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Pelican is situated within the Tongass national forest, one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world. When you add the fjords of Lisianski inlet and straits plus the outside coast of the west Chichagof & Yakobi island wilderness area, you have some of the most awesome scenery in Alaska. Pelican based guides/outfitters can take you on hikes through old growth rainforests and alpine mountainsides. The mammals of the area consist primarily of brown bear, Sitka black tail deer, land otter, mink, marten, and red squirrels. There are a wide variety of birds; the American bald eagle is very prevalent as well as the blue heron. Along the coastline you will find puffins, terns, gulls, cormorants, ducks, and geese. Mergansers, kingfishers, etc.

If hiking is not your activity then hire one of the local charter boats for a water tour. Pelican is close to some very special whale viewing areas; in fact you often hear the whales before you see them. Besides whales, other sea mammals commonly seen are sea otters, seals, and sea lions. A boat cruise is likely to allow close up photography of brown bear grazing on a beach without the trepidation of being on the same piece of turf. It is very easy to spend the entire day cruising and drifting in a boat while photographing the local wildlife in the spectacular backdrop of our remote setting

Come and join in on the festivities on the 4th of july. Starting on the 3rd. There is a very substantial fireworks display beginning at 11:00 pm. The rockets spiraling skyward are dazzling; the explosions from the rocket bursts reverberate within the fjord putting an exclamation point on the very impressive display. Needless to say the local “watering holes” are going full steam with partygoers, you may find live music and some contests inside that are best not described here.  

On the 4th the day kicks off with a parade on the boardwalk. This purely hometown parade is highlighted with several “floats” and performances that are so imaginative and uniquely Pelican that you must be there to appreciate them. At the conclusion of the parade there is a community picnic at the south end of the boardwalk on “whisky flats”. There are games and prizes for kids of all ages. Later in the day there will be a very entertaining greased trolling pole contest and the “anything but a boat” float contest at the harbor.

Pelican is in the center of world-class sea kayaking waters. There are approximately 40 miles of protected inside waters immediately accessible in the form of Lisianski inlet, Lisianski straits, and Stag Bay, (chart 17303). The outside coastal waters of Chichagof and Yakobi islands offer hundreds of miles of coastline dotted with protected bays, estuaries, channels, etc. An Alaska state ferry travels to Pelican from Juneau every two weeks in the summer months. The ferry offers a convenient method for kayakers to transport their watercrafts to and from Pelican. Kayaks are also available for rent in Pelican.

Approximately twenty nautical miles from Pelican is White Sulphur Hot Springs. This site of a natural hot springs has been developed by the Forest Service to include a guest cabin and a covered hot spring pool with a bathhouse. There is an outside pool where one can stretch out, soak the aches and pains away while listening to the ocean swells break on the shoreline. The inside pool has a shuttered front window, opening it one has a panoramic view of bertha bay, (chart 17321). Contact one of the Pelican charter boat operators for a quote on visiting this special place.

The itinerant visitor will have a lot to see and do without even leaving the Pelican city limits. The boardwalk stretches over a mile from one end of town to the other. Strolling the boardwalk you have a birds eye view of the harbor and adjacent beaches. Here you are apt to see land otter, mink, deer, bald eagles, ducks, geese, and schools of herring. From mid-July through September, salmon can be seen from the Pelican creek bridge as they swim upstream to spawn. 

For the younger generation there is a school playground, a covered outdoor basketball court, and the school gym is often open in the evenings for basketball. The public library may have a children’s story hour; check the library bulletin boards for announcements. The library is open during the summer and offers a diverse selection of books and papers and a public computer with high-speed internet access. 

Totem poles have been added to Pelican’s landscape. In front of city hall towers the “unity” totem pole and two more totems can be seen in front of the Pelican school. The totems were carved as community projects; many locals took part in the actual carving under the tutelage of Stan Marsden, a Tsimshian master carver originally from Metlakatla, Alaska.