"Ketchikan: First Alaskan City Visited" Ketchikan by cheap_tourist

Ketchikan is the first Alaskan City I ever visited. I actually didn't have any choice in this matter. The cruise (on board Norwegian Star) first stops at Ketchikan, followed by Juneau, Skagway, and, finally, Prince Rupert in Canada.

In Ketchikan, we were allowed to disembark at 7:00 a.m., with specific instructions to return to the boat by 2:30 p.m. Our first thought was, what could you do in such a short time? Plenty, it turned out.

My companions and I didn't book any tours so we were free to explore the town on our own. I noticed in the map that there was a funicular tram, which goes up the top of a hill to Cape Fox Lodge. We headed for it, together with several other tourists. The bottom of the tram was on Creek Street, so named because it was by Ketchikan Creek. Creek Street is like a raised boardwalk--a street on stilts.

After experiencing the funicular tram, I went on my own and the first place I visited was the Tongass Historical Museum. That was where I got a Walking Tour Map. I followed the map and saw several attractions, including the Totem Heritage Center (a museum of totem poles), Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center (where I saw two bald eagles and several ponds of salmon), and the City Park. I also got a nice exercise. When I returned to downtown, I bought the requisite souvenir items. My impression was that the prices were very reasonable; there was no attempt to gouge the tourist at all.

Ketchikan is a nice charming city surrounded by natural beauty. It was a nice first glimpse for me of the great state of Alaska.