Visiting Ketchikan, Alaska

Whether you travel by cruise, ferry or airplane, getting to Ketchikan, Alaska is a beautiful trip. Personally, I took the Alaska state run car ferry, called the Alaska Marine Highway System; you can read my article about it after you click on my name below the title and look for "Alaska Marine Highway." Ketchikan is a fun tourist destination that offers the staples of an Alaskan trip with some added bonuses.

As with other places in Alaska, in Ketchikan you can arrange for fishing trips with relative ease because of the many guides that exist. If you want to fish for salmon, definitely plan in advance because each species has a different peak time and those fill quickly. The runs can vary locally so ask the guide when the best time is if your schedule is flexible enough.

You can also go snorkeling and scuba diving as well in Ketchikan. Something most people would never expect, but is a lot of fun once you try it. Again, I have written an article about this as well, so you can click on my name above and look for the title "Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Alaska."

Ketchikan is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, which is 17 million acres. This is the largest national forest in America and probably also the most remote and untouched. You can visit the depths of the forest in three ways. One is to charter a plan to fly above the forest. This offers some stunning views of the steep mountains, snow, green forest and startlingly clear, blue water.

You can also charter a boat to take you up the water ways into the forest. You won't get as far into the forest, but you will be witnessing it on a closer level. Both methods of seeing the Tongass National Forest are quite popular and there are several companies that you can charter.