What to See
& Do
Alaska
Hotels
Kodiak
is Alaska's largest island and the second
largest in the U.S.: 6,000 square miles of fjords, spruce
forests, and alpine tundra, with cool, wet weather. The
town of Kodiak receives 75 inches (190 cm) of rain a
year.
Russian fur traders discovered Kodiak Island in 1763.
The sea otter trade flourished after Alexander Baranof
arrived in 1764 to manage the Russian America Company and
the colony on Kodiak. By 1800, the sea otter population
had been decimated. The 8,000 Native inhabitants were
reduced to fewer than 4,000 through massacres by the
Russians and by disease. The 1912 eruption of Novarupta
on the mainland covered the island with ash and foul air,
necessitating the removal of the population in a dramatic
rescue.
During the Second World War, the island was a first
line of defense for the U.S. military, with submarine
bases, gun emplacements, and other fortifications. King
crab took over the economy after the war. Then another
natural disaster devastated Kodiak. The 1964 Good Friday
earthquake flooded the town with several tidal waves,
sweeping half the town from its foundations. Kodiak was
rebuilt, and fishing -- for salmon, halibut, shrimp,
herring, cod, and other species -- has become the prime
industry. Tourism is attracting visitors who explore the
islands of the archipelago and the Katmai coast.
How to Get There
Kodiak Island is the only easily-accessible part of
Southwest Alaska. The island is 250 air miles from
Anchorage, and 84 nautical miles from Homer on the Kenai
Peninsula. The car ferry runs to Kodiak from Homer three
times a week. It is possible to take a ferry to Dutch
Harbor in the Aleutians every three weeks. Daily Alaska
Airlines flights connect Kodiak with Anchorage
(55-minutes), as well as the outside world.
Practical Information
The visitor information center is at Center
Street and Marine Way, at the ferry dock, (907) 486-4070.
It's open year-round, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends. The center provides a
self-guided tour map, along with information on local
busses and charters, as well as hunting and fishing
opportunities.
The Alaska Marine Highway (ferries) office is
in downtown Kodiak, (907) 486-3800, with service to and
from Homer and Seward. The cruise from Homer takes about
ten hours, and the ride from Seward takes 13 hours. You
may also reach the ferry system by calling 800-526-6731
(U.S.).
Local Transit: The Kodiak Driver Express runs
hourly to the air port, and to Fort Abercrombie State
Park.
Where to Stay
