Ketchikan need help with excursions!

[doktor71]

First have walked along Creek St and have done Misty Fiords float plane on a prior Alaska Cruise. Do not want to do whale watching, canoes, kayaks, or step hikes.  Like small tours and not into tourist traps!  Please send suggestions would appreciate!

Thanks

[oaktreerb]

1)Bering Sea Fisherman’s Tour. 2) Hop on and off the City bus. 3) rent a car. 4) check out visitor options on-line. 5) have lunch at Cape Fox Lodge (amazing views). 

[SightCRR]

With Aug/Sept time frame check out Herring Cove. 

We really like Crab boat tour and how easy it is and have been more than once. 

We are currently struggling with excursions in Ketch in May 23. 

sightcrr

[CupKayke]

You really should consider the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour in Ketchikan.  We don't like ship excursions either and we LOVED this - you can read about it in my review (link in my signature) or on their website.  You will NOT be disappointed.  

[doktor71]

Thank CupKYke for your review

[Sailin Gal]

We didn’t see any Ketchikan excursion options that interested us for our cruise next month, so have a rental car reserved to go exploring on our own. 

[SightCRR]

2 hours ago, Sailin Gal said:

, so have a rental car reserved to go exploring on our own. 

Here is a 2 hr  youtube video that drives the many of the roads in Ketch and points out many sights. It is like your friend picked you up at the airport and is showing you around. Stuff you never get from a tour book. "go beside the Safeway to view the water and look for whales after checking f/b for whale sighting group" "there is nice secondhand store where I found nice pair of shoes" . Video shot before Ward Cove open.  I really enjoyed it but did skip some of it. Make sure to check out Herring Cove. 

Ketchikan, Alaska Complete Drive North & South Tongass Avenue - YouTube

sightcrr

[Sailin Gal]

On 7/24/2022 at 11:31 PM, SightCRR said:

Here is a 2 hr  youtube video that drives the many of the roads in Ketch and points out many sights. It is like your friend picked you up at the airport and is showing you around. Stuff you never get from a tour book. "go beside the Safeway to view the water and look for whales after checking f/b for whale sighting group" "there is nice secondhand store where I found nice pair of shoes" . Video shot before Ward Cove open.  I really enjoyed it but did skip some of it. Make sure to check out Herring Cove. 

Ketchikan, Alaska Complete Drive North & South Tongass Avenue - YouTube

sightcrr

Thank you, sightcrr, we did watch that a couple weeks ago and it is an excellent guide!!

[CupKayke]

On 7/24/2022 at 5:36 PM, doktor71 said:

Thank CupKYke for your review

You are welcome 

[Blazza]

We went on Expedition Black Bear with Alaska Hummer just under 2 weeks ago. The tour is limited to 6 people and involves a 1 hour fast boat ride (28 knots most of the way) to/from Margaret Creek. There is a short van ride and walk to get to the viewing sight. Our visit was right at the start of the salmon run so we only saw a few bears, but it was a great excursion. The scenery is fantastic all along the journey and our young captain/guide (a long term Ketchikan local) could not have been better in any respect. We felt it was money and time well spent.

[ohmandi]

On 7/24/2022 at 9:49 AM, doktor71 said:

Please send suggestions would appreciate!

Thanks

@doktor71  We were just on the Ruby Princess a week ago and also had previously been in Ketchikan so wanted something unusual to do.  We went snorkeling!  Found a company called Snorkel Alaska.  Freddy and Curt were our guides.  There were only 4 of us at our time slot.  They have 7mm wetsuits with a hood, booties, fins, and mask/snorkel.  The visibility was very low that day but would clear once in a while and you could see the fish, star fish, etc.  Freddy and Curt would dive down and bring up creatures for us to hold.  Definitely recommend.  I am not petite and in my 60's and was a little (a lot) worried if I could do it.  I had a blast!! Great experience.

[edinburgher]

not into tourist traps!

 

Why tour at all?

 

It might sound a bit cheesy, but you could easily visit Totem Bight State Historical Park or Saxman Village.

 

We know nothing about Saxman as we have not been there, but enjoyed Totem Bight much more than we had expected to. We visited on our third Ketckian stop as we wanted something different and it is definitely not a "tourist trap"

 

Lovely waterfront setting ,a rainforest to stroll through,, over a dozen poles and a clan house.You may be lucky and find someone carving at the time you visit.  You can pick up a walking guide at the entrance and follow it or simply wander around.There is an excellent gift store there too.   It was an enjoyable,relaxed,  easy and inexpensive outing and we took many really colourful photos of the carvings as you can get right up close to them.

 

The public bus goes from near the piers directly to the entrance or a cab would take you there.

 

Do look it up online. Lots of pics and very positive reviews on Tripadvisor..  There have also been a number of threads and posts here on the Alaska forum and you might find it helpful to read them

 

Go to the SEARCH box directly under your user name.  Input the words TOTEM BIGHT then click ON THIS FORUM from the dropdown under the search box, hit the lttle magnifying glass then browse the resuts.

Edited August 7, 2022 by edinburgher

[tetleytea]

We did both Totem Bight and Saxman Village on the same port visit, just taking the public bus.

 

[LeeW]

Walk back to the left end of Creek Street and follow the path along the creek to the hatchery.  Then head slightly downhill to right to the totem museum.  Around $5.  From there just short downhill back just south of Creek Street entrance.