Experience - The Town of Seldovia

Eclectic Carvings Abound

Summary

While you are on the Kenai Peninsula, don’t miss the chance to visit Seldovia.   

It is a delightful town; scenic, lovely, and beautifully maintained.

Opinion

Seldovia is a great place to wander along quiet streets looking at beautiful homes, eclectic artworks, and gardens of all types and sizes.

Trip Advice

Seldovia is reached by ferry or water taxi.  The boats give you several hours in the town before they pick you back up, so plan accordingly. 

Also, for most, Seldovia is explored on foot.  Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.

The Experience

One way to get to Seldovia is on the Seldovia Bay Ferry.  It departs Seldovia twice per day and Homer twice per day.  If you catch the morning ferry from Homer you will have about 5 ½ hours in Seldovia before you catch the evening ferry.  You can bring bikes, kayaks, or pets for an additional fee.

Another popular option is the Rainbow Connection, which offers a 7-hour tour.  The tour starts with a trip to Gull Island (a seabird rookery) that play host to kittiwakes, gulls, cormorants, and, in season, puffins.  It then ducks into Eldred Passage for hopeful sitings of otters, eagles and ducks.  After wildlife viewing they take you to Seldovia where you can explore until departure at 4 pm.

Humpback Whale

Both options have a chance of seeing humpback whales throughout the summer.  The whales stayed in Kachemak Bay all summer in 2015 and 2015 and were common sites on the way to Seldovia.  In 2015 we took the ferry to Seldovia and arrived almost an hour late because the ferry driver stopped for almost an hour to allow passengers to watch and photograph the whales.  In 2017, an Orca was spotted in the bay as well, although those sitings are far more rare. 

View from the Historic Boardwalk

Russian Church

Seldovia has a few famous views; the first is the historic boardwalk along an inlet lined by homes and shops.  The view from the boardwalk changes character with the tide and the season, but is very scenic and beautiful.  Once we saw a school of salmon waiting for the tide change to head up the river.  Another is the old Russian Old Believer Church.  It is not open to the public, but it is one of the most photographed buildings in Seldovia.  Finally, there is the small boat harbor which features beautiful views of small boats framed by the mountains behind.

At the Visitors Center

Seldovia also has a museum (associated with the visitors center) that highlights its Native peoples and shows images from its heyday as home to a major fishing cannery.

The streets are home to a variety of eclectic carvings, many of which may have been the result of the annual chainsaw-carving contest.  The annual Chainsaw Carving Competition takes place during Labor Day weekend involving a host of activities, concerts, and auctions from Thursday to Sunday.

There are also a variety of hiking opportunities, some of which can be easily accessed during a single day and others, which will require a longer stay.  If you choose to stay, there are a variety of options for overnighting from camping to B&Bs.