Ketchikan Alaska

Ketchikan is a relatively small port with a population of only around 8,000. It's a beautiful town and it's very walkable from the cruise port. We've visited twice and enjoyed the port very much, although one trip it was raining the whole time. There's lots of shops, bars, and restaurants within a half mile of the port.

• Visit the shops - Ketchikan is one of the best ports for shopping because there are so many neat shops nestled between creeks, mountains, and ocean. Many are on the stilts shown above, and interconnected.

• Eat some salmon - There is something completely different about fresh (never frozen salmon) vs. what is usually available on the mainland. Fortunately, salmon season runs late spring through fall which is when almost all the cruises are. There are multiple restaurants, just check Google ratings and try to get a bit away from the dock. If you're not sure, you can ask your server what salmon is in season. You won't be disappointed.

• Alaskan weather - Ketchikan is very wet. The very rainy season starts in late July (average rainfall is about 7 inches in June vs. 14 inches in September) so plan your cruise accordingly. Alaskan summers along the Pacific ocean are typically cool but not cold. Think long pants and maybe a sweatshirt.

Top Your Own Excursion: Visit the Sourdough bar. This is the easiest excursion you can do since this bar is right next to the cruise port. However, it's just far enough off that when I visited there were plenty of locals there, making it less touristy than most. Good beer selection and reasonable prices (for Alaska which is notoriously expensive).

Top Booked Excursion: Fishing. No specific recommendations here, but since there's relatively less to do at this port than other Alaskan ports, this is a good port to book a fishing excursion if that's what you're interested in. Keep in mind rain is very common at this port.

Transportation: Very limited, but for the most part you won't need it since most of what you'd do is right in town. Anything outside of town and Uber is your best bet, but rides can be sparse so leave lots of extra time to get back to the ship.

Safety: A. This is one of the safest ports you can visit. Ketchikan is small and safe with limited crime risks and relatively low pick pocketing.

Port Rating: B. Overall a great port, safe with excellent restaurants, bars, and shopping. It's often very rainy, and excursions are fairly limited due to its small size and remote location.