Kodiak

Kodiak Island is in southwestern Alaska, in the Gulf of Alaska, 250 miles south of Anchorage. It is Alaska's largest island and second largest in the US, after the Big Island in Hawaii. The City of Kodiak is situated on the east shore of Kodiak Island.

Understand
The Kodiak Island Borough, with a population of 13,000 (2019), includes the City of Kodiak, seven villages, the U.S. Coast Guard Base, plus several remote camps and lodges. Due to its magnificent green summers, Kodiak is called Alaska's Emerald Isle.

Commercial fishing accounts for about a third of the local economy. Kodiak is home port to Alaska's largest and most diversified fishing fleet, over 700 commercial fishing vessels. Next comes government and military services (the Coast Guard's largest facility in the U.S. is on Kodiak). Third is tourism, with only about 35,000 tourists in 2010. Tourism in Kodiak is an afterthought, which is not a bad thing if you're a tourist and want to see Alaska in the raw. The City of Kodiak and the Coast Guard's Integrated Support Command Kodiak, 8 miles southwest of the city, are where the people are. The rest of the emerald green island remains in its beautiful natural state (most is part of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge), with some tourist lodges and native people's encampments scattered on or near the coastline.



Climate
Kodiak is cloudy an average of 306 days per year; expect just 3 or 4 clear days during the summer months of June through September. Measurable amounts of rain takes place on at least 15 days out of every month. The weather in Kodiak can change abruptly, so a good raincoat or windbreaker is a necessity on every day's outing, even if there isn't a cloud in the sky.

Get in
Because it is situated on an island, Kodiak is accessible only by air and sea.

By ship
If flying isn't your thing, Alaska Marine Highway System offers ferry service to Kodiak (at Pier 1 downtown) via the M/V Tustemena, or what the Kodiak locals fondly call the "Rusty Tusty". Expect an 8 to 14 hour boat ride, most of which is on open ocean. Leaving from the Port of Whittier? You're looking at a 23 hour ride! Book a room on board.

Kodiak is a boutique port on the Alaskan cruise ship summer circuit. Premium or luxury cruise ships call at Kodiak's Pier 2 (City Dock), about 1 mile southwest of the downtown area. Some cruise lines offer shuttle service from City Dock to downtown and back. If not, the most direct pedestrian access from City Dock to downtown is along Shelikof Street, walking with the water to your right, past Kodiak's fish processing facilities and small boat harbor. In 2017, Kodiak was slated to host 16,600 passengers sailing on 15 ships.

On foot
The first place to visit is the downtown visitor center, 100 Marine Way, Ste 200, at the foot of Center St next to the ferry terminal at Pier 1. The visitor center is open Monday – Friday 8AM – 5PM year round. From early May through late September, it is open also on Saturday and hours are extended to accommodate the ferry or cruise ship schedules. The historic points of interest in downtown Kodiak are clustered together just northeast of the small boat harbor and can be easily covered by foot. A walking map of downtown Kodiak may be obtained from the visitor center.

Bicycles can also be rented daily for riding around the city of Kodiak and local parks.

By car
Kodiak has less than 100 miles of public roads and about half of that is asphalt. Best way to get around Kodiak's short road system is to rent a car.

For the more adventurous you can charter a float plane to take you to a remote destination or charter a boat to take you along the long coastline of the second largest island in the USA.

See

 * Kodiak Military History Museum. Inside the Ready Ammunition's Bunker at Miller Point, Fort Abercrombie. Open typically Noon to 4pm Sunday's or by appointment. Current hours maybe different due to covid restrictions. This is a "touch-exhibit" museum. Try on period uniforms and hats, handle ammunition shells, view what bunker life was like in World War II. Listen to real recordings of time period radio, play around with WWII era communications equipment, the kids love this. Outside you can view the scenery, maybe you'll spot a whale. Take a walk on the many trails, keep your eyes open, WWII artifacts are still hidden in the woods!
 * Kodiak Military History Museum. Inside the Ready Ammunition's Bunker at Miller Point, Fort Abercrombie. Open typically Noon to 4pm Sunday's or by appointment. Current hours maybe different due to covid restrictions. This is a "touch-exhibit" museum. Try on period uniforms and hats, handle ammunition shells, view what bunker life was like in World War II. Listen to real recordings of time period radio, play around with WWII era communications equipment, the kids love this. Outside you can view the scenery, maybe you'll spot a whale. Take a walk on the many trails, keep your eyes open, WWII artifacts are still hidden in the woods!

Buy
Check out the shops around the small boat harbor along W. Marine Way and Shelikof. Visit the museum (Alutiiq and Baranov) gift shops for Native or Russian made arts and crafts.

Cope
Kodiak Public Library, 612 Egan Way, provides connection to the outside world. Free, public-use Internet computers are near the circulation desk.

Quality DryCleaners and Laundromat, 116 Ole Johnson Ave, across from the small boat harbor, also provides internet access; they charge $2 for 15 minutes. .

McDonalds, 209 Thorsheim Street in downtown Kodiak, of course, provides wi-fi with your fries.