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.

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.

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.

2009 Cruise Ship Schedule for Ketchikan

Click on the following link to view the 2009 cruise ship schedule for Ketchikan.

http://www.northerntoursofalaska.com/ktnportcalls.pdf

Best Souvenirs From Ketchikan

A T-shirt is an obvious sovenier that you will find in every shop. In fact, there are so many T-shirts, that you will begin to feel overwhelmed at all of the colors and quirky logos to choose from. You'll notice quirky Alaska logos with the phrase, "Size Matters" and a picture of big moose antlers on the front (that's original). Here's another catchy Alaskan tee you'll see: The phrase, "Size Matters" with a picture of a HUGE king salmon on the front. And yet another unique tee: The phrase "Size Matters" with a picture of a GIGANTIC halibut! Okay, those types of T-shirts are funny the first one hundred time you see them, but c'mon! What else is there?!
Fear not. There are decent souveniers out there that are authentic, reasonably priced, and NOT made in China. And I promise, "Size Matters" is not written anywhere on the product!

1. RavensBrew Coffee
~It's a local favorite and it tastes great! You can find it just about anywhere. They have organic coffee as well. You can buy the beans or ground coffee. You can find it for about $12-14 depending on the vendor. http://www.ravensbrew.com/

2. Ulu Knife
~ Buyer beware: not all ulu knives are created equal. Many are made in China, so if you looking for something made in Alaska, ask the vendor where it was made. Golden Eagle Gifts is a good store to check out for authentic Native Alaskan crafts and symbols.

3. Local Artwork
~ Ketchikan is famous for its love of the arts. There are plenty of local artists in town selling their work. Many time you'll find artists on the streets painting as you walk buy. On Creek Street, you will find several galleries with local artwork. Ray Troll has a gallery on Creek Street called Soho Coho. He even designed some of the unique Ravens Brew coffee logos. http://www.trollart.com/

4. Smoked Salmon
~ All I can say is yum. There is a shop on Mission Street that sells smoked salmon at reasonable prices (across from Ketchicandies past the famous Ketchikan welcome sign).

5. Local Candy from Ketchicandies
~ Again, yum! They make all their candy from scratch. If you have a sweet tooth, then stop by and indulge.

Hopefully this will help the lost souls out there that are bored with the usual T-shirt souvenir. Am I forgetting anything? If so, leave a comment and tell us what you bought from Ketchikan that is a "must."

Ketchikan Is HoT HoT HoT!

If you're planning on visiting Ketchikan in the next week or so, please unpack your fleece jacket and make room for the sunscreen and flip-flops. It was well into the 80's today, and doesn't look like it will be getting cooler anytime soon.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! I'm soaking in every bit of sun that I can. I just wish we had central air conditioning in our house! We haven't had much rain this summer either. So far this year, we've had about 48 inches of rain. For a city that usually gets 155 inches per year, that's a shortage. Does that mean we'll get constant downpours this fall and winter? I certainly hope not. The lack of rain has caused some problems for people who aren't hooked up to city water. Usually there is plenty of rain to keep the water tanks filled to the brim. Now people are having to purchase water for their tanks.

I'll be taking advantage of the sun while it lasts...maybe I can get my legs to look less "ghostly."

Misty Fiords National Monument

What Is It?

The Misty Fiords National Monument is an area of Southeastern Alaska near the Canadian border with spectacular mountains and cliffs that rise straight up from the sea. There are numerous coves, lakes, mountains, and rivers to explore that have been created mostly by glacier and volcanic activity over thousands of years. The nearly 2.3 million acre area is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest and was given the “national monument” status in 1978 by presidential proclamation.

Where Is It?

The Monument is located a little over 20 miles from Ketchikan, which is the closest city, and about 650 air miles north of Seattle. If you are traveling by boat it is about 50 miles from Ketchikan and must be accessed through the Behm Canal, which separates Revillagigedo Island (the island where Ketchikan is located) from the mainland.

How Do You Get There?

The Monument must be accessed by either boat or plane (which is half the fun) as there are no roads leading to the area. I have taken a float plane to the area and must say that it is an amazing trip. Most operators out of Ketchikan will fly you through the beautiful fiords and will even land in a nice little cove or lake so that you can take pictures and enjoy the scenery. If you are not a fan of small planes, you can also take a boat tour, although this mode of transport will obviously take a little longer to reach your destination. In addition, there are some tour companies that will take you out to the monument and give you time to kayak and explore a little. Whichever method you choose you will be sure to be amazed.

If you do decide to take a boat, you will leave Ketchikan, which is located on Revillagigedo Island (usually shortened to Revilla) and head southeast to the Behm Canal. Once you enter the over 100 mile long canal, you will have a straight shot to the Misty Fiords Monument.

What Kind of Wildlife Will I See?

One of the true amazing things about the Monument is the vast array of wildlife that can be found in the area. Other than the many obvious types of different fish you can find, you can also find eagles, black bears, brown bears, mountain goats, deer, wolves, wolverine, otter, marten, beaver, and mink. In addition, many marine animals such as whales, porpoises, seals, and sea lions can be found.

What Kind of Weather Can I Expect?

Statistically you will probably end up experiencing some rain and can expect temperatures in the 50s - 70s during the summer months. If you do up with some rain, don’t let this stop you as the area is just as beautiful in the rain and clouds as it is on a sunny day. In fact, in my opinion it looks more like the real Alaska when there are some low clouds blanketing the area.

What If I Want to Stay Longer Than One Day?

The great thing about the Monument is that you can camp out or even rent a forest service cabin, which are commonly found in the area. The cabins can be found near the coastline or in surrounding lakes and can be rented for a small fee. It is best to reserve in advance as these are popular in the summer. If you do decide to camp out please be careful of the bears. There are many brown bears in the area that will come check you out if they smell some food. Also make sure to plan for the wet weather and remember that even in summer, conditions can change with little warning.

Additional Questions?

I realize this is only a brief overview of what the Misty Fiords National Monument is so please feel free to contact us if you have any more in depth questions. We can also point you in the right direction if you have any additional inquiries related to flight seeing or excursion companies located in Ketchikan.

Free Walmart shuttle in Ketchikan

If you are in need of soda, disposable camers, deoderant, etc. Wal-Mart provides a free shuttle for cruise ship passengers and crew. The shuttles are easy to spot and you'll usually find them on the cruise ship docks. The white vans are marked with the Wal-Mart logo on the side. The drive is about 10 minutes north of town. When you are done shopping, patiently wait outside for the next van to come. The wait can be about 20 minutes or so depending on the crowds. Transportation can be expensive in Ketchikan, so the shuttle is a great way to get what you need at a great price!

Slow economy...slow summer for Ketchikan

You don't have to be a business owner in the tourism industry to feel the effects of the slowing economy in Ketchikan. It makes sense...not many people are rushing to purchase an Alaskan cruise when unemployment is at 9.5%. But if you've ever wanted to experience Alaska, now is the time to buy. Cruise lines have slashed their prices to fill vacant ships. The deals are astounding.

Although my salary is not directly affected by tourism (I'm a teacher), I still felt the pinch when many local residents left Ketchikan to find jobs in other parts of the U.S. As a result, many teachers were scared of losing their jobs due to plummeting enrollment in schools. I breathed a sigh of relief when enough veteran teachers retired; which allowed the non-tenured teachers (me) to keep their jobs.

My summer job isn't panning out to what I thought It would be either. Business is much slower at the restaurant, which means less hours and less tips.

Next summer's cruise ship season will presumably be even worse. Cruise West, Norwegian, Holland America, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean are all "reducing" their stops to Ketchikan. These reductions will result in a loss of about 150,000 people. Many resident's livelihoods rely on tourism. Ketchikan will definitely feel the blow next summer with 150,000 less people roaming the streets of downtown.

Alaska Wildlife

When my husband and I moved to Anchorage from South Florida, I was excited for the chance to see a moose. I quickly learned that you don't have to travel very far to see them. One day, I saw a moose in my apartment complex parking lot. At first, I was a little skiddish...(but you sort of get used to it after awhile). Another time, a moose's "tail end" was blocking traffic on Northern Lights Boulevard (a very busy street in downtown Anchorage). He was eating some grass on the sidewalk. His body was in the street which caused a major traffic jam. My husband was late to work that morning because of a moose's ass!

When we found out that we were moving to Ketchikan several months later, I was equally excited to see black bear. I finally got my chance when we drove to Herring Cove. If you are travelling to Ketchikan, and eager to see black bear, then head to Herring Cove! It is a 15 minute drive south of town. There are plenty of cab companies in town who do private tours for about $80 bucks. That's pretty cheap if you have a group of people to share the expense. Park near the bridge and wait. They will come! Bears usually come out to fish for salmon when the tide is out. If you don't get the chance to see a bear, then you will at least see Orca Whales, Seals, and Eagles. It's a peaceful drive and gives you a chance to experience the real Ketchikan.