Had they known about it, the film noir directors of the 1950s would have chosen the Ketchikan (ketch-e-kan) waterfront for Humphrey Bogart to sleuth. The black-and-white montage: A pelting rain drains from the brim of his hat, suspicious figures dart through saloon doors and into the lobbies of concrete-faced hotels, a forest of workboat masts fades into the midsummer twilight along a shore where the sea and land seem to merge in miles of floating docks. Along Creek Street, salmon on their way to spawn swim under houses chaotically perched on pilings beside a narrow boardwalk; inside, men are spawning, too, in the arms of legal prostitutes. Meanwhile, the faces of totem poles gaze down on the scene disapprovingly, mute holders of their own ancient secrets.

Ketchikan makes a great jumping-off point for some spectacular outdoor experiences, including a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. As the state's fourth-largest city, Ketchikan is the transportation hub for the southern portion of Southeast Alaska.