How to Have a Luxurious Visit in Ketchikan, Alaska

One of the most charming towns in Alaska is Ketchikan. We recently visited for the first time as part of a 7-day voyage on Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Bliss. (Full disclosure – the author is a board member of the ship’s parent company). Here’s our photo journal of the top spots in Ketchikan, Alaska, and how to have a luxurious visit if you decide to go. 

For starters, if you have any meteorological influence, definitely arrange for it to be sunny on the day you visit Ketchikan. Southeast Alaska is basically a giant rain forest. As a result, Ketchikan sees over 200 days each year with measurable precipitation. Somehow for our first visit, we totally lucked out and had a perfect weather day. Yay!

Morning in Ketchikan, Alaska

Our cruise ship, the Norwegian Bliss, arrived in the wee hours of the morning. So we awoke to the magnificent sight of the port of Ketchikan, with a bluebird sky overhead and sunlight streaming over the Inside Passage. 

The city is referred to as the “Gateway to Southeast Alaska” because it is the southernmost city on the Inside Passage.

The view from our ship was spectacular. And it definitely made us want to go exploring.

how to have a luxurious visit in ketchikan, alaska

The first step in almost any luxurious adventure is to choose the right mode of transportation.

Before arrival, we had booked a private 4-hour chauffeur-driven Hummer Tour with Alaska Hummer Adventures. Our goal was to maximize our flexibility and also the number of stops we could make while in port. Groups can be as large as 5 for this particular tour, and we highly recommend it. 

You’ll have the luxury of following your group’s interests and passions – you can decide which of the top spots in Ketchikan, Alaska you want to spend real time in. You can also see waterfalls and other natural beauty that are too tucked away to be accessed by a large tour bus.

We were keen to see a totem pole, and driving through town, we spotted our first one. There are hundreds of them in Ketchikan and the surrounding towns, and it was fascinating to see and learn more about their spiritual meaning and artistry.

Based on our visit, here are our picks of the top 10 spots to be sure to see if you decide to spend time in Ketchikan, Alaska. 

the top spots and experiences in Ketchikan, Alaska

1. Spot Bald Eagles

We had been told when we visited Juneau that “American bald eagles are like pigeons here.” The comeback of this endangered species is a truly inspiring story. However, we managed to spend several hours in Juneau without ever seeing one.

Happily, Ketchikan more than made up for that. Our Hummer driver and host took us to a spot where we saw at least 10 bald eagles in about 10 minutes. And yes, dear reader, the experience was as magical and thrilling as it sounds. 

The birds are much larger than we realized, and they convey a great deal of authority (and swagger)  just by perching on a tree limb and surveying their territory.

Our guide pointed out that a single bald eagle can do serious damage to humans or to its prey with just its talons. We totally believe that now. And as New Yorkers, we gotta respect that. You do you, eagles. Please just don’t hurt us.

2. See some Waterfalls

Our second stop was a waterfall surrounded by rocks and wildflowers. We had the spot all to ourselves, except for the songbirds.

3. Visit Totem Bight State Park

Because of our keen interest in totem poles, another of our top 10 spots in Ketchikan, Alaska we is Totem Bight State Park. It’s about 10 miles north of Ketchikan, in a truly beautiful setting.

The creation of the park was the work of the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a voluntary public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942. 

It has numerous totems, as well as a Spirit House. And gorgeous scenery.

Made of cedar, the totems can be whimsical, menacing, comical and somber. It’s great fun to wander and learn more about what each of them is meant to represent. We spotted an eagle and a bear.

The figures depict humans, animals, or fanciful combinations of the two. The Watchman (below) atop a totem pole was meant to warn its owner of impending danger. The mystical Thunderbird was considered the most powerful of all.

If a totem pole falls, it is never to be re-mounted in an upright position. As a result, there are fallen ones that have been lovingly laid to rest in a sheltered part of the forest.

4. Head to a Lake

Buzzing around Ketchikan and its nearby neighboring towns is great fun – and there’s no traffic! There are several lakes for kayaking and fishing – with water so clear and calm that it perfectly mirrors the sky.

The pristine air and mirrored surfaces of the lakes reminded us of our visit to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. We felt that same sense of awe, freedom and exhilaration being surrounded by so much unspoiled beauty.

5. Have a Really Great Cup of Coffee

If you’re like us, any morning excursion has to include a strong hot cup of Joe at regular intervals. Happily, our guide was in full agreement. He took us to what may be the best coffee shop in Ketchikan (we qualify that only because it’s the only one we actually visited). The Green Coffee Bean Company has a cozy little cafe with truly outstanding coffee drinks and baked goods.

They also sell beans that can be packaged in such a way that visitors can travel back home with them. Or you can order something from them online after you return home. Word to the wise: the muffins are just mad crazy good.

6. Take a Hike 

Ketchikan borders the Tongass National Forest. As a result, there are several excellent hiking trails. Because we had only a short time on this visit, we opted for an easy walk on the Lunch Creek Trail. It’s gorgeous, and made us want to come back and do a proper half-day hike. Next time! 

We parked at the end of Tongass Highway, and after stopping to admire the wildflowers, we entered the Lunch Creek Trail.

It’s largely unpaved, but there are are rustic wooden stairs and the occasional wooden bridge or walkway. So the exertion level is minimal. And its really beautiful – walking this trail is a very good return on the effort it takes to experience it!

There’s a waterfall viewing platform on the Lunch Creek bridge.

There’s also a “guest book” that you should be sure to sign on the other side of the bridge. It’s a way of proving that the trail is being used and appreciated, so that funds to keep it in good condition continue to flow.

7. Visit The Library

Here at Dandelion Chandelier, we’re the first to admit it: we are bookworms to the nth degree. Given the opportunity, we’ll always seek out a bookstore or a library whenever we visit a new place.

The public library in Ketchikan is recently renovated, and it’s tucked into the landscape as if it has been there forever. If you have some spare time and want some intellectual stimulation, this is a fine place to go.

The children’s section is well-stocked, so if it’s raining when you visit, you could do a lot worse than to spend some time here with your little ones.

8. Jump in a Seaplane 

The skies above Ketchikan are filled with float planes. It’s such an iconic image of Alaska that it would be a shame not to take one. For example, Misty Fjords National Monument is about 20 miles from Ketchikan, and can only be reached by seaplane or boat. The park is stunning, but its narrow fjords are inaccessible to large cruise ships, so if you’re on a vessel like ours, perhaps that will be your choice of destinations as you take to the skies.

9. Visit the Misty Fjords National Monument

The Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the most spectacular natural vistas in all of Alaska, and definitely one of the top spots to see on a visit to Ketchikan. Spread over 2,200,000 acres, it features long, deep fjords with cliffs that rise for thousands of feet. Accessibly only by boat or floatplane, the best way to see it is from Behm Canal, the major waterway.

There’s a chance you’ll spot whales, porpoises, and mountain goats from the water. If you explore further on foot, you’ll find mineral springs and volcanic lava flows. There’s about 20 miles of hiking trail available.

10. Hang out at The Airport

The airport in Ketchikan is on its own island, and it’s not a bad way to pass the time just watching the planes take off and land. It’s quite busy – at least it was when we were there.

We probably saw 30+ sea places coming and going, plus a couple of 737’s on their way to or from Seattle. The sea planes are so iconic for the Pacific Northwest that it was a thrill just to see them. Rightly or wrongly, it feels like real Alaska whenever you spot one.

how to have a luxurious visit in ketchikan, alaska

All too soon it was time for us to head back to our ship, the Norwegian Bliss. The happy news is that there’s so much activity in the port that you’ll be entertained and entranced just hanging out on a deck and watching the world go by.

Sailboats, yachts, sea planes, sea gulls – they’re all there. Actually, taking in that splendid show as you depart Ketchikan might be the very best luxury experience of all.

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