The Alaska Railroad's aptly named Coastal
Classic route is probably the most beautiful stretch of the Alaska Railroad.
Take this to:
- Visit the resort town of Girdwood for dog sledding,
flightseeing, rain forest hikes, or an overnight at The Hotel Alyeska
- Go to Seward,
where you can take a Glacier & Wildlife
Cruise into Kenai
Fjords National Park, visit the Alaska
Sealife Center, walk right up to the face of Exit
Glacier,
and stay at the Seward
Windsong Lodge miles up the
picturesque Resurrection River Valley.
- Take some extra time and explore. You can do the
round-trip in a day,
4 hours on the train in the morning and 4 hours returning
in the evening.
What it's really like:
This train traces scenic Turnagain Arm, where you'll
have an excellent chance of seeing Beluga whales, moose,
and Dall sheep. You'll see awe-inspiring landscapes
punctuated by wildlife, as well as
lush stands of alder and spruce nourished
by coastal rains and high sun.
You’ll stop at the town of
Girdwood, then it’s into the Kenai
Mountains, a dramatic landscape of
corrugated peaks that stretches as
far as you can see. The train stays
in the mountains, mostly away from
the roads, giving you views you can’t
get from a car. You’ll see glacial
backdrops, alpine meadows, wildflowers,
and wildlife as you pass through tunnels
and past railroad houses on your way
to Seward.
Some Coastal Classic riders take the train both ways,
doing it as a daytrip in just over 8 hours. It’s
also fun to spend one or two nights in Seward visiting
the shops and touring the bay. Catching the train back
to Anchorage in the afternoon often provides spectacular
sunsets over Cook Inlet throughout the summer. Some
people head to their next destination via cruise ship
out of Seward.
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