Don't Travel to Ketchikan Alaska Before You Watch This..
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#ObesityCrisis
#AmericanHealth
#HealthTrends
#ObeseCities
#WeightLossJourney
#PublicHealth
#HealthyLiving
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#UrbanHealth
#FitnessGoals
#CityWellness
#LifestyleChanges
#HealthAwareness
#DietAndExercise
#HealthyCities
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TravelTranscript
00:00If you ever find yourself in Ketchikan, Alaska, you probably found yourself there on a cruise
00:04ship sailing up the Inside Passage.
00:07That's because, like the state capital of Juneau, Ketchikan isn't part of the road system.
00:12It's a beautifully quaint port town that encompasses everything you would imagine an Alaska trip
00:17could be.
00:18With a population of only 8,000 people, there are many unique things about the town, such
00:23as the fact that Ketchikan has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles.
00:27It is Alaska's southeastern-most settlement, and its proximity to the continental U.S.
00:32and coastal location actually keeps it relatively immune from Alaska's famously harsh climate.
00:38It has warm to hot summers and fairly mild winters.
00:41Ketchikan was founded by a man named Mike Martin in 1885, but the Ketchikan Creek served
00:47as a summer fish camp for Tlingit natives for thousands of years before his arrival.
00:52In this video, we'll look at 10 amazing things to do and see while in Ketchikan, Alaska.
00:57Number 10 is what the town is famous for, visiting the totem poles.
01:01Head to Totem Bight State Park, which hosts the world's largest collection of totem poles,
01:06which serve as both pieces of art, but also of the region's rich cultural history.
01:11As non-native settlers came to the area, and the indigenous traditions of bartering and
01:15living off the land began to decline, many native Alaskans left the area.
01:20The villages and totem poles they left behind were soon overgrown by forests and eroded
01:25by weather.
01:26However, in 1938, the U.S. Forest Service began a program dedicated to saving, restoring,
01:33and reconstructing these large cedar monuments.
01:35Head to the park and step back in time to see the relics of the region's first peoples.
01:40Number 9 is birdwatching, but we're not talking about just any birds.
01:45The bald eagle.
01:46The bald eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782, and has served
01:51as a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that.
01:55The bird is native to North America, and Ketchikan is one of the best places in the
01:59country to spot these majestic birds.
02:02Because eagles are meat-eaters, or more specifically, fish-eaters, you'll see plenty of them at
02:07the mouth of salmon streams, Ward Cove, Herring Cove, and the town's namesake, Ketchikan
02:12Creek.
02:13Salmon, their fish of choice, usually swim through the area from April through September.
02:18And since the water remains largely ice-free and the fish keep coming, the eagles can also
02:23be spotted throughout the winter.
02:25Number 8 is kayaking or cruising through Misty Fjords National Monument.
02:30There are no roads, so the only way to explore it is by the sea or air.
02:34By sea, you can choose to kayak or cruise.
02:37Ketchikan is a kayaker's dream spot.
02:40Head out on the water for a few hours, or pack up your camping gear and make it a multi-day
02:44trip.
02:45There's no shortage of waters to paddle.
02:47It's not just Norway that claims the world's most beautiful fjords.
02:50Ketchikan is home to the Misty Fjords National Monument, which is 2.1 million acres that
02:56leads kayakers through cascading waterfalls, steep glaciers, and an abundance of opportunities
03:01to spot wildlife, like the bald eagles mentioned above.
03:04If you want to check out the fjords and glaciers without the effort of kayaking or the risk
03:09of getting wet, then book a day cruise, where your captain will take you through the picturesque
03:13area.
03:14Number 7 is a stroll down historic Creek Street.
03:17Despite its remote location nestled in a non-road-accessible part of an already remote state, thousands
03:23of visitors come to Ketchikan every year and walk the historic road.
03:27Creek Street is built along the shores of Ketchikan Creek, and like much of the town,
03:32it was built over the water.
03:33Why is so much of Ketchikan famously built over water?
03:36Well, it was simply too difficult to blast away the rocky hills surrounding the creek.
03:41This is a common theme with Ketchikan, and you will see many things built over water,
03:46so to speak.
03:48The antique boardwalk takes you over Ketchikan Creek, and it's home to restaurants, boutique
03:52shops, the Dolly's House Museum, private homes, and some of the best salmon-viewing
03:57areas in Ketchikan.
03:59Which is no small feat, given how many good salmon-viewing areas the town has to offer.
04:03Married Man's Trail and the Salmon Ladder are also not to be missed when exploring Creek
04:08Street.
04:09The street is known affectionately as Ketchikan's Red Light District, which perfectly matches
04:14the street's history during Prohibition, when it was lined with bootlegger speakeasies
04:18and ladies of the night.
04:19It's no longer a seedy street, but you'll be able to see the remnants of its 1920s glory.
04:25Number 6 is Fishing
04:27Looking for a big catch in Ketchikan?
04:29The best way is to charter a fishing excursion, where experienced guides can take you to some
04:34of the most salmon-rich areas.