Explora Journeys in Ketchikan (Revillagigedo Island)

Ketchikan is Alaska's southernmost cruise town, a steep fishing port wedged between the Tongass rainforest and the Inside Passage on Revillagigedo Island. It claims the largest collection of standing totem poles in the world and a salmon stream running straight through the center of town. The dock puts you in the heart of it, so this is one of the few Alaska calls where you barely need a tour.

What to do on a day in Ketchikan (Revillagigedo Island)

• Creek Street, the boardwalk on pilings over Ketchikan Creek that was the town's red-light district, now shops and the Dolly's House Museum, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the pier
• The salmon ladder and Married Man's Trail boardwalk beside Creek Street, where spawning salmon climb the falls in mid and late summer
• Totem Heritage Center, a 15 to 20 minute uphill walk, housing original 19th-century totem poles recovered from abandoned Tlingit and Haida villages
• Tongass Historical Museum, a few minutes on foot downtown, for the town's fishing and Native history
• Saxman Native Village, a Tlingit community with a large totem park about 2.5 miles south, reachable by bus, taxi, or tour
• Misty Fjords National Monument by floatplane, the sheer granite walls and waterfalls of the backcountry, flights depart near the dock

Getting ashore

Most ships berth at downtown Berths 1 through 4, with the core only 0.1 to 0.3 miles away on flat sidewalks; Berth 4 is a 10 to 15 minute walk or a free shuttle. Downtown, Creek Street, and the museums fill a relaxed day on foot, so save a tour slot only if you want Misty Fjords flightseeing or the totem parks outside town.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• May to early June (shoulder). Cool and often wet, typical highs in the mid 50s F (around 12 to 14 C). One of the drier stretches by Ketchikan standards, though that is relative in a temperate rainforest.
• June to August (peak). Mildest months, typical highs in the mid 60s F (around 17 to 18 C), with rain common and getting heavier into August. Ketchikan averages over 12 feet of rain a year, so a waterproof shell is not optional.
• September (late season). Cooling into the mid 50s F (around 12 to 13 C) and notably wetter, with September among the rainiest months. Expect grey, damp days.