Since we’re all about visiting the different destinations of the Inside Passage without a cruise ship, that means that you actually can spend several days in each place, and having 3 or 4 days in Ketchikan is the perfect way to start that! Located at the southernmost end of Alaska, Ketchikan is a really fun destination that is definitely worthy of several days of activities. There are some cool places to stay and lots of great food to enjoy, so spending 3 days in Ketchikan should be a breeze to convince your travel partners to join in on. Planning travel to Alaska can feel like a lot if you haven’t been before, so starting with spending several days in Ketchikan is a great idea.
You’ll find that with its direct flight from Seattle or being the first stop on the Alaska Marina Highway, it’s not difficult to get there and you can even just use airline miles (and usually not a lot of them). Since we’ve already made a solid case for planning a few days in Ketchikan, read on and you’ll get the full scoop on all the things to do and you’ll see just why we love Ketchikan. If you have any questions, please leave a comment or send us a note, because we’re all about Alaska and have years of experience living in and visiting AK.
Highlights of Visiting Ketchikan
What makes it a unique destination, and I would say one of the best in Alaska, is that there really are so many things to do in Ketchikan. Yes, tons of people visit via cruise ship daily and enjoy lots of activities directly from the cruise port area, but there’s much more to the island to explore. Yes, renting a car in Ketchikan can be expensive, but luckily there’s actually a great bus system that travels both north and south of the main town area, so you can spend a few days and actually just use public transportation. For those coming up on the Alaska Marine Highway System then you can bring your own car and have access to even more of the wilderness surrounding this beautiful town.
If you’re traveling with kids, there are so many things to do in Ketchikan that are great for all ages. I think that what is most surprising about the town is that despite it seeming to be so focused on accommodating cruise guests, it hasn’t lost its sense of Alaska or interesting elements. Ketchikan, very much like Juneau, is bursting with Tlingit culture and art all through the town and beyond. Perhaps one of the most notable things about Alaska is how vibrant and visible Alaska Native culture is all through the state, and Ketchikan absolutely shines with it. There are things to do all over town that both immerse you in and support the local Tlingit community, and there is so much to learn. I think this is really what I love most about visiting Ketchikan.
As a cruise port, even though I want to encourage you to visit on your own for a few days, there are lots of things to do that you can stack up in a day so you can enjoy a more comprehensive visit than a regular stop on a sailing. You can easily plan an activity in the morning, have a good lunch downtown, have a short afternoon activity and then be back on the ship before all-aboard. Now, you can take that same sort of daily pattern and repeat it for a few days and you’ll never be bored and you may even just fall in love with Ketchikan.
Getting to Ketchikan, Alaska
There are a few ways to get to Ketchikan from the Lower 48, but the most common is to visit as a part of a cruise. If that’s you’re MO, that’s great and you’ll love it, but you will want to start planning a trip to come back for longer. The easiest way to arrive is to fly from Seattle (SEA) to Ketchikan (KTN) on Alaska Airlines. There are several flights each day and they’re pretty short. When you land at KTN, you’ll exit the airport and walk down the path to the small ferry that crosses the passage. On the other side you’ll find your Uber, Taxi, hotel shuttle, or a friend waiting for you. It’s really easy and pretty cool to start your visit with a short boat ride.
Another option to get to Ketchikan is to take the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). On the Northbound Route from Bellingham, Washington Ketchikan is the first stop. Yes, you will have two overnights on the boat, but there is dining, you can book a sleeping cabin, and the views are amazing. If you’re coming from the north, you can get on the AMHS in Haines or Skagway and then continue down the Inside Passage to Ketchikan.
Weather When you Visit Ketchikan
It’s so funny to talk to people about their experiences in Ketchikan because they usually lead with the weather… and that it rained the whole time they were there. Yes, it’s known for the rainy weather, but that’s why the grand Tongass National Forest is so amazing and is the largest temperate rainforest in the world. And funny thing is that despite there being a giant rain gauge in the cruise port showing total rainfall for the year thus far, often it’s beautiful and sunny in Ketchikan. With more sunny days than Juneau to the north, the rainfall is paired with clear skies, meaning that although there may be lots of rain, there are fewer gray cloud cover days. It’s a good trade-off.
Starting in March and lasting until late October, the temperatures really aren’t bad. Remember that Ketchikan is really far south, so it doesn’t freeze in the winter (usually) and it has spring and fall just like Seattle, Vancouver or Victoria BC. That means that you can dress like you would for a regular visit to the Pacific Northwest and be fine. If you’re visiting Fairbanks in March or October, you better be ready with your parka and toe-warmers.
And another great benefit to the mellow spring and fall weather in Ketchikan is that when the humpback whales are making their journey to and from Hawaii, they roll through Ketchikan in these shoulder months so the whale watching season starts earlier and end later than other parts of Alaska.
Where to Stay in Ketchikan
Spending a few days in Ketchikan, you can kind of have two different sort of trips if you want. Staying on Creek Street in one of the little inns puts you in the iconic neighborhood that everyone thinks of when they hear the word “Ketchikan.” But this also means that there are always people bustling about nearby and that’s not the sort of trip everyone is looking for. The Gilmore Hotel is a vintage inn downtown, as is the Inn at Creek Street. And then up above downtown is the beautiful Cape Fox Lodge with its funicular between Creek Street and the hotel.
There are actually a few hotels just beyond main downtown area, including the Landing, the Ketch Inn and My Place Hotel, or ample vacation rentals all around town. If you want the Southeast Alaska experience but to not stay directly in Ketchikan, there are even some more remote resorts you could book like the Salmon Falls Resort at the northern end of the Tongass Highway or the Waterfall Resort over on Prince of Wales Island (that’s a fishing trip sort of place though). When you’re plotting out the things to do in Ketchikan that are most important to you and where you want to be based for a few days, you’ll easily find the accommodations that feel right for your trip.
Things to Do for a Trip to Ketchikan, Alaska
Whether you landed here to read up for your cruise port day or because you’re planning your own visit for a few days, you’ll find that there are lots of things to do in Ketchikan for a range of budgets. It’s set in such a beautiful spot with so many cultural and outdoors activities, you’ll easily be able to plot out at least three days here.
Historic Creek Street
I have to start here because Creek Street is the icon of Ketchikan and one of the best things to do. Strolling Creek Street in the morning is a great start to the day, with shops just opening, eagles sitting in the trees above, and very few cruise guests having made their way over just yet. I like Creek Street because it’s one of very few preserved neighborhoods from Alaska’s early Gold Rush and logging days. This is a great place to look for souvenirs or art and an even better place to watch salmon heading up stream to spawn. Creek Street turns into Married Man’s Walk / the Salmon Walk which follows the path of Ketchikan Creek up to the flat part of the stream, passing by the fish ladder as you get to an area where you can watch salmon spawn in the shallows. It’s pretty cool and should be at the top of your list of things to do in Ketchikan.
Saxman Native Village
Just south of the town of Ketchikan is another community, the Saxman Native Village. This is both a living Tlingit neighborhood and a cultural center for visitors to learn about both historic and current ways of life for the Tlingit peoples of Southeast Alaska. One of the best things to do with kids in Ketchikan, the Saxman Native Village has a totem pole park, a totem carving center, a clan house, and they offer traditional dance performances of the Tlingit people with explanations of what you’re watching. You can either drive yourself and visit on your own (be mindful and what areas you can visit without a guide) or you can be a part of a tour that picks up from downtown Ketchikan.
Totem Heritage Center
We really enjoy the Totem Heritage Center because it’s very different from the other types of museums you find, either for indigenous art or just in Southeast Alaska in general. What makes the exhibits at the Totem Heritage Center so unique is that most of them are very old totem poles and pieces that have been moved from original installation places and preserved. Totem poles are normally carved, erected and then left until they fall and are taken back over by the earth. The pieces on display at the Totem Heritage Center are hundreds of years old, which is quite unusual and not something you find outside of the museum. There are also current day Tlingit artists’ exhibits in the museum, so you can easily grasp the concept of time in terms of how these beautiful pieces have aged and decayed.
Tip: You can get a joint museum ticket for the Totem Heritage Center and the Tongass Historical Museum and save a few dollars. Both are wonderful things to do in Ketchikan
Sea Kayaking in Ketchikan
There are lots of tours you could do when you are spending a few days in Ketchikan, but you know me, I love kayaking. We went out with Ketchikan Kayak Company to explore Orca Cove and some of the smaller islands of the area in sea kayaks. This was such a cool tour and a great thing to do with kids because it combines a fast boat from the port out into the islands. You go from seeing giant cruise ships to being absolutely secluded on the water.
Sea kayaking in Ketchikan is pretty cool, as there are lots of seals and eagles, and sometimes even whales in the mix when you’re paddling. If you haven’t been in a sea kayak before on open water, it might seem a little daunting, but it’s very safe and the guides are great about making sure that everyone has a good time. We did a lot of sea kayaking on our UnCruise through Southeast Alaska so our kids were both very confident and enjoyed the experience here in Ketchikan a lot.
Totem Bight State Park
We’ve been to state parks all over Alaska from Denali and Hatcher Pass to Chilkoot Lake and this beautiful park, Totem Bight State Park, here in Ketchikan. While Totem Bight State Park isn’t even a tenth as big as Chugach State Park near Anchorage, I think this is one of my favorites for all that it has here. Set on a beautiful cove, in the forest, and on a little rise above the water, the park has a lot of totem poles all around, including some sleeping totem poles (downed and decaying). There is a clan house that you can go into as well as a totem restoration center with a carving station. Although Totem Bight State Park is far from the downtown area, it’s still one of the best things to do in Ketchikan and is worth making the trek out here.
Tip: there is a bus stop directly here at the state park so you can take the public transpiration (the KGB, Ketchikan Gateway Bureau) from downtown all the way here!
Kiwanti Adventures and Herring Cove
People always ask us about seeing wildlife in Alaska and we always say the same thing “It’s wild, so you never know where you’ll see it.” A good rule of thumb though is to follow the food source and you’ll likely get to see wildlife. At Kawanti Adventures they actually own a large swath of land directly on a prolific salmon run creek… which attract black bears on the regular. You can do a variety of tours with Kawanti Adventures that take you along their private boardwalks and trails through the bear areas, and if you’re lucky (which most visitors are) you’ll get to see black bears roaming about, relaxing and fishing for salmon in the stream. It’s a pretty cool experience and you even get to visit a totem pole park.
This area also has Herring Cove, which is open to the public. Herring Cove is just the bridge and road by the same creek and while you cannot access the boardwalks or the forest, you have a great chance of spotting a bear here in the evenings when the salmon are running.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
Maybe there are so many great museums in Ketchikan because it does rain a lot, but I like them all. The kids really enjoyed the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center downtown, which is run by the National Forest Service. This is one of the most comprehensive museums we’ve visited, similar to the Alaska State Museum in that it’s got all kids of exhibits. We always are looking for learning things to do when we travel and here you’ll find everything from Ketchikan history, Tlingit history and culture, exhibits about the ecosystems of Southeast Alaska and even dinosaurs of Alaska.
If you’ve got your National Parks pass, admission is covered, and if not it’s just a few dollars and totally worth a visit. Also, I have to hand it to them: the gift shop at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center has the best t-shirts in town. While you’re here, be sure to talk to the staff for recommendations for hiking or information on visiting Misty Fjords National Monument and such, as they are the experts on these beautiful outdoor recreation areas.
Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show
Our kids will quickly tell you that the best thing to do in Ketchikan is the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Yes, it’s a little cheesy when you first consider adding a lumberjack show to your Ketchikan itinerary, but it’s totally worth it and so much fun. You get this awesome blend of lumberjack sports, comedy, comradery and even history. It’s in an easy location so you will no doubt be nearby, and it doesn’t take up all day. It’s hard to say what the best part of the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is, but I really like the log running; the kids both picked the chopping sports for their favorite parts.
Tongass Historical Museum
Similar to the Discovery Center, the Tongass Historical Museum does a great job at telling the story of Ketchikan but with a strong focus on the cultures of Southeast Alaska: Tlingit, fishermen, loggers, business women… Yes, there’s a good portion of the museum that gets into the salmon which are integral to life in Ketchikan, but this is a place to read through each display and follow along as all the working pieces of Ketchikan history come together to form the town that exists today. While the Tongass Historical Museum isn’t as interesting for kids as the Discovery Center, I would say that for adults who like to geek out (like me) you’ll love it here. Also as I mentioned, you can get a combined ticket for this museum and the Totem Heritage Center, so you might as well visit both!
Whale Watching from the Beach
So this is very much a seasonal thing, but you just never know. There are some wonderful beaches and tidepools on both sides of Ketchikan, whether you’re down at Rotary Beach or up at South Point Higgins Beach, and because of the topography of Southeast Alaska and its fjords, just off the beach it severally drops off deep. This means that whales love to come in very close to shore spy hopping and breaching frequently. This is mostly common in spring and fall, as that’s when the most whales are in the Ketchikan area, but orcas are around all the time and you have a great chance of spotting them if you invest and afternoon at one of the beaches.
Of course there are also whale watching tours you can do, but if you’re out and about and are willing to be patient, it could be very worthwhile to plan a beach visit.
Hiking and Trails Around Ketchikan
As you fly or sail into Ketchikan you’ll see that there are mountains all around, and mountains mean HIKING! Yes, hiking is something to do if you have a vehicle with you, as bus service doesn’t get you to many of the hiking trails, but there are a few options either way. A really beautiful spot with lots of trails leaving from it is the Ward Lake area in the Tongass National Forest. There is a trail that leads all around the lake (another good spot to see salmon spawning), there is a hike to waterfalls, Perseverance Lake, and many more. This is a great place to come for the day with a picnic and enjoy being out in the woods. Keep in mind that there are a lot of black bears around Ketchikan so consider bear safety and how to ensure your day doesn’t have a sad ending.
I’m sure there are more questions about planning a few days in Ketchikan and all the fun things to do, so if there’s anything we didn’t cover, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more about travel planning, and in particular about visiting Alaska. Let us know what you need, and happy travels!
