This Sleepy Alaskan Town Is Home To One Of America's Most Breathtaking Waterfall Swimming Holes

When you think of Alaska, adventures and wild scenery probably come to mind. If you're after a spot that mixes wilderness with a fishing town vibe, you should get to know Ketchikan. Visiting this sleepy Alaskan town, you'll come across places like Creek Street, which is a wooden walkway sitting on stilts above Ketchikan Creek. This community is found in forestry and shorelines, giving you many stunning views. Just 10 miles outside of Ketchikan is the breathtaking South Tongass Waterfall, tumbling over 100 feet into a crisp pool, easily accessible from the South Tongass Highway on a 0.2-mile trail.

How the waterfall looks can shift with the time of year and how much rain has fallen. You might see it go from a giant downpour during spring when the snow melts to softer sprays in the summer. Where the main drop ends, water pools up about 30 feet down from the road, making a place where you can swim. If swimming is something you want to do, going in late summer is a good idea, since the water's flow is usually calmer then and heats up a bit after the melted snow.

When you see Ketchikan, you'll notice its waterfront right away, with colorful houses built up high. It has a strong connection to fishing and the traditions of Native Alaskan people, which is evident from the area's many totem poles. Your views in Ketchikan will be of the ocean, beautiful Alaskan mountains, and plenty of greenery. If you wander down Creek Street, which has a history of its own, you'll find it's now filled with small boutique shops, art spots, and places to eat within the town's older buildings for you to check out.

To really get to know Ketchikan, you can check out its wild places and historical spots. The Tongass National Forest has many paths for walking, like the Deer Mountain Trail and the Rainbird Trail, which show off the area's stunning nature. Boat trips and tours are there to take you to see animals like whales, seals, and sea otters, as well as the incredible year-round glacier views (cue Miranda Priestly's "glacial pace" quote). Another activity you can do is look for bears at certain locations reachable from Ketchikan, mostly when the salmon are moving upstream.

When you want to grab a bite to eat in Ketchikan, you have a plethora of choices. Alaskan seafood, like king crab, salmon, and halibut, is found at many local places where you can get a fresh taste of the region. Places like The Alaska Fish House are hotspots known for their tacos, fish and chips, and salmon chowder. Annabelle's Keg & Chowder House has a handful of chowder options, seafood, and beer flights inside an old hotel. For other kinds of food, Pioneer Cafe has American-style meals, and Burger Queen is known for its hamburgers and milkshakes served out of a smaller shack if that's what you're in the mood for.

You can also take some time to learn about the culture by going to the Totem Heritage Center, which keeps historical totem poles from the 1800s for you to see. Saxman Native Village (a six-minute drive from Ketchikan) and Totem Bight State Historical Park (a 33-acre Alaska state park) also show these commemorated poles and give information about Native Alaskan customs. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is a fun, family-friendly get-together based on the area's logging past, tree climbing, and axe throwing, which you might find quite enjoyable.

Flying into the Ketchikan International Airport (KTN) is your best bet to reach the town. It's on a separate island, Gravina Island, so your first real taste of renowned Alaskan paradise will be a quick boat ride to get to the main town of Ketchikan. The airport ferry runs regularly (taking about five minutes), leaving the airport on the hour and half-hour, and heading back from Ketchikan at quarter past and quarter to the hour. It runs from 6:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day; be sure to keep that in mind for your flights. You'll most likely fly with Alaska Airlines, the main airline that services KTN.

If you're arriving by cruise, your ship will pull into one of two main ports. You might dock downtown in the Port of Ketchikan, which puts you within walking distance of the town. If your ship docks at the Ward Cove terminal, it's farther out, but you can take a shuttle to downtown.

When you get to Ketchikan, there are many places to stay, from lodges with mountainous views to older inns. Cape Fox Lodge has rooms that have a cabin-like feel where you can see Deer Mountain or the water. The Inn at Creek Street lets you stay in the historical and vintage part of downtown, with rooms looking over the water. For a more upscale, boutique vibe, the Black Bear Inn has ocean views and cozy features. The Landing Hotel is handy if you come by boat or plane, as it's near the ferry port. My Place Hotel has rooms suited for short and long-term stays in Ketchikan, and the Gilmore Hotel by Wyndham is a well-known brand that is in downtown. You can also stay at The Ketch Inn, which is another ultimate Alaska waterfront lodge with coastal décor.