What to do in Ketchikan

[JP-Cruise]

I have booked a kayak excursion with southeast sea kayaks. If this tour is cancelled due to weather can anyone recommend another tour I can do? Are there vendors at the port? I am interested in doing anything that involves a rainforest hike or boat/canoe excursion

[Sequim88]

Visit Ketchikan has lots of ideas - especially on the Things To Do tab. It should be possible to get a last minute ride on one of the boat tours to Misty Fjords. Spectacular!

 

Ketchikan Park & Trails might be worth checking into.

[Budget Queen]

It is extremely rare for kayak tours to cancel. They go out in all kinds of weather, including pouring rain. Reason why I always do this walk up in Ketchikan. :)

[JP-Cruise]

It is extremely rare for kayak tours to cancel. They go out in all kinds of weather, including pouring rain. Reason why I always do this walk up in Ketchikan. :)

 

Oh ok thanks. Well I have read some reviews (not a lot) where people have said their kayak tour was cancelled because the water was too choppy. But just in case it does happen I don't wanna just spend time walking around creek street. Are there any vendors at the port?

[DougH]

There is a visitor center right on the main pier downtown that is filled with vendor booths selling tours. Lots of choices of activities

[JP-Cruise]

There is a visitor center right on the main pier downtown that is filled with vendor booths selling tours. Lots of choices of activities

 

Thanks very much!

[Hsmama]

There is a visitor center right on the main pier downtown that is filled with vendor booths selling tours. Lots of choices of activities

this place kind of startled me a little...... I walked in, and it felt like I was being shouted at from every direction,both sides had a long line of vendor desks vying for attention..... all I wanted was a walking map of the town:')..... I got out of there fast.....

[snowmc]

This blog post has some good ideas for things to do in Ketchikan: https://zest4travel.wordpress.com/2017/02/23/fun-in-ketchikan/

[JT1962]

this place kind of startled me a little...... I walked in, and it felt like I was being shouted at from every direction,both sides had a long line of vendor desks vying for attention..... all I wanted was a walking map of the town:')..... I got out of there fast.....

I'm curious as to whether you felt the tour vendors were more aggressive than those in Caribbean ports. I can't imagine the vendors in Alaska being as aggressive as those in most Caribbean ports I have visited.

[Budget Queen]

I'm curious as to whether you felt the tour vendors were more aggressive than those in Caribbean ports. I can't imagine the vendors in Alaska being as aggressive as those in most Caribbean ports I have visited.

 

No they're not. They do call out their tours, and ask you if you need a tour. They aren't chasing you down. :) They are in "selling mode" no doubt about that.

[Hsmama]

I've never been in a carribbean port,at least not for a cruise. They didn't chase us, but when I walked in, there a long line on both sides of the building at desks,and people hollering "do you want a tour?" again and again from every direction....it sounded like the seagulls in Finding Dory yelling "Mine Mine Mine!" It felt like walking a gauntlet past all of those people while shaking my head no politely as best I could...... the map I needed of course was on the far end of the building lol

[Robinhill]

I have booked a kayak excursion with southeast sea kayaks. If this tour is cancelled due to weather can anyone recommend another tour I can do? Are there vendors at the port? I am interested in doing anything that involves a rainforest hike or boat/canoe excursion

 

This is my all-time favorite port for souvenirs-you will get a coupon booklet from the ship and if you go to Tongrass Trading Company- (there are three or four of these in the small town) you can pick up free items at each one and also you can take all of the souvenirs that you buy in any of these three or four stores of theirs to the last one that you go in and they will ship everything home for you that have bought from Tongrass for a flat rate of i think it was $14.99 when i went two years ago. I bought some Ulu knives, sweat shirts, hats, a couple of hand carved wooden statues and totems which would have been taken from me when i went back to the ship anyway until i disembark and it was just so much easier then schlepping everything back home on the airplane, and making my luggage heavier. I must have had 60 or 70 lbs. worth of merchandise and it was all shipped to my home for $14.95. It took about three weeks to get it but i did not mind at all. Save all your souvenir shopping for here.;)

[JP-Cruise]

This is my all-time favorite port for souvenirs-you will get a coupon booklet from the ship and if you go to Tongrass Trading Company- (there are three or four of these in the small town) you can pick up free items at each one and also you can take all of the souvenirs that you buy in any of these three or four stores of theirs to the last one that you go in and they will ship everything home for you that have bought from Tongrass for a flat rate of i think it was $14.99 when i went two years ago. I bought some Ulu knives, sweat shirts, hats, a couple of hand carved wooden statues and totems which would have been taken from me when i went back to the ship anyway until i disembark and it was just so much easier then schlepping everything back home on the airplane, and making my luggage heavier. I must have had 60 or 70 lbs. worth of merchandise and it was all shipped to my home for $14.95. It took about three weeks to get it but i did not mind at all. Save all your souvenir shopping for here.;)

 

That's awesome Robin ya I've heard from many people that Ketchikan is the best port for shopping.

Will keep that in mind, thanks :)

[kacurl]

Robin that's great to know!! Want to buy the Ulu knives for souvenirs but was worried about how heavy all would be. Do all of the tsongas trading stores ship like that?? Thanks Cathy