May 4, 2026

Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “First City” because it’s the first major community travelers come to as they journey north. This charming waterfront town showcases its maritime history and offers picturesque scenery, quaint architecture and an abundance of cultural delights.

The first thing you see in Ketchikan is “The Rock”, it’s the waterfront sculpture/monument directly at the cruise dock. It’s a bronze sculpture representing the different groups that shaped Ketchikan’s history- fishermen, loggers, Native Alaskans, bush pilots, and miners.

Ketchikan’s downtown’s centerpiece is Creek Street, said to be the most photographed street in Alaska. It is populated with boutique shops and art galleries. Creek Street, actuality is a boardwalk that at times hangs over a bubbling stream.

For more than a century Ketchikan has been known as the rainiest town in Alaska, with an average of 162 days of rain a year. As you can see Ketchikan lived up to its reputation today. But as they say, there is no such thing as bad weather-just bad clothing-so Chongae and I came prepared with layered clothing and conveniently packed wind breakers. But make no doubt about it, this is still the wilderness as evidenced by the bear warning signs that we encountered.

It is hard to imagine that during the gold rush Creek Street was once the Red-Light District with more than 30 brothels. We were told to look for a tiny sign at the end of the street, which humorously points out the direction that both salmon and the fishermen went to spawn! We found it!

Ketchikan is all about salmon! Five different species of wild Pacific salmon are found in the Alaska waters surrounding the area. As the “Salmon Capital of the World.,” you could spend your entire day eating salmon. Start your day with a smoked salmon omelet; enjoy a salmon burger with all the fixings for lunch and salmon tacos for dinner. And for a snack, try the salmon jerky —a deliciously different taste than the beef versions.

Ketchikan beckons anglers of all skill level and offers a plethora of sportfishing adventures to enjoy. Even a walk-through town provides an opportunity to see these fish in action. The salmon ladder on Park Avenue has a viewing platform where you can watch these determined creatures complete their exhausting journey to the spawning grounds.

I am told there is another group who can’t wait for the Salmon Ladder on Park Avenue to open.

Thanks for traveling with us.