We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page.
Revillagigedo Island · Alaska
A boardwalk over a salmon creek, a lumberjack show and two totem parks.
Creek Street and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show are within about 0.3 mile of the downtown berths. Totem poles stand at Saxman, 2.5 miles south, and at Totem Bight, 10 miles north.
We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page.
See Totem Poles
10 miles north, on the North Tongass Highway
Native carvers repaired and copied old totem poles here in a Forest Service project that began in 1938. Entry is $5 per person, and the drive from downtown takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
Visit the State Park Page (opens a new tab)Unwind Boardwalk
Downtown, about 0.2 mile from the berths
A wooden boardwalk on stilts runs along Ketchikan Creek, lined with shops, local art and cafés. Salmon runs usually come up the creek in late summer.
See the Creek Street Guide (opens a new tab)Taste Show and Crab Feast
Downtown, one block from the cruise berths
Lumberjacks compete in logging sports, such as the log rolling in the photo. The show's own site sells tickets for the show alone or with a crab feast.
See Shows and Tickets (opens a new tab)Explore Wilderness
Mainland east of Ketchikan, by floatplane
This mainland wilderness in Tongass National Forest is reached by floatplane. Floatplane and helicopter tours board on the Ketchikan waterfront.
See Flightseeing Tours (opens a new tab)Skip the excursion desk
Where you dock decides the day: the four downtown berths are in town, and Ward Cove is about 5.5 miles away.
If you do one thing here
Saxman Totem Park holds totem poles carved by Tlingit artists, set along forest paths with signs that tell the clan stories behind them. It is in the community of Saxman, 2.5 miles south of downtown.
The drive takes about five minutes, and Borough buses on the South Tongass Highway stop within walking distance. Cultural and sightseeing tours also stop here.
Recorded crime is well below the Alaska rate. Rain is the thing to plan for.
Crime figures: Alaska Department of Public Safety, Crime in Alaska 2025 (Ketchikan Police Department offenses; violent = rape plus aggravated assault, property = burglary plus larceny-theft) and the Census Bureau's July 2025 population estimate of 7,939 for Ketchikan city. The Ketchikan rates and percentages are our maths and count residents, not visitors. Weather: NOAA 1991 to 2020 monthly normals, Ketchikan International Airport.
Make it part of your voyage
Alaska cruises call at Ketchikan from April to October.
Ketchikan has four cruise berths along the downtown waterfront, numbered 1 to 4 from south to north. Smaller ships may use Doyon Landing downtown, and some lines dock at Ward Cove, about 5.5 miles away.
Yes. The City of Ketchikan links a 2026 berthing calendar that lists each ship's berth and times, from April to October.
The four downtown berths are in town: Creek Street is about 0.2 to 0.3 mile away. Ward Cove, used by some lines, is about 5.5 miles from downtown.
Yes, from the downtown berths. Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum and the lumberjack show are all within 0.3 mile. The Totem Heritage Center is about 0.5 mile.
Yes. Downtown is walkable, and Borough buses stop near Saxman Totem Park and Totem Bight. Misty Fjords is reached by floatplane, so it needs a tour.
Walk Creek Street, see the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and visit the Tongass Historical Museum, all within 0.3 mile of the downtown berths. With more time, add Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight or a Misty Fjords flight.
Yes. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough runs The Bus, with Green and Silver lines. Call 907-225-8726 for routes and fares. A free downtown shuttle also runs to the Plaza Mall.
The downtown show is one block from the cruise berths. The operator also performs at Ward Cove, where some lines dock.
It is at milepost 10 of the North Tongass Highway, about 20 to 25 minutes' drive from downtown, and buses stop near the entrance. Entry is $5 per person.
The airport is on Gravina Island, across Tongass Narrows, so you take the ferry to the town side.
Yes, by Alaska standards. Ketchikan's recorded crime rate per resident was about 42% below the Alaska rate in 2025, and violent crime about 52% lower. Most property crime is theft.
Average highs are 61°F in June and 65°F in July. June is the driest month at 7.0 inches of rain, and September brings 14.3 (October, at the season's end, 18.4).
