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!

This is an amazing tourist destination in Ketchikan. The cute boardwalk allows you to explore the…read morehistory, art, culture, nature of the area. It's extremely photogenic. This area used to be a red light district, but was reborn as a tourist attraction. You can read about its transformation on interpretive panels scattered through the path through. You can also read more about the salmon and other animals that call this place home. The salmon were migrating though when I visited, so the river was full of them, as well as a few seals snagging a large meal! You can spend a lot of time just nature watching here. Don't forget to browse the gift shops and stop by at the museum. There are also small cafes around - while not technically on Creek Street, you should grab a salmon crepe from the Alaska Crepe Co. You won't regret it.

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.

The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is the hub for cruise excursions and getting local…read moreinformation on the town of Ketchikan. From the outside, there are three carved totem poles you will see. They represent Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian Indian cultures. Inside, there is a museum that has a minimal charge to get a great Alaskan education. The Discovery Center is a short walk from the cruise ship docks, but you can also get there on the free Downtown Shuttle that goes around the waterfront area with a few stops at different landmarks for sightseeing.

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.

We absolutely loved visiting Dolly's House! Not only was it fascinating to learn about Dolly…read moreherself, but meeting the incredible women who now run the house was one of the highlights of our visit. Their passion, knowledge, and energy are absolutely amazing and really bring the history to life. Walking through the house feels like stepping into a different era. It's truly a pause in time, preserving a glimpse of when things were built, crafted, and cared for with remarkable attention to detail. Every room tells a story. What surprised us most was learning about Dolly Arthur's impact on Ketchikan. Despite being judged by many during her lifetime because of her profession, she played a significant role in preserving Creek Street. When the city considered demolishing much of the historic district, Dolly's House remained, helping spark interest in preserving the area's unique history and character. Today, Creek Street is one of Ketchikan's most beloved attractions, and it's amazing to think that one woman had such an important role in protecting a piece of the town's heritage. We were genuinely amazed by the lasting impact Dolly had on the preservation of Creek Street and the history of Ketchikan. It's a powerful reminder that people are often far more than the labels society places on them. We highly recommend visiting! The tour is fairly quick, but we absolutely loved every minute of it. Just keep in mind that the house discusses adult themes and the history of a former brothel, so this may be one to skip with younger kiddos. If you stop by, tell them Kissa & Colby from Doody Destination sent you!

I was really looking forward to visiting Dolly's House while walking around Creek Street. The…read morehistory of the building and the fact that it's a historic brothel sounded interesting, and there was a sign outside advertising tours, so I thought I'd check it out. Unfortunately, the experience immediately left a bad taste in my mouth. As soon as I walked in, the woman working there was speaking with another couple. Then she abruptly told me, in a very rude manner, "If you want to stand inside of here, you have to pay me $10." I completely understand that there may be an admission fee or charge for tours. That wasn't the issue. It was the way it was communicated. I had just walked in, was caught off guard, and felt like I was being spoken to as though I was doing something wrong. A simple, friendly "Welcome! There's a $10 admission fee if you'd like to tour the building" would have been perfectly fine. This is a historic attraction in a major tourist area, and I expected a much more welcoming experience. Instead, the employee's attitude was unnecessarily rude and made me decide not to spend my money there. The history may be interesting, but based on my experience, the customer service was terrible.

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.

This was interesting. And the views were pretty. But if you have limited time, this could be…read moreskipped. We rode public transit about ($2/person) but it took us about 30 minutes each way. Spent less than an hour, which is more than enough time. The bus only runs through every hour on the '7' - so don't miss it. Overall, I was underwhelmed given the hype. $5/person entry fee. I would have been really annoyed if I had purchased an excursion package for this for $79 per person.

Date of visit: July 19, 2025…read more This was a stop on an excursion from our cruise and it was very interesting, with a great setting right on the water, making for a great picture backdrop. The park does have a $5 entry fee per person May through September, so you may want to weigh that fact if you don't have a great interest in totem poles! If you do go, make sure you check out the Clan House and notice the storage underneath your feet as literally dozens of people would sleep in this facility at the same time. Coming with a guide may be your best bet as parking is limited and someone who knows the stories adds much more color to the experience.

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.

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!

This destination was combined with the lumberjack show booked through Celebrity shore excursion…read moreonline. It's on private property where a Tlingit fishing camp used to sit. Everything is recreated including the tribal house and clan houses. There are various cedar totem poles, and a carving workshop. There's a private car collection on property and a gun museum next to the gift shop. Our driver/tour guide walked us through. He gave us a narrative on the houses, and explained the raven's role in Tlingit's culture. I'm not sure I would make a point of coming on my own although we learned a lot. We were dropped back off at the pier.

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.

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.

The Ketchikan Fire Station is cruise famous because of the T-shirt vending machine. The fire…read morestation is walking distance from the cruise port area and it is a working fire station as well as a mini museum. From the outside, you may see a line to get in and that is because many people come to support the station by buying something from their vending machine that also sells fire house patches, coins, and red or blue shirts with the fire house logo. Inside there is another room if the vending machine is empty and you also want to make a donation and look around the museum area. The staff was friendly and the whole visit takes under 30 minutes to enjoy the experience.