What You Must See in Ketchikan Alaska

Ketchikan is in Alaska and is a place that you go to if you go on an Alaskan cruise. What must you see in Ketchikan? What is there to see and do?

There are many tours to do in Ketchikan from watching a Lumberjack show, fishing, going on a float plane into the misty fjords, looking for bears, going to the Tongass National Forest to see the Totem Poles, all you can eat crab and more!

The city of Ketchikan itself is beautiful to walk around and venture to Creek Street the oldest street in town.

Ketchikan claims to be Alaska’s first city and the salmon capital of the world. It dates back to 1883 and in 1900 had a population of 800, now it has a population of over 8000.

People went there originally, because of the salmon and the gold rush. Now it is for tourism and fishing.

In Ketchikan, it rains a lot and it has the highest rainfall in the USA. Ketchikan is surrounded by big fir trees with the colourful houses popping out. Most of the time the mist is so low you cannot see the tops of the trees.

If you are lucky to get a good sunny day, it is very beautiful with the sun shining over the ocean making it sparkle with the mountains in the distance.

I saw heavy rain, grey days and beautiful sunny days. The weather in Alaska is very unpredictable!

Whilst I was in Ketchikan I went to the Totem Bight State Park and enjoyed visiting Creek Street.

Totem Bight State Park Tour

Totem Bight State Park is in the Tongass National Forest. It is around thirty minutes away from where the cruise ships dock.

Totem Poles are the part of the native Alaskan culture and they are all hand carved from cedar wood. Each pole has a story, that is why each one is very different.

It is the largest totem pole park in the world and the poles were brought from all the deserted Alaskan towns.

At the park, there is a replica native clan house, that would be the summer camp for the natives. The clan was of around 50 people and they are lived in the house in the summer months.

The park is set in the beautiful Tongass National Forest on the water. With stunning views of the surrounding area.

Creek Street

Creek Street in the city centre and is within walking distance of where the cruise ships are docked. Creek Street was the red-light district of Ketchikan and had thirty brothels in it.

The brothels were open until 1954. The colourful houses of Creek Street are now gift shops, gallery’s, bars and brothel museums.

What to Wear in Ketchikan

The weather varies a lot in Ketchikan, but most of the time it does rain! I would recommend wearing layers, so if it is nice you can take a layer off.

Bring a jacket, jeans/trousers, tee, sweater, boots, hat, gloves, a scarf and an umbrella.

Essential Info

• Weather in summer months: 8*C – 20*C
• Currency: US Dollar
• Language: American English
• Recommendations: Bring a camera or smartphone, waterproof phone cover or camera lens cloth and binoculars for wildlife spotting.

Have you been to Ketchikan? What would you recommend doing?

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Happy Cruising!

Love Lucy x