Pre-Cruise Alaska · Family Group of 11
Anchorage to Seward: Places to Explore
Every town and attraction worth a stop between landing in Anchorage and boarding your ship in Seward. Pick your favourites and we’ll build the bus plan around them.
The Route at a Glance
11
Travellers
One family, one bus
~125
Miles
Anchorage to Seward
2.5–3
Hours
Non-stop drive time
10+
Stops
Pick what fits your days
Times shown are approximate driving times from Anchorage, without stops.
Where You Could Go
Anchorage
Arrival city · 1–2 nights
Turnagain Arm
Scenic drive · photo stops
Girdwood & Alyeska
Half day · ~45 min from ANC
Portage & Whittier
Half to full day
Seward
Cruise port · 1 night ideal
Palmer & Mat-Su Valley
Day trip north · ~1 hr
Talkeetna & Denali
Add 1–2 nights north
Cooper Landing & Kenai River
Detour · ~1.5 hrs from Seward
Cities & Attractions
Arrival City · Ted Stevens Anchorage Int’l (ANC)
Anchorage
Alaska’s biggest city, with culture, museums and moose sightings on city trails.
- 🏛️ Alaska Native Heritage Center — dance, storytelling and village sites from Alaska’s Native cultures
- 🖼️ Anchorage Museum — Alaska history, art and a hands-on science area for kids
- 🚲 Tony Knowles Coastal Trail — rent bikes for an easy, flat ride with mountain and ocean views
- 🌍 Earthquake Park — short walk on the site of the 1964 earthquake
- 🛩️ Lake Hood — the world’s busiest floatplane base; great for watching takeoffs
- 🐟 Ship Creek — watch locals fish for salmon right downtown (summer)
- 🍺 Downtown dinners, breweries and the weekend summer market
⭐ Flightseeing to Denali — small-plane flights to see North America’s tallest peak, some with a glacier landing. Groups of 11 usually split across two planes.
Plan to arrive at least one day before the cruise. Flight delays are common, and Seward is a long drive.
Seward Highway · Scenic Byway
Turnagain Arm
One of America’s most beautiful drives, with mountains on one side and tidal water on the other.
- 📸 Beluga Point — look for beluga whales on a rising tide
- 🐐 Windy Point — Dall sheep often stand right beside the road
- 🌊 Bore tide — on certain days a wave rolls up the arm; ask us to check the tide tables
- 🥾 Bird Point — short paved path with big views
Pull-outs are tight for a full-size coach; your driver will pick the safe stops.
~40 miles from Anchorage
Girdwood & Alyeska Resort
A mountain town in a rainforest valley, ringed by hanging glaciers.
- 🚡 Alyeska Aerial Tram — ride up the mountain for glacier and Turnagain Arm views; lunch or dinner at the top
- 🥾 Winner Creek Trail — rainforest walk to a hand tram over a gorge
- ⛏️ Crow Creek Mine — family gold panning at a historic mine
- ☕ Girdwood’s small cafés and bakeries
⭐ Alyeska Aerial Tram — an easy win for every age in the group.
~60 miles from Anchorage
Portage Valley & Whittier
Glaciers, icebergs and wildlife, all just off the highway.
- 🦬 Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center — bears, moose, wood bison, musk oxen and elk, viewable from the bus loop or on foot
- 🧊 Begich, Boggs Visitor Center — glacier exhibits on Portage Lake
- 🛥️ Portage Glacier cruise — a short boat ride to the glacier face
- 🚇 Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel — a one-lane tunnel shared with the railroad, into Whittier
- 🛳️ Prince William Sound glacier cruise from Whittier — dozens of glaciers in a day
⭐ Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center — the most popular stop on Anchorage–Seward transfers.
The Whittier tunnel runs on a set schedule and buses need to time it. A Whittier cruise is best on a separate day, not on boarding day.
Cruise Port · ~125 miles from Anchorage
Seward
A harbour town on Resurrection Bay and the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.
- 🐋 Kenai Fjords National Park boat tour — whales, sea otters, puffins and tidewater glaciers
- 🦭 Alaska SeaLife Center — aquarium and marine rescue centre, a short walk from the pier
- 🧊 Exit Glacier — easy walk to a glacier just outside town
- 🐕 Sled dog kennel tours — meet Iditarod dogs and take a summer cart ride
- ⚓ Harbour walk, waterfront path and seafood restaurants
⭐ Kenai Fjords boat tour — one of the best wildlife days in Alaska. It needs a night in Seward before the cruise.
Leave plenty of margin before the ship’s all-aboard time.
Day Trip North · ~45 miles from Anchorage
Palmer & the Mat-Su Valley
Farms, glaciers and old gold mines north of Anchorage.
- 🐂 Musk Ox Farm — up-close tour of these Ice Age animals
- 🦌 Reindeer Farm — hand-feed reindeer; great for kids
- 🧊 Matanuska Glacier — guided walk on the ice (about 2 hours from Anchorage)
- ⛰️ Hatcher Pass & Independence Mine — alpine views and a historic gold mine
- 🚁 Knik Glacier — airboat or helicopter tours
Best as a full day from Anchorage. It’s in the opposite direction from Seward.
Add 1–2 Nights · ~2.5 hrs (Talkeetna) / ~4.5 hrs (Denali)
Talkeetna & Denali
If the family has extra days, head north before driving to Seward.
- 🏔️ Talkeetna — quirky village with Denali views, riverfront walks, shops and cafés
- 🛩️ Denali flightseeing from Talkeetna — the classic spot for glacier landings
- 🚌 Denali National Park bus tour — look for grizzlies, moose and caribou
- 🚆 Alaska Railroad — glass-dome train between Anchorage, Talkeetna and Denali
This adds two or more days. It’s worth it only if the group can arrive well before the cruise.
Detour · ~1.5 hrs from Seward
Cooper Landing & the Kenai River
Turquoise river, salmon country and family-friendly rafting.
- 🛶 Kenai River scenic float — gentle rafting, good for most ages
- 🎣 Guided salmon fishing — seasonal; licences required
- 🐻 Russian River Falls — watch salmon jumping and, sometimes, bears fishing
Cooper Landing is off the main Anchorage–Seward route, so it adds driving time.
Typical Offerings by Royal Caribbean
A sample of the pre-cruise land tour Royal Caribbean offers before Alaska sailings from Seward. Exact days, times and hotels depend on the tour and departure date.
Day 1 · Anchorage
Arrive in Anchorage
Your Adventure Specialist welcomes you to Alaska, then the evening is yours.
- 🚐 Airport transfer to your hotel
- Free time to explore: visit a local craft brewery, enjoy dinner, or stroll an urban trail in the evening light
- 🏨 Overnight: Anchorage Marriott
Your land tour includes a dedicated tour guide, the experiences, lodging and transportation described here. Arrival times are tentative. Optional excursions aren’t included, and meals are only included where noted.
Day 2 · Anchorage → Denali
Motor Coach to Denali
A scenic drive north, then into the park with a ranger to look for wildlife.
- 🚌 Motor coach ride from Anchorage to Denali through Alaska’s spectacular landscape
- From 6:30 p.m., Denali is yours to explore: hike the scenic trails that surround the lodge
- 🏨 Overnight: Grizzly Bear Resort
⭐ Denali Natural History Tour — in the afternoon, explore the untamed beauty of Denali and scout the tundra and forest for wildlife.
Optional: book an excursion such as flightseeing or rafting on the Nenana River.
Visits to Denali National Park in May and September depend on the weather.
Day 3 · Denali → Talkeetna → Anchorage
Wilderness Express & Back to Anchorage
A slow morning by the river, a glass-dome train ride, then one more evening in Anchorage.
- 🌲 Morning at the lodge: walk the trails or relax with a view of the river
- 🚆 Glass-domed railcars of the Wilderness Express to Talkeetna
- 🚌 Motor coach from Talkeetna to Anchorage
- From 6:30 p.m., Anchorage is yours: the eclectic dining scene, a local craft beer, or a stroll along the waterfront in the late evening light
- 🏨 Overnight: Anchorage Marriott
Sample Bus Plans
Option A · 1 Night Before the Cruise
- Day 1: Fly into Anchorage · Native Heritage Center or Coastal Trail · overnight Anchorage
- Day 2: Bus down Turnagain Arm · Alyeska Tram · Wildlife Conservation Center · board ship in Seward
Option B · 2 Nights Before the Cruise
- Day 1: Fly into Anchorage · free evening downtown · overnight Anchorage
- Day 2: Bus to Girdwood, Portage Glacier and the Wildlife Center · overnight Seward
- Day 3: Morning Kenai Fjords boat tour or SeaLife Center · board ship in Seward
Good to Know for a Group of 11
🚌 Choosing the Bus
Eleven people with cruise luggage won’t fit comfortably in a 15-passenger van. A mini-coach with a luggage bay, or a van with a luggage trailer, works much better. We’ll book a private charter with a driver.
📅 Book Early
Summer is peak season. Charter buses, tram tickets, boat tours and flightseeing for a group this size sell out, so we reserve as soon as the plan is set.
🧳 Luggage on Boarding Day
Keep a small day bag with medications, documents and a warm layer. Big bags stay on the bus until the pier.
🧥 What to Wear
Layers and a rain jacket, even in July. Glacier and boat tours are cold and windy.
💵 Driver Gratuity
For private charters, plan a gratuity for the driver or guide. We’ll confirm the usual amount.