Seward, Alaska
Seward is a city of 2,794 people in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, founded in 1903.
Why visit Seward
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 36 places to eat, 42 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Alaska SeaLife Center, Liberty Theater, Seward Depot and Ballaine House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 62°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Seward
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Seward
Seward (Alutiiq: Qutalleq; Dena'ina: Tl'ubugh) is an incorporated home rule city in Alaska, United States. Located on Resurrection Bay, a fjord of the Gulf of Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is situated on Alaska's southern coast, approximately 120 miles (190 km) by road from Alaska's largest city, Anchorage.
From the Wikipedia article Seward, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks16
Seward Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
American former rail depot
Ballaine House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in Alaska, United States
Brown & Hawkins Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Building in Alaska, United States of America
Government Cable Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Building in Alaska, United States
Jesse Lee Home for Children
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Building in Alaska, United States
Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Diversion tunnel in Seward, Alaska
Swetman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic residence in Seward, Alaska
Van Gilder Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic building in Seward, Alaska, United States
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
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Hoben Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Parc in Seward, Alaska
Restaurants and cafes36
Coho Joes Dockside Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.7 mi
Small Dockside Coffee Shop located in the Boat Harbor of Seward, AK
1302 Fourth Avenue, Seward
Mo-Su 05:30-19:00
Le Barn Appetit Inn & Creperie
Restaurant · 2.3 mi
11786 Old Exit Glacier Road, Seward
We-Su 07:00-15:00
Flamingo Lounge
Restaurant · Seafood, Burger, Cocktails · 2.2 mi
208 Fourth Avenue, Seward
Su-Th 10:00-24:00, Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00
24 more on the map.
History
In 1793, Alexander Baranov of the Shelikhov-Golikov company (precursor of the Russian-American Company) established a fur trade post on Resurrection Bay where Seward is today and had a three-masted vessel, the Phoenix, built at the post by James Shields, an English shipwright in Russian service.
The 1939 Slattery Report on Alaskan development identified the region as one of the areas where new settlements would be established through Jewish immigration. This plan was never implemented.
Seward was an important port for the military buildup in Alaska during World War II. Fort Raymond was established in Seward along the Resurrection River to protect the community. An Army airfield built in Seward during the war later became Walseth Air Force Base. Both of the military facilities were closed shortly after the end of the war.
A large portion of Seward was damaged by shaking and a local tsunami during the 1964 Alaska earthquake, destroying all evidence of one radio station.
Seward borders the Kenai Fjords National Park, which was granted national park status in 1980 to protect the glaciers of the Harding Icefield.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.5 square miles (56 km2), of which 14.4 square miles (37 km2) is land and 7.1 square miles (18 km2) (32.93%) is water.
From the History section of Seward, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay42
Best Western Plus Edgewater Hotel
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
202 5th Avenue, Seward
Churches and places of worship3
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Seward
123 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 21°F | 6.5 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 24°F | 6.3 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 25°F | 3.9 in |
| Apr | 45°F | 32°F | 4.3 in |
| May | 53°F | 39°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 59°F | 46°F | 2.3 in |
| Jul | 62°F | 50°F | 3.1 in |
| Aug | 62°F | 50°F | 5.4 in |
| Sep | 56°F | 43°F | 9.9 in |
| Oct | 46°F | 35°F | 8.7 in |
| Nov | 36°F | 27°F | 7.6 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 23°F | 8.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Seward Ap 70277 (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Kenai Peninsula Borough has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-07-26: Landslide (Mud/Landslide)
- 2022-01-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-01-31: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2018-11-30: Earthquake (Earthquake)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Seward Airport (SWD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Bear Creek 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Whittier 52 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Seward Alaska aerial view, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain
- Celebrity Millennium. Seward Alaska. (9089270290), Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC0
- Fairweather at Seward, Roger Mommaerts, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Seward - SS Rotterdam (3830425713), Roger W from Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A., CC BY-SA 2.0
- Runway at Seward Airport (47753330241), Craig Talbert, CC BY 2.0
- 2018-09-16 Fireboat, JOHN FOSTER - City of Seward, AK USA, Gordon Leggett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Catch of the day Seward, 97erspeedy, Public domain
- Seward Tugboat, Greg.Hartley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chinook's Waterfront, Seward, Alaska, Roger Mommaerts, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Admiral Papp Tours Kenai Fjords National Park Near Seward, Alaska - 21089998, U.S. Department of State, Public domain
- Admiral Papp Tours Kenai Fjords National Park Near Seward, Alaska - 210344444, U.S. Department of State, Public domain
- Admiral Papp Tours Kenai Fjords National Park Near Seward, Alaska - 8878866, U.S. Department of State, Public domain
- Swetman House Seward 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Peters church Seward 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seward Railroad Depot 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Methodist Orphans' Home, Unalaska., Unknown author Unknown author or not provided, Public domain
- SewardWithLowellCreekOutfall, US Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
- Van Gilder Hotel Seward Alaska, Scott McMurren, CC BY 2.0
- Hoben Park Seward 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ballaine House Lodging Seward 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brown and Hawkins Seward 2013, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seismologist with air gun array, Sonobuoydude, CC BY-SA 4.0
- American Eagle (9267476811), U.S. Department of the Interior, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Swim (7041737113), Bo Mertz, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mapillary (nkeene) 2002-08-12 13H49M12S000 (4628285893853018 at cykwepzphvucnvsufcdxl2), nkeene, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Boatlift in street, Roger Mommaerts, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Fishermen with their halibut, Kolmkolm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alaska At Night, Julio Palomo, CC BY 3.0
- A lineup of Midnight Sun Brewery beers (5034896205), Ryan McFarland, CC BY 2.0
- Resurrection Bay Seagull, Jim from Lexington, KY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Southwest aspect of Mount Mary, Sanjoy Ghosh, CC BY 2.0
- Brachyramphus marmoratus 171262942, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Honckenya peploides 146579820, Heather Mazzaccaro, CC0
- TripodPractice (48843734648), National Park Service, Alaska Region, CC BY 2.0
- Hyperia galba 158525919, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hyperia galba 158526010, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hyperia galba 158525951, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hyperia galba 158525938, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hyperia galba 158965151, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hyperia galba 158965153, Matt Muir, CC BY-SA 4.0
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