Ketchikan Alaska

The Gateway to Adventure on the Alaskan Inside Passage

Ketchikan, Alaska is a quaint town near the southern end of Alaska's Inside Passage. If your Alaskan Cruise begins in either Vancouver, Seattle, or San Francisco, odds are, your first stop will be in the island town of Ketchican.

On my first Alaska vacation, after two days cruising along the beautiful Vancouver Island and the Canadian coast, I was more than ready to get out and explore this incredible region when our ship docked at Ketchikan.

If you arrive in late summer, the stream will be teaming with huge salmon on their way to spawn.

This is truly an amazing sight, as the creek is so crowded with salmon that you could literally step from one to another.

In fact, Ketchikan fishing is some of the best in Alaska.

Charters are available during your cruise stop, though many people fly there specifically for the salmon and halibut fishing.

There are a huge number of shore excursions and adventures that you can participate in here. They include:

• Floatplane rainforest and bear watching adventures
• Rain forest canopy ropes and zip challenge
• Backcountry jeep and canoe trips
• Floatplane tours of majestic Misty Fjords
• Salmon fishing excursions
• Saxman Native Village and Totem Park
• Rain forest canopy ropes and zip challenge
• Sea Kayaking in the Tatoosh Islands or Eagle Islands
• The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show
• Tours of historic Ketchikan
• Wilderness guided fly fishing

There are literally too many options to mention. If you are going on a luxury Alaskan cruise on one of the large cruise ships, it is a good idea to book your shore excursions well in advance, as many of the most exceptional and most popular trips fill up well in advance.

I found the rain forest excursions to be amazing. The wildlife that we saw in this region exceeded my wildest expectations.

On my first stop in this town, we saw a half dozen bald eagles up close. Seeing these incredible birds feeding just off the shoreline is an amazing sight.

We also saw bears feasting on the plentiful salmon in the streams, deer, sea lions, orca, and humpback whales breaching just of the coast from the city.

Whatever shore excursions you choose, make sure you allow enough time to shop in the great stores and galleries along Creek Street, as these shops offer some of the best opportunities to buy gifts and souvenirs in lower Alaska.Be prepared for rain when you visit the town, as it is ne of the wetest spots in the. For more on local weather, click here.

If you are like me, the one day you have to spend in Ketchikan on your cruise will be just enough time to wet your whistle, and you will want to return to this amazing area again to explore more and take advantage of all this area has to offer.

If you do return, a great way is to take a ferry from Washington State.

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System originates in Bellingham, Washington, a short drive north of Seattle. These ferries provided the easiest access to Ketchikan and all of the Alaskan Inside Passage.

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