Ketchikan Tour: Explore in a '67 Volkswagen Van

Discover Ketchikan’s history and nature in a ‘67 VW van. Customize your tour and explore beaches, waterfalls, and scenic spots with a local guide.

Duration: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ketchikan - The group will be welcomed at Berth 2 near the Rock Statue.
  • Ketchikan - While traveling through historic Ketchikan, participants will discover the town’s vibrant history.
  • Rotary Beach - At Rotary Beach, there will be an opportunity to explore an Alaskan beach. Guides will highlight the unique flora and fauna, some exclusive…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • Local Guide
  • Van equipped with seat belts
What's Not Included
  • On-board WiFi
  • On-board restrooms
Additional Information

Discover Ketchikan in our classic ‘67 Volkswagen van. Immerse yourself in the vibrant history of Ketchikan, its rich Native heritage, and the diverse flora and fauna that make Southeast Alaska a remarkable destination. Our itinerary includes a visit to a local Alaskan beach for intertidal exploration (subject to tides), photo opportunities along Nichols…

Location
Ketchikan Visitors Bureau
Front Street
We will be parked at Berth 2 between the Visitors Bureau and the Tongass Trading Dock Store. We will meet you at the bronze statue called "The Rock" with a sign. If you are docked at Ward Cove, you will have to take the free shuttle to town walk to Berth 2 to meet us.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(73 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
324maxl
Oct 4, 2025
Wonderful, fun, learning experience - My husband booked this tour instead of going on a group tour with people from the cruise ship. Th owner took us to several places outside of town and we got to see several eagles, birds, bears, fish, and native star fish. The tour was awesome! I would recommend this tour versus going on a group tour as the group tours we encountered rushed everyone back on the bus. The owner was very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife. I did not hear or see that knowledge coming from the group tour operators.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
308simik
Sep 25, 2025
Excellent city tour with Tristan - Tristan, born and raised in Ketchikan took us on a tour of the city, excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable, very pleasant and very accommodating. Fantastic. Try his tour bus, definitely worth it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michele_h
Sep 24, 2025
Ketchikan from a Different Perspective - Perfect way to see more than the usual tourist stops in Ketchikan. Tristan and Ashley are longtime residents that can show you the natural beauty of the island. The VW bus is just fun icing on the cake!
Review provided by Viator
Galenem2025
Sep 21, 2025
Best excursion in Ketchikan! - This was by far our favorite excursion during our Alaskan Cruise! Getting picked up right at Ward Cove, and getting an early start at Herring Cove for bear watching before the crowds, was amazing. Tristan was an awesome guide and his VW bus was a beautiful ride. He was very knowledgeable about the area and this was the perfect way for us to explore Ketchikan on our limited time in port. We would definitely recommend this excursion to anyone wanting to see the sights of Ketchikan in a cool ride! Sundew Tours is the BEST!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sunshine202780
Sep 21, 2025
Ultimate Way to Enjoy Natural Ketchikan - Having a private tour with 2 residents was the perfect way to see Ketchikan from a different point of view. Tristan and Ashley shared their favorite spots and shared their knowledge of the local flora and fauna. The Bus is also so cool! A lot more fun than being crammed into a tour bus with strangers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y3782uobrianb
Sep 21, 2025
Cool tour of Ketchikan - It was a great experience, personal, entertaining, very informative, and took us to places off the beaten path around south Ketchikan. Including waterfalls, forest hikes and beach views!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Babb49
Sep 15, 2025
Private Tour Off Beaten Path - Glad to go out of city to see nature. Informative and relaxing. Fun ride in fun vw. Happy he took us back to ship which was 7 miles from city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Perry_l
Sep 14, 2025
A great day - A great tour and very informative from our hosts Tristan and Ashley. We picked the right day as it was full sunshine. We managed a couple of tick boxes with wales a bear and a bald eagle. The hosts were well acquainted with the locality and kept us well informed. A novel way to see the sights. Hundred percent recommended.
Review provided by Viator
313sadiaq
Aug 28, 2025
10/10 Amazing Local Experience - Tristen was amazing, knowledgeable and had a very relaxed vibe. He took us to amazing spots and let us take our time to explore. We saw starfishes, salmon, bears and eagles. My daughter (7yr old) and I had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. Highly recommend!!! Thank you for a wonderful day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freedom767385
Aug 26, 2025
Do this private VW van tour. - This is the private tour you should take. Tristan (if I'm spelling correctly) has lived in Ketchikan his entire life and is married to a marine biologist. He knew details about animals, tides, rain forrest plants salmon, bears, eagles etc. And, we saw them all He spotted wildlife that we watched the tour busses drive by and miss. We could stay at areas of interest to whatever we wanted while the big tours had crowds of people doing a quarter of their sightseeing getting off or on their bus. If Ketchikan is an area you are unlikely to visit often spend a few extra bucks it was 100 percent worth it. Fantastic time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor