On a Ketchikan cruise, you’ll visit one of the prettiest towns along the Inside Passage. Surrounded by the dense Tongass Forest and overlooked by the sometimes snow-capped Deer Mountain, Ketchikan is famed for its abundant salmon, impressive collection of Northwest totem poles, and the colorful houses along Creek Street, a stilted boardwalk that’s now a historical landmark.

Cruises to Ketchikan provide the opportunity for dozens of activities, from sea kayaking and mountain hikes to float plane rides over the island-specked Misty Fjords. There’s delicious salmon to be sampled in the “Salmon Capital of the World,” and during the salmon runs in summer, abundant bear spotting, too. On your Alaska cruise, discover Ketchikan’s ancient history told through the art and wood carving of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people who have lived here for millennia.

Ketchikan has a thriving culinary scene, with more than 30 restaurants, and is one of the best places in Alaska for fresh seafood. You’ll find restaurants all along Front Street, an easy walk from where most ships dock, and Main Street, one block inland. 

Look out for alder-grilled salmon, king crab legs drenched in garlic butter, battered halibut and chips, and creamy smoked salmon chowder. Chowder of all kinds is popular here, and warming on a rainy day. You’ll also find Mexican, pizza, burgers, and Asian cuisine if you reach a point of seafood saturation. 

Ketchikan was established thousands of years ago by Tlingit natives who would fish the creek during summer, drying their catch to keep them sustained through the bitter winter. Today, some 19 percent of the community is of Tlingit, Haida, or Tsimshian descent, and the town is famed for its impressive collection of totem poles, many of them more than 150 years old.

A salmon cannery was established by an entrepreneur from Oregon at the creek in 1887, although it burned down after just two years. The cannery was replaced by a saltery. When the Yukon Gold Rush took Alaska by storm at the end of the 19th century, Ketchikan thrived due to its southerly position as the first point of entry for ships arriving from the south. But fishing quickly took over from mining, with 13 canneries in town by the 1930s. When fish stocks declined, a massive pulp mill was built, employing locals until its demise in the 1990s.

Today, tourism is Ketchikan’s most important industry, replacing many jobs that were lost with the collapse of the pulp mill. The town prides itself on its impressive collection of historic structures, with 12 listings in the National Register of Historic Places, and is a magnet for artists and craftspeople. 

Ketchikan has an efficient transportation network. During the summer months (May to September), free shuttles run between the port terminals and various key locations in downtown Ketchikan. The local bus service through town runs year-round, stopping at popular destinations including Saxman Park, Totem Bight, and Ward Cove. Taxis are also available, as are rideshare services.

Ketchikan has a creative, artistic atmosphere and offers some excellent shopping. Creek Street has several galleries where you can pick up an original piece, whether it’s a small, hand-carved totem pole, a beautiful painting or photograph, or a hand-woven cedar bark basket. There are multiple jewelry shops, many of them selling pretty silver earrings and necklaces made with blue mother-of-pearl or items made from locally sourced jade.

For a luxury gift or souvenir, look out for items made from qiviut, the ultra-soft fleece of the musk ox. If you want to take some salmon home, it’s available smoked, canned, as a spread, or as jerky. Finally, curved ulu knives, traditionally made by the Inuit, are a popular buy. Just remember that a purchase like this would have to travel home in your checked luggage.

To make sure you buy authentic Alaskan goods, be sure to look for the easily-recognizable official “Made in Alaska” symbol. You’ll also find the well-known “Silver Hand” emblem on many items, signifying that they were handcrafted by an Alaskan Native.

The official currency in Ketchikan is the United States dollar. ATMs can be found in various places in the port and around town. All major credit cards are widely accepted, even for small transactions. Tipping is in line with what you’d expect elsewhere in the U.S.; up to 20% in restaurants, 10% in taxis, and 10% of the tour cost for a good guide.

To explore further into Alaska you can extend your cruise with a Cruisetour. This allows you to travel inland via motorcoach and railway exploring Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, Talkeetna, Girdwood (Alyeska) and Denali National Park, taking in the views of the highest mountain peak in North America. Cruisetours include the finest hotel accommodations, a local dedicated Alaskan Tour Director, luxury transportation, and some activities.

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