The museum inside this fire station is very interesting, and there are volunteers available to…read moreanswer questions. They also offer tours of the station. The museum snd tours are free, and there is a place to leave tips for the volunteers. The world famous vending machine is in the lobby. It is the only fire station in the world that has a t shirt vending machine. A nice stop if you are in Ketchikan.

Alaskan cruise, stop in Ketchikan. I saw a bunch of videos that talked about the t-shirt vending…read moremachine. i LOVE that proceeds to the t-shirts go back to the community. Hubby got a shirt, i wish i got one for myself and the kids. next time. Hubby says that the shirt is comfortable, and it is a pretty good quality, heavy material.

A lovely place to check out if you have some extra time!…read more I visited the park in addition to another excursion I had booked for that day (via cruise). This park can be somewhat deceivingly small from the parking lot, but once you head down the walkway, there are a multitude of totems to learn about. It was really interesting learning not only about the history of the totems, but of the restoration projects being done to them as well. There is also a replica house that you can see the inside of too and great views of the water!

Small intimate historical park that is about as big as walking about a neighborhood park. Beautiful…read moregrounds next to the water with a lot of history to read about. Many tour groups are around to listen in a bit from the guide. Their gift store is large and a little walk further with bathrooms inside. Would recommend to take the silver line bus ($2/way) if it fits your schedule.

It is a cute touristy area in Ketchikan. Here you will find signs/plaques that tells you about the…read morehistory and people behind it. We walked to Creek Street and was fascinated by the colored building and the totem poles in the area. You might even catch the salmon run. It is a walking distance from the cruise ship port (depending which ship you are taking). All ships dock at Ketchikan downtown with the exception of NCL.

We absolutely loved Creek Street! It was an easy, convenient walk from the cruise ship port, and…read moreeven though it rained all day, we still had a blast exploring the shops and taking in the beautiful creekside views. The whole area has such a fun, vintage feel, with so many unique little stores and photo spots. We highly recommend checking out Dolly's House, which also gives some great history about the area and how it helped preserve its character. There is also a free town trolley that can take you around, with pickup near the museum. We found some of the most unique gifts and souvenirs here. Definitely worth visiting for an afternoon walk, shopping, and great photos!

It's very small, but the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau is definitely worth a quick visit, especially if…read moreyou're coming in on a cruise. It's pretty clear they cater to cruise ship passengers, and they're always very helpful and eager to answer any questions. They've got lots of info on local tours, shops, restaurants, and attractions, so it's a great place to get your bearings when you first arrive. One of the best things to grab is a city map. Ketchikan isn't very big, but they offer some easy self-guided walking tours that make exploring a lot more fun. Plus, there's just something nice about having a paper map in hand. It's practical and makes for a great little souvenir afterward. The staff are always friendly and easy to chat with, and over the years, they've pointed us toward a few things we might've missed otherwise. There's also a wide range of brochures you can flip through if you want to plan on the spot. They have free restrooms and an ATM on site, too. If you're looking to book something last minute, their Tour Center (open May through September) is a really convenient option for same-day tours. They also have visitor centers at Berth 2 (open year-round) and Berth 3 (seasonal), so you'll likely run into one no matter how you arrive. Overall, it's a great and helpful first stop to help you make the most of your time in Ketchikan.

Ketchikan port area is a nice area with many local shops and restaurants. The local bus picks up…read moreright in the center of town and very close to where the cruise ships dock.

This park was covered as part of the tour we purchased onshore, I assume it's included as part of…read morethe cruise ship offered tours as well but it's always cheaper to buy a tour directly off the ship. Park is decent sized with several totem poles, a totem pole carving workshop, native clan houses, some vintage cars and a gift shop. Due to the abundant rain Ketchikan is blessed with, this park is covered in lush greenery. You definitely need a guide to help explain the history behind the totem poles, the clan houses and all the other stories. On the whole it will take less than an hour to cover the entire park. The gift store is great as well and surprisingly very reasonably priced compared to the other touristy places. They had several totem poles in various sizes on sale in addition to the regular tourist store items.

With a knowledgeable guide, we came here as part of a cruise tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable…read moreexplaining the meanings of the totem symbols, such as the Eagle versus the Raven. A potlatch is a ceremonial gathering, like a big party, and the clan's totem pole shows how many potlatches they have been involved with. Enjoyed seeing the small circular doors to the living quarters that would force any unwelcome visitors to stoop down to get through the opening - allowing them to be easily attacked. There is a large gift shop, and a clan house. We did not see any old cars but possibly our guide simply omitted that part of the tour. Those coming without a guide are at a bit of a disadvantage, as I could see no interpretive displays near the totem poles explaining what you were seeing. This is also a cruise ship destination and there were numerous cruise ship groups tramping through the park along with us, affecting the experience. Lots of delays as we had to wait for several groups to clear out before we could go onto the next part of the tour. The crowds also made taking photographs difficult.

June, 2025. My husband and I loved our visit to Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, a collaboration…read morebetween the US Forest Service and Alaska parks on the Tongass National Forest. We spent about two hours in the center, but easily could have spent more. There are interesting cultural and ecological displays spread over two floors -- in well laid out and open display areas. There is also extensive programming, both with Ranger Programs and regular films in the comfortable theater. We particularly enjoyed watching two Native artists -- one putting finishing touches on an oil painting and the other painting a symbolic paddle. Youngsters can participate in the Junior Rangers Program. I was able to get a stamp in my National Parks Passport though technically this isn't a national park, and to buy a refrigerator magnet souvenir. Summer admission is $5 for those aged 16 and above; free for those 15 and younger. Tip: if you have a National Parks pass, it's accepted at the Discovery Center so don't leave it at home in Virginia! The Discovery Center is an easy walk from the cruise terminal, as well as the Creek Street area, but doesn't have the crowds of either.

The website for Southeast Alaska Discovery Center states that "...this USDA Forest Service managed…read morecenter serves as a gateway to the Tongass National Forest, the largest National Forest in the United States." The museum is located just a street away from where the Ruby Princess was docked. Inside were informative exhibits and artifacts. And, with our America The Beautiful Annual Park Pass, we bypassed the entrance fee. Plus, we got a stamp for our National Parks Passport even though it's not a National Park. Pretty neat visit, especially getting to see totem poles not worn out by the weather.

Great team, fantastic facility and oh the views! Long walk from downtown so get a ride!read more

One of my pleasures are visting public libraries from different parts of the world. I came to…read moreKetchikan on a cruise ship and found their library online. It is a ten to twenty minute walk from the dock which doesn't feel like a long time as there are plenty of nature to see going there. The views from this library are spectacular and the inside is so clean and orderly. There are study rooms and different sections to read and do activites in such as a "teen" seating area, children's corner, MPR, western area (great views!), etc. They have plenty of books, CDs and DVDs to look through. The librarian was nice and offered me a free wfi code to use. If you are visiting I highly reccommend making time to see their public library and get to know some history of Ketchikan.

Right where the cruise ship docks, there is a small 3 sided landmark with some historical…read moreinformation all about Ketchikan and some fun facts too. The location is at the edge of Eagle Park which is also a very small landmark. There is information on the historic walking trail, the Hunt Family and how Ketchikan thrived as a fishing village.