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What Is Seward Highway Scenic Drives
Highway Carved from Wilderness
The Seward Highway Scenic Drive grips drivers with its raw collision of Turnagain Arm's tidal bore, Chugach peaks piercing clouds, and Kenai glaciers spilling to road's edge. Travelers chase this 125-mile masterpiece for beluga pods surfacing beside the blacktop, avalanche scars on sheer cliffs, and pullouts where eagles wheel over fjords. It's Alaska distilled: no theme parks, just wilderness that demands you slow down.
Best Season
Late May to early September for snow-free roads, beluga whale sightings in Turnagain Arm, and wildflowers blanketing Chugach slopes.
Typical Duration
2-4 hours one-way from Anchorage to Seward, or 1-3 days with stops for hikes, glacier views, and Kenai Peninsula detours.
Budget Range
USD 50-150 per day covering gas, food, and entry fees; add USD 200+ for lodging in peak summer.
Experience Level
Beginner-friendly driving on paved two-lane highway; moderate fitness for short trails like Bird Ridge or Exit Glacier.
World's Best
Top 25 Seward Highway Scenic Drives Destinations
Ranked by visual drama, pullout quality, wildlife density, and cost-to-wow ratio, drawing from All-American Road status, Tripadvisor rankings, and Alaska.org highlights.
Seward HighwayUSA · Alaska
#01
4.9
- All-American Road hugs Turnagain Arm's bore with beluga breaches, threads Portage Valley's hanging glaciers, and climbs to Kenai Mountain passes laced with waterfalls. - Bird Rid…
Pacific Coast Highway (CA 1)USA · California
#02
4.8
- Bixby Bridge arches over Big Sur's turquoise crashes; elephant seals haul out at Piedras Blancas amid Monterey pines. - McWay Falls plunges 80 feet to beach; Hearst Castle adds o…
Going-to-the-Sun RoadUSA · Montana
#03
4.8
- Glacier National Park's engineering marvel switchbacks Logan Pass at 6,600 feet, flanked by sheer drops and alpine meadows. - Weeping Wall sprays waterfalls; Hidden Lake Trail re…
Amalfi Coast Road (SS163)Italy · Campania
#04
4.7
- Cliffs plummet to Tyrrhenian surf; Positano's pastel villages stack like amphorae above hairpin turns. - Furore fiord hides beach coves; Ravello gardens overlook infinity.
Ring Road (Route 1)Iceland · Southern Iceland
#05
4.7
- Detours to black-sand beaches and Skógafoss; Jökulsárlón lagoon bergs calve beside the pavement. - Seljalandsfoss waterfall tunnels behind; Landmannalaugar hot springs steam off-…
Chapman’s Peak DriveSouth Africa · Western Cape
#06
4.6
- 114 curves cling to Table Mountain's flank; Hout Bay seals bark below fynbos cliffs. - Noordhoek strand stretches 8km unbroken; whale breaches offshore in season.
Stelvio PassItaly · Lombardy
#07
4.6
- 48 hairpins climb to 9,045 feet in Ortler Alps; glaciers crown the summit meadow. - Umbrail Pass links Switzerland; wild ibex roam roadside scree.
Hana Highway (Route 360)USA · Hawaii
#08
4.6
- 620 curves through Maui rainforest to black-lava coast; Wai'anapanapa blows sea caves. - Garden of Eden frames Jurassic vistas; bamboo forests tunnel the road.
Grossglockner High Alpine RoadAustria · Carinthia
#09
4.5
- 36km ascends to 8,215-foot pass in Hohe Tauern; marmots whistle from edelweiss slopes. - Pasterze Glacier calves visibly; Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe overlook stuns.
Cabot TrailCanada · Nova Scotia
#10
4.5
- Cape Breton Highlands loop ocean bluffs and moose meadows; Skyline Trail boardwalk drops to cliffs. - Ingonish Beach meets Highlands; pleinosaur fossils dot roadside digs.
North Coast 500UK · Scottish Highlands
#11
4.5
- Scotland's Highland loop circles pentland Firth; Dunnet Head cliffs rival Land's End. - Smoo Cave gushes waterfalls; fairy pools gleam in Cuillin shadows.
Beartooth HighwayUSA · Wyoming/Montana
#12
4.5
- Climbs to 10,947 feet near Yellowstone; grizzlies roam subalpine basins. - Vista Point surveys Beartooth Plateau; wildflowers riot in July.
Transfăgărășan HighwayRomania · Transylvania
#13
4.4
- Carpathian rocketship bores tunnels and leaps viaducts; Bâlea Lake mirrors peaks. - Poenari Castle ruins perch on abyss; eagles hunt the void.
Icefields ParkwayCanada · Canadian Rockies
#14
4.4
- Jasper-Banff ribbon threads Athabasca Glacier; Peyto Lake turquoise shocks. - Columbia Icefield walks onto crevasses; bighorn sheep lick roadside salt.
Great Ocean RoadAustralia · Victoria
#15
4.4
- Twelve Apostles stack offshore; Loch Ard Gorge wrecks rust in surf. - Otways rainforest tunnels; koalas nap in eucalyptus.
Route des Grandes AlpesFrance · French Alps
#16
4.4
- Alps traverse from Lake Geneva to Riviera; Col de l'Iseran tops 9,000 feet. - Lac d'Allos reflects larches; chamois bound moraines.
San Juan SkywayUSA · Colorado
#17
4.3
- Colorado's Million Dollar Highway bores sheer drops; Telluride boxes box canyon. - Bear Creek Falls cascades; aspen gold ignites fall.
Blue Ridge ParkwayUSA · Virginia/North Carolina
#18
4.3
- 469 miles crest Appalachians; Linn Cove Viaduct snakes mountainside. - Graveyard Fields waterfalls; rhododendron tunnels bloom pink.
Garden RouteSouth Africa · Western Cape
#19
4.3
- Tsitsikamma canopy zips; Knysna Heads guard lagoon. - Ostrich farms strut; whale tails punctuate coast.
Top of the World Highway
Canada/USA · Yukon Territory
#20
4.2
- Klondike gravel climbs Yukon ridges to Alaska border; Tombstone peaks spike skyline. - Grizzly pawprints track dust; ptarmigan flush from tundra.
Denali HighwayUSA · Alaska
#21
4.2
- Gravel artery to Denali; Mount Hayes glaciers gleam 100 miles off. - Moose wade Tangle Lakes; caribou migrate September.
Colin McLeod Skyline Trail (Icefields addition)Canada · Jasper
#22
4.2
- Braided path parallels parkway; Wilcox Pass surveys icefalls. - Ptarmigan berries stain boots; golden eagles soar thermals.
Steese HighwayUSA · Alaska Interior
#23
4.1
- Alaska's gold rush relic to Circle; Eagle Summit tundra blooms. - Peregrine falcons stoop; Dall sheep dot cliffs.
Alaska Highway
Canada/USA · Yukon/British Columbia
#24
4.1
- WWII gravel pioneer to Delta Junction; Liard Hot Springs steams roadside. - Stone sheep lick cuts; bison block pavement.
Glenn HighwayUSA · Alaska
#25
4.0
- Matanuska Glacier calves beside turns; Worthington Glacier touches toe. - Caribou cross autumn; King Salmon run parallels.
How to Do It Right
Master the Seward Drive
Book Anchorage-Seward campsites or lodges six months ahead for July peak; drive southbound mornings to catch belugas on rising tides and avoid tour bus crowds. Check Alaska 511 for avalanche risks in spring. Fuel up in Girdwood—stations thin out south.
Pull over only at designated viewpoints to dodge moose on curves; pack bear spray for trails. Time Portage Glacier visits pre-10am to beat cruise ship influx. Download offline maps—cell service drops in valleys.
Rent a sturdy SUV for gravel side roads like Exit Glacier; master one-hand driving for photo stops. Practice beluga spotting with binoculars from Bird Point. Go independent: self-guided audio tours from UCPlaces hit every canyon and fjord.
Top Articles on Seward Highway Scenic Drives
YouTube/Travel Vlogger
Seward Highway: Alaska's Most Epic Drive
Video captures the 125-mile route's Turnagain Arm belugas, Portage Valley glaciers, and Kenai passes. Highlights Bird Point overlooks and Exit Glacier hikes as must-stops. Emphasizes two-hour Anchorag…
2023Read Article
TripadvisorTHE 15 BEST Alaska Scenic Drives (2026)
Ranks Seward Highway #3 statewide, praising Chugach-to-Kenai vistas. Notes Glenn and Richardson Highways as complementary epics. User reviews average 4.8 stars for wildlife and pullouts.
2026Read Article
Seward Highway Scenic Drives Around the World
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