13 Top Things to Do in Ketchikan, Alaska

Take to the Skies

If you have a short amount of time in Ketchikan, the quickest way to see the most spectacular views is from the air. Multiple flightseeing tours operate out of Ketchikan, ferrying passengers through the clouds to get an overview of the fjords and glacial lakes. Tours can typically last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half and you can take off right from the water on a floatplane or hop in a helicopter.

Snorkel in the Tide Pools

This is your chance to earn some serious lifetime bragging rights, because really how many people do you know that would go snorkeling in Alaska? Snorkel Alaska offers the chance to don a wetsuit and get a look into the underwater world of the Inside Passage, which is brimming with sea life. A hot shower and cup of cocoa will be waiting for you after this exhilarating experience.

Get a Lesson at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center

The U.S. Forest Service's Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is on Mill Street in downtown Ketchikan. It features exhibits and interactive displays about the land, people, and culture of the region. The museum focuses on the natural and cultural history of the Tongass National Forest, with exhibits that give you a sense of the historic fishing villages and offer insight into how the Tongass culture survives in local communities. During the summer, rangers lead guided walks.

Visit Misty Fjords National Monument

Misty Fjords National Monument is about 20 miles from Ketchikan and can only be reached by seaplane or boat. The 2.3 million-acre park is stunning, with massive glacial cliffs and secluded bays. The park is often foggy, with its peaks covered by clouds, giving it a mysterious ambiance. Small ships sailing from Ketchikan often include a day in the park, but its narrow fjords are inaccessible to the larger cruise ships.

Learn About Totems and the Tlingit Culture

Ketchikan is famous for its many totems, and visitors have many opportunities to see them either completed or being carved. The Totem Heritage Center is near the City Park and about a mile or so from downtown. It houses a collection of over 30 original, unrestored totems from Tlingit and Haida villages, most of which are from the 19th century.

Saxman Village is about 3 miles south of Ketchikan and has an impressive collection of totems and a cedar community house. Visitors can learn about Tlingit culture through songs, dances, and stories. Totem carvers are often at work in the village, and native art is for sale in the shops. The Totem Bight State Park about 10 miles north of Ketchikan is in a beautiful setting and was funded by the CCC of the 1930s. It has numerous totems with good interpretive signs, but no carvers onsite.

Visit Tongass Historical Museum

This small museum, located downtown next to Ketchikan Creek, features a selection of artifacts and artwork that offer insight into the city's history and culture. During your visit, you can learn about the local ecosystem, the area's Indigenous tribes, maritime trades, and more. When you're done with your visit, be sure to head to the creek out back—you may spot spawning salmon and sea otters. It costs $6 to visit, or you can purchase a $9 museum pass that will get you into the Totem Heritage Center, too.

Walk Around Historic Ketchikan

Although cruise ships offer fascinating shore excursions around Ketchikan, some visitors might prefer to pick up a map and do a walking tour around the town. The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau provides maps at its convenient location on the waterfront across the street from the historic "Welcome to Ketchikan" sign, the original of which first arched over Mission Street in the 1920s.

Ketchikan has two self-guided walking tours. The first is the downtown walking tour, which takes about two hours or more, depending on how many times you stop to shop or take photos. This walking tour covers the parks, museums, churches, and historic downtown areas like Creek Street (more on that below). It starts at the Visitors Center and ends just on the other side of the tunnel at the Casey Moran Harbor.

The second walk starts at Harbor View Park (near the end of the downtown walk) and continues mostly along the waterfront. This tour is longer, and takes at least two and a half hours, passing by historic homes and businesses.

Take a Stroll Along Creek Street

Until 1953, historic Creek Street was home to one of Alaska's two main red-light districts, and as such, it was lined with bordellos frequented by the loggers and fishermen who worked in Ketchikan. Today, more than 30 wood-frame houses—which sit on stilts along the creek—remain, and have since been renovated into restaurants, shops, and art galleries. It's an especially lovely place to visit come summer, when thousands of salmon can be spotted swimming upstream. Located about three blocks from the cruise ship pier, Creek Street is an easy walk to the downtown area.

Imagine Old Town Ketchikan at Dolly's House Museum

One of the oldest buildings in Ketchikan is Dolly's House Museum. Dolly Arthur was Ketchikan's most famous "madam," and the interior of the house looks much like it did in the 1920s. Although the subject matter of this historic "parlor" may not be kid-friendly, the museum does offer a unique look at the era of Prohibition and visitors will get a chance to peek inside Dolly's secret liquor cabinet and see photos of the grand lady herself and the other women of Ketchikan's red-light district.

Go Hiking in Tongass National Forest

Given its proximity to the Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan has several excellent hiking trails, including one to the top of nearby Deer Mountain. This 2.5-mile hike goes up 2,500 feet to the summit, providing excellent views of Ketchikan. The Rainbird Trail starts above the Third Avenue bypass and also offers amazing vistas. Other trails include two in the Ward Lake Recreational Area, 7 miles north of Ketchikan: the Ward Lake Trail, an easy walk along a scenic stream; and the Perseverance Trail, which takes you into the rainforest.

Admire Art at the Scanlon Gallery

As the oldest gallery in Alaska, the Scanlon Gallery has a long history of supporting and featuring local talent. Founded in 1972, the gallery showcases original works in a variety of disciplines including painting, photography, woodworks, sculptures, ceramics, fine art books, and jewelry. The gift shop hosts a wide selection of books delving into the history of artists born in the state and an assortment of cute memorabilia that will make a great souvenir.

Dine on Fresh Fish at Salmon Market

The so-called Salmon Capital of the World, Ketchikan is the place to dine on Alaska's famed pink fish. If you love to cook and have access to a kitchen during your trip, one of the best places to try it is at Salmon Market, where you can pick up fresh and smoked fillets, as well as salmon oil and king salmon jerky. If you're getting tired of salmon, the shop also sells other meats and fish, including smoked octopus, smoked geoduck, and reindeer sausage.

Hit the Water

Ketchikan, like all of Alaska, is a dream destination for those who love outdoor activities. Although salmon fishing is king in the summer months, halibut fishing is also popular. Several local outfitters can set you up with a boat and guide. If you prefer to leave the fish in the water, kayaking is a beautiful, quiet way to see Southeast Alaska and there are many places to book kayaking tours around town.