Ketchikan, Alaska
- Emmy
- Jul 6, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 26
Ketchikan, also known as the "Salmon Capital of The World" and "Alaska's First City" is a coastal fishing village only accessible by boat or plane. It's bustling when cruise ship passengers disembark to explore, and a bit sleepy when they head back to the ship. None the less, it's a charming little town full of history, culture, wildlife, and scenic outdoor activities.
According to Travel Alaska, Ketchikan is known as the state's “first city” due to its location at the southern tip of the Inside Passage — it is the first city you reach as you cruise north, and for many visitors, like myself, their first introduction to the beauty and majesty of Alaska.
I spent 24 hours exploring Ketchikan in the summer of 2022, before before venturing onward to Waterfall Resort Alaska, where I spent three days fishing. While there's a lot to do and see in Ketchikan, you can hit most of the high notes in a day or two.
Note: My recommendations below don't include anything about fishing since I did 3 days of that at my next destination. You'll definitely want to squeeze in some fishing at some point in your journey. Alaska is full of king and silver salmon, lingcod, halibut, rockfish, black bass, and more during the summer months.
How To Get To Ketchikan
Alaska Airlines is the way to Ketchikan. Nonstop flights on Alaska Airlines connect the Ketchikan International Airport (KTN) to Seattle, Juneau, Sitka, and Wrangell, with easy connections to the rest of Alaska and the Lower 48. (From Dallas, I traveled to Ketchikan on Alaska Airlines with a short layover in Seattle.)
KTN is an unusual arrival experience, as the airport has just two gates and is located on a different island than the town; a five-minute, $6 ferry ride gets you to Ketchikan proper. On the airport side, ferrys depart on the hour and half hour.
Where To Stay In Ketchikan
If you're overnighting in Ketchikan, Cape Fox Lodge is the place to stay. The quaint lodge is tucked away in the hillside on the edge of the Tongass National Forest, among broad stands of spruce, hemlock, and cedar trees. I was mesmerized by the views and enjoyed watching more bald eagles than I could have ever imagined out the window of my seaside view room. (At Cape Fox, you can request a mountain view or a seaside view, and I don't think you can go wrong with either.)
From the airport, you'll take a 5-minute ferry across where the Cape Fox Lodge driver will pick you up. If you're lucky, it will be Ken and he'll give you an excellent tour of Ketchikan on the quick 10-minute ride to the Lodge (he'll tell you about the best places to eat and where you can shop to support the locals).
Accommodations at Cape Fox are clean, comfortable, and as modern as you'll come by in the area. The food is delicious and the hospitality is second to none - say hi to Julie at the front desk, who is very friendly and helpful.
Top 5 Things To Do In Ketchikan
Creek Street is a historic boardwalk perched on pilings along the banks of Ketchikan Creek and home to a former 1950's Red Light District - where both men and salmon swam upstream to spawn. Creek Street is now a quaint area to shop at locally-owned stores and galleries, tour Dolly’s House museum, view totem poles, and enjoy Alaska wildlife and culture.
A must visit: Soho Coho Art Gallery, full of witty t-shirts, posters of Alaska, and great items from local artists to take home.
The Tongass is the nation's largest national forest and covers most of Southeast Alaska. The forest surrounds the Inside Passage and is full of opportunities to see eagles, bears, spawning salmon, and the breath-taking landscapes of wild Alaska. If you stay at the Cape Fox Lodge, you'll actually be in the edge of the forest, which is pretty spectacular.
The Totem Heritage Center is a museum that houses one of the world's largest collections of unrestored 19th century totem poles. Their collection was retrieved in the 1970's from the Tlingit villages on Tongass Island and Village Island and from the Haida village of Old Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island. It's pretty cool to learn the meanings behind each of the totem poles and to see the impressive talent up close that goes into carving them.
After the museum, take some time to walk through the beautiful park just across the path and you'll likely see several bald eagles fly overhead, local children learning to fish, and cruise ship tourists wandering about.
The Misty Fjords is a National Monument and an iconic piece of Alaska - picture blue lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped peaks, and glacial valleys, topped by low hanging, misty clouds.
With “the Mistys,” located just 40-miles south, Ketchikan is the jumping off point for exploring the monument. There are two main ways to experience this gem: from a floatplane, where you get a true eagle’s eye view; or on a boat, where you can actually feel the vibration of nature. Both are sure to be jaw-droppingly incredible experiences.
Alaska is a postcard in every direction - we got to see bears, bald eagles, whales, otters, and more. Pack your binoculars and get ready for wildlife to surround you in all directions at any given moment. Later in the season, they say you can actually see salmon spawning in the Ketchikan Creek and a few more bears than we saw in early July.
Where To Eat & Drink In Ketchikan
1. Ketchikan Crab & Grille (located in the Salmon Landing Market Place)
EDT Tip: order the First Mate's Feast - a whole Dungeness Crab + 2 Golden King Legs. Thank me later.
The perfect spot for a hearty breakfast before a day of exploring - just look at that menu.
EDT Tip: Stop by Sweet Mermaids, also located in the lobby of the Lodge, for a latte after breakfast. For all my SKVL lovers, they have almond milk and sugar free vanilla, and you'll be glad to have something warm in your hands on a brisk Alaska morning.
I didn't actually eat at The Alaska Fish House, but it came highly recommended by locals and tourists alike. I peeked inside, as it's right next door to the Ketchikan Crab & Grille, and it appears to be a great spot - the staff was friendly and the patrons looked very satisfied. You'll order at the front counter before you grabbing a seat in the back.
The oldest bar in Ketchikan, full of locals, does not disappoint. It's the only bar in Ketchikan with a deck on the water, making it the perfect spot to relax after a full day of exploring.
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Also check out these websites that cover Ketchikan attractions:
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