What to do in Ketchikan with just a 6 hour stop?

[PalmettoTraveler]

Are we able to do a tour or are we just stuck to walking around town?

[Budget Queen]

This is plenty of time to do a large list of tour options. I never, just spend my time "walking around time". I just about always go flying. If there is a tour of interest, investigate further for taking it.

[mexicobob]

Budget Queen

Looking for advice. Flying on the seaplanes seems to be a good option in this port. Do you recommend a company?

 

Thank you.

[PalmettoTraveler]

Is kayaking doable or no? We both enjoy that activity. We don't want to do anything super expensive as we are splurging on the dogsledding/heli tour.

 

While I'm thinking about it, we depart to go home in Anchorage. What do we do until our flight departs at midnight?!

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen

Looking for advice. Flying on the seaplanes seems to be a good option in this port. Do you recommend a company?

 

Thank you.

 

I highly recommend Southeast Aviation.

[Budget Queen]

Is kayaking doable or no? We both enjoy that activity. We don't want to do anything super expensive as we are splurging on the dogsledding/heli tour.

 

While I'm thinking about it, we depart to go home in Anchorage. What do we do until our flight departs at midnight?!

 

I have kayaked several times out of Ketchikan. The "cheaper" routes, I don't fine very challenging or that interesting. I like the longer more extended tours. I've used Southeast Kayak the most.

 

You are leaving the day you get to Wittier/Seward?

[PalmettoTraveler]

I have kayaked several times out of Ketchikan. The "cheaper" routes, I don't fine very challenging or that interesting. I like the longer more extended tours. I've used Southeast Kayak the most.

 

You are leaving the day you get to Wittier/Seward?

 

Is Whittier/Seward the same? But yes, we will. Unless there is a huge price difference to leave the following day.

[PalmettoTraveler]

Maybe if there's a good book for us to research???

[Budget Queen]

Is Whittier/Seward the same? But yes, we will. Unless there is a huge price difference to leave the following day.

 

Yikes, no, these are two different ports. Princess uses Whittier, HAL, NCL, RCI, Celebrity use Seward.

 

I'd suggest you find out about your port, especially Seward, well worth add a couple days. Out of Whittier, a Prince William Sound boat tour is excellent.

 

Again, depends on YOUR interests? But, it sound like "price" may be dictating your decisions? Cheapest is going to be a bus transfer, then spending time in downtown Anchorage, then cab to airport? http://www.anchorage.net

 

Higher costs are going offer more touring and better transfers. A significant, excellent use of time is a one way car rental.

[geoherb]

On our first cruise, we snorkeled in Ketchikan. It was a great excursion. See if your cruise line offers it as a possibility.

[arctickitty]

I'm the oddball that likes to walk around ports. If you want to just walk, the Creek Street area has lots of historical markers. Keep walking past the crowds and the historical markers and signs will continue. I enjoyed visiting the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center (a multi-agency visitor center, $5 donation). I also enjoyed Totem Bight State Park. There is a free guide available on the state park's website that provides more details. A friend drove me, but many folks took the city bus there. My parents visited some of the museums on a later trip & enjoyed them--not crowded. Those are some low-key things to do. The other folks on the board will give you more advice about sea planes and helicopters and whatnot!

[txwriter]

The other folks on the board will give you more advice about sea planes and helicopters and whatnot!

 

So true! Personally, I love the advice for the low key options. Can you tell me how far it is to the Southeast Discovery Center? We have a fishing excursion booked for Ketchikan, but we'd like to see a little in port; however, walking long distances is not an option? How far from the ship to Creek Street?

[Coral]

So true! Personally, I love the advice for the low key options. Can you tell me how far it is to the Southeast Discovery Center? We have a fishing excursion booked for Ketchikan, but we'd like to see a little in port; however, walking long distances is not an option? How far from the ship to Creek Street?

 

Just a few blocks. Pretty close, though it depends on where you dock. They keep building more docking spots farther down the line which adds more time.

 

Totem pole parks are also an option for Ketchikan. There is Saxman and Totem Bight.

[Budget Queen]

So true! Personally, I love the advice for the low key options. Can you tell me how far it is to the Southeast Discovery Center? We have a fishing excursion booked for Ketchikan, but we'd like to see a little in port; however, walking long distances is not an option? How far from the ship to Creek Street?

 

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/ketchikan-walking-tour.html

[arctickitty]

So true! Personally, I love the advice for the low key options. Can you tell me how far it is to the Southeast Discovery Center? We have a fishing excursion booked for Ketchikan, but we'd like to see a little in port; however, walking long distances is not an option? How far from the ship to Creek Street?

 

As others mentioned there is variability in where your ship docks. Right in front of the main dock area there is a tightly-packed downtown with gift shops, outdoor gear shops, excursion booths, and non-tourist related things that you'd find in a small downtown. (Although Ketchikan is big by Alaskan standards...and more like the Lower 48 than most areas of the state). Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is right in this area. The other museums are longer walks up in residential areas.

[Peachypooh]

We went to the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. An easy walk from the ship and a $5 donation. They had some really interesting exhibits about the Tongass National Forest and a great movie on a huge screen that showed an aerial view of the area. Very uncrowded.

I guess I would not recommend the Lumberjack show next door to it. It was aprox. $40 each and very big crowds. It was fun but I feel that we could have spent our time more wisely. However an A+ to the lumberjack performers that worked very hard!

[PalmettoTraveler]

Thanks for the info! We thought about doing kayaking, but we can always do that where we live and thought it would be better to experience more of the cultural aspect of Alaska. Again, don't want to pay too much in case the dogsledding/heli tour goes out and we also plan on doing a tour with Princess in Anchorage.