Ketchikan, Alaskan is possibly best known for its beautiful streams full of salmon in mid to late summer. Many fishing enthusiasts take charters out of this port, but it also is a great place to visit for non-fishermen. Full of shops, salmon, and lumberjacks, Ketchikan has much to offer!
The Ketchikan welcome arch is one of the first things that greets tourists. It is a quick and easy thing to check off your Alaskan Cruise Bucket List. If you have any trouble finding it, just go over a street or two. Any of the locals can easily provide directions.
Before visiting Ketchikan, I knew one of my top priorities in this port of call was to find Creek Street. Ketchikan locals know this is a tourist hotspot and had signs posted guiding the way. It is a short walk from the dock.
At the other end of Creek Street, there is the Salmon Ladder. A visit in July and August will increase the odds of seeing salmon swimming upstream.
Ketchikan has many great shops, restaurants, and things to do within seconds of stepping off the ship. This was the only port where I felt rushed and did not feel like I got to do everything I wanted to do while I was there.
Be sure to use your time wisely and do not linger at any one shop (or spend too much time with the lumberjacks!)
And now for the number one thing to do in Ketchikan – The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show! The show is entertaining, and the lumberjacks are truly talented! Their athleticism is impressive – these are real lumberjacks!
As you can see in the photo below, there is covered stadium seating for the audience. Even though there was a light rain during the show while we were there, I never noticed being cold. It was a truly engaging show where I never wanted to look away for fear of missing a great moment.
The lumberjacks engaged the crowd through a series of giveaways. They definitely seemed to be more geared toward the children in the audience, but it was still fun for all ages. After the show, the lumberjacks pose for photos with the audience. There was definitely a crowd waiting in line for this!
The whole experience is very well-organized for all attendees. At the end of the show, audience members are encouraged to exit through the gift shop. This was probably one of my favorite gift shops I visited in Alaska. They had buffalo plaid shirts for all sizes and they even create an annual lumberjack calendar! The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is a must-see in Ketchikan.
Ketchikan is a beautiful and fun city with much to do for people of all ages and interests!
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