Just Petersburg, not St. Petersburg

Petersburg is a quiet fishing town with a population of about 3,200 people. Petersburg lies on Mitkof Island in the middle of the Southeast Panhandle between the cities of Juneau and Ketchikan. Due to the shallow port, large tourist ships can't dock and invade the city so it remains quite peaceful even throughout the summer.

Petersburg is highly accessible compared to other small Alaskan cities. Two Alaska Airlines jets land per day (weather permitting) and there are ferries that carry vehicles and people from cities within Alaska, including Petersburg. There are places to camp, B&Bs, and hotels which accommodate all types of travelers.

Quick Tips:

Come during the month of May. The best weather usually occurs during this month. But bring plenty of rain gear because it rains often! There is a travel agency downtown which will have information on trips to nearby LeConte Glacier, whale-watching tours and fishing expeditions.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is no public transportation. Most places don't require transportation, especially if you stay near town. There are a few vehicle rental companies, but on busy weekends, the reservations for these may be full. A ride from the airport to your accommodation will be required. When making reservations, inquire about the possibility of being picked up at the airport or having them arrange for a taxi upon your arrival.

Food choices range from locally-caught seafood and American cuisine to Italian. The wait staff are courteous and the self-seating arrangement allows you to sit by windows which overlook one of the harbors. It is one of the few sit-down restaurants available.

It is about a two minute walk from the very center of town.

Some of the freshest seafood in town can be bought here (actually, during the fishing season they have live seafood such as crabs and clams.) There is also a fast food restaurant with excellent seafood dishes. There are various other American and Oriental style dishes as well. The hours change dramatically from summer to winter and they are often only open for breakfast and lunch, so call ahead to find out whether or not the kitchen is open.

Fishing charters are quite common, although they tend to be rather expensive. The bottom line is that if you are going on a serious fishing trip, this is definitely the place to come, but remember to bring plenty of rain gear because it rains often! Fishing off the dock or shore won't usually draw the bigger fish, but if you are simply leisure fishing, this may be an option. Salmon, halibut, lingcod, and black cod are probably the most available fish within the area.

May Fest is a celebration of the town's Norwegian heritage and marks the day that the Norwegians gained their independence. This celebration is an annual event held at the end of every May. The festivities include a parade, a pageant with traditional dancers in costume, booths, meals including the all-you-can-eat salmon bake and shrimp feed, and more.

The Fourth of July is a much bigger event than May Fest with fireworks and street games including the water balloon toss and the slow bike race. Activities are family oriented, but some have age restrictions.

There are many recreational trails available for beginning to advanced hikers. There are also trails that are handicap accessible with trails wide enough for wheelchairs.

Petersburg Mountain, which is just a five to ten minute boat ride across Frederick Sound, is a fairly leisurely hike. Make no mistake though, it is uphill so plenty of water and energy are needed to make it all the way up. You can take excellent pictures of the city of Petersburg and the surrounding area from the top of the mountain. Make sure you bring a lunch if you decide to go!