Don't Travel to Ketchikan Alaska Before You Watch This..

if you ever find yourself in kakan Alaska you probably found yourself there on a cruise ship sailing up the Inside passage that's because like the state capital of Juno kakan isn't part of the road system it's a beautifully quaint Port Town that encompasses everything you would imagine an Alaska trip could be with a population of only 8,000 people there are many unique things about the town such as the fact that kakan has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles it is Alaska's Southeastern most settlement and its proximity to the continental US and coastal location actually keeps it relatively immune from Alaska's famously harsh climate it has warm to hot summers and fairly mild Winters Ketchikan was founded by a man named Mike Martin in 1885 but the ketchican creek served as a summer fish camp for tanket natives for thousands of years before his arrival in this video we'll look at 10 amazing things to do and see while in kakan Alaska number 10 is what the town is famous for visiting the totem poles head to Totem bite State Park which hosts the world's largest collection of totem poles which serve as both pieces of art but also of the Region's Rich cultural history as non-native settlers came to the area and the indigenous traditions of bartering and living off the land began to decline many Native alaskans left the area The Villages and totem poles they left behind were soon overgrown by forests and eroded by weather however in 1938 the US Forest Service began a program dedicated to saving restoring and reconstructing these large Cedar monuments head to the park and step back in time to see the relics of the Region's First Peoples number nine is bird watching but we're not talking about just any birds the bald eagle the bald eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and has served as a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that the bird is native to North America and ketan is one of the best places in the country Tre to spot these Majestic Birds because Eagles are meat eaters or more specifically Fish Eaters you'll see plenty of them at the mouth of salmon streams wart Cove Herring Cove and the town's namesake ketchican Creek salmon their fish of choice usually swim through the area from April through September and since the water remains largely ice free and the fish keep coming the Eagles can also be spotted throughout the winter number eight is kayaking or cruising through Misty fjord's National Monument the there are no roads so the only way to explore it is by the sea or air by sea you can choose to kayak or Cruise ketak can is a kayaker dream spot head out on the water for a few hours or pack up your camping gear and make it a multi-day trip there's no shortage of waters to paddle it's not just Norway that claims the world's most beautiful fjords ketan is home to the Misty fjords National Monument which is 2.1 million Acres that leads kayakers through cascading waterfalls steep glaciers and an abundance of opportunities to spot Wildlife like the bald eagles mentioned above if you want to check out the fjords and Glaciers without the effort of kayaking or the risk of getting wet then book a day cruise where your captain will take you through the picturesque area number seven is a stroll down historic Creek Street despite its remote location nestled in A non-road Accessible part of an already remote State thousands of visitors come to Ketch aan every year and walk the historic Road Creek Street is built along the shores of Ketchikan Creek and like much of the Town it was built over the water why is so much of ketan famously built over water well it was simply too difficult to blast away the rocky hills surrounding the creek this is a common theme with Ketch can and you will see many things built over water so to speak the antique Boardwalk takes you over cetakan Creek and it's home to restaurants Boutique shops the Dolly's House Museum private homes and some of the best salmon viewing areas in ketukan which is no small Fe given how many good salmon viewing areas the town has to offer married man's Trail and the salmon ladder are also not to be missed when exploring Creek Street the street is known affectionately as ketchikan's red light district which perfectly matches the Street's history during prohibition when it was lined with Bootlegger speak eies and Ladies of the night it's no longer a sey street but you'll be able to see the remnants of its 1920s Glory number six is fishing looking for a big catch in catch a can the best way way is to Charter a fishing Excursion where experienced guides can take you to some of the most salmon rich areas chartered fishing excursions can run anywhere from $200 to over $1,000 depending on how many people are going and if you want a private Charter or are willing to join up with a group the best part of this experience is getting to eat what you catch since most people visiting ketchican have to fly or cruise home they likely won't be bringing back their fish most of the charter companies will prepare your fish for dinner that very night salmon isn't the only fish that you can catch in Ketch can although it is the most popular so after a day of luring in local fish you know that nothing is going to waste as your dinner will be fresh from the open Waters number five is an air Tor hop on a sea plane because cetakan offers spectacular views of some of the world's most pristine Wilderness from the vantage point of the bald eagle most tours will fly you over Misty fjord's National Monument where you will get an eagle-eyed view literally of the greater Chan area since the area is only accessible by air or sea this is truly a unique way to experience nature Bard a float plane and fly over the Lakes sheer Cliffs and waterfalls and see a part of tongas national forest covering more than 2 million Acres of Alpine Wilderness if you have an eye for detail you can spot all kinds of wildlife like Bears bald eagles and other marine life and it's a sea plane so you have the added bonus of landing and taking off in the water most tours last 1 hour and run between $300 to $400 since so many people come to catch a can via a cruise ship the tour operators even guarantee that you'll be back in time to reboard your cruise ship number four is whale watching New England often gets credit for some of the best whale watching in the country but cetakan will give Maine a run for its money most tour companies and local family run operations will run in the $200 range explore the bays and Islands of Alaska on a boat with indoor and outdoor seating making it comfortable in all types of weather most tours even include binoculars and snacks to make your afternoon more comfortable there is an abundance of whales around ketan from killer whales orcas which start coming through the Inside passage in April looking for the first few King Salmon to the humpback whales that visit year round ketan also has doll porpus which are small dolphin type mammals that have the same coloration as a killer whale if you're really lucky you'll catch a glimpse of gray whales and fin whales but those are more Elusive and best you can see their tals number three is the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center the entrance fee is only $5 or free if you're under 15 or have an America the Beautiful pass which is the annual national park pass as the name suggests it is operated by the National Forest Service and the Discovery Center is part of the tongas national forest so you get a two for one experience with this item on the list the Discovery Center provides interpretive exhibits and activities about the local ecological systems its temperate rainforest ecosystems the local economy and the vast and Rich culture of Southeast Alaska once inside there are four main exhibit Halls focusing on the natural and cultural aspects of the region including the modern human uses of Natural Resources Alaska is rich in natural resources and you'll see how the utilized resources have changed over the Millennium there is also an exhibit honoring Elizabeth peratrovich a toink civil rights leader for whom the center's theater is named number two is to take a food torque while Seafood Reigns Supreme there is more to this town than just fish but if you're looking for iconic and locally sourced Alaskan Seafood then you could not visit a better place than cetch a can the town has been a fishing Mecca since the native alaskans traveled from their remote villages to the banks of the ketchican creek to catch and process salmon but there is more than just salmon local joints serve up clam chowder and crab from local Waters some iconic restaurants are the Alaska Fish House Annabel Bar Harbor ketchican the Arctic Bar and Market Cafe if you aren't much of a fish lover head to Pioneer Cafe where you can try reindeer hot dogs and number one is snorkeling I know what you're thinking that's something more suited for Hawaii than Alaska but the 49th state never ceases to be amazing when it comes to its natural wonders put on a wet suit mask fins and snorkel and get an upclose look at the sea creatures in the local Waters such as sea urchins sea stars crabs and sea cucumber numbers it will be the most unique experience you have in Alaska I'll be at one of the coldest pricing is reasonable and will run between 100 and $300 depending on group size and desired amenities most tours cater to all skill levels and give a full service experience even to the most novice of waterg goers most tours will pick you up either at your hotel or cruise port and include the boat ride out as well as all the needed equipment like wet suits snorkel fins Etc whether you decide to cruise or fly Ketch can should be on every traveler's bucket list Alaska is America's Least visited state and it's hard to believe given all there is to do from ketchican to Anchorage to Juno to Barrow this diverse state is worth the travel time need some other travel ideas for your Alaskan trip click this link to watch our video on the top 10 best places to visit in Alaska