Ketchikan Bar Tour: 90 Minutes of History and Drinks

Three bars, three drinks, and the wild history that built a fishing town

This 90-minute guided walking tour visits three historic bars in Ketchikan—including the only dockside bar in town—where you sample a drink at each stop and hear local stories about the town's past, Creek Street's red-light district days, and the fishing culture that shaped Alaska's First City. The tour is wheelchair accessible, suitable for all fitness levels, and includes a local guide who doubles as your photographer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Historical walking tour with bar visits

• Sample drink at oldest bar
• Visit Shipwreck Bar, see shipwreck displays
• Walk along historic Creek Street
• See Dolly's House Museum exterior
• Enjoy drink at Fishermen's dock bar

The Experience

The tour starts at one of Ketchikan's oldest bars, where you'll sample a drink specialty or beer while learning about the Arctic's history and the bar's own wild stories. This first stop has the only dockside deck in town, so you get views across the water while the guide sets the tone for what's to come. From there you head to the Shipwreck Bar—another of the town's oldest and a favorite with local fishermen—where the walls are lined with trophy fish, crab, and a "wall of shame" of shipwrecked boats. You'll sample the house specialty or a brew and hear the stories behind the wreckage.

The walk then takes you through the historic red-light district along Ketchikan Creek, where salmon swim upstream to spawn. This stretch is fairly flat and passes through town on sidewalks, giving you time to see the historic buildings and photograph the creek and the colorful past of the place. You'll stop at Dolly's House Museum, an example of the businesses that once lined the boardwalk, before heading to the final bar at the top of the Fishing Fleets' docks—another fishermen's hangout where you wrap up with one more drink and a few more stories from your guide, locals, or the bartender.

Your guide is local and knows these bars well, and they'll also handle the photography, so you get pictures of yourself enjoying the tour without having to manage a camera. The whole thing runs 90 minutes, which means you can fit it into a port day or a morning before other plans.

What’s included

• Three drink samples (one at each bar, your choice of house specialty or beer).
• local guide who knows the bars and their history.
• photography of you and the scenery along the way.
• access to Dolly's House Museum as part of the walking route.
• the stories and history of Ketchikan's bars, Creek Street, and the fishing culture that shaped the town.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Terry's Tour

Is this one for you?At 90 minutes, this tour leaves your afternoon free for other activities—you're done by early lunch and can explore the rest of Ketchikan or head back to your ship without feeling rushed. The flat, accessible route works for all fitness levels, so you don't need to be an experienced hiker or worry about steep terrain to enjoy the history and the drinks.

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Top questions

What exactly do I drink at each of the three bars on this tour?

At each bar you sample either a house specialty drink or a beer—the guide will let you choose, and the bartender can recommend what's popular. The first stop features a drink specialty or beer, the Shipwreck Bar offers their house specialty or a brew, and the final bar wraps up with another drink of your choice.

Is this tour actually about the history, or is it mostly just bar hopping?

The history is the backbone. You'll hear stories about the Arctic's past, the destruction and events that shaped Ketchikan, the red-light district days of Creek Street, and the fishing culture that built the town. The bars are the setting where those stories come alive—each one has its own history and the walls are covered with artifacts like shipwreck photos and trophy fish that tell the story too.

How much walking is involved, and what's the terrain like?

The tour covers the Old Town waterfront and Creek Street on fairly flat sidewalks through town, so it's accessible for all fitness levels. The tour is wheelchair accessible and scooter accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.

Can I take photos during the tour?

Yes—your guide acts as a photographer along the scenic route, so you'll get pictures of yourself and the town to take home. You can bring your own camera too, or use the guide's photos to remember the day.

What's the minimum age for this tour?

You must be at least 21 years old to join, since the tour includes sampling alcoholic beverages at each bar.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs 90 minutes from start to finish, which fits easily into a cruise port day or a morning before lunch plans elsewhere in Ketchikan.