Ketchikan

A National Historic Landmark: a wooden boardwalk suspended on pilings over Ketchikan Creek, lined with former brothels and saloons converted to galleries and shops. One of Southeast Alaska's most charming and historically rich streets.

A forested park north of town showcasing 15 historically authentic totem poles, a reconstructed Tlingit clan house, and a scenic headland overlooking Tongass Narrows. One of the finest collections of totem poles in Alaska.

Two miles south of Ketchikan, Saxman is home to the world's largest collection of standing totem poles (28 in total). Guided tours of the park and the working carving centre are operated by Cape Fox Tours.

Ketchikan's local history museum covering Tlingit and Haida Native cultures, the commercial salmon cannery era, and the settlement of Alaska's 'First City'. Houses a notable collection of Native regalia and fishing artefacts.

A beloved Ketchikan institution since 1985, serving hearty breakfasts and lunches to locals and visitors alike. Fresh-baked goods, local salmon omelettes, and superb coffee in a casual waterfront setting.

A casual waterfront seafood restaurant at Salmon Landing, steps from the cruise dock. Famous for its fresh halibut, king salmon, and Dungeness crab, with grandstand views of the seaplane terminal.

Ketchikan's most elegant dining room, set inside the historic Landing Hotel. Pacific Northwest cuisine with an emphasis on Alaskan seafood, local produce, and an extensive Pacific Northwest wine list.

A relaxed neighbourhood restaurant serving Ketchikan comfort food: massive bowls of clam chowder, grilled salmon burgers, and chicken-fried halibut. Beloved by locals for its consistency and unpretentious atmosphere.

A lively pub restaurant in Ketchikan's oldest hotel, renowned for its thick, creamy clam chowder served in freshly baked sourdough bread bowls. Great Alaska craft beers on tap.

The go-to coffee stop steps from the cruise dock — a friendly independent café with strong espresso, local baked goods, and a warm welcome for early-rising cruisers.

One of Alaska's most storied dive bars — a gritty, loveable institution clinging to the hillside since the 1970s. No pretension, just cold cheap beer, strong local characters, and an extraordinary collection of wall-to-wall junk.

Ketchikan's only craft brewery, producing small-batch ales and lagers inspired by the Southeast Alaska landscape. The taproom occupies a converted waterfront building with excellent views of the channel.

A 2.5-hour floatplane tour over the 2.3-million-acre Misty Fjords Wilderness — one of the most dramatic landscapes in North America. Soar over towering volcanic cliffs, rainforest, and mirror-calm fjords untouched by roads.

A 2.5-mile trail to the 3,001-foot summit of Deer Mountain, Ketchikan's beloved local hike. The summit rewards with panoramic views across Revillagigedo Island, the Inside Passage, and on clear days, the peaks of Canada.

A uniquely Alaskan experience: fly into a remote fjord lodge by floatplane, pull your own Dungeness and king crab traps from the cold clear water, then feast on what you've caught cooked over an open fire.

A 17-acre old-growth rainforest sanctuary with a Tlingit totem-carving heritage centre, native plant gardens, and an Alaska Raptor exhibit featuring resident bald eagles, owls, and other birds of prey.