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KETCHIKAN, ALASKA – Known as the salmon capital of the world, having a strong fishing culture and some of the greatest food in the world, this Alaska’s southern entrance, Ketchikan, is set on a network of rivers with some of the world’s most magnificent landscapes. Ketchikan is a popular travel destination with a vibrant Alaska native culture.
Ketchikan is the gateway to the last frontier, also known as the famed Inner Passage. Alaska Native culture is thriving here, and various museums and totem parks display it.
Getting around in Ketchikan
Municipal bus service operates daily in the city and to destinations south and north of town. Hours are reduced on Sundays. The fare is $1 for adults and 50 cents for children and seniors. A $2 day pass allows unlimited access. Buses run every 60 minutes. Routes and schedules are online at kgbak(dot)us
The free downtown bus shuttle runs May through September on a 20-minute circuit from the cruise docks. Public parking lots have time restrictions or require a permit. Taxis meet arriving airport and state ferries. Air taxis using float planes provide scheduled commuter service and charters to remote locations. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic can be heavy downtown. Please observe traffic rules.
Visitors Bureau Services
Ketchikan Visitors Bureau offers extensive information and trip-planning assistance. It is located in the heart of downtown on Berth. Pick up a copy of the walking tour map and browse through the brochures on services, tours and attractions. You can also check online at visit-ketchikan(dot)com the calendar of events for fun activities and sights.
Sightseeing in Ketchikan
Ketchikan offers outstanding sightseeing options for every visitor’s interest. Some highlight points of interest, others focus on attractions or activities. History, scenery and the pursuit of plain old fun inspire a wide range of attractions in the Ketchikan area.
Creek Street borders Ketchikan Creek, where salmon runs attracted Native Alaskans for centuries, and where residents and visitors still take fish. From 1903 to 1953, bordellos lined the creek. Shops, restaurants, museums and galleries welcome visitors to Creek Street these days.
Ketchikan Museums
Tongass Historical Museum, Dolly’s House and the Totem Heritage Center profile compelling history. Alaska Native carvers artistry in perishable cedar is preserved at the Totem Heritage Center, where visitors glimpse a culture that thrived long before contact with Westerners.
Potlatch Park near Totem Bight presents a replica of a Native village, including totemic carvings. The site also has a museum displaying classic cars and rare firearms.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is an outstanding federal interpretive facility spotlighting Tongass National Forest.
Ketchikan is home to a centuries-old commercial fishery, Misty Fjords National Monument, and shares a border with Tongass National Forest, which has rainforests, waterfalls, and animals.
Misty Fjords and Tongass National Forest
Ketchikan is in the heart of 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest, the largest in the US.
This temperate rain forest is integral to the lifestyle of Southeast Alaska and always has been. It’s habitat for a rich abundance of plants, animals and birds. From the earliest habitation by North-west Coast tribes, the forest and sea provided for every necessity. The forest in modern times has provided wood for industry and fascinating country for visitors. You can travel the 500 miles from Ketchikan to Yakutat and never leave Tongass National Forest. Around Ketchikan, you’re visiting Tongass National Forest, when you cruise along its shores, hike local trails, fly into a remote lake or camp and picnic at a recreational area.
Clear streams flowing out of Tongass National Forest’s mountains are habitat for salmon and opportunity for fishers. The nation’s largest national forest provides recreational options from sea to peaks. Wilderness areas welcome the adventurous. Well-maintained trails invite exploration. Remote cabins welcome those who like to settle in and soak up nature. If you plan more than a casual visit to the forest, plan carefully and outfit your party for changeable, challenging conditions.
More than 250 species of birds have been identified around the Ketchikan area. The Alaska Hummingbird Festival in April celebrates the springtime return of migratory birds. Migrating humpback and orca whales, sea lions, seals and porpoises are often spotted on cruise excursions.
Black bears congregate in numbers every summer along salmon streams. Visitors can take float-planes or excursion boats to several bear-viewing sites. Sitka black-tailed deer are common in the forest lands, often spotted by hikers who use local trails.
Be mindful that bears may be feeding along salmon streams near the ocean. Local guides and merchants can provide advice and provisions for an unforgettable backcountry experience.
Dining in Ketchikan
Salmon, halibut, crab, shrimp, oyster and clams, often caught and served on the same day, are on the menus at local eateries. Hearty steaks, pizza, fast food and country-style breakfasts are also served. Ethnic fare ranges from Mexican and Thai to local favorites introduced by immigrants from the Philippines. Try seafood chowders, fish tacos, salmon burgers or jerky, and the freshest fish and chips available anywhere. Sushi and other Asian culinary delights are available at several eateries in this historic Pacific Rim port.
Dungeness crabs fresh from the sea are local favorites available in most restaurants. From hotel dining rooms to lodges, from small local restaurants to take out joints, seafood is fresh and featured.
Ketchikan Events
Art exhibits, festivals and special events occur each year in Ketchikan. The artistic highlight of summer is the Blueberry Arts Festival the first weekend of August, with a dazzling array of artwork and public events. Residents turn on in the off-season with the Jazz and Cabaret Festival and the Wearable Art Show. Ketchikan was cited as one of America’s Top 100 Small Arts Communities. Galleries and public art display Ketchikan appreciation of creative endeavors and enrich its unique community for residents and visitors alike.
To find live entertainment, check the web sites of Ketchikan’s art council and community theatre. In July, First City Players offers a weekend crab feed and ‘’Fish Pirate’s Daughter” show, a comic musical melodrama loosely based on Ketchikan’s exotic history.
Shopping in Ketchikan
As a gateway to Alaska, Ketchikan offers fine shops and galleries, groceries, hardware, sporting goods, car and camping supplies, personal items, books and souvenirs. Alaska native Art includes carvings and masks, hand-painted drums, weaving, ivory and jade. Galleries feature Alaskan and international artistry, from paintings and prints to sculptures, fine jewelry and collectibles. There is no stat sales tax only local tax that applies. Most shops offer shipping worldwide.
Camping and RV Facilities
Camping is a favorite local pastime and there are several facilities for visitors to enjoy.
Ward Lake Recreational area includes three campgrounds with 47 sites. Campsites accommodate vehicles up to 45 feet long and most sites handle 30 to 36-foot vehicles. Reservations are available. Settlers Cove Campground has 14 campsites on saltwater 18 miles north of town. Thirteen sites accommodate RV’s four handle vehicles up to 35 feet long. All sites are first-come, first-served.
Clover Pass Resort offers private RV facilities with hookups and they fill quickly during peak summer months. Reservations well in advance are strongly recommended.
Our favorite Ketchikan Tour
Ann_H, Aug 2025
City Highlights Totem Parks and Sightseeing
”Very informative and easy to see the highlights of Ketchikan. It was a fun and enjoyable experience. Our driver was very educated about Ketchikan and the surrounding environment.”
Read more about – City Highlights Totem Parks and Sightseeing
Ketchikan is a great destination for hands-on adventures. Tours offer guided walks through the lush rain forests.
West of Ketchikan lies the third-largest island in the US. Prince of Wales Island, home to several thousand residents in communities with populations from 50 to 1500. The island is a prime destination for sport fishing enthusiasts and provides outstanding opportunities for camping, hunting and hiking. Totem poles and other Native Alaskan artwork are featured in several towns.
Daily transportation between Ketchikan and Prince of Wales Island is provided by the Inter-Island Ferry Authority. IFA operates from ports in Ketchikan and in Hollis on the western side of Prince of Wales Island.
Totem Bight State Park
Totem Bight State Park north of town features a traditionally styled long house and an impressive collection of restored totem poles.
Excursion boats
There are many ways to get outside on the Inside Passage. Visitor-driven inflatable boats venture out in tour groups for a close-up view. Amphibious bus-boats tour the town by land and the port by water. Excursion boats take several hour cruises along the magnificent shorelines of Tongass National Forest.
Kayak excursions
A kayak excursion is an exciting way to experience Alaskan marine environment up-close. For every age and inclination, there’s an ocean exploration, from snorkeling to excursion boats. On land, options range from Jeep Tours to small four-wheelers.
Local operators offer a wide range of activities. Go into the wilderness, across the water or through treetops. Excursion leaders provide all the training and equipment you need.
Sportfishing
Five species of wild salmon return from the open ocean to their native waters in this area and offer great angling opportunities for residents and visitors. Halibut and red snapper are also important fishing targets in Ketchikan cold, clean sea. Charter boat skippers in Ketchikan excel in fishing knowledge. Visitors on half-day and full-day charters can turn that know-how into ‘’cohos’’ and other salmon.
Full-service lodges and resorts offer unforgettable outdoor adventure, great meals and comfortable lodging.
Booking hotel in Ketchikan
Ketchikan provides a wide range of accommodations for guests to relax in after an exciting day. Select from full-service hotels and motels, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, fishing lodges and world-class resorts. You’re sure to find comfortable lodging that suits any budget. Rates vary according to season. The fall, winter and spring seasons provide a special opportunity to visit Alaska at greatly reduced rates. Locations vary from the heart of town to more-secluded waterfront getaways. Most bed and breakfast facilities offer private, apartment-style living. Fishing lodges and resorts are in town and at remote locations. Choose from fully guided resort packages or do-it-yourself options, with boats and gear provided.
Across from Alaska marine Ferry Terminal & Airport is located Landing Hotel. Large rooms & suites, some with fireplace and decks, complimentary high-speed internet access, coffee makers with complimentary coffee, microwaves and refrigerators. Hotel Landing is home of two of the most popular full service restaurants in town, Jeremiah’s Pub and The Landing Restaurant, including 13 beers on tap, an outside deck with views of the Tongass Narrows and Wild Alaskan Seafood.
Great location – friendly staff – Excellent stay – Booking hotel in Ketchikan by Trivago
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