A local guide to Petersburg Alaska
How to get there, where to stay and eat, and the ten best things to do from a local perspective
How to get there:
Petersburg is located on Mitkof Island in southeastern Alaska, it is not connected to the road system. To get there you must take a boat or a plane. Petersburg is serviced by two Alaska Airlines flights a day. One coming from the south and one from the north. If you are coming from Juneau it is a direct flight which only takes about 25 minutes in the air. If you are coming from Seattle and don’t want to route through Juneau you can take the “milk run” which stops in Ketchikan and Wrangell prior to arriving in Petersburg. There are also some small regional airlines, like Alaska Seaplanes out of Juneau or other small charter flight companies that you can fly to Petersburg from if coming from other areas around Southeast Alaska.
Petersburg is also a stop on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system. If you have more time, riding the ferry through southeast is a great way to see much of the area. You can rent a state room on the ferry for overnight trips or even camp in a tent on one of the decks on board. If riding the ferry from Ketchikan, it typically takes about 12 hours and is mostly during daylight hours. Even though Juneau is a similar distance from Petersburg, the ferry frequently goes out to Sitka on the southbound route, potentially making the trip almost 24 hours on the ferry.
Where to stay/how to get around:
There are only two hotels in Petersburg. The Tides Inn and the Scandia House, both are conveniently located downtown. There is also a decent selection of Airbnb or vacation rentals available. There are also a couple rental car agencies and Torro rentals. If you are spending more than a day or two, I would recommend getting a car so you can see more of the island.
If you are looking for a more remote experience, there are many forest service cabins you can rent and access via boat or plane and a multitude of fishing lodges that pick up guests in Petersburg. There are no campgrounds right in town, but if you have camping gear there are campgrounds at Ohmer Creek and Greens camp out the road, as well as a number of other pull outs you can wild camp at.
Where to eat:
Petersburg has a pretty limited selection of restaurants, so this is a pretty comprehensive list of everything there is to offer even if it seems small. If you are staying for more than a couple days, I suggest renting an airbnb so you can make some of your own meals and not totally reliant on restaurants in town.
Salty Pantry: Open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday - Saturday, with limited indoor and outdoor seating. They have great pastries, quiches, sandwhichs, salads, mac and cheese, and daily specials. You can’t go wrong with whatever you order here.
Java Huse: A coffee shop in the downstairs of the Scandia House serving up locally roasted beans. They have a full cafe menu and some small basic eats.
El Zarape: A mexican taco truck, with a few indoor and outdoor tables, its a casual spot, but is open seven days a week in summer and for three meals a day. If you want some local seafood, there rockfish tacos and burrito are great options. They also have burgers and english breakfast options if you aren’t in the mood for Mexican.
Ingas: Another little food truck style spot with outdoor seating and a limited number of tables under tents. It is best on a sunny day, but open seven days a week in summer unless they run out of stuff. They normally do lunch and dinner, but on occasion serve breakfast. They serve local seafood, salads, and thai food. They also have been and wine, so you can enjoy a drink while you wait for your food.
Coastal Cold Storage: Open for breakfast and lunch, this restaurant is attached to a small seafood processor so you know the seafood is fresh. It is a casual spot with a number of tables inside and few on the sidewalk. They have classics like fish and chips, chowder, and fish tacos. They do serve some nonseafood options for breakfast and lunch, if you are tired of fresh fish.
The Tinnery: A lunch and dinner spot open Thursday - Sunday normally. They have some booths or have food available for pick up. They serve a pretty limited menu of burgers, a club house sandwhich, and a special, but its good food and a great option for dinner when the options can be more limited.
Papa Bears Pizza: Open mostly for dinner on Tuesday - Saturday. They have great pizza, cheese sticks, grilled pane, wings and few other items.
Perspective Eatery: located inside Kitos Kave bar, they have a variety of burgers with smashed cheesy potatoes and wings. Normally open Wednesday - Sunday for dinner only, but check their facebook page for changes to hours.
Glacier Express: Another coffee shop located downtown, with a full espresso menu and few small food items. Great for a quick breakfast or snack.
Harbor Bar: A local bar downtown, with your usual bar drinks. They also now have some simple bar foods in case you get hungry while staying out to late enjoying a few adult beverages.
Petersburg Top 10:
Walk past the Sons of Norway & Fishermans Memorial
A very iconic Petersburg sight that celebrates the town’s Norwegian heritage and long history of commercial fishing. It’s situated right downtown looking over Hammer’s slough and out to the Wrangell Narrows.
Stroll the harbors
Wander the floats in one or all the town's harbors checking out all the different fishing vessels, sailboats, and other pleasure crafts. Petersburg harbors are definitely working boat harbors and when the boats aren’t out fishing, you will find people down working on their boats almost any time of year.
Eat Local Seafood
Petersburg has a large local commercial fishing fleet, with several small and large processing facilities. Almost every kind of seafood harvested in southeast Alaska is landed in Petersburg throughout the year, including all five species of salmon, halibut, black cod, rockfish, multiple species of crab, shrimp, and others. No trip to this fishing hub is complete without eating some locally caught seafood. I recommend Ingas Galley, Coastal Cold Storage, or El Zarape who source their seafood locally.
Visit Leconte Bay/Glacier
Just outside Petersburg is the southern most tidewater glacier. It is an incredible sight and if you have the time and money to do a tour there, it is totally worth it. Not only can you see the glacier and icebergs, but there is usually great wildlife viewing. The snow capped mountains and waterfalls are also incredibly beautiful.
Go fishing
If you are interested in going out on the water there are many charter fishing trips as well as boat rentals for a self guided fishing trip around Mitkof Island. However even if you aren’t able or want to go out on a boat, there are trout and salmon fishing opportunities on the island. Many of the creeks and lakes are home to trout you can fish. Blind Slough is also a hatchery release site for King Salmon and Coho Salmon, which you can fish for easily on shore when they are returning.
Go for a hike
No matter your fitness level or comfort in the wild, there is a hike for almost anyone in Petersburg. Climb a mountain, hike to a cabin, or just take an easy stroll along a boardwalk trail in town, there is a large variety of trails in and around Petersburg, that no matter what you have the time or energy for there is a way for you to get out and enjoy nature. Check out my post on the best walks/hikes in Petersburg, for a more comprehensive list of options to get out in nature.
Drive to the end of Mitkof Highway
Although the end of the highway can be a little anticlimactic because it just abruptly ends with a little gravel turn around and a sign that says the end, driving to the point where a highway just stops is a very Alaskan experience. The drive out is also gorgeous and there are many viewpoints to stop at along the way and access to trails and campgrounds just off the highway. Make a day of it driving to the end of the highway and stopping where ever strikes your fancy.
Visit Outlook Park
Located just a little over a mile from downtown out Sandy Beach road, it is possible to just walk here. Outlook park is a small little water front park, with a shelter with binoculars, a bench and a picnic area. The park has incredible views of Frederick Sound and Devils Thumb, come here on a clear day to really take in the beauty of Petersburg. The beach in front of the park is the site of the old dump and is a fun place to walk around looking for old treasures and pieces of cool old glass or pottery.
Hang out at Blind Slough
Blind slough is a very unique area on the island. The slough and grassy shoreline are very different than much of the muskeg and other terrain on the island. In the spring and summer the grass is green and tall and colored with many different types of wildflowers. The lower end of the slough can be reached by the Blind River Rapids trail, which is also a great fishing location. Further out the highway is the Blind Slough picnic area, which as several picnic shelters, tables and fire pits. There is also a viewing platform and a bridge you can walk on for views down the slough. On warmer days this is also a great spot to put in a kayak, paddle board, or even go for a swim. A swan observatory also gives views of the slough and the potential for bird and other wildlife viewing.
Stay at a forest service cabin
Much of the area around Petersburg is part of the Tongass National Forest or other wilderness areas. The forest service has a large network of cabins throughout southeast, with many located in the Petersburg area. If you are looking for a real wilderness experience, renting a forest service cabin is a great way to experience the wild of Alaska with a roof over your head.
The Ravens Roost Cabin is located on the island and accessible by hiking, there are many other cabins nearby which can be accessed by boat or float plane. Check out recreation.gov for a map of nearby cabins or one of my cabin guides. On weekends cabins tend to book out fairly far in advance especially in summer, but if you have the flexibility to go during the week it is usually not hard to find some available nights.
