See the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles and enjoy some of the best sport fishing in the world in this southeastern Alaskan city.
Ketchikan is an important traditional and cultural center in Alaska. Enjoy theater and dance performances year-round. Shop for authentic Alaskan native art, including masks, hand-painted drums and totem carvings.
Some of the oldest totem poles in existence are still standing in Ketchikan. Visit the nation’s largest national forest, covering most of southeastern Alaska. Tour the Tongass Historical Museum, a center that focuses on the cultural history of Ketchikan and its neighboring national forest.
Enter the Tongass National Forest and see bears, eagles and spawning salmon. Hike boardwalk trails and experience Alaska’s scenic beauty. Take a sled dog ride across a glacier. The Tongass National Forest is a vast natural area with numerous recreational activities, including fishing, camping and wildlife viewing.
See preserved 19th-century totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center. Many of these poles were retrieved from unoccupied Haida and Tlingit village sites near Ketchikan. View a mortuary pole, used to honor the dead and store cremated remains.
Visit the Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness. See snowcapped mountains and towering cliffs from a boat tour. This area is known for its beautiful glacial valleys and magnificent waterfalls. Charter a floatplane for an aerial view.
Catch a king silver salmon on a sports fishing charter. Ketchikan offers some of the best fishing in Alaska, with huge runs of migrating salmon from the open ocean into the protected waters. Book a sport fishing charter or rent a skiff and challenge a prized king salmon.
Reach Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island by air or sea. Many of the lower states are connected to Ketchikan via ferry services. Alternatively, fly to Ketchikan in about 2 hours from Seattle. Take a short ferry ride into town from the Ketchikan International Airport on Gravina Island. Find plenty of choices for accommodations from the available resorts, hotels, lodges and campgrounds.
Try some of the local seafood in Ketchikan, served straight from the icy Pacific Ocean waters.