15 Best Things to Do in Ketchikan Alaska from Cruise Ships

Ketchikan is one of my favorite Alaska cruise ports! Even though it’s a small town, there are lots of great things to do in Ketchikan.

Since most of the sights are located within a compact area, you can walk around for a couple of hours and see all of the top Ketchikan attractions. Plus, you’ll still have time for some souvenir shopping!

(And for an unforgettable cruise experience, there are also plenty of amazing Ketchikan tours and shore excursions you can splurge on!)

Wondering what to do in Ketchikan on your own? I’ve got all of the best ideas for Ketchikan sightseeing right here for you.

Lace up your shoes and let’s go!

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Best Things to Do in Ketchikan from Cruise Ships

Since you can explore so much on your own in Ketchikan, I think it’s one of the best Alaska cruise ports!

1. Welcome to Ketchikan Sign

Did you know that Ketchikan calls itself the first city in Alaska?  (Not because it was the first city settled in Alaska, but because it’s the first city that you visit when journeying north through the Inside Passage.  It became incorporated in 1900.)

 Did you know that Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world?  It’s a major breeding ground for salmon. 

If you’re visiting in the summer, you’ll see hordes of salmon swimming upstream to spawn.  That’s why one of the best Ketchikan activities is to take a salmon fishing tour!

If you didn’t know either of these facts, the ‘Welcome to Ketchikan’ sign is here to provide you with a little education during your vacation.  It’s located across Mission Street, where it meets Front Street.

2. Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show

The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is one of the top Ketchikan shore excursions. It’s an action-packed hour of team competition. 

My mom and I did this on our Alaska cruise in June, and it was actually a lot of fun!

Watch ESPN athlete lumberjacks (yes, that’s apparently a thing) demonstrate their skills such as log rolling, axe throwing, and tree climbing. 

I was astounded at how fast one of the lumberjacks was able to climb and descend the tree. He practically flew up that tree trunk! (The other team’s lumberjack had a *significant* head start, but still lost!)

Wearing flannel is optional.

6. Creek Street

Creek Street is the heart of historical Ketchikan (and its original Red-Light District, famous for prostitution and bootleg alcohol).  And it’s one of the top tourist attractions in Ketchikan.

At night, bootleggers would row up the creek to deliver Canadian whiskey to the brothels and saloons.  Many of the buildings along Creek Street had trap doors built in for receiving delivery of contraband liquor.

Today, colorful buildings line the boardwalk built on pilings over the creek. This is one of the most beautiful places in Ketchikan, and the perfect spot for your souvenir photo!

Stop at one of the decks overlooking the creek and watch for salmon swimming upstream — or the seals trying to catch a salmon for lunch.

There are plenty of shopping venues along Creek Street for whatever souvenir you’d like to bring home from your Alaskan cruise vacation.   You’ll find everything from T-shirts to salmon to handmade carvings and jewelry.

3. Eagle Park

You’ll be able to spot Eagle Park from your cruise ship.  It’s located near Berth 3, right next to the Ketchikan Tunnel. (This is a great place to start your Ketchikan walking tour.)

The park isn’t actually named at this time but is generally known as Eagle Park — for obvious reasons. 

This tiny park features a massive carved eagle, aptly named ‘Thundering Wings’.  This artwork was created by Lingít master carver Nathan Jackson.

The eagle’s tailfeathers and the undersides of its wings are decorated with Native American designs.

4. The Rock

From the Ketchikan welcome sign, turn around and look back towards the waters of the harbor.  You can’t miss seeing ‘The Rock’, one of the top Ketchikan landmarks.

This statue featuring multiple figures arrayed atop a large rock. The seven figures of this statue represent how Ketchikan came to exist. 

Six of these are generic figures who represent groups of people integral to building Ketchikan.  These include a logger, a miner, a fisherman, a bush pilot, a Native American drummer, and a frontierswoman (which might be a nice way to put it…).

The seventh figure, who is facing the harbor, is a real historical figure.  This is Tlingit Chief Johnson.  His presence on the top of the statue is a symbol that the Native peoples were first to make a home in southeastern Alaska.

5. Totem Heritage Center

You’ll see a lot of Totem Poles as you explore the cruise port of Ketchikan. If you want to get a closer look and learn more about their cultural significance, you’ll want to visit the Totem Heritage Center.

The Totem Heritage Center is a little outside the central cluster of Ketchikan’s attractions.  Even so, it is less than a mile’s walk from Creek Street or the Salmon Ladder Vista, so it’s still very easy to add to your Ketchikan itinerary.

It’s a pleasant walk in a forested area near the Ketchikan Creek.  There is even a free shuttle service when cruise ships are in port.

The Totem Heritage Center is a repository of Totem Poles of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples. There are a few Totem Poles outdoors, but many more inside the museum.

 The collection of 19^th century totem poles was carefully relocated from island villages where the native peoples had moved to Ketchikan to be closer to city amenities and employment.

Learn about the traditions of the Native peoples, and about the ‘crests’, or figures carved on the totem poles.  Each totem pole tells a story, as it is a combination of the carved crests along with the occasion for which the totem pole was created.

You’ll also be able to view more contemporary examples of Native American art, as well as textiles and masks including the vibrant Thunderbird Dance Mask.

Note:  Purchasing the museum pass will give you access to both the Totem Heritage Center and the Tongass Historical Museum.  This will save you a couple of dollars if you’re planning to visit both of these museums.

7. Dolly’s House Museum

Dolly’s House Museum, at Number 24 Creek Street, is the only house of ill repute still standing along Creek Street.  (In its heyday, there were more than 20 bawdy houses here!)

Dolly’s House was Ketchikan’s first brothel, established in 1919.  It became a museum when it was donated to the city.

Here you can see period decorations and learn about Dolly Arthur and the lives of the women who worked in such establishments.

There is a small fee to tour Dolly’s House Museum, ‘where both men and salmon came upstream to spawn’.

8. Married Man’s Trail

Married Man’s Trail is a staircase and wooden boardwalk that continues from the Creek Street boardwalk uphill along the stream.

It is said that Married Man’s Trail was used by visitors to Dolly’s House and other such houses of ill repute.   ‘Customers’ took the back path to avoid being seen entering from the main street of town. 

Married Man’s Trail also made for a quick getaway during a raid, to avoid the fines for being caught in the brothel.

Nowadays, Married Man’s Trail is the most scenic route to get to the Salmon Ladder Vista.

9. Salmon Ladder Vista

Since Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world, you certainly must watch the salmon trying to swim upstream.  It’s one of the best things to do in Ketchikan on a cruise!

You can find five different kinds of salmon in Ketchikan:  King Salmon, Chum Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Silver Salmon, and Pink Salmon. 

The best place for watching the salmon leap is at the Salmon Ladder Vista.  In the peak season, the stream can be so full of salmon that it seems more fish than water!

Here you can see the natural stream, which is fairly steep and difficult for the salmon to ascend.  Right next to it is the salmon ladder, a man-made structure to make it easier for the salmon to get from point A to point B.

I kept hoping to see a salmon either make it successfully up the falls, or to take the salmon ladder.  Unfortunately, these guys weren’t having much luck.  Possibly they were tired since it was so late in the season (this was one of the last Alaska cruises). 

10. Yeltatzie’s Salmon

You’ll actually pass by Yeltatzie’s Salmon as you take Married Man’s Trail to Salmon Ladder Vista.  But you can get another view of this artwork from the observation deck across the creek.

A different carved salmon, from Haida carver Jones Yeltatzie, used to grace this spot (for nearly 50 years).    Carved of red cedar, it did not stand up well against the elements and degraded over time.

Today this vibrant mosaic salmon, the work of local artist Terry Pyles, sits in the same location.  It is named ‘Yeltatzie’s Salmon’ in recognition of the original artwork.

Yeltatzie’s Salmon measures over 12 feet long, weighs 400 pounds, and is made up of over 14,000 glass tiles.  And that’s no fish story!

11. Tongass Historical Museum

At the Tongass Historical Museum, you’ll learn about Ketchikan’s history and heritage through a series of exhibits and collections of artifacts.  The museum also displays local artwork.

Be sure to talk to the museum staff to get more in-depths insights into the artifacts and Ketchikan’s beginnings.

This museum is easy to get to, as it is only a ten-minute walk from the cruise dock.    You’ll pass right by it if you’re walking through historic Creek Street (it’s right on the banks of Ketchikan Creek).

The Tongass Historical Museum (as well as the Totem Heritage Center) are located on lands traditionally inhabited by the Taant´a Kwáan and Sanyaa Kwáan of the Tlingit First Nations.

Bonus:  Buying a museum pass grants you access to both the Tongass Historical Museum and to the Totem Heritage Center.   This will save you a couple of dollars if you plan to visit both museums during your stay in Ketchikan.

12. Chief Johnson’s Totem Pole

Seeing totem poles is definitely one of the top Ketchikan cruise port things to do.

Chief Johnson’s Totem Pole stands 55’ feet tall and is one of the most photographed totem poles in the world.  You’ll find it near the northern entrance to Creek Street.

Chief Johnson was the chief of the Gaanaxadi clan of the Tongass tribe.  He became chief in the year 1902 and commissioned the creation of this totem pole to honor the passing of his mother.

Over time, the original totem pole decayed (it is now in storage in the Totem Heritage Center). 

13. Whale Park

From Chief Johnson’s Totem Pole, if you head down Mill Street toward the harbor, you’ll immediately encounter Whale Park.

Whale Park occupies just a little sliver of green space in the triangle formed by Mill Street, Mission Street, and Bawden Street.  It may actually get its name from the shape, which is roughly triangular, but with a little ‘tail’ that makes it look like a happy little whale.

There are a few benches in the park whose backs are carved in designs of whales, but the main feature that you’ll notice is the Chief Kyan Totem Pole.  This totem pole features a bear, a Thunderbird, and a crane.

14. Staircase Streets

Since the city of Ketchikan is built on a hill, much of the terrain is too steep for the use of regular paved roads.  Instead, you’ll find ‘staircase streets’ by which you access many of the houses.

You’ll burn a few calories climbing these staircases, and you’ll enjoy some gorgeous views from the top!  Just be careful about splinters, as the staircases are wooden and exposed to the elements year-round. 

These Staircase Streets are named and maintained by the City of Ketchikan, just like regular paved streets.

15. Take a guided ‘duck’ tour of Ketchikan

If you’re the kind of person who likes learning more about the port you’re visiting, you can start off with a tour with a local guide and then hit the rest of the Ketchikan highlights on your own.

Looking for some unique Ketchikan excursions? I recommend this fun ‘duck’ tour of Ketchikan. Never heard of a ‘duck’? It’s an amphibious vehicle that is both a bus and a boat — so you can see Ketchikan by land and sea!

I took this tour on my last Alaska cruise.

The land portion takes you around town (of course with a drive-by of Creek Street). But my favorite part was when we turned into a boat and sailed around the harbor. We saw lots of eagles, especially as we floated past the cannery.

Ketchikan FAQ

Final Thoughts:

Well, that does it for our cruise port day, and now you know exactly what to do in Ketchikan Alaska!

It’s never too early to start making plans for Alaska cruises to Ketchikan!

You might also enjoy these posts about my favorite Alaska cruise ports:

• Best Alaska Cruise Ports
• Best Things to Do and See in Victoria
• Best Things to Do in Seattle