Things to do in Kodiak
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Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park
This military fort and its pair of 8in guns were built by the US Army during WWII for a Japanese invasion that never came. In the end, Kodiak's lousy weather, not the army's superior firepower, kept the Japanese bombers away from the island. The fort is now a 186-acre state historical park, sitting majestically on the cliffs above scenic Monashka Bay. Between the guns is Ready Ammunition Bunker, which stored 400 rounds of ammunition during the war. Today it contains the small Kodiak Military History Museum.
Just as interesting as the gun emplacements are the tidal pools found along the park's rocky shorelines, where an afternoon of searching for sea creatures can be spent…
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Pillar Mountain
From the top of this 1270ft mountain behind the city you'll have excellent views of the surrounding mountains, ocean, beaches and islands. One side seems to plunge straight down to the harbor below, and the other overlooks the green interior of Kodiak Island. Pick up the bumpy dirt road to the top by walking or driving north up Thorsheim Ave and turning left on Maple Ave, which runs into Pillar Mountain Rd.
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Old Powerhouse
This Japanese seafood restaurant, located in a historic power plant, offers Kodiak's best waterfront dining. An outdoor deck and solarium overlook the channel where fishing boats and the state ferry glide right past you. Along with a sushi bar, the restaurant serves excellent udon and soba noodles as well as yakisoba (broiled Japanese noodles).
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Kodiak Fisheries Research Center
Opened in 1998 to house the fisheries research being conducted by various agencies, it has an interesting lobby that includes displays, touch tanks and a large aquarium.
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Henry's Great Alaskan
On the mall in front of the small-boat harbor; burgers, lots of deep-fried seafood, beer on tap and sports on TVs large and small scattered throughout the restaurant.
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Harborside Coffee & Goods
- Kodiak, USA
- Restaurants › Café
Has a bulletin board listing deckhand jobs and makes the incredibly delicious 'Harborside Mocha.'
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Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository
Preserving the 7500-year heritage of Kodiak's indigenous Alutiiq people is the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository. The exhibits display one of the largest collections of Alutiiq artifacts in the state, ranging from a kayaker in his waterproof parka of seal gut to a 19th-century spruce-root hat. Take time to explore 'Sharing Words,' an intriguing interactive computer program that uses village elders to teach Alutiiq words and songs in an attempt to save the indigenous language.
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Buskin River State Recreation Site
Four miles southwest of town on Chiniak Rd, the Buskin River State Recreation Site is a 168-acre park; anglers flock here for salmon fishing at the Buskin River, the best in this part of Kodiak Island.
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St Herman Harbor
A great place to look for sea lions, which often use the Dog Bay Breakwall as a haulout, while eagles are usually perched in the trees onshore.
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2nd Floor Restaurant
A fine Japanese restaurant, with more than 30 types of sushi, much of it made with local seafood.
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Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
This 2812-sq-mile preserve, which covers the southern two-thirds of Kodiak Island, all of Ban and Uganik Islands and a small section of Afognak Island, is the chief stronghold of the Alaska brown bear. An estimated 2300 bears reside in the refuge and the surrounding area, which is known worldwide for brown-bear hunting and to a lesser degree for salmon and steelhead fishing.
Birdlife is plentiful: more than 200 species have been recorded, and there are 600 breeding pairs of eagles that nest within the refuge. Flowing out of the steep fjords and deep glacial valleys and into the sea are 117 salmon-bearing streams that account for 65% of the total commercial salmon harvest …
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Bike Hire, 58 Degrees North
Bike Hire, 58 Degrees North is an outdoor shop that rents out mountain bikes. If you're planning to do a lot of bike exploration, purchase the Kodiak Island Mountain Bike Guide , which outlines 17 rides throughout the island.
Mountain bikers will find Kodiak's gravel roads interesting to ride on, especially 12-mile Anton Larsen Bay Rd. Leading northwest from near Buskin River Campground, the road crosses a mountain pass and leads to the island's west side, where you will find quiet coves and shorelines to explore. Plan on two hours for the ride to Anton Larsen Bay. Another favorite is Burma Rd, picked up near the airport. It can be combined with a stretch of Chiniak Rd fo…
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Baranov Museum
Housed in the oldest Russian structure in Alaska is Baranov Museum, across the street from the visitors center. The museum fills the Erskine House, which the Russians built in 1808 as a storehouse for precious sea-otter pelts. Today it holds many items from the Russian period of Kodiak's history along with fine examples of Alutiig basketry and carvings. The gift shop is particularly interesting, offering a wide selection of matreshkas (nesting dolls), brass samovars and other Russian crafts.
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Termination Point
This is a popular hike. The 5-mile loop starts at the end of Monashka Bay Rd and branches into several trails near Termination Point, a spectacular peninsula that juts out into Narrow Strait. Most hiking is done in a lush Sitka spruce forest that shelters you even on the most blustery of days. Be warned, however, that the inland portion of the loop can be confusing at times. If you're nervous about your navigational skills, simply hike the coastal half of the loop and then backtrack.
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Barometer Mountain
This popular hiking trail is a steep climb and a 4-mile round-trip to the 2452ft summit. To reach the trailhead, follow Chiniak Rd south of Buskin River Campground and turn right on Burma Rd, the first road immediately after passing the end of the airport's runway. Look for a well-worn trail on the left. The trek, which begins in thick alder before climbing the hogback ridge of the mountain, provides spectacular views of Kodiak and the bays south of the city.
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Anton Larsen Pass
This 5-mile loop is a scenic ridge walk and a far easier alpine hike than Barometer Mountain. The trail begins just north of the gravel parking lot at the pass on the left side of Anton Larsen Bay Rd. A well-defined trail leads you through meadows; at a fork the trailheads right to cross a bridge and climbs to a broad alpine ridge. Once on top, use the rolling ridge to skirt a distinctive, glacial valley before descending back to the fork in the trail.
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Holy Resurrection Church
Near the museum on Mission Rd is Holy Resurrection Church, which serves the oldest Russian Orthodox parish in the New World, established in 1794. The present church, marked by its beautiful blue onion domes, was built in 1945 and is the third one to occupy this site. Tours are offered at 13:00 daily in summer. The adjacent small gift shop open in the afternoons is stocked with matreshkas, religious books and icons.
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Mill Bay Coffee & Pastries
What's a French chef doing in Kodiak? Joel Chenet's love of hunting is the reason this city is blessed with the best pastries in Alaska, hands down. Get there early: the case is empty of tortes, éclairs and 8in-high apple pies by midafternoon. For a seafood treat try the Kodiak sea burger, a salmon patty topped with crab, shrimp and cream cheese, and served on a toasted brioche bun.
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Pyramid Mountain
Two trails, both starting on Anton Larsen Bay Rd, lead to the top of Pyramid Mountain (2401ft). Avoid the easternmost trail, accessed off the golf course, which is brush-choked and hard going. Instead, continue west to Anton Larsen Pass, where the other trail begins in the parking area on the right. It's a steep but easy-to-follow climb, straight up the mountain 2 miles to the top.
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Galley Gourmet
Kodiak is one place where you should skip the ground tour and hit the water. Onboard their 42ft yacht, Marty and Marion Owen whip up delicious meals like BBQ king salmon with rhubarb-sage sauce, and serve them on white table linen while you enjoy the coastal scenery. The nightly dinner cruise is 3½ hours; brunch is a two-hour cruise and is offered only on the weekends.
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North Sister Mountain
Starting 150ft up a creek bed a mile before the end of Monashka Bay Rd, this trail (find it on the left side of the creek bed) first leads up steeply through dense brush, but then levels off on alpine tundra. The summit of North Sister (2100ft) is the first peak seen (to your left), about a mile from the trailhead. The other two sisters are also accessible from here.
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Kodiak Island Brewing Co
Within town is the delightful Kodiak Island Brewing Co where brewmaster/owner/tour guide Ben Millstein will give you a short talk about the operation and then let you taste the five beers he brews. His Liquid Sunshine is so good you might walk out with a half-gallon growler or even a case-sized party pig.
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Kodiak Tours
Several companies provide either a city tour of Kodiak or a daylong scenery-viewing tour that includes Baranov Museum, Pillar Mountain and Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park. Call Kodiak Tours for full-day or half-day tours, charged on a per person basis.
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North End Park
Reached as soon as you cross the Zharoff Memorial Bridge. The small park is laced by forested trails that converge at a stairway to the shoreline. At low tide you can search the tidal pools here for starfish, sea anemones and other marine life.
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Kodiak Island Winery
Kodiak is also home to several wineries, fermenting everything (except grapes that is) from rhubarb and salmonberries to wild rose. Kodiak Island Winery is a scenic 36 miles out of town and has tours, a gift shop and, of course, wine tasting.
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