Rotary Beach sits three miles south of Ketchikan town, a sandy and rocky shore also called Bugge Beach. A cement causeway lets tidewater flow into a protected pond that warms up, and local kids learn to swim there.

A visit is simple. Walk the tide pools for eels, urchins, starfish and anemones, build a fire from driftwood in the firepit, and eat the picnic the town is known for. The view runs out over Nichol's Passage, where seals, salmon and seabirds come and go.

• Ocean water is chilly, averaging about 56 degrees, so swimming is a cold prospect; the pond warms more.
• Hot dogs and matches can be bought at Tatsudas on the way south for the firepit.
• Ketchikan is very rainy, so bring rain gear even on a dry-looking day.
• Summer rain is usually light and sporadic, with daytime highs in the high sixties.