Tuesday
So Long Summer
Well, the cruise ships are about to leave our little town until next summer. Ketchikan had a wonderful summer with amazing weather. I was happy to sit on my deck and enjoy the sunshine last Sunday. Unfortunately, the leaves are falling and the rain has made its way back. Although I'm looking forward to a slower pace downtown, I will miss the sun's warming rays. Ketchikan is losing about five minutes of daylight per day. In a couple of months, Ketchikan will be a cold, dark, rainy drag...sigh.
Friday
A Night Out At The New York Cafe
My husband and I are taking time off from work to take a vacation in our town. At first we thought about using our time off to visit family in the lower 48. We quickly changed our minds when we saw the price of airfare. Then we thought about taking the ferry to Canada or Prince of Whales island to go camping. Then it started raining...I don't really like the rain when my only shelter is a nylon tent. So we decided that we could have a great time relaxing in our own town. It's given us the opportunity to be a tourist in our own town.
Tonight we enjoyed a movie at theTwin Coliseum movie theater. We rarely go to the movies because it's a small theater with only two movies to choose from. Tonight we finally found a movie that we were willing to pay $10 bucks for...why are movies so expensive these days??!
Afterward, we went to the New York Cafe' near Creek Street. It is a cute cafe' in downtown. They serve beer, wine, lattes, cappuccino, etc. They also have great paninis and sandwiches. Around 8pm a funky jazz band started playing and the local crowd started strolling in. The New York Cafe' has a great atmosphere with a cozy Alaskan feel to it. It's a great place to sit and "people watch." So far, I'm enjoying my Ketchikan vacation.
Tonight we enjoyed a movie at theTwin Coliseum movie theater. We rarely go to the movies because it's a small theater with only two movies to choose from. Tonight we finally found a movie that we were willing to pay $10 bucks for...why are movies so expensive these days??!
Afterward, we went to the New York Cafe' near Creek Street. It is a cute cafe' in downtown. They serve beer, wine, lattes, cappuccino, etc. They also have great paninis and sandwiches. Around 8pm a funky jazz band started playing and the local crowd started strolling in. The New York Cafe' has a great atmosphere with a cozy Alaskan feel to it. It's a great place to sit and "people watch." So far, I'm enjoying my Ketchikan vacation.
Monday
Favorite Bars in Ketchikan
There are definitely an abundance of bars in Ketchikan and you will be sure to find one that fits exactly what you are looking for. We have everything from wine bars to something similar to the "fine" establishment portrayed in the movie Road House with Patrick Swayze.
If you are looking for a smoke free place where you can grab a quick drink in relative comfort, I would recommend the following: 1) New York Cafe (beer and wine only); 2) Fat Stan's; or 3) Red Snapper. Out of these three, my favorite is the New York. It is across the street from Thomas Basin boat harbor and has plenty of room to sit down at a table.
Other options in this category would probably include Steamer's, Annabelle's, Cape Fox Lodge. Steamer's and Cape Fox have great views and offer food as well. Annabelle's and Steamer's are under the same ownership. They both serve 50oz. or 100oz. beer tubes (really cool).
Also, if smoke doesn't bother you, the Arctic Bar is located close to the tunnel in downtown and has a cool deck overlooking the water and cruise ship docks.
There are also plenty of other interesting little bars that you will find around downtown. I encourage you to walk around and find a place that suits your interests!
If you are looking for a smoke free place where you can grab a quick drink in relative comfort, I would recommend the following: 1) New York Cafe (beer and wine only); 2) Fat Stan's; or 3) Red Snapper. Out of these three, my favorite is the New York. It is across the street from Thomas Basin boat harbor and has plenty of room to sit down at a table.
Other options in this category would probably include Steamer's, Annabelle's, Cape Fox Lodge. Steamer's and Cape Fox have great views and offer food as well. Annabelle's and Steamer's are under the same ownership. They both serve 50oz. or 100oz. beer tubes (really cool).
Also, if smoke doesn't bother you, the Arctic Bar is located close to the tunnel in downtown and has a cool deck overlooking the water and cruise ship docks.
There are also plenty of other interesting little bars that you will find around downtown. I encourage you to walk around and find a place that suits your interests!
Saturday
Ketchikan Deer Hunting
I just returned from deer hunting and unfortunately didn't bring home anything to brag about. Well, unless you count the multiple insect bites I am sporting around!
Other than the crazy bugs I encountered, I did have a good time hiking around and exploring the alpine area south of town. Luckily, I had a coworker with me who knew where to hike up and where our best chances were. He is an avid hunter and was eager to be up in the alpine/treeline area first thing in the morning on opening day of the season (August 1), which just so happened to coincide with another one of our beautiful 80 degree days we have been enjoying.
We started out on Friday afternoon (July 31) shortly following work and hiked our way up to an amazing lake surrounded by rock walls and set up camp for the night. It was an intense 3 hour hike straight up from sea level to a couple of thousand feet and felt more like an old school stair climber than a hiking trail. My legs were burning by the time we made it to where we planned to camp and the sun was just about down.
The next morning we got an early start at about 3 am (yes there was already light in the sky) and started hiking up to the alpine area. This took us a couple of hours but we made it up to the top of the peak just about the time the sun came over the horizon, which was an amazing site on such a clear day. Immediately upon reaching the top, we came within throwing distance of a couple of mountain goats. Unfortunately, we didn't have a goat tag and therefore could not go after them, but they were a beautiful site sitting on top of the peak going about their daily business.
For the next 8 hours, we cruised around the alpine area and stopped numerous times to scan the area with our binoculars in hopes of spotting a deer in the distance. Unfortunately, we didn't see any signs of deer in the area. I don't know if it was our tactics or the theory that some people have that some of the deer died off from our unusually severe winter, but we didn't have any luck.
Overall, I am not too disappointed that we did not get a deer since it ended up being a great hike. We were also fortunate enough to see mountain goats, a black bear, and several ptarmigan cruising around. Maybe next time!
Other than the crazy bugs I encountered, I did have a good time hiking around and exploring the alpine area south of town. Luckily, I had a coworker with me who knew where to hike up and where our best chances were. He is an avid hunter and was eager to be up in the alpine/treeline area first thing in the morning on opening day of the season (August 1), which just so happened to coincide with another one of our beautiful 80 degree days we have been enjoying.
We started out on Friday afternoon (July 31) shortly following work and hiked our way up to an amazing lake surrounded by rock walls and set up camp for the night. It was an intense 3 hour hike straight up from sea level to a couple of thousand feet and felt more like an old school stair climber than a hiking trail. My legs were burning by the time we made it to where we planned to camp and the sun was just about down.
The next morning we got an early start at about 3 am (yes there was already light in the sky) and started hiking up to the alpine area. This took us a couple of hours but we made it up to the top of the peak just about the time the sun came over the horizon, which was an amazing site on such a clear day. Immediately upon reaching the top, we came within throwing distance of a couple of mountain goats. Unfortunately, we didn't have a goat tag and therefore could not go after them, but they were a beautiful site sitting on top of the peak going about their daily business.
For the next 8 hours, we cruised around the alpine area and stopped numerous times to scan the area with our binoculars in hopes of spotting a deer in the distance. Unfortunately, we didn't see any signs of deer in the area. I don't know if it was our tactics or the theory that some people have that some of the deer died off from our unusually severe winter, but we didn't have any luck.
Overall, I am not too disappointed that we did not get a deer since it ended up being a great hike. We were also fortunate enough to see mountain goats, a black bear, and several ptarmigan cruising around. Maybe next time!
Tuesday
A Bear Got Into Our Trash Today!
Yes, there was a black bear digging through our trash today, but regretfully I was at work while it happened. I would have loved to get a picture of that for the blog! While my husband and I were chatting with our mailman at the gym, he told us that he caught the bear digging in our trash as he was leaving our front porch and heading back to the mail truck. The bear was hovering over our trash can trying to get it open (we have "bear proof" trashcans that make it difficult for bears to open the lid). Our mailman said he was a little worried at first, but soon realized the bear didn't care one bit about him...he just wanted to get to the bottom of our trashcan. I'm guessing he was hungry for the leftover shrimp I cooked the other night. Since "Mr. Bear" was so focused on the leftover shrimp, our mailman was able to hop in his truck with a clean getaway.
Monday
Good Restaurants in Ketchikan
My favorite restaurant in Ketchikan is Ocean View. It's a Mexican/Italian restaurant a few miles north of the cruise ship docks. I know that a combination of Mexican and Italian may seem a little strange, but I promise you'll love the food. They have a small patio, so if the weather is nice you can sit outside. Sometimes the service can be a slow, but it's worth it.
Another good restaurant is inside of the Cape Fox Lodge. You can take the red tram (located on Creek Street) up to the lodge. They have a wonderful view overlooking the town. Great food and service.
If you're looking for a casual burger place, eat a Burger Queen. It's a tiny burger joint just north of the tunnel. They have a few tables inside, and picnic tables outside. Great milkshakes too!
If you want ice cream, coffee, espresso, or smoothies, go to Polar Treats. It's a cute little shop with yummy snacks and great coffee. I always stop by on my way home from work and treat myself to a smoothie.
Many restaurants and businesses in town have that good old fashioned "mom & pop" feel to them. That's what I love about Ketchikan. You're not bombarded with franchises. You get the old school experience of "the customer is always right." You don't see that too often anymore, so I like to take advantage when I can.
Another good restaurant is inside of the Cape Fox Lodge. You can take the red tram (located on Creek Street) up to the lodge. They have a wonderful view overlooking the town. Great food and service.
If you're looking for a casual burger place, eat a Burger Queen. It's a tiny burger joint just north of the tunnel. They have a few tables inside, and picnic tables outside. Great milkshakes too!
If you want ice cream, coffee, espresso, or smoothies, go to Polar Treats. It's a cute little shop with yummy snacks and great coffee. I always stop by on my way home from work and treat myself to a smoothie.
Many restaurants and businesses in town have that good old fashioned "mom & pop" feel to them. That's what I love about Ketchikan. You're not bombarded with franchises. You get the old school experience of "the customer is always right." You don't see that too often anymore, so I like to take advantage when I can.
Sunday
Kid Friendly Excursions
I don't have kids of my own, but I am a teacher...so I think that qualifies me to give advice about kid friendly tours. At the restaurant this summer (my summer job), a family of four asked me where Creek Street was. I told them that it was a few blocks away...then the kids whined, "does that mean we have to go up more steep hills!!?" The kids were about ten years old and they were in no mood to do more walking. They had been walking all day and were completely drained. I guess the parents thought strolling around all day in the heat, taking pictures of rivers and mountains, and buying souvenirs on Creek Street was a fun-filled way to spend time in Ketchikan. Well, that is a great way to spend time in Ketchikan...but not if you're 12 and under! Here are some fun kid friendly things to do in Ketchikan...
1. Duck Tour
~I've gone into more detail about this tour in our earlier posts. At the end of the tour, they give everyone a duck bill that "quacks." It's a good way to tour the town and they keep kids occupied with goofy jokes. http://ketchikanblog.com/2009/07/ketchikan-tour-options.html
2. Great American Lumber Jack Show
~This is a show, not a tour, but it's relatively cheap and pretty short. It's about about 1.5 hours long. You'll still have plenty of time to see the show and do something else as well. It's entertaining for all ages, and the crew does a great job of getting the audience involved.
3. Zip Line Tour
~There are minimum weight requirements, so I doubt your five year old could do this one! But if your kids are a little older, then you'll have a great time. This tour is so fun! Please see my detailed post about it. http://ketchikanblog.com/2009/07/ziplining-in-ketchikanshould-you-do-it.html
4. Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour
~http://www.56degreesnorth.com/
The tour takes you out on the amazing Aleutian Ballad crab fishing boat. You learn the inside scoop about crab fishing. Check out their website (above). All kids would love this amazing opportunity to have a hands-on experience like this one.
5. Float Plane to Misty Fjords
~It's a little pricey, but worth every penny. My husband and I went with my dad and step-mom in June. It was the experience of a lifetime. Such great memories!
I hope you find the tour your kids and family are looking for.
1. Duck Tour
~I've gone into more detail about this tour in our earlier posts. At the end of the tour, they give everyone a duck bill that "quacks." It's a good way to tour the town and they keep kids occupied with goofy jokes. http://ketchikanblog.com/2009/07/ketchikan-tour-options.html
2. Great American Lumber Jack Show
~This is a show, not a tour, but it's relatively cheap and pretty short. It's about about 1.5 hours long. You'll still have plenty of time to see the show and do something else as well. It's entertaining for all ages, and the crew does a great job of getting the audience involved.
3. Zip Line Tour
~There are minimum weight requirements, so I doubt your five year old could do this one! But if your kids are a little older, then you'll have a great time. This tour is so fun! Please see my detailed post about it. http://ketchikanblog.com/2009/07/ziplining-in-ketchikanshould-you-do-it.html
4. Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour
~http://www.56degreesnorth.com/
The tour takes you out on the amazing Aleutian Ballad crab fishing boat. You learn the inside scoop about crab fishing. Check out their website (above). All kids would love this amazing opportunity to have a hands-on experience like this one.
5. Float Plane to Misty Fjords
~It's a little pricey, but worth every penny. My husband and I went with my dad and step-mom in June. It was the experience of a lifetime. Such great memories!
I hope you find the tour your kids and family are looking for.
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