I didn’t really know what to expect when we landed in Anchorage, AK at 12:03 am on Saturday morning.  I guess I half expected to be greeted by a moose or an Eskimo. It took me about two minutes to get over my disappointment when I stepped outside of the airport and could already see the beautiful mountains. To my surprise it wasn’t even dark outside. You could still see light on the horizon and a local informed us that this was the darkest it gets in the summertime and that the sun will rise about 4 am and set about 11 pm.

After a short night’s sleep (we were awaken by the sun-rise) we were both just itching to get outside and enjoy Alaska’s landscape. Honestly we came to Anchorage on a whim because we both had never been and always wanted to go. After doing some quick research via visitors guides we had picked up at the rental car place- we decided to take a 2.5 hour drive to Seward Alaska.  Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities. Known as the ‘Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park’ Seward is a picturesque town located 126 miles south of Anchorage. – Honestly the drive itself is worth it. For the first part you drive along the coast and then you drive through the mountains- there are ample spots to pull off enjoy the views, take a quick hike, look for Alaskan wildlife and take plenty of gorgeous pictures.

The 2.5 hour drive turned into about a four hour drive because we could just not stop exploring everything the highway had to offer. We finally made it to Seward and grabbed a quick bite to eat from one of the local bakeries, took a walk along the pier and then headed to the Alaska Sea Life Center. I was dying to see a puffin and they had plentiful. It’s a little pricey about $20 dollars a person, but it puts you at ease to know that the money goes to research and rescue efforts of these marine animals. It’s a neat place and we definitely felt we got our money’s worth. They have fish, sea lions, seals, and of course puffins. If you have kids they will love it. On the drive back we made a quick stop to exit glacier, which the lookout is just about ten miles north of Seward. It was fun to see and on the way back down we saw a moose cross the street right in front of us!  It took us just about as much time to get back to Anchorage as it did to get there. Places to look for Beluga whales, Dall Sheep, Black Bears and enjoy the views of the ocean. And this was just the first day!