How much does it cost to travel to Ketchikan?
You should plan to spend around $220 per day on your vacation in Ketchikan. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $53 on meals
- $39 on local transportation
- $271 on hotels
A one week trip to Ketchikan for two people costs, on average, $3,076. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Ketchikan has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Ketchikan expensive to visit?
Prices in Ketchikan are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Ketchikan is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Jacksonville or Cape Canaveral.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Ketchikan Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Ketchikan?
The average Ketchikan trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Ketchikan travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
$271
|
Local Transportation 1
|
$39
|
Food 2
|
$53
|
Entertainment 1
|
$46
|
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Alcohol 2
|
$11 -
34
|
Accommodation Budget in Ketchikan
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Ketchikan is $136. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Ketchikan is $271. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Ketchikan? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Ketchikan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Ketchikan is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $39 per person, per day, on local transportation in Ketchikan.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$39
How much does it cost to go to Ketchikan? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Ketchikan will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Ketchikan are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Ketchikan, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Food Budget in Ketchikan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Ketchikan can vary, the average cost of food in Ketchikan is $53 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Ketchikan should cost around $21 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Ketchikan is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$53
Typical prices for Food in Ketchikan are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Ketchikan, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Slice of Pie & Drink
$5.00
Entertainment Budget in Ketchikan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Ketchikan typically cost an average of $46 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$46
Typical prices for Entertainment in Ketchikan are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Ketchikan, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Alcohol Budget in Ketchikan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $23 on alcoholic beverages in Ketchikan per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$23
Ketchikan On a Budget
Ketchikan, Alasak
Ketchikan, Alaska is located at the southern end of the well-known Alaskan inside passage. It is often called the beginning of the last frontier, because of it's location near the southern entrance of Alaska. It is a beautiful and quaint town, that leaves you feeling like you may have gone back in time with its storefront lined streets and natural beauty. Ketchikan has been called some of the most beautifully stunning wilderness area in the world. It is known as the Salmon Capital of the World due to the superior century old fishing industry in the area. The Native Culture in Ketchikan is extremely rich and it is home to the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes. The nearby Tongass rainforest provides red cedar trees for the popular totem poles, which are abundant in the area.
Most of the people who travel to Ketchikan (over 800,000 every year) come on a cruise ship. They stay for a couple of hours and see a few of the area's highlights. If you arrive by a different means of transportation and have more time to explore the area, you will find it has any number of activities to offer you. You can enjoy anything from kayaking to hiking, canopy tours, or seaplane tours. If you want to head into the surrounding area, you can visit the unique rain forest in the area. There are many isolated bays, deep channels, and small islands, all of which are worth a visit. If you can rent a boat for a few hours you are likely to have a once in a lifetime experience.
Sights
There is plenty to see in Ketchikan. Just the natural scenery from town is breathtaking in itself, but there are plenty of other sights to see. The Tongass rainforest just a short ride from town, and is a beautiful sight with its towering trees and salmon filled river that often hosts thousands of salmon making their way back home to lay their eggs.
There is the totem park, which is home to several totems carved by local natives. This area in general is famous for totem poles, but the totem park has the biggest collection and is quite interesting to see, especially if you take the tour where a local native tells you the history and meaning behind the carvings.
Neighborhoods
Ketchikan is a relatively small city and does not include many separate neighborhoods. The primary location is the downtown area. This is where the cruise ships dock, the shopping areas are found, where the majority of the restaurants are located, and even where many of the cultural Native performances take place.
Just outside the city limits is where the Tongass Rainforest Park is located along with Totem Park. There are also a couple of small suburb areas which are mainly residential and are still considered part of the city by most.
Activities
There are numerous tours available in Ketchikan, including tours and performances by local Natives. The Tlingit tribe has a show where they tell the history of their people and perform many of their ritual dances and even allow you to join in if you like! It's a great way to learn a little history about the Native culture.
There is also a Ketchikan Duck tour available that takes you out to see some of the best of the beautiful area from both land and sea. It takes you both around the harbor in the downtown area and up through part of the Tongass Forest. It's a fun way to learn a little about the area while getting to see it from unique viewpoints.There are plenty of options for the more adventurous thrill seeker as well, including zip lining in the rain forest, going off road in an ATV, or going for a canoeing trip. Or, if you like a slower, more relaxing day, Ketchikan has a great selection of shops, from touristy souvenir shops to specialty stores with locally made items and art.
Food and Dining
Ketchikan is the seafood lovers dream. Though it is known as the salmon capital, Ketchikan's seafood fare is not limited to this. You can find just about any kind of seafood you like here, and it is all fresh and cooked to perfection. The Alaskan Fish House is one of the top choices for some great seafood. Its location right downtown makes it easy to get to.
If you aren't really a seafood kind of person, that's okay. Ketchikan also has some great options for you. Check out Jeremiah's, a great pizza and pasta restaurant and one of the local favorites.
Transportation
Ketchikan is not directly accessible by car. There are ferries available which will get you there. The town is accessible only by air or sea. It is only about a 1.5 hour flight from Seattle, and there are a few different ferry departure locations as well, though one of the most popular ways to get to Ketchikan is on a cruise ship and many thousands of people visit the city through this method every year.
Getting around in Ketchikan is not too difficult. It is a small town with a population of only about 8,000, and its longest road is only 30 miles along the coast. The downtown area is compact and easy to walk, but there is also a free shuttle bus that runs the downtown loop from May-September, which are the busiest tourist months. There are also city buses and taxi's available.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.