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THE KENAI PENINSULA

One of the best places to get a real feel for Alaska is the Kenai Peninsula.
From teeming seas to soaring mountains and wonder-inspiring wildlife above and
below the surface, it's a microcosm of natural Alaska

Jutting out about 150 miles from the southern coast of Alaska--just south of the state’s largest city, Anchorage-- the Kenai Peninsula is almost surrounded by Prince William Sound on the east and Cook Inlet to the west. The glacier-packed Kenai Mountains run down the eastern side of the area and ice-blue glaciers can be seen by visitors traveling between Seward and Anchorage along the Seward Highway--a National Scenic Byway--or aboard the Alaska Railroad. In addition to mountains and coastal waters the area features beautiful inland lakes and salmon-filled rivers.

Seeing It in Seward

The pretty waterfront town of Seward is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Kenai exploration. Named after William H. Seward, the U.S. secretary of state who led the drive to purchase Alaska from Russia in 1867, Seward is an Alaska Railroad terminus and the beginning of various Kenai adventures. The awe-inspiring Kenai Fjords National Park is one of several natural area attractions, boasting Harding Icefield’s glaciers, wildlife spottings (think whales, seals, sea lions, and more), and kayaking on nearby Resurrection Bay (including visits to remote Fox Island).

Back in Seward proper and in the shadow of 3,000-foot Mount Marathon, the compact and walker-friendly city features the must-see Alaska SeaLife Center. As the world’s first cold water marine institute, the SeaLife Center offers several underwater viewing tanks, lots of live displays and several advanced interactive exhibits. Wildlife typically seen in the Kenai Fjords is found here, including Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and various birds--as well as sea-life sightings usually experienced only by lucky fishermen. Just outside town, Exit Glacier is the only part of Kenai Fjords National Park accessible by road.

Homer: Home to Adventure

On the peninsula's southwestern tip, the town of Homer, like Seward,  provides easy access to outdoor adventures both wild and mild. Kachemak Bay State Park presents nature at sea and on land. Kodiak and Kodiak Island, south of Homer and reached by plane or ferry, is another southern-Alaska draw--offering a possible glimpse of the big Kodiak Bear.

Back on Kenai proper, additional possibilities await visitors: Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (home to more than 6,500 huge moose); Chugach National Forest (with lots of leaping salmon in-season at Cooper Landing); historic Russian-influenced Ninilchik; and Soldotna on the Kenai River, home of the world-record catch for king salmon: 97 pounds.

In a state where everything is big, the Kenai Peninsula continues to grow in stature--an expansive encounter with Alaska at its natural best.