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The historic boardwalk of Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska

What to do in Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaskan culture and native heritage await

Published on 31 May 2023


On your cruise to Alaska, you’ll likely stop at Ketchikan. Surrounded by the Tongass National Forest and the rich fishing waters of the Alaska Panhandle, Ketchikan is brimming with Alaskan culture and native heritage. With only a few hours in port, we’ve done the work for you and put together the top things to do in Ketchikan:  

Things to do in Ketchikan

Go to Totem Heritage Center

If you want to experience one of Alaska’s most important parts of history, then the Totem Heritage Center is for you. The centre was established in 1976 in order to preserve endangered totem poles that were retrieved from uninhabited village sites near Ketchikan. 

Alaska has a strong native past and totem poles are a large part of that culture. Totem poles were created to represent stories and events, the figures that make up the totem pole are there to embody stories, traits and characteristics. Ketchikan itself is an embrace of the past and the future, and as you walk down the streets you’ll feel the old meet the new but the Totem Heritage Center is the best place to experience that in the city. The centre houses 33 authentic totem poles, along with historic images and native artworks. Learn about the history of Ketchikan and Alaska amongst this forest of traditional artwork. 

Have lunch at George Inlet Lodge

To experience some of the finest, freshest Alaskan crab then go to the George Inlet Lodge Crab Feast. This restaurant is brilliant, and don’t worry about small portions, it’s all you can eat! The fresh crab is sweet and warm and served with melted butter. Before you start, your hostess will show you how to best enjoy your meal, and then you’re free to unleash your dinner. 

Enjoy a complimentary drink with your food and eat until you can’t eat any more. Finish off with a slice of smooth cheesecake, smothered in Alaskan blueberries. 

Hike along Deer Mountain Trail

Want to dust off your hiking boots and get some steps in? The Deer Mountain Trail is the most rewarding in Ketchikan. Hike through the Tongass National Forest, weave between towering evergreens and, once you summit, get rewarded with one of the best views of the city. Look down over the bay and spot your cruise ship waiting for you in the water. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see right out to sea, and the beautiful mountains that are all around Ketchikan. Lucky hikers will encounter some majestic wildlife, including, as you may expect, deer! 

Learn at Southeast Alaska Discovery Center

The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is the best place to discover the history of the Tongass National Forest. You can learn about the rainforest around you and see how the people of Ketchikan used to live as one with their surroundings. The discovery centre also teaches about the culture of the early inhabitants of Southeast Alaska. They have a life-size display of a native fish camp, complete with a smokehouse and a hand-carved canoe. There are even examples of traditional clothing, boxes and baskets. You can even listen to native elders who will share their culture and heritage with you. 

Take the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour

As one of the most popular things to do in Ketchikan, the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour is a great way to spend your time. The tour takes three hours and is wheelchair and scooter accessible. Get on a traditional Alaskan fishing ship and take to the Inside Passage in search of sea crab. Watch the professional fishermen at work as they teach you more about the history of the boat you’re on and the history of working as a crab fisherman in the Bering Sea. 

As well as sea crabs, this tour also runs close to a lot of the outlying islands and can give you a good glimpse into the Tongass National Forest and its residents. The eagle-eyed crew will keep their eyes on the shore and make sure if something is there, you’ll see it. The boat will head towards the nesting place of Golden Eagles and most tours are lucky enough to get a really good sighting of these glorious beasts. 

Once you get out to sea, the crew will start pulling up their catches. Some of the animals brought to the surface will be placed in a live tank for you to see them up close. You can even touch some of the animals before they’re carefully released back into the ocean. 

We chatted to the team at Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour, “The Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour is an award-winning excursion and the top-rated tour in Ketchikan. Guests board an authentic Bering Sea crab boat, which was featured on The Deadliest Catch. Spend 3 hours with true Alaskan fishermen and see a variety of sea life up close and personal. The eagle encounters on this tour are world-renowned!” 

Visit Misty Fjords National Monument

The Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the most popular excursions for Ketchikan. Tours are usually taken by boat or by plane, and you’ll guide through the fjords and experience some of Alaska’s perfect scenery. The Misty Fjords are named that way because they’re just that, misty. Often the tops of the fjords are covered in thick layers of mist, making them even more scenic than they already are.

Wildlife is abundant in the Misty Fjords, which extend 2.3 million acres across Tongass National Forest. The weaving canals bring life with them and are part of the reason Tongass National Forest is so popular with Alaska’s wildlife. 

Walk along Creek Street

Creek Street is built along the shores of Ketchikan, and the actual street is built over the water. This was an easier option than attempting to build into the rocky hills around the creek. This wooden attraction is lined with historical buildings and some of the best shopping in town.

The antique boardwalk is a lovely place to try some local food, shop and look down into the creek itself to see salmon making their way upstream. The history of Creek Street is much more sordid than it appears today. Originally, Creek Street was Ketchikan’s red light district. In the mid-1920s, there were over 20 brothels on Creek Street alone! Ketchikan was one of the places liquor was smuggled into the US from Alaska during the prohibition, so this street became a hotspot for debauchery. Most of the houses have a secret trap door underneath in order to receive secret alcohol deliveries.

Journey along Married Man’s Trail if you go to Creek Street. Often used for men who were trying not to get caught visiting the working woman, this trail is an extension of Creek Street that finishes at Salmon Ladder. Salmon Ladder is a rushing waterfall and one of the best places to get a picture of salmon jumping upstream and trying to fight the current. 

Reading time: 8 mins
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