Best Ketchikan Excursions: Floatplanes, Bears, Totems and More

A floatplane taxiing on Walker Lake below forested mountains in the Misty Fjords area, the classic choice among Ketchikan excursions
A floatplane on Walker Lake in the Misty Fjords district of the Tongass National Forest, August 2022. Flightseeing trips often land on a lake like this.

The best Ketchikan excursions are a floatplane flight over Misty Fjords, a bear-viewing flight in late summer, and an afternoon with the totem poles at Saxman or Totem Bight. For families, add the Bering Sea crab boat or the lumberjack show. In 2026 the Misty Fjords flight cost $329 to $369 a person, bear flights were sold only through the cruise lines, the crab tour ran about $239 and the totem parks charged about $5 to walk in. Most of these fit a six-hour port call if you book an early departure.

This page ranks 20 Ketchikan tours by value for cruise passengers, with prices, durations and the timing math. The caveat that matters: Ketchikan is the rainiest big cruise port in Alaska, and low cloud grounds floatplanes, so have a backup plan and know whether your ship docks downtown or at Ward Cove, about 7 miles out. For the free and walkable side of town, see our guide to things to do in Ketchikan. Last updated November 2, 2026. Every price, fee and schedule below is dated, and the sources are listed at the end.

Ketchikan port facts for excursion planning

Ketchikan, as of September 2026What to know
Where ships dockDowntown berths on the waterfront, or Ward Cove, a two-berth terminal on the old pulp-mill site, reported at about 7 miles north, that expected about 130 calls in 2026
Tender or dockUsually docked; a ship may anchor and tender on the busiest days
Ward Cove to downtownA complimentary shuttle to downtown’s Berth 4 was reported every 15 to 20 minutes in 2026, a ride of about 20 to 30 minutes
Around downtownVisitor guides describe a free shuttle bus looping the cruise berths, museums and Totem Heritage Center about every 20 minutes while big ships are in (May to September)
Taxi and busTaxis were reported at about $3.70 to start plus $3.50 a mile; the local bus to Totem Bight about $2
Walkable from downtown berthsCreek Street, the salmon ladder, the floatplane docks, the Tongass Historical Museum, the downtown Lumberjack Show
Needs transportSaxman, Totem Bight, Misty Fjords (air or boat), bear viewing, the Ward Cove attractions
WeatherAverage highs 61°F to 65°F in June to August; rain averages 7.02 in (June) to 14.30 in (September)
CrowdsA record 1.6 million-plus passengers were expected in 2026, on ships of up to 4,000-plus passengers

The 20 best Ketchikan excursions at a glance

RankExcursion2026 price (per adult)Time neededValue
1Misty Fjords by floatplane$329 sale, $369 regular1.75 hoursExcellent
2Bear viewing by floatplaneSold by cruise lines; about $400 to $500 reportedAbout 3.25 hoursVery good, July to early September
3Saxman Native VillageAbout $150 guided; about $5 on your own2 to 2.5 hoursVery good
4Totem Bight State Historical Park$5 entry plus a bus or taxi2 hours with transportExcellent
5Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s TourAbout $239About 3 hoursGood, great with kids
6Misty Fjords by boatCheck the operator5.25 hoursGood on a long call
7Salmon or halibut fishingVaries by boat and hours4 hours or moreGood for anglers
8Great Alaskan Lumberjack ShowAbout $45About an hourGood fun, low effort
9Anan bear flightSelect cruise lines; about $750 and up reportedMost of a daySuperb if it fits
10Rainforest ziplineAbout $150 to $2603 to 3.5 hoursFair
11Totem Heritage CenterAbout $61 hourExcellent
12Creek Street and the salmon ladderFree1 hourExcellent
13Rainforest Jeep driveCheck the operatorAbout 3 hoursFair
14Canoe paddle and nature walkCheck the operatorAbout 3 hoursGood
15Guided sea kayakingCheck the operator2.5 to 4 hoursGood
16Cold-water snorkelingCheck the operatorAbout 3 hoursA novelty
17Southeast Alaska Discovery CenterSmall federal fee1 hourGood on a wet day
18Ward Cove’s visitor hubPay as you go1 to 2 hoursHandy if you dock there
19A rainforest hikeFree1 to 4 hoursExcellent for the fit
20Downtown on your ownFree to cheapAs long as you likeExcellent

The 20 best Ketchikan excursions, ranked

We ranked these by what you get for your money and your hours ashore, not by thrill alone. Prices are the 2026 figures we could find, and where an operator doesn’t publish a price, we say so rather than guess.

1. Misty Fjords by floatplane

This is the one. Misty Fjords National Monument is a wilderness of glacier-carved granite fjords that Visit Ketchikan says rise up to 3,000 feet, about a 30-minute flight from town, and there’s no road in. Taquan Air’s Misty Fjords Flightseeing tour takes 1.75 hours including check-in and adds a lake landing. Its tours page showed $329 as a “June Kickoff Sale” price in September 2026, with $369 as the regular fare. Guests of 250 pounds or more may pay a surcharge, so ask when you book.

Verdict: the best money you can spend in Ketchikan, and one of the best tours in Alaska. Book it for the first hours of your port day, when the weather has the most chances to clear.

2. Bear viewing by floatplane

Black bears gather at salmon streams outside Ketchikan in late summer, and floatplanes fly you to viewing sites such as Neets Bay or Traitor’s Cove. Local guides say the best season runs from mid-July to early September. Taquan Air’s 3.25-hour Alaska Bear Adventure & Flightseeing is sold exclusively on board the major cruise lines, so you book it through your ship. They put trips like this at about $400 to $500 a person. Ketchikan bear viewing depends on the salmon run, and early-season sailings can come up short.

Verdict: worth it on a July or August sailing, and a gamble in May or June.

3. Saxman Native Village

A tall carved totem pole beside the road at Saxman, with more poles and a clan house among the trees behind
Totem poles at Saxman in June 2018. The village and its totem park sit just south of Ketchikan.

Saxman, just south of town, has one of the largest collections of standing totem poles in Alaska, plus a clan house and a carving center. Holland America’s listing describes roughly two-hour tours hosted by Cape Fox Corporation that take in the Beaver Clan House, song and dance by the Cape Fox Dancers and the totem park. Resellers listed guided Saxman tours at about $150 a person for about 2.5 hours in 2026, and you can see the totem park on your own for a small fee, reported at $5. Our guide to Ketchikan totem poles compares Saxman with the other sites.

Verdict: take the guided tour if you can. The poles mean far more when someone from the community explains whose stories they tell.

4. Totem Bight State Historical Park

Totem Bight, north of town, is a state park with a clan house and a loop of restored poles on a short forest trail that ends at the water. The state lists a $5 entry fee from May through September and hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The local bus gets you there for about $2, and a taxi splits well between four people.

Verdict: the best value in Ketchikan. Go on your own, early, before the tour buses.

5. Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour

The crab boat Aleutian Ballad tied up in Ketchikan with rows of covered seating on its back deck
The Aleutian Ballad, the boat behind the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour, in Ketchikan in 2011.

Yes, Ketchikan is nowhere near the Bering Sea, and nobody on board pretends otherwise for long. Resellers describe a tour of about 3 hours on the Aleutian Ballad, a crab boat that appeared on TV’s Deadliest Catch, now fitted with covered seating, and listed it at $239 an adult in 2026; some sell a version that leaves from Ward Cove. Expect the crew to haul pots, handle the catch and tell stories.

Verdict: a strong family pick and a good rainy-day tour. Pricey for what it is if you’re not a fan of the show.

6. Misty Fjords by boat

New Eddystone Rock, a tall forested pillar of rock rising from calm water in Behm Canal
New Eddystone Rock in Behm Canal, a highlight of the boat trip to Misty Fjords, photographed in 1998.

Allen Marine Tours’ Misty Fjords National Monument & Wilderness Exploration lasts 5.25 hours, with about two hours of travel each way, and features New Eddystone Rock and Rudyerd Bay. The boat has indoor seating with big windows, an open deck, restrooms and a snack with hot drinks. It didn’t show a price online in September 2026. You see the fjords at water level, which is its own kind of big.

Verdict: a better choice than the floatplane only if you’re nervous about small planes or the weather is grounding flights. It needs a long port day.

7. Salmon or halibut fishing

Ketchikan calls itself the salmon capital, and Ketchikan fishing charters are a big business. Baranof Fishing Excursions, for one, advertises salmon and halibut trips for cruise passengers from a private marina downtown, with gear down to the rubber boots. Prices depend on boat size and hours. Ask about licenses, whether you can keep and ship your catch, and how long processing takes before you book. Our guide to Alaska cruise fishing excursions compares the ports.

Verdict: a great day for anglers, and an expensive boat ride for everyone else.

8. Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show

The open-air arena of the lumberjack show in Ketchikan with tall climbing poles and log props
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show’s downtown arena. A second venue opened at Ward Cove in 2026.

Logrolling, speed climbing and chopping, performed with a lot of shouting under a covered grandstand. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show ran at two venues in 2026, downtown and at Ward Cove, and tickets were reported at about $45. It’s corny, it’s genuinely athletic, and kids love it.

Verdict: an easy win for families, and a good filler hour between a morning tour and all-aboard.

9. Anan Wildlife Observatory by floatplane

Anan is the premium bear trip: an observatory about 30 miles southeast of Wrangell, reached only by floatplane or boat, where a big pink salmon run in July and August draws black bears (very likely) and brown bears (seen less often). A half-mile trail leads to a covered platform with rangers, and from July 5 to August 25 a pass system limits visitors to 60 a day. Taquan Air’s Anan Creek Bear Adventure is sold only on select cruise lines and marked as likely to sell out. Local guides put Anan trips from Ketchikan at about $750 and up.

Verdict: the finest bear viewing you can reach from a cruise port, if your line sells it and your port day is long enough.

10. Rainforest zipline

Kawanti Adventures advertises rainforest zipline, skybridge and rappel tours, and the cruise lines sell a Rainforest Canopy & Zipline Adventure, including from Ward Cove, which also has its own zipline park. In 2026, resellers listed Ketchikan zipline tours at about $150 to $260 a person, usually for about three hours including transport.

Verdict: fun, but you can zipline anywhere. In Ketchikan, spend the money on the fjords or the bears first.

11. Totem Heritage Center

The city-run Totem Heritage Center holds original 19th-century poles brought in from abandoned Tlingit and Haida village sites, which is why it matters: these aren’t replicas. The city listed admission at $6 for adults and $5 for seniors, with children under 17 free, and 2026 hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from late April to late September. The free downtown shuttle stops there.

Verdict: an hour well spent, and the best rainy-day stop in town.

12. Creek Street and the salmon ladder

Dozens of salmon holding in the current of Ketchikan Creek seen from above
Salmon massing in Ketchikan Creek in August 2009. The run peaks in late summer.

The old boardwalk of Creek Street in Ketchikan, built on pilings over the creek, is where most visitors start. From July through October you can watch king, pink and chum salmon and steelhead in Ketchikan Creek, and in August the water can be thick with fish fighting their way up the ladder. It costs nothing but your time.

Verdict: do it whatever else you book. Go early or late to miss the tour groups.

13. Rainforest Jeep drive

Ketchikan tour listings in 2026 included guided Jeep drives on mountain roads in the Tongass National Forest, usually with a stop at a lake or a viewpoint. You drive in convoy behind a guide. Prices and times vary by operator, so compare them with the ship’s version.

Verdict: fun for drivers who like dirt roads, but the scenery is better from a floatplane.

14. Canoe paddle and rainforest walk

Several listings paired a paddle in a big 20-passenger Alaska-style canoe with a guided walk in old-growth forest. It’s easy, social and good for a mixed-age group, and the guides are often the best part.

Verdict: a gentle way to see the rainforest, especially with kids or less active travelers.

15. Guided sea kayaking

Guided kayak tours paddle the sheltered shoreline near town, looking for eagles, seals and intertidal life. Most are fine for beginners in stable double kayaks. Dress in layers and expect to get damp.

Verdict: a good active option on a calm day, and a miserable one in a south wind.

16. Cold-water snorkeling

Yes, people snorkel in Ketchikan, in thick wetsuits, looking at sea stars, anemones and kelp. It’s surprisingly colorful and very cold. Listings in 2026 still included it.

Verdict: a story to tell at dinner, best for strong swimmers who don’t mind 50-something-degree water.

17. Southeast Alaska Discovery Center

The U.S. Forest Service’s visitor center downtown explains the Tongass, the rainforest and the people who live in it, with exhibits and a film. It charges a small fee, and the Forest Service’s 2026 fee proposal covered it along with the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, so check the current price.

Verdict: a solid hour on a wet day, and a good primer before a rainforest tour.

18. Ward Cove’s visitor hub

Norwegian Jade docked in Ketchikan beside a pier with benches and a painted boat display
Norwegian Jade in Ketchikan on June 17, 2026. Check whether your ship docks downtown or at Ward Cove before you plan the day.

If your ship docks at Ward Cove, you don’t have to go anywhere. In 2026 the terminal added a visitor hub with the second Lumberjack Show venue, axe throwing, open-fire dining, a zipline park and a brewery, distillery and winery. Our page on Ward Cove in Ketchikan covers the terminal in detail.

Verdict: convenient, but don’t let it replace downtown and the totems. Ride the shuttle in.

19. A rainforest hike

Ketchikan hiking starts on the edge of downtown. The Deer Mountain trail climbs steeply through rainforest to views over Tongass Narrows, and gentler trails wind through the woods closer to sea level. Go with a map, rain gear and a clear turnaround time, because a short port day and a steep trail are a bad combination.

Verdict: the best free excursion in town for fit walkers who read the clock.

20. Downtown on your own

Ride the free shuttle, see the Tongass Historical Museum, walk Creek Street, watch the floatplanes come and go, and have a long lunch. Our guide to Ketchikan excursions on your own maps out a do-it-yourself day, free things to do in Ketchikan lists the no-cost stops, and the best restaurants in Ketchikan tells you where to eat halibut and chips.

Verdict: if you’ve already booked a big tour elsewhere this week, this is the right way to do Ketchikan.

Floatplane or boat for Misty Fjords?

QuestionFloatplaneBoat
Time neededAbout 1.75 hoursAbout 5.25 hours
2026 price$329 to $369 (Taquan Air)Check with Allen Marine
ViewsFrom above, with a lake landingFrom water level, with New Eddystone Rock
Weather riskLow cloud grounds flightsRuns in most weather, sees less in fog
MotionBumps in windGentle in the inside waters
Fits a 6-hour port call?YesRarely

Verdict: fly if you can. The floatplane is shorter, the views are bigger and the lake landing is the moment people remember. Take the boat on a long port day, or if flying is out.

Which Ketchikan tours are the best value per hour?

Dollars per hour is a blunt tool, but it’s a useful one on a short port day, when every hour ashore is scarce. Here are the tours with published or widely reported 2026 prices, divided by the time they take.

Excursion2026 priceHoursCost per hourWhat you’re paying for
Misty Fjords floatplane$329 to $3691.75About $188 to $211Access: there’s no other quick way in
Bering Sea crab boatAbout $2393About $80A show, a boat ride and a covered seat
Saxman guided tourAbout $1502.5About $60Culture, dance and local guides
Rainforest ziplineAbout $150 to $2603 to 3.5About $45 to $85Adrenaline
Lumberjack ShowAbout $45About 1About $45An hour of entertainment
Totem Bight on your own$5 plus about $4 in bus fare2About $5A superb set of poles for pocket change

The floatplane looks expensive per hour, and it is. It also gets you somewhere you can’t otherwise reach in a port day, which is why it still tops our list. The totem parks, meanwhile, are almost free, which is why they rank so high.

Weather cancellations: what happens when it rains

It will probably rain. Ketchikan’s airport averages 7.02 inches of rain in June and 14.30 inches in September, the wettest of the major cruise ports. Rain alone doesn’t cancel much. Low cloud and fog do, and floatplane tours are the first to go, because pilots need to see the terrain.

If you booked through your ship, a canceled tour is refunded to your onboard account. If you booked independently, read the operator’s weather policy before you pay. Either way, have a plan B that doesn’t need wings: the Totem Heritage Center, the crab boat, the Lumberjack Show and Creek Street all work in the rain.

Ketchikan excursions from cruise ships: book direct or through the ship?

Ketchikan is one of the easiest ports to book independently, because so much is walkable from the downtown berths and the operators are used to cruise schedules. But three things push toward the ship.

  • Some tours are ship-only. Taquan Air sells its bear-viewing flights exclusively through the cruise lines, and its Anan trip only through select lines.
  • The ship waits for its own tours. The big lines typically promise to hold the ship if a tour they sold runs late. Royal Caribbean, for one, says so in writing, and says it won’t wait for independent tours.
  • Weather refunds are simpler. A canceled ship tour is refunded automatically.

Verdict: book floatplanes and bears through the ship on a short port day, and book walkable or local tours such as the totem parks, the crab boat and the Lumberjack Show directly.

What sells out in Ketchikan

Ketchikan expected a record of more than 1.6 million cruise passengers in 2026, and on a four- or five-ship day the good tours go early. Book these as soon as your cruise is paid in full:

  • Anan bear flights, which Taquan marks as likely to sell out, at a site capped at 60 visitors a day in its peak season
  • Bear-viewing floatplanes in late July and August
  • Early-morning Misty Fjords flights, which have the most time to wait out bad weather
  • Small-boat fishing charters

The Lumberjack Show, the crab boat and the totem parks rarely sell out entirely, but popular times fill.

The all-aboard math for a Ketchikan port day

Ketchikan port calls are often short. Carnival Spirit’s 7-day Seattle itinerary, as listed in September 2026, has Ketchikan from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Work backward from an all-aboard time of about 12:30 p.m.:

  • Keep a 45- to 60-minute buffer: finish your last tour by about 11:30 a.m.
  • A 1.75-hour floatplane flight that leaves at 8 a.m. fits, with time for Creek Street afterward.
  • A 3-hour crab tour or 3.25-hour bear flight that starts by 8:15 a.m. fits, just.
  • The 5.25-hour boat trip to Misty Fjords doesn’t fit.
  • Docked at Ward Cove? Add 20 to 30 minutes each way on the shuttle unless the tour picks up there.

On a long call, say 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can do a floatplane in the morning, lunch downtown and Totem Bight in the afternoon.

Three sample Ketchikan port days

A six-hour call at a downtown berth

Be off the ship at the first chance and walk to the floatplane dock for an early Misty Fjords flight. Back by mid-morning, walk Creek Street and the salmon ladder, then ride the free shuttle to the Totem Heritage Center. Eat something quick and be back aboard with an hour to spare. Cost for two: about $660 to $740 for the flight, plus lunch.

An eight-hour call at Ward Cove

Take the complimentary shuttle into town early, or book a tour that picks up at Ward Cove. Do the crab boat or a bear flight in the morning, spend the afternoon at Saxman or Totem Bight, and leave the Ward Cove Lumberjack Show and a local beer for the last hour, right beside your ship.

A pouring-wet day

If the floatplanes are grounded, don’t sulk on the ship. Start at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, walk Creek Street under an umbrella, see the original poles at the Totem Heritage Center, and catch the Lumberjack Show under its covered grandstand. Ketchikan in the rain is still Ketchikan, and the salmon don’t mind.

Mistakes to avoid in Ketchikan

  • Booking the boat trip on a short call. A 5.25-hour tour doesn’t fit a six-hour day once you add the buffer.
  • Forgetting the Ward Cove shuttle. Up to an hour of round-trip riding can wreck a tight plan.
  • Treating totem poles as a photo stop. They’re family and clan histories. Take the guided tour at least once, and don’t touch or climb on the poles.
  • Waiting to book bears. The ship-only bear flights sell out on busy days in July and August.
  • Dressing for the forecast. Bring rain gear whatever the app says. It’s Ketchikan.

Ketchikan with kids, and without an excursion

For families, the Lumberjack Show, the crab boat and the salmon ladder are the easy wins, and our guide to things to do in Ketchikan with kids has more. Bear flights work for older children who can sit still in a small plane.

Wondering what to do in Ketchikan without an excursion? Plenty. Walk Creek Street, watch the salmon, take the free shuttle to the Totem Heritage Center, and bus to Totem Bight for $2 or so. That’s a full, cheap day, and it’s the right call if you’re spending big at another port. The Ketchikan cruise port page covers berths and getting around, and our Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show page has showtimes and venue tips.

For the complete list of sights, food and free stops, head back to our Ketchikan port guide.

Ketchikan excursions FAQ

What are the top 10 Ketchikan excursions?

Our top 10: Misty Fjords by floatplane, bear viewing by floatplane, Saxman Native Village, Totem Bight State Historical Park, the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour, Misty Fjords by boat, salmon or halibut fishing, the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, an Anan bear flight and a rainforest zipline. For value, add the Totem Heritage Center and the salmon ladder on Creek Street.

Is the Misty Fjords floatplane worth the money?

Yes. At $329 to $369 in 2026 for about 1.75 hours, including a lake landing, it’s the best-value flightseeing on most Alaska cruises, and it fits a short port day. The risk is weather: low cloud grounds floatplanes. Book an early departure, and have a rain plan that doesn’t need a plane.

Should I book Ketchikan excursions through my cruise ship?

Book floatplanes and bear viewing through the ship, especially on a short port day: some bear flights are sold only by the cruise lines, and the ship waits for its own tours. Totem parks, the Lumberjack Show and the crab boat are easy to book directly, and the totem parks are cheaper on your own.

What is there to do in Ketchikan without an excursion?

Walk Creek Street and watch salmon in Ketchikan Creek from July through October, ride the free downtown shuttle to the Totem Heritage Center, see the Tongass Historical Museum, and take the local bus to Totem Bight for about $2. Hike a rainforest trail if you’re fit and watch the time.

Can you go gold panning in Ketchikan?

Gold panning isn’t a signature Ketchikan excursion. The town’s story is salmon, timber and Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian culture rather than gold. If panning matters to your kids, plan it for Skagway or Juneau, where the Gold Rush history is the main event, and spend Ketchikan on totems, fjords and fish.

Are there fishing excursions from cruise ships in Ketchikan?

Yes, Ketchikan is one of the best cruise ports for fishing. Operators such as Baranof Fishing Excursions run salmon and halibut trips from downtown, and every big line sells fishing tours. Ask about licenses, whether you can keep and ship your catch, and exactly how long the boat is out.

Do Ketchikan floatplane tours get canceled for weather?

Sometimes. Rain alone rarely stops them, but low cloud and fog do, because pilots fly by sight. Ship-booked tours are refunded if canceled. Book the earliest flight you can, so there’s time for conditions to lift, and keep a rainy-day backup like the Totem Heritage Center or the crab boat.

Sources and How We Checked

We checked the prices, rules, schedules and ship deployments in this guide against the sources below on September 26, 2026, and we log each one in our research database with the date it was checked. Cruise lines change ships, fares and fees every season, so confirm anything that affects your booking with the line or the agency concerned. Alaska Cruise Guide (AlaskaCruise.org) is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with any cruise line, port, tour operator or tourism office, and no one paid to be included.

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