Staying in King Salmon at the Antlers Inn

Y’all, King Salmon isn’t the destination most people are aiming for when they plan a trip to Southwest Alaska, but it serves its purpose as a jumping off point for other amazing Alaska adventures, like Katmai National Park or incredible fishing trips. The Antlers Inn in “downtown” King Salmon is the only hotel/motel option in town, and it’s just fine for being able to have a clean, quiet place to rest before the bigger adventures begin. With inn rooms and apartment options, the Antlers Inn is actually a nice surprise in this rural Alaska town.

We’ve got the full scoop on both staying at the Antlers Inn and what to actually do in King Salmon (there ain’t much). If you have any questions about planning your visit to Southwest Alaska and Katmai National Park, please leave a comment or send us a note. This is a complicated area to visit and we’re happy to share more and help you put together a great trip.

Why Choose the Antlers Inn, King Salmon

Visiting the town of King Salmon isn’t on most people’s Alaska bucket list, but the town serves a good purpose as a stop on the way to Katmai National Park. And for that, the Antlers Inn really is a solid option for being a part of the trip. There aren’t many places to stay in town, but the Antlers Inn is walking distance from the airport and everything else, so it’s an easy solution to where to stay before you fly to Katmai. A collection of hotel rooms and apartments, you can easily figure out accommodations for any size group.

Even though the Inn is most commonly used as a single overnight before flying into Katmai National Park, it also can be a multiday stay if you’re planning on fishing or exploring the area. If you’re just here for the night, the Antlers Inn is an easy spot to walk to and from, so you won’t need to worry about a car. For a multiday stay, if you’ve brough your own fishing gear or aren’t doing anything guided, you will need to rent a car through Alaska Eagle Eye, and then you can use the Antlers Inn as your home base. Fishing guide services will pick you up at the hotel, so if everything you have planned is guided, it’s best and most cost effective to not get a rental car.

Room Options at the Antlers Inn

There are both hotel rooms and apartment style accommodations at the Antlers Inn. Now, King Salmon as a whole is not a fancy destination, and the Antlers Inn isn’t a fancy hotel. It’s very clean and well maintained, but it’s not a completely modern property. They have been doing rolling renovations and updating furniture and finishings, but this is a slow process when you’re located in remote Alaska.

For room types, the creek view rooms in the hotel are all two-twin rooms, which is great if you’re visiting Katmai NP with friends instead of significant others. It keeps it unawkward. The suites are one bedroom apartment style rooms with a double bed in the bedroom and twin bunks in the living room. The apartment part of the Antlers Inn has a variety of bed situations, but all sleep at least four people. We stayed in one of these and had two bedrooms each with two twin beds. It was nice to have our own kitchen since there was a small grocery store nearby, which allowed us to make a few meals and snacks.

Things to Do in King Salmon

You’ve made it as far as King Salmon and now that you’re here in Southwest Alaska, what do you do? Well, as I said, most people coming here and staying at the Antlers Inn or the Sockeye Cabins are just in King Salmon as a stopover before visiting Katmai National Park. Now, you may be here for just a night before spending a few nights at Brooks Lodge or you may be here for a few nights with a day trip into Katmai NP planned. Either way, be sure that you visit the Katmai National Park Visitor Center located next to the airport. It’s actually a great place to learn all about the park, the Alutiiq people, and the wildlife of the area. There are lots of exhibits and films to check out, and they have a small gift shop.

The most important thing you can do here though is to get your Katmai NP Junior Ranger packets. This is one of the biggest Junior Ranger packets I’ve completed and it took time before arriving in the park and during down time while staying at Brooks Lodge. Use your spare time in King Salmon to work on your packet, because the Katmai Junior Ranger badges and patches are awesome! While in King Salmon, you can also plan for salmon fishing. Guide services will take guests out on the Naknek River and other fishing spots between the towns of King Salmon and Naknek.

Dining in King Salmon, Alaska

The whole town of King Salmon is walking distance from the Antlers Inn. There are only a few food options, so enjoy what’s open while you’re here. The year round restaurant is the Sockeye Saloon which serves all meals and has a full bar. There is Brown Bear Coffee across from the airport, an occasional food truck serving tacos and such, and Eddie’s Fireplace Inn, which is a quintessential Alaskan dive bar. There is also a grocery store with an attached liquor store. All of these are within a 2-5 minute walk of the Antlers Inn.

Location of the Antlers Inn

When you land in King Salmon, you’ll get to the Antlers Inn by walking just five minutes from the airport exit. As you leave the building, head to the right and pass the visitor center and Sockeye Saloon. After the saloon you cross the street and you’ll see the Antlers Inn. It’s easy. If you need assistance, there is a taxi service that can help you with your luggage from the airport and back upon departure (additional fee). You won’t need a rental car while you’re here in King Salmon unless you’re staying for multiple days and plan of driving out of town to explore on your own. It’s only a 20 minute drive to the other town in the area, Naknek, so you won’t get too much use out of a vehicle.