Out to Sea Blog

Travel Tips, Local Lore, Sea Stories, & More

Background of mountains and charming downtown with a sign in the foreground reading "Welcome to Alaska's 1st City" "Ketchikan" in large red letters and "The Salmon Capital of the World" below

Local’s Guide to Ketchikan

Welcome to Ketchikan! Whether you’re here for a day, a week, or a season, there’s a lot to see in town and around the island. Ketchikan is located on the island of Revillagigedo (most just call it Revilla) and..

Ketchikan Birding

With over 280 species of birds recorded in the area, birding in Ketchikan is a must do activity. Steep rainforest covered mountains, deep ocean fjords, muskeg, open alpine, rocky shorelines, and grassy estuaries provide diverse habitats for…

Bow of Zodiac overlooking downtown Ketchikan with cruise ships

Non-touristy things to do in Ketchikan

Step away from the downtown cruise ship docks and Ketchikan is as non-touristy as it gets. Alaska’s First City is a bustling center of maritime commerce. While Ketchikan is a popular cruise ship port, commercial fishing is still an important part of Ketchikan’s economy, and the town is known as the Salmon Capital of the World.