Just 90 miles north of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Ketchikan is the southernmost and fourth…read morelargest city in Alaska. It hugs the bluffs that form the shoreline along the southwest corner of Revillagigedo Island, where we called our day 4 port of call. This is an island community where Alaska Native Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures; fishing traditions, history, and outdoor experiences shape everyday life. Just south lies Saxman Totem Village. My partner, his family, our friends, and I visited this location as part of a tour scheduled via the cruise ship. It's home to an extensive collection of 24 replica totems moved from abandoned villages as well as a replica Clan House and a Carving Center. The poles are not religious in nature but rather represent characters in a story or events in history. This isn't the only place in the area to see totem poles, but it is the only place where one also gets to see the carvers at work on their craft. The Clan House features a magnificent carving of a Beaver on the outside, and inside are four carved house posts as well as another large panel carving inside the building. There wasn't much walking involved, and we got to experience a wonderful cultural dance performance inside the Beaver Clan House. Our guide, Liam was really the star of the show. His storytelling and passion for the grounds were impressive. The park itself seems like a place worth seeing if one's interested in local history and culture.

Saxman Native Village is a pretty neat place to learn about Native culture and the meanings behind…read morethe totem pole carvings and colors. There wasn't much walking involved, which was nice, and we also got to experience a wonderful cultural dance performance inside the Beaver Clan House. Such a unique and meaningful experience. The only downside was that our guide was difficult to hear at times, which made parts of the tour a little frustrating since the information being shared was so interesting.

One of the excursion options we chose on our Alaska cruise. Glad we did because the show itself…read morewas fun and well done and yes...a bit cheesy at times. They divide the audience in half with one side being USA and other Canada. Once that's done, the competition of the lumberjacks proceeds with lots of history and facts about the field of lumberjacking is included. We loved it as did everyone who was with us. Highly recommend this show. The gift shop is great and full of all kinds of Alaska related items

A fun way to spend a couple of hours with the family…read more We came a few weeks ago as a port excursion. It was super fun for the kids and even the adults really got into the competition. I could do without all the talking before the actual show started but I was impressed with all the enthusiasm. There was a lot of audience participation, including getting the kids up and moving. Was it cheesy? Yes. Was it campy? Yes. But my LO had a blast and so did I. Pro tip: find a seat in the shade because one side was in direct sunlight from start to finish. Enjoy!

We got off the cruise at the port on a rainy day, so we were looking for some indoor activities to…read moreget out of the weather. This museum is conveniently located right near Creek Street, making it an easy walk from the area. It is on the smaller side, but it is packed with really cool historical exhibits and information. We ended up chatting with one of the employees about seaplanes because, where we are from on Cape Cod, they are almost like boats, everyone has them! We loved learning about their history, their importance to the town, and how much Alaska truly relies on them. We also thought the bear skull exhibit was really interesting. One unexpected bonus was being able to watch the rapids clearly from the upper window while staying warm and dry inside. Overall, we really enjoyed this museum. Parking is limited, so we recommend walking if possible. They also have very clean restrooms, which made for a nice break during the day. Every staff member we interacted with was friendly and pleasant, and we highly recommend stopping by if you want to learn some fascinating local history and facts.

I enjoyed this museum. It told the history of fishing, totem pole making and life during that time…read more The displays were spread out nicely so you had room to read about the exhibits. I could have spent a couple of hours here.

This was a very nice center. It featured totem poles and the history behind them…read more Walk over to the Deer Mountain Hatchery for additional sites. We enjoyed seeing the amazing work on the poles

We walked the trails from Creek Street to this charming little museum and were glad we made the…read morestop. Admission is very reasonable at $7 for adults, with free admission for children and military members, and just $6 for seniors 65+. While I do wish the museum was a bit larger, there was still a nice collection of totem poles to see and learn about. They even have several totem poles displayed outside, so if you don't have time to go inside, it's still worth stopping by for a photo. We were amazed by the history behind them and just how old some of these incredible pieces are. The staff was friendly and welcoming, the bathrooms were clean, and the exhibits were well maintained. Overall, it's a great short stop to get out of the rain, learn something new, and experience an important part of the local culture. As an added bonus, the free shuttle will bring you here and back to downtown, making it a very convenient attraction to visit. Highly recommended if you're exploring the area!

Avery and Tyler are the bomb! Great atmosphere and service! The ciders and wine were a little too…read moresweet for my liking especially after coming from a distillery. A must stop to try off the ship!

Alaska Legends was our last stop in Ketichkan before getting back on our cruise ship. The cider was…read moredelicious and the gentlemen behind the bar provided excellent service and conversation. We completed the Ketichkan Booze Passport here and were able to claim some really cool Ketikan glass mugs as a souvenir. I enjoyed a Dixon Cider that was peaches and cream flavored. Prices were very reasonable at $8 for a 13oz cider or $10 for a generous flight of 3. The interior of the cidery was very peaceful and clean, would highly recommend to anyone in town, even if just popping in for a drink before getting back on your ship.

My favorite art gallery in Ketchikan! I've been there on two occasions during Alaska cruises, and…read moreboth times I was blown away by how many unique pieces there are. No matter what you're looking for, whether for yourself or for a gift, you'll find what you want here, with all sizes, mediums, and price points. On our last visit last week I had the pleasure to meet the artist's daughter Kathy, and she patiently took the time to find the beautiful owl that I was searching for. I know this is a piece I won't find anywhere else. Don't miss this very special store, kitty-corner from Tongass Trading Company on Front Street!

What an amazing place. If you are looking for something special for yourself or for a gift that…read moredoesn't smack of 'I bought this at a local tourists shop'...this is the place to buy it. The carvings, handmade jewelry, and sculptures are awesome! You feel like you are walking through a museum rather than a local retail store. We couldn't resist the opportunity to buy a few beautiful quality pieces at very very reasonable prices. Everything is made by the Artist himself. If nothing else...do yourself a favor and take the time to walk through the shop...you will be totally impressed!

We wanted to get a totem pole to take home as our souvenir from Ketchikan, but didn't want a cheesy…read moreresin casting or an overpriced hand made piece cranked out on a line like a factory. We headed down Main Street and stumbled upon Rail Creek and had a great experience. The store is probably about 750 sq ft and is split with half devoted to totems and half to stone carved sculptures, mostly of animals. The wall of totems had a cool selection with lots of different stories told. They aren't on consignment like some places and they work directly with the artists to create the pieces and provide a retail space to sell them while negotiating a good price they can pass on to us consumers. Win-win. They were willing to make a deal on a mix of pieces but we settled on just one that we are so happy with. I'm so glad we stumbled upon their shop and stayed away from the castings or the over priced consigned pieces that look identical in every shop. Highest recommendation for a great locally made Ketchikan product!

This is an awesome shop where they hand-make totem poles for you to take home. The women took the…read moretime to tell us about as many as we wanted to know about and gave us good prices on them. I highly highly recommend going here to get your totem poles.

It's wonderful. Curtis is an awesome proprietor. They're friendly their knowledgeable. They have a…read morebeautiful variety of Alaskan artwork. I would definitely recommend it.

Curtis was very welcoming and kind. service was great, wide selection of stuff to choose from…read more Jewelry, knives, stone statues and has a good range of affordable to expensive.