Kodiak Island sits off the south coast of the Alaska Peninsula and is best known for the Kodiak brown bear, one of the largest bears in the world, along with a large commercial fishing fleet and deep Russian and Alutiiq history.
Getting There
Kodiak has no road connection to the rest of Alaska. Most visitors fly from Anchorage, a flight of under an hour, or take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, which connects Kodiak to Homer and other south-central ports on a multi-day route. The town of Kodiak itself is compact and walkable, with the airport a short drive from downtown.
What to See and Do
The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge covers about two-thirds of the island and is the main reason many visitors come, with bear-viewing flights and float trips heading out to remote streams where bears gather to fish for salmon in summer. The Alutiiq Museum and the Baranov Museum, housed in one of the oldest Russian-era buildings in Alaska, cover the island’s Alutiiq and Russian colonial history. Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park preserves World War II bunkers and gun emplacements from when Kodiak served as a major military base, and its coastal trails and tide pools are popular for an easy hike. Sport fishing charters for halibut and salmon, and boat tours to see sea otters, puffins, and other seabirds, round out the outdoor options.
A Brief History
Kodiak served as the capital of Russian Alaska from 1792 until the seat of government moved to Sitka in 1804, and the Alutiiq people have lived on the island for thousands of years before that. The town was struck hard by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and the tsunami that followed, which destroyed much of the waterfront, and commercial fishing has driven the local economy ever since, with Kodiak regularly ranking among the top fishing ports in the country by volume.
When to Go
June through September offers the best combination of weather, bear viewing, and fishing charters, with bear activity often peaking in July and August during salmon runs. Kodiak sees significant rain and wind year-round, so waterproof layers are worth packing regardless of season.
