Things to do in Ketchikan
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Ketchikan Highlights Tour: Wildlife, Salmon Ladder & WaterfallYou’ll feel Ketchikan’s wild heart up close: watch salmon fight upstream at the ladder, scan for eagles and seals on black sand beaches, hear stories from locals who’ve lived every season here. With pickup right on Dock 2 and binoculars ready for wildlife spotting, every stop gives you something real to hold onto.
Misty Fjords Flightseeing Tour from Ketchikan: 1-Hour FlightA 1-hour flightseeing tour from Ketchikan over Misty Fjords National Monument aboard a Dehavilland Beaver or Otter bush plane, with every passenger guaranteed a window seat and two-way radio headsets to communicate with the pilot and other passengers. The flight departs from Ketchikan and includes pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points, bottled water, and live narration from a professional pilot.Is it for me?Book this tour for a morning or afternoon window in Ketchikan when you want to see the monument without committing a full day — the short flight and included pickup mean you're airborne within hours of deciding to go, and the window seat and radio headset let you see and ask about everything instead of sitting back and watching.
Ketchikan: Zodiac Boat Adventure & Cannery Tour with Craft BeerYou’ll steer your own Zodiac boat through George Inlet’s wild fjords near Ketchikan, spot wildlife with a local guide, walk rainforest trails to a historic cannery, and end with Alaskan craft beer or soda plus snacks. Expect laughter, cold spray on your face, and moments that stick long after you dry off.
Ketchikan Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour with Lake LandingYou’ll board a classic seaplane in Ketchikan with an Alaskan pilot at the controls, soaring over Misty Fjords’ dramatic cliffs and hidden lakes. Land on a remote alpine lake or bay, step out into pure wilderness air, and feel what real quiet sounds like before flying back with new stories tucked away.
2-Hour Rainforest Walk & Totem Park Tour in KetchikanA 2-hour guided tour in Ketchikan combines a rainforest walk in the Tongass National Forest with a visit to Totem Bight State Historical Park, where you'll see Alaska Native totem poles and step inside a historic clan house. Groups stay under 11 people. Cruise ship dock pickup and drop-off are included, along with bottled water and a smoked salmon dip snack.Is it for me?Most rainforest tours in Ketchikan focus on the walk alone; this one pairs the forest with the totem poles and clan house, so you see both the land and the culture that shaped it in a single morning, with your ship's schedule already built in.
Lumberjack Show and Axe Throw Challenge in Southeast AlaskaLearn to throw a double bit axe and compete against other participants in southeast Alaska's Lumberjack Show and Axe Throw Challenge, which pairs live entertainment with hands-on instruction. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show features world champion athletes from Alaska and British Columbia competing in chopping, sawing, axe throwing, log rolling and a 50-foot tree climb, followed by your own axe throwing practice and competition. A licensed English-speaking guide leads the instruction; children are welcome from age 10.Is it for me?At two and a half hours, this fits into a half-day itinerary without consuming your whole afternoon, leaving room for other activities in southeast Alaska. The show and the throwing are both live and hands-on—you are not watching a video or a demonstration, and you are not sitting through a long lecture before you throw.
Ketchikan: Wildlife, Waterfalls & Tide Pools Tour with Local WomenYou’ll watch black bears hunt for salmon at Herring Cove, feel mist from Rainbow Falls on your skin, and search tide pools for sea stars—all with a local woman guide who knows every shortcut and story. Snacks and rain ponchos are included so you can focus on what’s wild around you.
Ketchikan: Lumberjack Show & Saxman Native Village DinnerYou watch timber athletes compete in a one-hour show, then travel through downtown Ketchikan to Saxman Native Village for a 3-course Alaskan dinner paired with a cultural showcase of Native art. Transport, entry to the lumberjack show, and all meals with beverages are included, so you arrive and the day is already planned.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see what Ketchikan actually is — the timber heritage, the Native culture, the food that comes from the land — without piecing together three separate bookings and timing them yourself.
Ketchikan: Private Native Culture Tour & Totem Parks for 6You’ll feel like part of Ketchikan’s rhythm—walking among towering totems at Saxman Village, tasting smoked fish along Creek Street, breathing deep in Tongass forest air with your own group of six. Your private tour flexes to your pace and mood, with a local guide who shares real stories (and maybe a laugh at your pronunciation). Rain or shine—it’s all part of it.
Zodiac boat tour Ketchikan: Inside Passage wildlife, 2.5 hoursAn Alaska Ocean Wilderness Expedition is a 2.5-hour guided Zodiac boat tour departing from downtown Ketchikan that explores the Inside Passage and Tongass Narrows in search of wildlife—Bald Eagles, sea otters, seals, whales, and intertidal creatures—with a captain and naturalist who adjust the route based on tides, weather and animal sightings rather than following a fixed itinerary. Full rain gear, life jacket, dry bag and a light snack are included; children from age 5 are welcome.Is it for me?The open Zodiac and flexible route mean you're not watching wildlife from a distance or following a schedule—you're moving through narrow channels and shallow waters where the captain can respond to what's actually happening that day, which is what makes a 2.5-hour trip feel like a real expedition rather than a scenic loop.
Ketchikan rainforest walk: Lunch Creek Falls & wildlifeA 3-hour small-group rainforest walk in Ketchikan takes you by van to Lunch Creek Falls Trailhead, then through a mile of Tongass National Rainforest to a coastal cove where marine wildlife congregates. The tour stays under 10 guests, includes a local guide, van transport, ponchos, hiking poles, water and snacks, and picks you up at your cruise dock. Children from age 5 are welcome.Is it for me?Cruise passengers with a few hours between dock time and departure get picked up at the ship, driven straight to the trailhead, and returned on schedule—no rental car, no navigation, no guessing whether you'll make it back in time.
Ketchikan Rainforest & Totem Park: Guided walkA 2.75-hour walking tour of the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary near Ketchikan, led by a naturalist guide through mountain forest and marine estuary habitat, followed by a visit to the first Tsimshian totem pole park in the country with 17 poles and a 40-foot centerpiece carved by one carver. The tour operates in all weather and includes an air-conditioned vehicle for transport; moderate fitness is needed for the forest sections.Is it for me?Most rainforest tours in Ketchikan skip the totem poles or rush through them as an afterthought. This one builds the whole day around both—you get the forest and the wildlife, then you spend real time among 17 poles carved by one artist, so the carving itself becomes part of what you understand, not just a photo stop on the way out.
Private tour Ketchikan: Just your group in the vanYou ride in a private van with just your group, stopping at a wildlife viewing field, a rainforest waterfall, tide pools along the coast, and the Native Totem Park and blacksmith shop at Herring Bay Village. The guide adjusts the pace to what interests you, wildlife sightings are never guaranteed but the scenery is constant, and entry fees to Herring Bay are paid on arrival.Is it for me?Book this if your group wants to explore Ketchikan's rainforest, coast and wildlife without sharing a van with strangers or following a fixed itinerary — the private vehicle and flexible pace let you spend time on what matters to you instead of keeping to a schedule.
Melbourne: Distillery Tour & Signature Bottle Infusion ClassYou’ll explore Melbourne’s historic fire station-turned-distillery with a local guide, taste house-made spirits, then craft your own custom-infused bottle using native botanicals. Expect laughter, hands-on blending (label included), and a keepsake spirit to share—or keep for yourself—long after you leave.
Ketchikan: Private Wildlife & Totem Tour with PickupYou’ll ride through Ketchikan with a local guide, watching for eagles and maybe black bears at Herring Cove before feeling mist from a roadside waterfall. Walk among hand-carved totems at Potlatch Park and hear stories that linger long after you leave. Pickup is included so you can just show up and let Alaska surprise you.
Ketchikan: Neets Bay Bear Observatory & Tongass Forest TourYou ride a coach from the Ketchikan port to Clover Pass Lodge, then board an enclosed boat for a one-hour cruise through Tongass National Forest to Neets Bay. A guided walk brings you to the bear observatory, where you watch black bears feed in the salmon stream for thirty minutes. The boat and coach return you to port with a snack included. The whole experience takes your port hours into the wilderness and back.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see wild bears without arranging your own permit or transport from the cruise port—the exclusive permit access and fixed schedule mean you get a rare wildlife experience that fits inside your port hours.
Ketchikan: Pub Crawl with Local Stories & DrinksYou’ll join a real Ketchikan pub crawl led by a local who knows every story behind those weathered bar stools. Sip top-selling drinks at three unique pubs, swap laughs with bartenders, see vintage photos, and end up feeling like part of this rainy Alaskan town for an afternoon.
Halibut Fishing in Alaska: Small Group, Farther WatersHalibut fishing in Alaska puts a rod in your hands on a hardtop aluminum cabin cruiser with 5 or 6 other guests and a licensed guide, fishing depths of 200-400 feet or more on the halibut flats. The guide positions you to entice the fish and instructs you on the hook, but the fight is yours — if the rod bends, you feel the power of the ecosystem pulling back. The boat travels farther into distant, productive waters than most half-day charters, which means better odds at halibut, rockfish, cod, and other deep-sea species, plus coastal scenery and wildlife like whales, sea lions, and porpoises. The Inside Passage shelters you behind islands when weather moves in from the open sea.Is it for me?Book this trip if you want to fish farther into productive waters than half-day charters typically go — the distance is what gives you better odds at halibut and a real chance at wildlife, and the small group means the guide can position each person where the fish are moving.
Ketchikan: Self-Drive Zodiac Boat & Wildlife SearchYou drive your own Zodiac through Southeast Alaska's rainforest islands, following a guide boat in search of bald eagles, seals, sea lions, whales, and orca. The tour includes three to four wildlife stops, all gear, and hot beverages on return. Expect the pace and route to shift based on where animals are that day.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want to be active on the water rather than just observe from a passenger seat, and who are comfortable with cold spray and a moving boat. You'll be out on the water for several hours, so plan for weather and bring a camera you don't mind getting wet.
Ketchikan Totem Poles & Wildlife Private Van TourYou’ll meet real locals in Ketchikan, walk among towering totem poles at Totem Bight State Historical Park, spot eagles and maybe even salmon at Herring Cove, and wander Creek Street’s historic boardwalks—all with flexible stops and stories you won’t get anywhere else.
