How to Get Around Ketchikan Without a Car
If you're arriving in Ketchikan on a cruise ship or flying in for a short trip, you almost certainly don't need a rental car — and in a lot of cases, it'll actively slow you down. Ketchikan is small, walkable near the docks, and most of the best excursions come with pickup included. Here's how to actually get around.
The Short Version
Most visitors don't drive in Ketchikan at all. Downtown and the cruise dock area are walkable, tour operators handle transportation to excursion sites, and taxis/shuttles cover everything else. Save the rental car money for something else on your trip.
Getting Around Downtown
If your ship docks at the downtown berths (Berth 1-4), you're already in walking distance of Creek Street, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, and most of the shops and galleries along the waterfront. It's a compact downtown — you can cover the main sights on foot in under an hour.
If you're docked further out (Ward Cove, about 8 miles from downtown), your cruise line will typically run a shuttle into town, or you can grab a taxi.
Getting to Tours and Excursions
This is where most people overthink it. Nearly every Ketchikan tour we book — including snorkeling, floatplane flightseeing, and boat-based trips — includes pickup from the cruise dock or a nearby meeting point as part of the tour. You don't need your own transportation to get to the adventure; the operator brings the adventure to you (or picks you up and takes you to it).
A few examples:
The Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure — meets near the docks, all gear included, no personal transportation needed.
Misty Fjords Flightseeing — floatplane departures are a short walk or quick shuttle from the cruise berths.
Alaskan Lodge Adventure & Seafeast — boat transportation is part of the tour.
Premier Catamaran Whale Watch (Juneau) and similar boat tours across Southeast Alaska follow the same pattern — dock pickup is standard.
See all Ketchikan tours and what pickup is included on each here.
If You Need to Get Somewhere Independently
Taxis are available at the dock and are the easiest option for a quick independent trip (to the airport ferry, for example — Ketchikan's airport is actually on a different island and requires a short ferry crossing).
The Ketchikan airport ferry runs regularly and is how you'd reach the airport if you're flying in or out, car or no car.
Local buses exist but run on a limited schedule that's built around residents, not tourists — for a short visit, taxis or tour pickups will almost always be faster.
When You Might Actually Want a Car
If you're staying multiple days and want to explore outside the main tourist areas at your own pace (or you're combining Ketchikan with a longer Southeast Alaska road trip via ferry), a rental car can make sense. But for the typical cruise stop or short visit, it adds cost and hassle without adding much you couldn't already reach on foot or through a tour pickup.
Bottom Line
For a standard cruise stop or short visit, skip the rental car. Walk downtown, let your tour operator handle pickup for excursions, and use a taxi for anything else. Browse Ketchikan tours and excursions here — every one listed includes exactly what's included in the description, so you'll know before you book whether transportation is handled.
Questions about logistics for your specific stop? Call or text us at 907-350-3104 — we're happy to help you plan the day.