How to see totem poles in Ketchikan Alaska during a cruise ship visit

Hi there!

Ketchikan is one of the best cruise ports to see totem poles, and it’s pretty easy to do so.

If you want the quick and easy decision to be made for you (and cheap!), then you should highly consider going to Totem Bight State Historical Park by bus to see totem poles in Ketchikan! (Look for that option below for more specifics!)

Otherwise, you can see totem poles for free by casually walking around downtown Ketchikan, do one of the many excursions to see totem poles that include walking straight up to them or seeing them from a distance, or you can go to one of the totem parks on your own by bus!

While it’s quite possible you will come across totem poles naturally as you are walking around downtown, you will still want to know where to look just in case!

Doing an excursion will allow you to get a deeper understanding for Native Alaskan culture (which is a good reason to do a tour), but you don’t need to do a totem tour in order to see totem poles. There are several ways you can see totem poles on your own when you are in Ketchikan.

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I have been to Ketchikan 5 times by cruise ship, so I’ve had a chance to see totem poles at a few different places around Ketchikan! Below I will give you the best options for seeing totem poles on your own and through a tour.

1. Totem Bight State Historical Park

Totem Bight State Historical Park is the best place to go in Ketchikan to see a collection of totem poles in a natural setting!

It’s an easy and direct bus ride to get there from the cruise port.

There is a totem trail that will take you through a forest to the coast line for a nice nature walk. You can stop and look at totem poles along the way. There is also a clan house that you can walk into to see more totem poles, and you can take a peek into the restoration shed to see a totem pole in the making.

👇 Totem poles along the totem trail of Totem Bight State Historical Park.

🤓 Be informed: Your visit to Totem Bight State Historical Park will be enhanced by learning about each of the totem poles. Be sure to look for the state park brochure in the box next to the pay station! Or, save this alaska.gov pdf to your phone, and use it as your guide as you stop at each totem pole! (They are numbered.)

👆 Download the Totem Bight totem pole guide before you go from alaska.gov, or look for the brochure once you arrive at Totem Bight State Park!

How to get to Totem Bight State Park

You can take the bus from downtown Ketchikan to get to Totem Bight State Park.

Plenty of cruise passengers do this, so you can be assured that it’s easy enough.

There’s a bus stop in front of the coffee shop called Alaska Coffee, and you will look for the bus that says on the front that it’s going to Totem Bight.

It’s $2 per person (see current bus fare), exact change only, so be sure to bring dollar bills. You can ask guest services on the cruise ship to break change for you. (I have done this on a Princess cruise ship.) You can also pay through the Token Transit app.

You can use google maps to help you with planning for the Ketchikan bus. Look for the public transit icon!

I used google maps to get around by bus in Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, and Vancouver.

Ketchikan cruise port to Totem Bight State Park bus: see the map

Here are the official instructions from the Ketchikan tourism people from 2023 for the public bus to Totem Bight State Park that is 10 miles north of the cruise port in downtown Ketchikan:

Silver Line North leaves from the bus stop on Front Street, just past Dock Street (bus stop is in front of Alaska Coffee) every hour on the 0:25 past the hour.

The bus returns from the park every hour on the 0:13 past the hour.

Bus fare is $2 each way, exact change.

Admission to the park is $5 per person.

2. Rainforest and totem tour

There are a number of tours that you can do in Ketchikan that include a stop at a totem park.

Depending on the tour, you may stop at Totem Bight State Historical Park, Saxman Totem Park, or Potlatch Totem Park.

👆 Group tour at a totem park. (Totem Bight State Park)

Most tours that include totem poles are combination tours that include not just totem poles, but also another worthy Ketchikan activity.

So a totem tour can be a good way to learn about Native Alaskan culture, and do something else that makes for a fun Ketchikan memory!

For 2 classic Ketchikan activities in one tour, you can do the 3 hour rainforest walk and totem park tour.

Southeast Alaska (where you will be for most of your cruise) is mostly covered in Tongass National Forest, which is said to be the “largest intact temperate rainforest in the world,” according to the US Forest Service. It’s also the largest national forest in the US.

And you can do a rainforest tour in Ketchikan that also includes totem poles!

Along with totem poles, Ketchikan is known for the huge amount of rainfall it gets, so by doing a rainforest and totem tour, you get to experience 2 very Ketchikan experiences!

Read the reviews: 3 hour rainforest walk and totem park tour

3. Saxman Native Village excursion

Another excursion you’ll want to consider if totem poles are a top priority for you in Ketchikan is a Saxman Native Village excursion, which is a trip to Saxman Totem Park. The way to do this is an excursion through the cruise ship.

While you can go to Saxman Totem Park on your own (this is explained next), the reason to go to Saxman Park through an excursion is so you can attend the Native Alaskan cultural performance.

The only way to see this performance is through a cruise ship tour.

You can’t just show up on your own to Saxman Park and attend the show.

Through the tour, you will also be going inside the clan house (where the dance performance will be held) and to the totem carving shed.

👆 Clan house at Saxman totem park. While you can walk around the totem park on your own, you can only go inside the clan house through a tour.

You can book a Saxman Native Village excursion through your cruise line that is mostly just the totem park.

The basic excursion is the Saxman Native Village, Dance Performance & Totem Park.

You can experience extra Native Alaska culture by doing the excursion called Ultimate Saxman Experience: Cultural Showcase, Native Crafts & Culinary Tasting.

Those are specifically Princess excursions, but you can look for something similar on your cruise line’s Ketchikan excursion page if you’re booked on another cruise line.

Princess also lists reviews for all of their excursions, so be sure to read those!

If your cruise is booked, it’s best to log into your account to see excursions, so you’ll get the most updated and available excursions.

4. Saxman Totem Park

Saxman Park is another one of the places you can go in Ketchikan on your own to see a collection of totem poles.

The area to walk around is a small area, so this is an easy way to see a lot of totem poles. The only “problem” is that there are no informational signs, so you don’t get the background of the different totem poles, or even the significance of totem poles in general.

Otherwise, it’s an easy and direct bus ride from the cruise port to see a bunch of totem poles.

How to get to Saxman Totem Park

You can take the bus from downtown Ketchikan to get to Saxman Totem Park.

Plenty of cruise passengers do this, so you can be assured that it’s easy enough.

There’s a bus stop right in front of the cruise ships, near the Ketchikan Visitor’s Bureau. You’ll look for the bus stop with a shelter that is on the cruise ship side of the street.

It’s $2 per person (see current bus fare), exact change only, so be sure to bring dollar bills. You can ask guest services on the cruise ship to break change for you. You can also pay through the Token Transit app.

You can use google maps to help you with planning for the Ketchikan bus. Look for the public transit icon!

Ketchikan cruise port to Saxman Park bus: See the map

Here are the official instructions from the Ketchikan tourism people from 2023 for the public bus to Saxman Native Village that is 2.5 miles south of the cruise port in downtown Ketchikan:

Silver Line South leaves from the cruise ship side of Front Street (between Dock and Mission streets) at the covered bus stop every hour on the 0:45.

The bus returns from the park every hour on the 0:15.

Bus fare is $2 each way, exact change.

Admission to the park is $5 per person.

Saxman Park or Totem Bight?

The big reason that Saxman Park could be better than Totem Bight is if you are doing the cruise ship excursion that includes the Native Village dance performance and other native Alaskan activities.

Otherwise, if you are looking to go to one of the totem parks on your own, Totem Bight is better. Because Saxman Park doesn’t have informational signs, you don’t know what you’re looking at as you’re wandering around.

Totem Bight doesn’t have informational signs either, but it does have the brochure you can get, so be sure you have that on your phone or look for it once you arrive! Totem Bight is also in more of a natural setting so it makes for a better nature walk!

That said, if you just want a quicker way to SEE totem poles, then you won’t be disappointed with Saxman Park.

🤓 Be informed: If you do the Ketchikan snorkeling tour, then you can ask to be dropped off at Saxman Park after the tour on your way back! (That’s what I did! Then I took the bus back.)

5. Eagle Park

Eagle Park is hardly a park as you’d think of it, but it’s officially called the Eagle Park. It is basically an eagle totem pole on a small patch of grass.

It is an easy totem pole to see directly in front of the cruise port, so you might want to make the easy walk to see it!

Depending on where your cruise ship is docked, you might naturally walk past it as you walking to downtown. Otherwise, you’ll want to make a note to be sure to walk to it!

If you are docked at berth 4, then the eagle totem pole is on your way to downtown Ketchikan where everything is. If you are on an NCL cruise ship, the shuttle from Ward Cove will drop you off at berth 4, so similarly, look for the eagle totem pole as you walk towards downtown!

Ketchikan cruise port to Eagle Park walk: See the map

6. Totem Heritage Center

The Totem Heritage Center can be the one of the best places to go if you have an interest in totem poles, because this will allow you to get a deeper understanding of the meaning of totem poles.

Since this is an indoor activity, the Totem Heritage Center can make for a good thing to do in Ketchikan in the rain… although I would recommend being prepared for the rain and not let the rain stop you from doing the outdoor totem activities!

How to get to the Totem Heritage Center

If you’re up for a walk through downtown, you can walk to the Totem Heritage Center from the cruise port. It will be about a 15-20 minute walk depending on which area you’re coming from.

Or, you can take the free shuttle that loops around downtown Ketchikan. The Totem Heritage Center is one of the shuttle stops.

Ketchikan cruise port to Totem Heritage Center: See the map

Here are the official instructions from the Ketchikan tourism people from 2023 about the free downtown Ketchikan shuttle:

Catch the free downtown shuttle at most regular bus stops downtown.

The shuttle is a loop “hop on, hop off” that returns to each location every 20 minutes.

The free shuttle hits all major highlights of downtown including: Creek Street, Tongass Historical Museum, and Totem Heritage Center.

7. Chief Johnson totem pole

The Chief Johnson totem pole is another totem pole that is easy to see, as it’s located along the street in downtown Ketchikan. It’s a tall totem pole so if you happen to be walking on the street this totem pole is located, you can’t miss it!

👇 Spot the totem pole!

How to get to the Chief Johnson totem pole

You can walk to the Chief Johnson totem pole from the cruise port!

There’s a good chance you’ll be going to Creek Street, and if you are, then it’s easy to make a side trip to see it.

Depending on how you get to Creek Street, you may pass right by it without having to go in search of it.

There are basically 3 spots to access Creek Street, and the Chief Johnson totem pole will be on the way if you go to Creek Street from the “middle” way.

Ketchikan cruise port to Chief Johnson totem pole to Creek Street: See the map

If you are going to Ketchikan during salmon season, then you will also want to go to the Salmon Ladder from Creek Street!

8. Potlatch Totem Park

Potlatch Park is another park where there is a collection of totem poles. In addition to the totem poles, you can see a recreated Native Alaska village, and there is also a carving shed. The gift shop at Potlatch Park is a good place to do souvenir shopping too.

And… there is also a car museum at Potlatch Park where you can see an antique car collection.

Watch the video about Potlatch Park.

How to get to Potlatch Park

Potlatch Park is located near Totem Bight State Park, so getting there is the same way. It can even be reasonable to go to both totem parks. You can walk to Potlatch Park from Totem Bight State Park.

You take the bus from downtown Ketchikan to get to Potlatch State Park.

There’s a bus stop in front of the coffee shop called Alaska Coffee, and you will look for the bus that says on the front that it’s going to Totem Bight.

It’s $2 per person (see current bus fare), exact change only, so be sure to bring dollar bills.

You can ask guest services on the cruise ship to break change for you. (I have done this on a Princess cruise ship.) You can also pay through the Token Transit app.

You can use google maps to help you with planning for the Ketchikan bus.

Ketchikan cruise port to Potlatch Park bus: See the map

9. Whale Park

Similar to Eagle Park, don’t expect much of a park with Whale Park!

It is basically a small area along the side of the street with totem poles.

Although, Whale Park is a little more park-ish… because it has trees and benches! 🤣

But it is still hardly a park as you’d normally think of it!

It’s easy to make the Whale Park a part of your downtown Ketchikan walk, though!

How to get to Whale Park

You can walk to the Whale Park totem pole from the cruise port!

This is another totem pole that you can see on your way to Creek Street. You can map out your route so you can go to Whale Park, then Chief Johnson totem pole, then Creek Street!

Ketchikan cruise port to Whale Park to Chief Johnson totem pole to Creek Street: See the map

10. Lighthouse, eagles, totem tour

Another one of the excursions that you can do to see totem poles is the Ketchikan lighthouse tour.

This is not a tour you want to do if you want to get up close to the totem poles.

But it’s a nice easy-going time out on the water where you’ll do a sail-by of totem poles, have a chance to see eagles, and then see a lighthouse in Alaska.

If you’re lucky, it can become a whale watching trip too, although wildlife is never guaranteed. (Juneau is better for whale watching anyway!)

You may also see jellyfish in the water.

There is a passionate naturalist onboard, so you’ll learn about totem poles while on this tour, along with other Alaska things!

If you’re on a Norwegian cruise ship, this is one of the only tours that departs directly from Ward Cove, where all NCL cruise ships dock. (See tips for Ward Cove cruise port.)

If you are docked in downtown Ketchikan, which is where all other mainstream cruise lines dock, your tour will come with transportation from downtown.

👆 Totem pole along the shore line, as seen from a boat during the lighthouse eagle totem tour. You will sail by Totem Bight State Historical Park.

Read the reviews: Lighthouse, eagles, totem tour

Where to go for totem souvenirs in Ketchikan

One of the unique types of Alaska gifts you can get as a souvenir are wooden carvings or mini totem poles!

You can look for these at gift shops around Ketchikan, and one such store in downtown Ketchikan that can make for a good spot to buy unique Alaska souvenirs is Rain Barrel.

I actually noticed this gift shop because I was standing in front of it while waiting for the free downtown shuttle. 😅

It turns out it’s a good spot for Alaska souvenirs too!

Read the reviews: Rain Barrel

There is also a totem trail in Sitka. See about walking in Sitka to see totem poles!

If you are on an Alaska cruise from Seattle, you can do a totem walking route in Victoria! See about totem poles in Victoria.