How to Visit Kenai Fjords National Park in 2026
Kenai Fjords National Park is one of the easiest national parks to visit in Alaska, located just two and a half hours south of Anchorage. The gateway to the park is Seward, a charming historic harbor town on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula.
The vast majority of the park is only accessible by boat. Daily cruises depart from Seward’s small boat harbor past tidewater glaciers and some of the richest wildlife waters in North America.
If you’re looking for marine wildlife, Kenai Fjords is arguably the best. Humpback whales, orcas, stellar sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters and tufted puffins car often be seen on a single boat tour.
Read on for everything you need to know to plan your visit, from how to get there and when to go, to the best boat tours, hikes and things to do in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Quick Facts about Kenai Fjords
How to Get to Kenai Fjords National Park
The most popular way to get to Kenai Fjords National Park is from Anchorage. We decided to explore Alaska in an RV from Whitehorse (Yukon) but most people fly into Anchorage instead.
There are three main ways you can visit Kenai Fjords from Anchorage.
Getting to Seward by car
Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and is about 2.5 hours drive from Anchorage. It’s worth leaving extra time to enjoy the drive, as the Seward Highway is a scenic destination on its own.
Some of the key stops along the way include Beluga Point, where belugas are occasionally spotted in Turnagain Arm, and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
From Anchorage by train
If you want to avoid the drive from Anchorage to Seward, hop on a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad. The coastal classic train departs Anchorage at 6:45 am and arrived in Seward around 11:20 am. For the way back, the train leaves Seward at 6 pm. The tickets cost between USD $133 – 230 one way.
Although this train option offers some scenic views along the way, it’s not as flexible as renting a car. If you’re interested in an early morning boat departure, the train’s arrival time in Seward may not work in your favor. In this case, the easiest solution is to spend two nights in Seward. This will give you a full day on the water and another to explore Exit Glacier area.
Bus from Anchorage to Seward
A more affordable option to the train ride to Seward is using Park Connection Motorcoach. It usually departs from Anchorage at 7 am and costs around USD $80 one way.
When to Visit Kenai Fjords
The best time to visit Kenai Fjords is from June to early September, when weather is stable, days are long and chances of wildlife sightings are high. We visited in early September and had very low expectations of how much wildlife we’d see on our cruise. But to our surprise, by the end of our cruise, we’d spotted almost every species on the list.
One thing to keep in mind if visiting in September: some businesses and tour operators start closing for the season. We learned this firsthand when the kayaking tour we wanted to book was no longer running. It’s worth checking availability before you book your trip.
Things to Do in Kenai Fjords National Park
Whether it’s your first visit or you’re coming back for more, the things to do in Kenai Fjords are plentiful. The boat tour is the undisputed highlight, but there are some other experiences worth adding to your trip.
Go on a Kenai Fjords Boat Tour
I’ll admit I often think of boat tours as tourist traps, but the Kenai Fjords cruise was one of the highlights of our entire Alaska trip. In a single day we spotted several orcas, a juvenile humpback whale, puffins, bald eagles, harbor seals, Steller sea lions and a black bear on the shoreline. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but if our experience is anything to go by, your chances are very good.
You can find a Kenai Fjords boat tour comparison below.
- Classic tour (6-7 hours): the most popular, if you don’t want to spend the entire day at sea. The route goes as far as Aialik Bay. It doesn’t go as deep into the national park but it still allows you to experience the fjords and tidewater glaciers.
- Northwestern Fjord Cruise (8-9 hours): you’ll spend more time at sea allowing you to spot more marine life. It’s a more remote and immersive experience and best for those that could stare at glaciers for hours and still be in awe.
- Resurrection Bay (3-4 hours): if you don’t have much time, this half-day boat tour gives you a glimpse of the vast area of the Kenai Fjords National Park. If you’re prone to seasickness, note that the tour doesn’t cross the Gulf of Alaska, so waves are limited and manageable.
My recommended boat tour: we booked the 7.5 Hour Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise and found it the right balance of time spent at sea and value for money.
More recommended boat tours in North America: Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park.
Go on a Kayaking Tour
Kayaking in Kenai Fjords is fantastic if you want to take it slow and get closer to the glaciers. Unless you have previous experience, I recommend going with a licensed guide to kayak in complete safety.
If you stick to Resurrection Bay, the waters are calm enough to rent a kayak and explore independently. For Aialik Bay or the Northwestern Fjord, a guided tour is the safer and smarter choice.
We initially wanted to do a cruise & kayak combo tour but decided to separate the two activities and go kayaking in Whittier instead.
Hike to Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier is the only part accessible by car and just 30 min drive from Seward. It’s a great way to spend one day in Kenai Fjords National Park and hike to a Glacier. Here you can choose between two trails depending on your available time and fitness level.
- Glacier View Loop: easy 1 mile
- Harding Icefield Trail: 8.2 m round trip, 3,800 ft elevation gain
Fishing
Seward is one of the most important fishing port cities in Alaska that has attracted fishermen from around the world. June to August are the best months for fishing and you can expect to find halibut, salmon and rockfish in these waters.
You can check the available charter fishing tours here.
Take a Scenic Helicopter Tour
If you want to see the Alaskan glaciers from above, you can take a scenic helicopter tour over the Harding Icefield. This is probably the best way to understand the size of the glacier and see areas of the park that very few people get to experience.
Visit Seward Historic Town
If you’re spending two days in Seward, visit its historic town and learn more about its past. One of the best things to do in Seward is the mural walk, which features 12 large murals painted by local artists.
You can also do a self-guided free walking tour or visit the Alaska SeaLife Center. This is in fact Alaska’s only public aquarium as well as a wildlife rehabilitation and research center.
How to Visit Kenai Fjords
The vast majority of Kenai Fjords National Park can only be explored by boat. The only area accessibly by car is the short road that ends at Exit Glacier. But, in my opinion, the most breathtaking views of the glaciers, remote fjords and wildlife is only reachable by water. So if you truly want to see the best of Kenai Fjords National Park, a boat tour is essentially the only way.
Kenai Fjords Boat Tours
The main way to visit Kenai Fjords is on the water. A boat tour from Seward is the best way to spot wildlife and visit the giant glaciers around the fjords.
If you suffer from motion sickness, a shorter tour might be the safer choice. But the longer day trip is what truly lets you experience the national park.
We had no doubts when booking the day-trip cruise. Looking back it was one of the best experiences of our Alaska road trip.
Suggested tour: Major Marine Tours or Kenai Fjords Tours
Sea Kayaking Trip
We had hoped to kayak in Kenai Fjords but by September the tours had already closed for the season. If you do go, I’d recommend booking a guided tour over going independently for the best and safest experience.
Also, if there are no available options in Kenai Fjords, check the kayaking tours departing from Whittier to the Passage Canal.
Drive to Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier is the only area of Kenai Fjords National Park accessible by road, so you won’t see it on your boat tour. It sits about 30 minutes from Seward at the end of Exit Glacier Road. Here you’ll find parking, the Exit Glacier Nature Center and the trailheads for the Glacier View Loop and the Harding Icefield Trail.
The Harding Icefield Trail is not only one of the most accessible trails but also one of the best day hikes in Alaska.
When driving the Exit Glacier Road be very careful for wildlife crossing. On our way out, a moose crossed the road just in front of us.
Why Visit Kenai Fjords on a Boat Tour
If you skip the Kenai Fjords boat tour, you’ll only get to see Exit Glacier. This is just a small corner of a 670,000 acre national park. So it’s the boat tour that really makes you experience Kenai Fjords National Park.
Wildlife
On our 7.5 hour Kenai Fjords boat tour we spotted a group of orcas, a breaching humpback whale, sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, puffins, eagles and a black bear foraging along the shore. I’m not exaggerating, we’ve seen it all in just a day!
The fjords funnel a large variety of wildlife, making sightings relatively reliable. But it’s also a matter of luck and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
Tidewater Glaciers
Being in front of jagged mountainsides of ice is an experience we’ll always remember from our Alaska trip. You’ll get to spend hours listening to the sound of cracking ice and you’ll see glacier activity with your own eyes. This is an experience you can only see from the water.
Fjords, Coves and Mountain Ranges
Fjords are nothing more than deep inlets that have been formed by a push and pull dynamic between land and ocean. You’ll not only get to explore some of the most famous fjords, such as Aialik Bay but you’ll also come across many quiet bays and coves.
The Harding Icefield is the centerpiece of Kenai Fjords National park. It actually feeds almost three dozen glaciers flowing out of the mountain. What makes it so special is that everything visible in the park was carved by ice from this single source.
Kenai Fjords Campgrounds and RV Parking
The only official campground in Kenai Fjords National Park is near Exit Glacier campground. It has 12 walk-in tent sites that are free and first-come, first-served. Although you can park your RV at the Exit Glacier parking lot during the day, overnight RV camping is not allowed.
But if you’re wondering of where to stay in Kenai Fjords when visiting Alaska in an RV, your best bet is at Seward Campground. This campground is located along the Resurrection Bay shoreline and has great views of the mountaintops across the bay. We reserved a campground here the night before our boat tour and were just 5 minutes drive from the harbor.
Another RV campground near Seward is Forest Acres Campground. If you prefer some free options you’ll need to park your RV further out from Seward and drive in on the day. In our case, Seward Campground was one of the few we booked in advance for convenience. Since Seward is more touristy than other areas in Alaska we didn’t want to stress out about where to park the RV overnight.
If you’re visiting in July or August, arrive early to secure a spot as the campground fills up quickly. Outside of peak season, finding availability is rarely an issue.
How Many Days to Spend in Kenai Fjords
Although visiting Kenai Fjords in one day is possible, it might feel a bit rushed. In this case, staying at least one night in Seward is a great idea.
We arrived at the Seward campground the night before our boat tour. This made for a relaxed morning ahead of the early harbor departure (we even made pancakes!). After the cruise, we still had enough time to visit Exit Glacier, though not enough for any serious hiking. If the Harding Icefield Trail is on your list, spending two days in Seward is a better idea.
Kenai Fjords Itinerary 1 Day
If you only have one day in Kenai Fjords National Park, I’d recommend booking a 6 hour or 7.5 hour boat tour. This is the only way to visit the largest portion of the national park and it’s truly magical.
From wildlife sightings to fjords and glaciers, this boat tour will quickly make the top of your Alaska trip list.
Depending on the length of the boat tour, you may also have time to drive to Exit Glacier and do the Glacier View Loop hike for a close-up view of the glacier face.
Kenai Fjords Itinerary 2 Days
With two days in Kenai Fjords National Park, you can do the boat tour on day 1 followed by a visit of Seward town and a dinner in one of the local restaurants.
On the second day, hike the Harding Icefield Trail which can take around 7 hours for a round trip. This is great for hiking lovers that want to get close to the glacier and really understand its vast scale.
Final Thoughts
Kenai Fjords National Park genuinely surprised us in the best possible way! Few places in Alaska pack as much into a day as a visit to Kenai Fjords. Between the boat tour wildlife sightings, the Exit Glacier hike and Seward itself, it ended up being one of the highlights on our Alaska road trip.
If you have the time, spend 2 nights in Seward to fully enjoy it. From there, drive north towards Anchorage and continue to Denali National Park. Alternatively, stop in Whittier for some of the best kayaking in Alaska.
