Station/Boat Location~
Station Ketchikan
Date there~
February 1990 - August 1996
Weather~
Moderate with an average of 160+ inches of rain.
Military facilities~
Small exchange, clinic, galley and club.
Medical~
Available at clinic. Local hospital.
Housing~
None while we lived there.
Shopping~
They opened a Wal-Mart after we left. There is a "mall" called The Plaza...not much there. Three grocery stores. Lots of tourist shops with all the Alaskan stuff your friends and family could every want!! I did lots of catalog shopping but now you have the internet!!
Fun Activities~
Ketchikan is truly an outdoor paradise. Nothing is put on hold due to rain! We enjoyed fishing and hiking. My husband hunted. The eagle watching is incredible. The Forest Service has cabins available to rent. There is a Rec Center (opened after we left). Ward Lake is a great spot to go for a picnic, canoeing and a nice, easy walk around the lake. Many, many trails (from easy to 'oh my gosh!!'). There are two indoor pools. Soccer, baseball, basketball and football are available through an excellent Parks and Recreation program. The Junior High and High School have basketball, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, softball and track teams. Lots of "crafty" things available - quilting and beading are very popular. The library and museum are great!
Child Care/Schools~
Public: 4 Elementary schools, 1 Middle School, 1 High School (there was an alternative high school and I believe they opened a charter school.) A couple of churches have elementary school programs. Excellent quality of education. Very dedicated staff.
Adult Schools~
University of Alaska - Southeast
Additional Info~
We spent some time in Ketchikan in June of 2002 (on our way to Cordova) and a lot has changed so I hope the information I've given is still accurate.
Fast food is available at McDonald's, Subway, Burger King and a Godfather's Pizza opened right before we left. The video store is now a Blockbuster!!
Ketchikan is a great place to live and is our first pick for places to retire. It took me some adjusting to get used to the rain but once I adjusted...I loved Ketchikan. There is so much to so, see and enjoy. Best advice...focus on what is there instead of what isn't! Living in Ketchikan is a once in a lifetime experience.
Homeport AK
Station Ketchikan
Date there~
February 1990 - August 1996
Weather~
Moderate with an average of 160+ inches of rain.
Military facilities~
Small exchange, clinic, galley and club.
Medical~
Available at clinic. Local hospital.
Housing~
None while we lived there.
Shopping~
They opened a Wal-Mart after we left. There is a "mall" called The Plaza...not much there. Three grocery stores. Lots of tourist shops with all the Alaskan stuff your friends and family could every want!! I did lots of catalog shopping but now you have the internet!!
Fun Activities~
Ketchikan is truly an outdoor paradise. Nothing is put on hold due to rain! We enjoyed fishing and hiking. My husband hunted. The eagle watching is incredible. The Forest Service has cabins available to rent. There is a Rec Center (opened after we left). Ward Lake is a great spot to go for a picnic, canoeing and a nice, easy walk around the lake. Many, many trails (from easy to 'oh my gosh!!'). There are two indoor pools. Soccer, baseball, basketball and football are available through an excellent Parks and Recreation program. The Junior High and High School have basketball, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, softball and track teams. Lots of "crafty" things available - quilting and beading are very popular. The library and museum are great!
Child Care/Schools~
Public: 4 Elementary schools, 1 Middle School, 1 High School (there was an alternative high school and I believe they opened a charter school.) A couple of churches have elementary school programs. Excellent quality of education. Very dedicated staff.
Adult Schools~
University of Alaska - Southeast
Additional Info~
We spent some time in Ketchikan in June of 2002 (on our way to Cordova) and a lot has changed so I hope the information I've given is still accurate.
Fast food is available at McDonald's, Subway, Burger King and a Godfather's Pizza opened right before we left. The video store is now a Blockbuster!!
Ketchikan is a great place to live and is our first pick for places to retire. It took me some adjusting to get used to the rain but once I adjusted...I loved Ketchikan. There is so much to so, see and enjoy. Best advice...focus on what is there instead of what isn't! Living in Ketchikan is a once in a lifetime experience.
Homeport AK
