Last Updated on September 4, 2019 by Candy Wafford

Our first Alaskan cruise stop was Ketchikan and there is so much to do here. Historical tours, flightseeing tours, and lumberjack shows are all great ways to spend a day in Ketchikan.   But when you go to Alaska you gotta eat crabs. And that’s what we did at the World Famous George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast.  All you can eat crab legs.

I wanted to take a seaplane but we had already booked a helicopter ride in Juneau and tours in Alaska are expensive.  So, when I saw an option that basically involved nothing more than stuffing our face with crab legs, I couldn’t hit the buy button fast enough. 

There are several tour options through Experience Alaska Tours that allow you to go flightseeing and eat crabs, visit the fjords and eat crabs, do a pub hop and eat crabs. You get the idea. But we kept it simple and decided we would be happy just stuffing ourselves with crab legs. Did I mention it’s all you can eat crab legs?

Ketchikan

We docked early in Ketchikan and took a leisurely stroll along the harbor front snapping pics of the town and exploring the local shops.  While talking to local shop owners we learned that Ketchikan’s economy is dependent on tourism since the timber industry closed and the fishing industry is struggling.  We found everyone to be super friendly and their love for Ketchikan is evident.

Ketchikan is charming. Green mountains hug the coastline and the town is dotted with brightly colored buildings and homes. We were gifted with a bright sunny day in a city where it rains more often than not.

George Inlet Lodge

Crab time!  We met our driver near the cruise ship and we hopped into a large passenger van with another couple.  The other couple had been to George Inlet Lodge previously to eat crabs and couldn’t say enough about how delicious the crabs were.  World-famous is right!

The drive to the Lodge was about 15 minutes and the scenery along the way is beautiful. We spotted seals splashing in the water and bald eagles waiting for prey.  Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Lodge.

The George Inlet Lodge is located on the waterfront and there are 79 steps from the road down to it.  Not up to walking 79 steps downhill? There is a super nice fella that will take you down in an ATV. 

The setting here is spectacular and we enjoyed the view from the deck.  The birds put on a show for us with a bald eagle flying past as well as a beautiful hummingbird fluttering between feeders.  The water and air here are so clear and we felt a million miles away from the rest of the world.

Let’s Eat – All You Can Eat Crab Legs!

As you are led to your table you will see that this is family-style eating. No eating crabs alone! You will share a table with other people which makes this meal that much more fun.

A simple salad of romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, and almonds was waiting for us.  I loved the clever touch of stamping the drink menu and other options for those with shellfish allergies or vegetarians directly on each place setting.  Drink options include Alaskan amber ale, a glass of wine, various soft drinks, tea or coffee.

Before you can eat crab legs, you gotta learn how right? The adorable servers at the Lodge do a demonstration of how to properly eat crab legs.  It never occurred to me to use one of the pinchers to access the crabmeat!  It worked pretty well and was way more fun than a little fork!  My husband was selected to help with the demo and he was the first to get a taste of what was to come.

Huge bowls piled high with fresh, hot, steamed crab legs are served tableside.  One bite and I knew this was seriously the best crab I’ve ever eaten!  Sweet, tender and easy to break shells.  The cracking of crab legs quickly replaced the chatter in the room.  I could barely finish the crab on my plate when a server was there piling on another one.  They take all you can eat seriously here.

As if eating the best crab of your life isn’t enough fun, we were having a contest to see which table could create the highest pile of crab shells.  Our table was doing great but ended up getting smashed by several other tables that were more creative in their discarded crab shell Jenga.  If you go, listen to the rules very carefully and be creative! 

No meal is complete without dessert, right?  After what seemed like an endless stream of crab legs, a slice of New York-style cheesecake with blueberry sauce was placed in front of us.  This too was delicious.  We didn’t think we had room for it, but guess what?  We did!

I highly recommend going to George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast for all you can eat crab legs in Ketchikan.  The food and service were wonderful and the setting can’t be beaten.

The Details

The George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast can be booked at Experience Alaska Tours. The tour lasts 2.5 hours and costs $69 for adults and $59 for children 12 and under.

Want More Alaska?

Check out my other posts about Alaska by clicking on the links below!

https://whereivebeentravel.com/why-you-should-take-an-alaskan-cruise/

https://whereivebeentravel.com/8-amazing-things-to-do-in-icy-strait-point/

Juneau – Helicopter & Glacier Walk

What to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise

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