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Salmon Derby or Bust at Alaska's Scandia House

Where: 110 N. Nordic Drive [map], Petersburg, Alaska, United States, 99833

Timing for our first visit to Petersburg, Alaska was a bit off: Memorial Day weekend during the peak of the 28th Annual Salmon Derby. Hours before our arrival, local angler Duane Olsen had caught a 59.8 lb. king salmon and residents were in a tizzy about the record-breaking catch. With a $7500 prize on the line for the first place winner, competition was fierce and if you weren’t out fishing that weekend in Petersburg, you were pretty much S.O.L.

Luckily, our digs at Scandia House were within walking distance of all the dockside action (and lots of watercraft eye-candy). The hotel exterior evokes a European vibe, no doubt a nod to the town’s strong Norwegian heritage. Scandia House isn’t fancy, but then again, most accommodations we saw in Alaska don’t subscribe to a fancy school of thought. It is, however, practical in every way – a terrific concept to consider when most tourists visit Alaska for the sake of the great outdoors and not for five star pampering.

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