Frequently Asked Questions

We strive to stay open year round, but this really is dependent upon staffing. Sometimes, between the months of October and March, we may be closed.

The Wing, Gatehouse and Cloud 9 Cabins sit right on our waterfront on Resurrection Bay. Wildlife is abundant! In the waters in front of the cabins, you can routinely see sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, orcas (killer whales), Dall porpoise, harbor porpoise and a huge variety of seabirds and ducks. In addition to waterfowl which includes oystercatchers, mergansers, cormorants, and loons; other fowl include eagles, hummingbirds, swallows, and even Great Blue Herons! And of course, don’t forget the salmon when they’re jumping! Occasionally larger whales will enter the bay, such as Humpbacks & Grey whales. If you are interested in seeing Puffins, while they do reside inside the confines of Resurrection Bay, they don’t come quite this far north, so you’ll have to take a boat ride for Puffin viewing. Around the Heron’s Roost Cabin most of the wildlife you’ll see up close will be birds (lots of hummingbirds in the summer, and other small birds year round). There have been bear sightings and lots of eagle sightings. You’re just a stone’s throw from the Caines Head trailhead and a very short walk to the beach. In the greater Seward area, additional wildlife viewing includes moose, black bear, brown bear, coyotes, Dall Sheep & mountain goats.

For the Seward area and Alaska in general, the best thing to do is to plan on dressing in layers, so you can add or remove items as needed. During the summer months, it’s not normally very hot along the coast but having one pair of shorts just in case is probably a good idea. If you’re spending any time in the Interior, you’ll want a couple of pairs. Be sure to bring rain gear too. You don’t need to be too concerned about bugs right near the water, but inland you can anticipate mosquitoes and flies. If you are doing any kayaking or hiking, we firmly suggest an under-layer of polypropylene; it can be life-saving!

During summer months, temperatures will usually range from the 40s to the 60s, occasionally the 70s in the Seward area. Very occasionally it can be warmer or colder. North of Seward and in the Interior it can sometimes get as warm as 80 or 90. It may rain; the rainy season tends to begin in August or September, but rain is a possibility year round. During the spring and fall seasons, temperatures will usually range from the high 30s to the high 50s/low 60s. There is a greater chance of rain. During the off-season, temperatures will usually range from the 20s to the 30s in the Seward area. It can occasionally be colder, but this is an ice-free port, so the bay will rarely freeze, although there may be icing along the edges. The wind can blow, and depending on the form of precipitation, roads and walkways can be icy. We suggest having a pair of ice grips (available in town) if you are visiting between November and April. In general, do not rely on weather forecasts, particularly long-range reports; because of the mountain ranges and ocean influence those reports are rarely accurate.

In Alaska, we do everything, even fishing, boat tours, hiking and kayaking in the rain, so don’t let a little rain ruin your fun. (We’re not suggesting a rough day on the water; that is not recommended). For indoor activities, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a marine research facility that is open to the public year-round, with extended hours in the summer. Be sure to include a “behind-the-scenes” tour, usually given around noon; it’s worth the extra fee. They also offer some other specialty tours that are well worth the money. The Liberty Movie Theatre downtown has matinées and evening shows of current run movies (may be closed Thursdays depending on the season). Don’t miss the Seward Museum, the Institute of Marine Science and the Kenai Fjords National Park Office. The Seward Library, downtown on 5th Avenue shows a movie about the 1964 earthquake during the summer months, which is fascinating. There are some Internet cafés for those who can’t live without it. There are some very cute shops in downtown and the harbor. Many guests in our waterfront cabins spend rainy days just sitting in the comfortable chairs, looking out the windows.

Alaska waters are cold year-round, so even on a hot sunny summer day, it can be cold on the water. We suggest dressing in layers, with the outer layer being windproof. We also suggest having a hat & gloves. Whether you’re fishing or wildlife viewing, outside on the decks of the boats, your hands and ears can get quite cold. We also suggest a good pair of sunglasses and sunscreen. Also, if you’re fishing, you’ll need to bring food and drinks with you; and of course, the proper fishing license. If the weather is bad and you don’t want to go, there may not be any refunds available. If the weather is bad and the company cancels the trip or changes the scope of the voyage, you may be entitled to a refund. If you have any concerns about the weather, you should be sure to discuss your concerns BEFORE STEPPING ON THE BOAT! Be sure your digital items get charged fully, and you have LOTS of storage available with you ~ there’s nothing worse than a whale breaching and running out of storage or battery or storage space!

The one common mistake people make when planning their trip to Alaska is failing to realize how BIG the state is, how far things are from each other, and how much time it will take travel the distances. Be certain to get a good map of the state and study the scale of it. Remember, if you were to superimpose the state of Alaska on top of the lower 48 states, Alaska stretches from Florida to California and Wisconsin to Texas! For example, it’s at least a 5-hour drive from Seward to Homer, on a two-lane highway with very few passing lanes. Getting into and out of Whittier can be tricky, and the tunnel schedule difficult to read, so let us help you figure that out. Feel free to ask us about other specific destinations you may be considering. Consider making Seward your entire vacation location! There are so many things to do you can easily spend a week. Many of our guests stay between 6 and 18 days! One great thing to do if you only have a week to visit Alaska is to pick an area like Seward and use it as a base of operation. If you have two weeks, split it between two good bases of operation; Seward and the Denali area for example. You’ll be happier, we can assure you! You wouldn’t try to see the entire 48 states in a week or two, but quite often folks plan Alaska vacations without realizing that what they have planned for themselves amounts to trying to do that here!

Most roads in Alaska are simple two-lane highways. Most main roads are paved, while most other roads are not. There are many passing lanes on the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Seward. You should be certain to observe the Alaska law that you must pull over if you have 5 or more cars behind you. On the Seward Highway, headlights are required at all times. There are certain designated “highways” that are unpaved, and not allowed by rental car companies. There are no restricted roads to get to Angels Rest on Resurrection Bay, and the roads are paved except for the last 3 miles. There is always road construction in the summer in Alaska, somewhere! It’s a good idea to contact the various places you will be visiting, shortly before your trip, to learn what the current road conditions may be in the area you will be traveling through. If you have to arrive somewhere by a certain time, you should call ahead and talk to a local about projected travel times*. Some construction stops may be brief, while others may be as long as a half an hour wait or more, so be prepared with a book to read, a game to play, or maybe a snack. Chances are, wherever you are stopped, it will be beautiful! (*There are times during major construction that a highway will close at night to all traffic, so indeed if you are planning on driving between midnight and 6:00 am, be sure to check that your highway will be open!) We will do our best to inform you of any construction delays on the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Seward of which we are aware.

Above the Arctic Circle (and most trips to Alaska do not go that far north) there are 84 continual days of darkness in the winter and 84 continual days of sunshine in the summer. If you are planning a visit during summer and in particular the month of June, no matter where in Alaska you visit, you’ll experience very long days (18-22 hours of sunlight). The farther north you go, the longer the day. Conversely in the winter, the further north, the shorter the day. In December in Seward, we have about 5 hours of sunlight per day. Off-season & winter months can offer exceptional and dramatic sunrises, sunsets, moonrises and Northern Lights viewing. All our cabins have light blocking blinds on the windows. For those sensitive to light, during summer months we suggest a low-cost sleeping mask available at most drug stores.

We suggest you contact us preferably via our Inquiry Form or email, as soon as you know you’re coming to Alaska. The sooner, the better, but never assume we’ll be sold out, or that you can’t get in last minute! You might be surprised! For the most popular dates of June through August, it’s best to call as much as a year in advance, to ensure you get the cabin of your choice, for the dates of your choice. For a stay around the 4th of July, as much as 18 months in advance may be necessary. If you’re looking for more than one cabin, the sooner you call, the better your chances. If we’re already sold out for the dates you’re looking for; we’ll offer you our closest opening, in case you have any flexibility to your itinerary. Sometimes guests will completely re-arrange their schedule to stay in one of our cabins. If all else fails, and we can’t accommodate you, we’ll direct you to our personal recommendations for another lodging.

We apologize for any confusion our “bed & breakfast” category may cause! Since all of our cabins and rooms include kitchenettes, we are often included in the bed and breakfast category. OR, because there IS no “cabin” category, we end up in the bed & breakfast category since we are neither a hotel nor a motel. Because what we offer is so special, most guests don’t mind! Kitchenettes are stocked with a GOOD French Roast coffee and Lipton tea. We also supply sugar. We DO NOT provide any chemical sweeteners or artificial creamers, and we no long provide creamer to cut down on plastic usage. If you prefer these, we count on you traveling with your supply.

Many visitors are not quite prepared for how different Alaska is from other places they have visited. Since this is still the last frontier, you will encounter many things you may have never seen before. One of the reasons for this is that in certain areas, such as ours, there are few or NO laws governing the use of land. No zoning, no ordinances, no restrictions, primarily ~ no rules. Lowell Point used to be one of those places, although now there are some building requirements due to “coastal flooding” mapping. Lowell Point is an unusual and unique place, and while some will be shocked when they first arrive, by the hodge-podge they drive the past, most guests are extremely pleased with our property and their experiences here. We hope you will be too!

One of the biggest frustrations that our guests report is their inability to reach some of the vendors we recommend for tours, kayaking, and fishing. This is because we tend to support small “ma & pa” operations such as ours, with limited staff. Depending on the time of year you are trying to reach them, they may be taking a needed break, or extremely busy. Additionally, with the time zone differences, it can be hard to find the right time for you to call, that is also the right time for them. We suggest allowing us to make your reservations for you with some of the vendors, for these reasons. Not only are we in the same time zone as the other vendors; we have cell phone numbers, and we know their schedules. We can take a lot of the frustration out of your activities planning for you!