with sunshine and clear skies. Temp around 60. Perfect! Off the boat by 6:30 and on our way. Whittier is a small town basically the port town for Anchorage about 60 miles away. There is a 6 mile one lane tunnel to get to the main road to Anchorage or Seward. Had controlled traffic for the tunnel so had to wait there until 7AM.
Our destination today is Seward AK on the Kenai peninsula, only about 80 miles away. The “bible” I have for navigation is The Milepost - a highly comprehensive publication that literally has information mile by mile for every road in Alaska. Finding that I can’t read the information fast enough before the sites come up. 😂. First stop is the Kenai Peninsula Visitor center however they do not open until 9 so off to look for breakfast. Found an “authentic” locals place in Girdwood - The Girdwood Picnic Table. Interesting folk about, lots of blue and pink hair. 😂

Then to the Visitors center and a very helpful guy - Larry. Got tons of information and some good tips - a worthwhile stop. Out first tourist spot in Alaska was just down the road, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. This Center is a drive through Wildlife park focusing on the rescue and rehabilitation of large animals. You could walk and drive around your leisure and it was very interesting. Numerous spices of wildlife, lots of movies filmed here - Into the Wild - being the most popular. We went to a ranger presentation on the bears and saw several up close and personal. The park was many acres and each of the types of animals has its own section. Besides the bears, Caribou, lynx, porcupine, sitka deer, elk, moose and their biggest project - bison. Over a period of 20 years they have raised an entire herd of bison that had become almost extinct in Alaska. Just recently they released the first group of bison that they had raised. A very good gift shop and onward to Seward.
Both of us tired today and Alice needed a power nap. I am envious of her ability to do this. We pulled off in a large turnoff and she can put her had back, close her eyes and go to sleep!!! 🙃. Luckily I spotted a trail going off into the woods as we pulled off. So I decided on my first short hike in Alaska. I was rewarded with a trailhead right across a marsh. It was a wonderful, easy path through the woods with lots of up and down but nothing difficult. (I am babying my knee on this trip). I am learning that there hiking trails almost everywhere in Alaska - a hikers paradise.
A lovely drive to Seward with outstanding scenery, rushing rivers, quiet lakes, green trees and low mountains as well as snowy majestic mountains. Amazing. Arrived in Seward around 3 and found a campsite in an RV Park right downtown on Resurrection Bay. To the grocery store (Safeway), camp set up and some much deserved wine. Dinner at Apollo’s, Greek and Italian, good pasta. To bed early to catch up on some sleep.Read more