Alicia Echevarria

We will spend 3 days in Seward before taking a cruise to Vancouver. Which will be the best way of spending these 3 days? Can we rent a car and drive all the way to Homer? Is it worth? We are two single mothers travelling with our three daughters, ages 10-13. Your advise is mostly welcomed!!

Cindi

When will this be? There is only one road from Seward to Homer and even with absolutely no traffic it will take you two to three hours each way. I don't think there's enough to see in Homer for all that driving - plus you wouldn't be able to stay that long.

Depending on the time of year, I would recommend a drive to Cooper Landing on the Kenai River. Eat lunch at the Kenai Princess Lodge, take a float boat down the turquoise Kenai River for about $40 per person (about three hours), more $ if you want to do a whole day.

Back in Seward, hike at Exit Glacier but be prepared for bears - you might want to consider an escorted hike which I'm sure is available from someone. We always had "bear bells" when we hiked because supposedly the bears would leave when they heard the bells; it's surprise that upsets them.

By all means take the six hour Kenai Fjords Cruise out of Seward and visit the new ocean/sealife museum. Your three days will go fast, believe me! We loved Alaska!

lcuy

I would definitely recommend spending those 3 days going to Homer. After a cruise in June 1999, we drove from Seward to Homer and had a wonderful time. We really liked Exit Glacier, a couple miles outside of Seward. Also recommend Windsong lodge, right outside Exit glacier's entrance- nice lodgings and view, and really nice dining, even if not sleeping there. It took about 1/2 day to drive from Seward to Homer, but we took the back road instead of the highway through the Kenai National park, and stopped for a long lunch and swimming at one of the picnic areas along there. At the entrance to the park was a good ranger station with very informative people. We stayed at the alaska Ocean Shores Motel on a bluff over the ocean as you enter Homer. It was immaculate and very spacious. Some rooms have kitchens, and there is a trail to walk down to a beach covered with little pebbles that make for nice fountain or aquarium fillers. Out in front is a National Park office with a small exhibit of local wildlife and sealife.
I loved Homer...lots of art galleries, plenty of nice restaraunts, and a good place to take ocean or fishing tours. We got a clamming license and bought a shovel--- had great fun just digging for clams on the beach! There is a local museum (Pratt??)that also has a big exhibit on the Exxon Valdez disaster, and my 10 and 13 year old daughters wanted to stay all day.
In contrast, we were all disappointed with the sea Center in Seward. It was supposedly paid for by Exxon, but you wouldn't know it by the high entrance fees. The exhibits were okay, but rather skimpy at the time. Many people were grumbling. Have fun!

Hope

With 3 daughters ages 10-13, and two single mothers, I would definitely find activities to do in and around Seward (within an hour or so drive) rather than make the trek to Homer. Homer is delightful, not too far to do both Seward and Homer in three days.....you'll be spending most of your time on the road, which will get boring for the girls! Also, there are long stretches of nothing. The Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjord Trip, Fox Island, shopping, etc., will easily fill your three days. My daughters (in their 20's and I did the Ank/Seward/Kenai/Homer trip but we had 8 days (and needed it!)
Have Fun!!!!

Hope

Sorry, I have a typo in previous message. It should have read, "but" too far to do both Homer and Seward. Sorry for the typo. Hope