*If you have any questions that aren't answered in this post, please leave them in the comments section where I do my best to answer all Alaska related questions directly!
My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are my favorite websites and resources to help plan an incredible trip to the 49th State. For flights, I recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska. Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars! I always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates. To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, I always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required). For fun things to do, I recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick. Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance. Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier. Getting to Kodiak & Where to Stay
Before you figure out what to do on your visit to Kodiak, you first need to get there. Because Kodiak is on an Island, you can either get there by plane or by a ferry. To be quite honest the price point is fairly comparable either way, however the plane ride from Anchorage only takes 1 hour whereas a ride on the ferry would take about 10 hours following Alaska's Marine Highway.
Once you get there I highly recommend renting a car through Turo to get around the Island. One of my favorite things to do in Kodiak is to take a road trip around the Island and make my way down to Fossil Beach (more on that below) while camping along the way at places like White Sands Beach (tenting only), Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park, Buskin River State Park, and Pasagshak State Recreational Site. If this is your first visit chances are you'll also need a place to stay - on my most recent visit I stayed at the Best Western Kodiak Inn which was super central, had similar price points to other hotels in the area, and had a hot tub and restaurant on site! If you're looking to stay at one of the wildlife lodges, I recommend the Kodiak Safaris, Kodiak Lodge, and Kodiak Island Resort.
If you're visiting Kodiak on your first visit, then chances are you'll also want to know where to some of the best places are to eat. I've gone ahead and created a short list here for you, otherwise if you're simply looking for some of the best things to do in the area then you can continue below!
7 Best Things to Do on Kodiak
1. Fishing
Fishing around the Island of Kodiak is some of the best in Alaska, and although you can fish right from shore in places like Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park or Buskin River State Park - there are also plenty of charters as well - just make sure to get your State of Alaska Fishing License! If you don't want to worry about getting and using the correct gear, following all the fishing regulations, renting a charted tour might be the best and easiest way to go. I recommend checking out fishing tours offered through Kodiak Island Charters, Fish 'n Chips Charters, Kodiak Marine Charters, or Happy Hooker Charters.
2. Bear Viewing
Kodiak Island is known as one of the most concentrated areas of brown bears in the entire world - and there's so many that it evens out to roughly about one bear every 0.7 square miles! If this is your first visit to Alaska or Kodiak, I highly encourage you to book an experience that gets you up close to the bears in a safe environment. I would recommend looking into Kodiak Island Expeditions or the Kodiak Bear Center.
3. Flight Seeing
In addition to having some of the best fishing and bear opportunities in the entire state, Kodiak from above is truly incredible. My husband and I had the opportunity to fly from Homer to Katmai National Park and they were the most beautiful views we've ever seen - and we've heard the views from the Kodiak area are just as good! I recommend looking at the flight seeing tours through Kingfisher Aviation.
4. Hiking
No matter where you're visiting in Alaska, I also recommend heading out hiking on some of the local trails! Of course, I also recommend brushing up on basic bear safety and following the Leave No Trace Principals. If you're nervous about heading out alone, make sure to rent some bear spray or grab some at Walmart (you won't be allowed to fly with it)! I've also listed some of my favorite hiking trails near Kodiak below!
5. Visit a Museum
Kodiak also has plenty of museums to visit, and if you're in the area I recommend stopping at a minimum of one museum to learn more about the local culture and history. The Kodiak History Museum (previously known as the Baranov Museum) is $10 per person and is the best way to learn more about the local history and stories of the people of Kodiak. The Alutiiq Museum is another option for visitors, and although the gallery is closed for renovations until 2025, once it reopens you can participate in cultural activities, learn about Alutiiq traditions, and even see ancestral artifacts. Lastly, if you're looking for museums you can also visit the Kodiak Military History Museum, which is typically only open on summer weekends.
6. Take a Road Trip
My favorite thing to do in Kodiak is to rent a car (easiest through Turo) and taking a drive around the island. By car there are really only two options from Kodiak - you can either go Northeast or Southwest. From end to end the road is about 57 miles long, and you can easily drive from White Sands Beach at the North end of the road to Fossil Beach at the South end of the road in one day. I promise you'll see some of the most beautiful views on this road trip, in my personal opinion - some of the best in Alaska!
7. Look for Wildlife & Tide Pooling
Kodiak is known to have wildlife that is a bit different from the rest of mainland Alaska. From Sitka deer to Elk to cattle - you'll see a few different varieties of animals that you typically won't see in the rest of Alaska. My personal favorite thing to do in Kodiak is to go tide pooling - if you hit the tides just right you'll be able to see all kinds of small critters and starfish. It's important to remember however that these ecosystems are quite fragile, so I recommend only looking with your eyes and being extra careful where you step when heading out onto the rocks. Of course, you'll also be able to see many of the same animals too like otters, whales, and of course bears!
Other Alaska blog posts you might be interested in :
-> 15 Easiest Alaska Glaciers to Visit -> Where to Rent Bear Spray in Alaska -> 7 Best Tours in Alaska
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I'm Deborah👋🏼
In 2021 my husband Tyler convinced me to move to Alaska. After living there for a year (then leaving to take a year long world trip) we realized there was no place we loved more. So now we're back - and I'm here to share all my best tips and hidden gems to make Your Alaskan Adventures the best they can be. My favorite travel & outdoor gear is available right here! Use this link to shop all my favorite Alaska necessities! This blog and all content is free to you, however, when you purchase through referral or affiliate links on our site I may earn a small commission with no extra cost to you! --- Learn more here about our affiliates and privacy policy. --- Links look like this, and are tours and products I only personally recommend! --- Join Travel Payouts or Rock Porch to earn affiliates on your own sites! Planning a trip outside Alaska? Check out our blog Raarup Adventures for international vacation ideas or Deborah in Korea for adventures in South Korea! |