Ketchikan AK

Ketchikan has four Panamax-size cruise berths, numbered in order from south to north along the downtown waterfront.

If all piers are occupied by ships, your vessel will tender into Ketchikan. Tender boats put passengers ashore immediately in the downtown area.

Ketchikan’s public buses are excellent and reach every visitor sight. A free downtown shuttle passes all cruise berths every 15 minutes; every other bus costs only $1.

Ketchikan International Airport is on Gravina Island, five minutes from town by ferry. Airport shuttle vans and water taxis meet every flight, carrying passengers and baggage from reclaim to destinations in Ketchikan.

Take a printable map.

Ketchikan overview site.

Sightseeing options:

Misty Ketchikan is south-east Alaska’s wettest town and the “Salmon Capital of the World.” Start with kayaking in Misty Fjords or hiking Deer Mountain, then spend the afternoon browsing outstanding galleries and shops.

Creek Street is almost certain to be on your itinerary: wooden buildings perch on pilings above the water. Its brightly painted boutiques once served gentlemen looking for “sporting women”. Dolly’s House museum recalls frontier bawdiness; the red-light district did not close until 1953.

Totem poles record another kind of legend. Ketchikan has the world’s largest collection of Northwest totems, with many places to see these compelling artworks.

For the USA, Ketchikan has outstanding transport coverage to Ward Cove, Totem Bight and Saxman Park. Bus fares are just $1, while two free shuttles operate May to September between cruise docks and key downtown points.

Every bus is wheelchair accessible. Two are moving artworks painted by Ray Troll and Oliver Martin, with murals of colourful salmon central to Ketchikan’s economy and lifestyle.

At the docks, a low green Visitors Bureau building faces berth 2, with a Visitors Center opposite berth 3. Pick up a free Walking Tour Map from either; it also works as a strong map of downtown and cruise-dock areas.

Many operators run kayaking, floatplane rides, bicycling tours and transport to attractions just outside town. Ketchikan rains about 300 days a year, so wait until arrival before booking, as rain kayaking is not much fun. The same tours are sold at the ship’s excursions desk but often far more cheaply by operators.

Don’t Miss Shore Excursion: Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show celebrates Ketchikan’s logging era. Professionals compete at log rolling, axe throwing and pole climbing; covered bleachers keep a rainy day entertaining. The show can be corny but lasts only 1-1/4 hours, leaving shopping time.

At Neets Bay in Tongass National Forest, watch black bears catch and eat salmon. Sign up aboard for this late-July-through-September floatplane bear-watching experience, but book only after arrival in good weather.

At Creek Street’s far end, take the short signed trail to Fish Hatchery and Fish Ladder. In summer, salmon struggle and leap upstream to spawn, sometimes followed along the river by a hungry harbor seal.

Ketchikan Duck Tour is a fun adventure covering the town’s best offerings.

Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour is a favourite shore excursion offered by most ships, though it can also be booked directly. For “Deadliest Catch” fans, this trip lets people from every walk of life stand at the edge of the commercial fishing world.

Beyond Ketchikan, visit Totem Bight State Park 10 miles north and Saxman Native Village 2 miles south, where Native carvers work.

Rain forest Canopy Ropes & Zipline Park offers plenty of fun and excitement.

Best Ketchikan souvenir: a hand-carved totem pole.

For historic interest and shopping, head to Creek Street. This boardwalk runs along Ketchikan Creek and once contained the area’s brothels; now it is home to artistic galleries.

The United States dollar (symbol: $) is the official U.S. currency, with ATM’s everywhere.

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, even for items costing only a few dollars, and sometimes are the only payment route. Overseas visitors should note that listed prices seem lower than the final amount because taxes and gratuities are seldom included.

State sales tax ranges between 2.9% and nearly 10%, with 4-6% typical. It is almost never in posted prices except gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic beverages drunk on-premises; it is calculated and added at payment.

Cape Fox Lodge bar/restaurant at the funicular’s top provides fast, free customer WiFi.

Call 911 in an emergency.

Major metros such as New York and Los Angeles often have drugstores and supermarkets open 24 hours daily, 7 days weekly. Department stores, shopping centres and other large retailers commonly trade 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, then shorter Sundays, usually 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. They commonly stay open on holidays, aside from major holidays such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when stores generally shut.