What it's like
Creek Street is a boardwalk on stilts on a steep slope on the east side of Ketchikan Creek. It was once the town's red light district, roughly between 1903 and 1954, serving miners, fishermen and loggers. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
A visit is a slow walk along the wooden boards above the creek. Dolly's House is now a museum, and The Star, one of the largest former brothels, is a historic site. Shops and galleries fill the rest of the street. Parnassus Books, upstairs in the Star Building, stocks Alaska authors.
Good to know
- Ketchikan gets heavy rain. Bring a rain jacket and shoes that handle wet boards.
- Free walking map and guide are available from the Visitors Center for a self-paced walk.
Creek Street
Creek Street is a wooden boardwalk built on stilts above Ketchikan Creek, the most scenic stretch of downtown. Shops, galleries and old brothel buildings line the walk.
Tours that go here
Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Downtown Ketchikan
Downtown Ketchikan is a compact historic district of wooden storefronts, galleries and shops, easy to cover on foot. It is the town's main place to browse on foot.
Totem Heritage Center
Totem Heritage Center is a museum at 601 Deermount Street that holds one of the world's largest collections of unrestored 19th-century totem poles. Visitors also see Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian art and watch carvers at work.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
A Forest Service visitor center in downtown Ketchikan, with exhibits on the Tongass rainforest, native cultures and wildlife. A good first stop in town.
Totem Bight State Historical Park
Totem Bight State Historical Park is a 33-acre state park on the ocean about 10 miles north of Ketchikan. It holds a collection of totem poles and a replica of a traditional chieftain's house.
The same kind of day, elsewhere
Old town and historic sights
