Named after the U.S. Secretary of State involved in buying Alaska from Russia, the town of Seward went on to become an important location in the olden days of the Klondike Gold Rush. Teams of dogsleds would rush the lifesaving diphtheria vaccine from here… and today there’s even a race that commemorates that time. But if Seward is your starting point for exploring the region, the region’s big city of Anchorage and its Native American culture is just one of the spots that’s worth a detour. There’s Kenai Fjords National Park with its marine life and dozens of glaciers, while on land the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center welcomes visitors to see the orphaned and injured animals recovering there, including bears, moose, elk, eagles and more. And there’s potential for adventure galore, whether it’s floating down Resurrection River, strapping in for a dogsled ride, or going for a scenic, up-close nature cruise aboard a smaller boat.