About this experience
Ketchikan has always drawn people chasing gold, fish, fortune, or a fresh start, and not everyone succeeded. This self-guided audio tour surfaces the scandals and tragedies cruise lines skip, and how Indigenous people, immigrants, and workers pushed back against exploitation.
From the Rock statue, you'll pass Harding's 1923 Masonic cornerstone site, the courthouse behind two Supreme Court cases, and the firehouse, now Uncharted Distillery, linked to a fire chief's disguised return to set more fires.
The route continues to Creek Street, the red-light district, for the truth about Dolly the Sporting Woman, and the New York Cafe, whose Japanese-American owner survived WWII internment thanks to neighbors, ending at East Street Pier overlooking Pennock Island, Tongass National Forest, and the cruise ships.
At a glance
- Duration: 30 min–1 hr
- Private experience
Plan your experience
Set aside 30 min–1 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What is included
- Directions to the starting point so that when you're in the right place, the tour will start
- Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- The VoiceMap App for Android and iOS
Not included
- Smartphone and headphones
Itinerary and highlights
The route takes you past The Rock, a bronze monument unveiled near the cruise ship docks in 2010, its seven life-size figures depicting the loggers, miners and fishers who shaped early Ketchikan. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.
You'll walk past Pioneer Cafe on Mission Street, a diner decorated with Route 66 memorabilia that has fed Ketchikan's fishing and logging crews for decades. Any costs related to making purchases at the cafe are not covered in this tour.
You may spot Dolly's House on Creek Street, home and workplace of madam Dolly Arthur from 1919 until the district closed in 1954, now a museum with her original furnishings intact. Please note that admission to the museum is not included in this tour.
The route crosses Creek Street in Ketchikan, a boardwalk built on pilings that served as the town's red-light district until 1954. Any costs related to visiting the area or making purchases there are not covered in this tour.
You'll pass by the Potlatch Bar, built in the 1930s and reputed to be Ketchikan's oldest bar still standing in its original spot on Thomas Basin. Any costs related to making purchases at the bar are not covered in this tour.
Passing East Street, you'll see the pier where Ketchikan's fishing fleet still moors, at the edge of the historic Stedman-Thomas waterfront district. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.
Meeting and pickup information
- This tour starts at 210 Front St, Ketchikan. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Languages and tickets
- English — Audio
- English — Written
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- VoiceMap Audio Tours
Meeting points and locations
Accessibility and practical details
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Questions about this experience
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