Make the most of your time in port

Spending 3–4 days in Ketchikan will provide a richer opportunity to get an in depth feel for our community. 

Day 1

Start your visit with a tour of the Historic Creek Street area and downtown Ketchikan.  A number of adjacent attractions will give you a sense of the history that is our town, including Dolly’s House Museum, the Tongass Historical Museum, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.  The nearby Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center, and Totem Heritage Center highlight the native cultural influences and traditions that have helped shape today’s Ketchikan.

Day 2

Hire a guide, or rent a car and explore the rest of the community. Visit Saxman Native Village or Totem Bight State Park to view Ketchikan’s world famous collection of totem poles.  Choose from several hiking trails at the Ward Lake Recreation Area, or opt for a guided walk through the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary. Alaska Canopy Tours features an exciting “zip line” experience.  A visit to The George Inlet Cannery site allows you to look back at the industry that put Ketchikan on the map in the early 1900s as the “Salmon Capital of the World.”

Day 3

Enjoy our natural surroundings.  Fly, cruise or choose a fly/cruise combination to whisk you off to Misty Fiords National Monument or after mid-July, to one of the many bear viewing areas.  Beach comb, picnic and wet your toes in the ocean at Rotary Beach, Refuge Cove State Park or Settler’s Cove State Park.  Board a floatplane as it carries freight and mail to neighboring communities and experience the day to day life of an Alaskan Bush Pilot or opt for a drop off at a remote lake and spend several hours in perfect solitude.  Whether you opt for a land or sea transport, keep an eye out for wildlife, birds and marine animals during your adventure.