Misty Fjords National Monument. A roadless 2.3-million-acre wilderness of sheer 3,000-foot granite walls, glacier-carved fjords, and ancient rainforest reachable only by seaplane or boat. Flightseeing tours departing from Ketchikan offer lake landings, wildlife sightings, and aerial views of Rudyerd Bay and Walker Cove that cannot be matched by any…
Creek Street Historic Boardwalk. Built on pilings over Ketchikan Creek, this atmospheric boardwalk was Ketchikan's infamous red-light district until 1954 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it holds art galleries, boutiques, the Dolly's House brothel museum, and the iconic Chief Johnson totem pole — plus unbeatable…
Totem Heritage Center. The world's largest collection of intact 19th-century original totem poles — rescued from abandoned Tlingit and Haida villages — is housed in this municipal museum at 601 Deermount Street. Unlike the outdoor parks, these poles were never restored or repainted, making the center the most historically authentic totem…
Saxman Native Village and Totem Park. Located 2.5 miles south of downtown, this living Tlingit village holds one of the world's largest collections of standing totem poles — 24 poles gathered from abandoned village sites and recarved in the 1930s. Guided Alaska Native-led tours include a traditional drum-and-dance performance inside the Beaver Clan House…
Totem Bight State Historical Park. Ten miles north of downtown along North Tongass Highway, this 11-acre park displays 14 reconstructed Tlingit and Haida totem poles plus a fully recreated traditional Clan House set against old-growth rainforest overlooking Tongass Narrows. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, it offers a quieter…
Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure. Snorkel Alaska's award-winning tour — winner of Princess Cruises Shore Excursion of the Year seven times — puts visitors in full 7mm wetsuits to explore kelp forests, multi-colored sea stars, urchins, and the occasional seal just five miles from the cruise docks. Mid-summer water temperatures reach 65°F, making this…
Ketchikan Creek Salmon Run. From mid-July through September, Ketchikan Creek runs black with five species of salmon fighting their way upstream past downtown bridges and through a built-in salmon ladder — all viewable for free from public walkways. This urban salmon run draws bald eagles and black bears to the creek banks, delivering genuine…
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. Operated by the USDA Forest Service as the only Alaska Public Lands Information Center in Southeast Alaska, this 20,000-square-foot facility a block from the cruise docks offers interactive exhibits on the Tongass rainforest ecosystem, Alaska Native cultures, and the region's natural resource history, plus a 200-seat…