Alaska (Ketchikan)
Trip Summary
Ketchikan was our fifth stop (and third land port) on the summer one-way Alaska itinerary on the Island Princess. Originally, my husband and I didn’t have anything planned for this port. It was near the end of our cruise itinerary, and we thought we would walk around the city and just enjoy the sights.
The port is easily walkable and when you get off the ship, downtown is fairly close, and there are a lot of shops to explore. Near the dock are also some interesting statues, a welcome sign, and interesting posters displaying all the facts and figures about Ketchikan–including the fact that it is the rainiest city in America. That is a fact, I believe, too, because it did rain the entire morning, but it was more of a misty drizzle and didn’t impede us as we ventured away from downtown and toward the Totem Heritage Center.
The walk is actually a very pretty one, and after exploring the heritage sites, we looked around the neighboring gardens as the rain began to let up.
I like being able to walk around leisurely in a port city every once in a while, and Ketchikan was a good city for it.
It is also known as the salmon capitol of the world, so my husband and I decided to look for a seafood place to try. We passed by the Alaska Fish House, and it had gotten good reviews and looked busy, so we decided to stop there for lunch.
But imagine our shock when we finally got to the front counter and most of the menu was already taped over with “sold out” signs. So much was gone, including all the salmon and halibut dishes. Only cod and hamburgers were left, so we ordered, but gracious, if you decide to try it, go early! We were there during early lunch time and even then, a lot of things were sold out, so I will definitely make a note to be at a place like this right at opening time to make sure I get to try what Ketchikan is famous for!
The food was good, and the inside of the restaurant was spacious enough to house a bunch of long tables where the other patrons were happy to share a spot with you. The food must have made everyone especially jovial, because my husband and I were hardly in the entrance before a guy started waving us over and making room at his table. He and his wife ended up being great lunch buddies as they talked about their cruise and travel experiences. When we left to explore the city more, we left friends!
For the friendly atmosphere, good food, convenient location, and plentiful seating, the place gets high marks! I do wish that they offered more of their menu and still had some of their more popular menu items available during the lunch hours, so that is the only downside.
Alaska Fish House: A-
At this point, the sun really started to come out and looked like it was going to stay. We also started to see a lot of the sea planes start to take off from the ocean (sea plane tours are one of the most popular things to do while in Ketchikan). I had thought of booking one, because I did want to see the Misty Fjords, but a lot of reviews I had read complained of frequently cancelled trips due to the weather.
But the previously forecasted rain was seeming to go away quickly, so my husband and I checked the time. We still had the afternoon left before we had to be back on the ship.
So we set off on a mission to find a sea plane tour that would take us. Booking something on the fly and without reading a ton of reviews first is something completely outside my comfort zone, but luckily, we found a great spot–Misty Fjords Air. And they had two spots open just for us!
Using the spotty cell signal I had, I looked up their company and was pleased that they had good ratings–and they live up to their reviews, too! They were very efficient in picking up their passengers (we only had seven people including the pilot in our plane) and the equipment all looked to be in great condition. You could also pick where you wanted to sit in the sea plane (all seats were by a window), so I decided to sit up front by the pilot, and my husband sat in the back–the best seat in the plane actually because you had windows on either side of you and could take the best pictures!
It had been a long time since I had been in a small plane like this one, but the excitement of flying was just the same! After takeoff, our pilot eased us out of Ketchikan and over the waters of the Misty Fjords. It was a mesmerizing trip, because you passed over so much beautiful scenery like waterfalls, jagged peaks, expansive coastlines, and beautiful blue waters.
The mistiness of the air created a special effect, too, because just when the mist obscured your vision, it cleared again, revealing another stunning scene.
Most impressive was the landing halfway through the ride as the pilot eased his way on the water and toward a floating dock. The landing was so smooth, you didn’t even feel the plane as it glided over the water–a surreal experience!
The sun was out in all its glory as we all got out on the dock, and the lighting was perfect for pictures. The pristine landscape was truly a sight to behold, and the short time we spent on the dock felt all too short!
The ride back was as equally majestic, and we spent time flying high over the peaks and low over the water, so we got a lot of varied experiences. The views were so beautiful that I think I just spent the entire trip clicking pictures–I didn’t want it to end!
When we landed, it was graceful (water landings are so peaceful!), and when we all got out of the plane, everyone talked excitedly amongst themselves about all the cool things they saw. It was truly an experience, and I am so glad that we booked this tour last minute!
For its experienced and professional pilot, excellent itinerary, organized tour, and fantastic plane, Misty Fjords Air gets high marks!
Misty Fjords Air Tour: A
By this time, we had to head back to the ship, but Ketchikan was one of our favorite spots in Alaska because of the sea plane tour!
Favorite Experiences
Definitely the sea plane tour–I think it stands out so much as a wonderful memory because it was so unexpected and last minute. I had debated on the cost, because it is a lot for a short tour. But I always have to remind myself that I may only experience a place once, so I don’t want to look back on a visit and regret not taking a tour or seeing something. I am glad that we did the sea plane excursion and would highly recommend it if you are considering it.
What I Wish I Knew
I wish I knew what a hot spot the Alaska Fish House was–we would have gotten there earlier right when it opened. So if you go, save the walking around and exploring for later–we could have easily switched up our plans had we known how popular this place was and how quickly they sold out of everything.
In hindsight, I wish I wasn’t so hesitant about booking a sea plane tour. They are expensive, but it was one of the better excursions on our whole trip, so definitely go–especially if you get a rare sunny day!
One thing I will say about the sea planes is that seat location definitely matters. If you just want to enjoy the experience, the seat up front with the pilot is the best bet because you are right next to the controls and see the sky and horizon looming at you the whole time, and that is a cool experience. It is not a good spot for pictures, though, because the propeller will end up in just about all your photos. The very few I had without the propeller are all posted here, haha. The best pictures are taken from the back seat because you have two windows to look out from–one on each side. Be aware of glare, though, on the windows and hold your phone/camera a few inches back from the window pane, and this will help.
If you want to read more about what to do and see in Ketchikan, there is a helpful forum here and an information page here. There is also a helpful walking map of the port here.
Whatever you do, have fun! This was one of the best places we saw in Alaska!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
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Happy travels!
