Discover Ketchikan, Alaska, a cruise stop like no other. Step into the vibrant charm of Creek Street, a historic boardwalk perched above the water, or dive into the rich native culture at the Totem Heritage Center.
Nature lovers can thrill to wildlife tours spotting bears, eagles, and whales, or take in the awe-inspiring views of Misty Fjords National Monument.
Built on stilts over Ketchikan Creek, this boardwalk once served as the town's red-light district. Today it's a bustling hub of shops, art galleries, and eateries.
A legendary fixture on Creek Street offering a glimpse into Ketchikan's colorful past as a former brothel turned museum.
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show pits world-class athletes against each other in log rolling, axe throwing, and pole climbing.
A bronze sculpture by Dave Rubin on the downtown waterfront, depicting early Ketchikan settlers - pioneers, a Tlingit figure, and a fisherman - just steps from the cruise dock.
Ketchikan's working waterfront has a rowdier past than the gift shops let on - Prohibition-era moonshine raids, a saloon quoted by travel writers, and a machine shop still run by the same family after 90 years.
Ketchikan is often the first or last stop on an Inside Passage cruise, and one of the most well-rounded. It has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles, the wilderness of Misty Fjords, black bears, and some of the best salmon fishing in Alaska. These are the excursions we point people to most.
Ketchikan's signature excursion. A floatplane flight over Misty Fjords, a huge wilderness of granite cliffs, waterfalls and mountain lakes that's hard to reach any other way.
See Misty Fjords from sea level aboard a fast sightseeing boat. It's a longer, more leisurely day on the water, and a good choice if you'd rather not fly.
Real lumberjacks go head-to-head at chopping, sawing, axe-throwing, tree-climbing and log-rolling. Short, loud and a lot of fun, especially with kids.
Visit a living Native village to watch traditional dance and see totem carvers at work, including areas independent visitors can't enter. A short tour of Ketchikan is included.
An easy loop around town, then the hand-carved totem poles and replica clan house at Totem Bight State Park. A great first taste of the area's Native culture.
Board a boat from TV's Deadliest Catch for a hands-on look at commercial crabbing, with crab and octopus up close. The water is calm and sheltered, so it works well for families.
Zip from tree to tree through the Tongass rainforest canopy on a series of dual cables. Watch for wildlife and a hidden waterfall along the way.
Fly to a remote site in the Tongass National Forest and watch black bears feeding on the salmon runs in their natural habitat.
No flight needed. Ketchikan's only drive-to bear-viewing tour takes you by road to see black bears in the wild, with a guided nature walk.
A narrated cruise through the Tongass on a heated, enclosed boat, with a look at how crab is caught. Then comes a Dungeness crab feast at a lodge built in a converted historic cannery.
Paddle the waters around the Eagle Islands in the Tongass National Forest while your guide fills you in on the area's wildlife and colorful history.
Ketchikan calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World. Fish the sheltered waters of Clover Passage on a modern boat with a covered cabin. On Princess sailings, the ship can cook your catch for dinner.
Excursions shown are as offered on Princess Cruises sailings. Other cruise lines calling at Ketchikan run similar tours, but names, durations and availability vary by line, ship and sailing date - ask us what's on your itinerary.
A casual counter-service waterfront spot next to the Historic Thomas Basin, focused on fresh halibut and salmon.
Inside the historic Gilmore Hotel - known for what many call the best seafood chowder in Alaska.
Waterfront dining at the Bar Harbor Marina, with both indoor and heated outdoor seating.
On Creek Street - American and Mediterranean dishes, plus a house-made salmon cream cheese using locally caught salmon.
Ketchikan is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World," for having the largest collection of standing totem poles anywhere in the world, and for Creek Street, its historic boardwalk built on pilings over the creek.
Ketchikan is a Southeast Alaska cruise port on Revillagigedo Island, nicknamed "Alaska's First City" since it's often the first or last Alaska port a cruise ship calls at.
Ketchikan gets roughly 140 to 160 inches of rain a year, making it one of the wettest towns in North America - pack a real raincoat, not just a jacket.
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