Ketchikan activities

[Lessa11]

I've booked excursions for Juneau and Skagway and that's all I'm spending on tours. What can we do in Ketchikan that is inexpensive but fun and we can get to by public bus or preferably on foot? I thought I'd read somewhere on CC that they have tide pools, but now I can't find it. Can we walk to see totem poles? What else is there to do in or around the town? Not big on shopping. More interested in wildlife.

[bluenoser2]

If you go to the vistor's center right at the dock, you can pick up a walking tour map of Ketchikan. We used that, and in spite of the rain, enjoyed our trek about town. We aren't much for shopping either, so we got off the ship as soon as possible, and had gotten all our obligatory t-shirts for the kids, and jacket (cheap!) for me and were done the shops well before 9:00 and the crowds. Then we just strolled the streets and used the map to find some neat lookoffs, and walked up to the Married Man's trail, and Creek Street, and looked in some of the art galleries and bookstores. By then we were wet enough to be happy to go back to the ship and dry out. It filled our time in port very nicely though, and we saw several totem poles along the way (mentioned in the walking tour map).

[ellbon]

Creek Street fun to walk around. there is a tram in town also. hard not to spend any money. i prefer this city over Skagway to find tours that i wanted to do.

[LindaKE]

I, also, was going to suggest Creek Street and the tram. We got excellent photos of our ship from the top. There is one totem pole that you will be able to see on your way to Creek St. I think there are more somewhere, but that's as far as we got.

[LAWTONCRUISE]

I've booked excursions for Juneau and Skagway and that's all I'm spending on tours. What can we do in Ketchikan that is inexpensive but fun and we can get to by public bus or preferably on foot? I thought I'd read somewhere on CC that they have tide pools, but now I can't find it. Can we walk to see totem poles? What else is there to do in or around the town? Not big on shopping. More interested in wildlife.

 

We are planning on taking the city bus (blue line) to Totem Bight State Park. I read that the bus costs around one dollar each way. You can pick up a brochure (for a small donation) that explains each totem pole. Sounds like a good cheap way to see some totems.

[Marie321]

Go to Creek Street. Depending on when you are going, you may be able to see salmon swimming up the creek. There is a funicular. Ride to the top. The sign says to pay a small fee, but we talked to locals who said it is always free. Once at the top, there are a few totems. Then walk down on the Married Man's Trail. It is a nice walk. Then look in the shops along Creek Street.