Smart Meetings

Not to be missed is The Totem Heritage Center, listed on the National Historic Register, which houses a notable and inspiring collection of 19th-century totem poles rescued from abandoned villages.

The seriously unbalanced ladies-to-gents ratio in 19th-century Alaska made the territory a land of opportunity for enterprising madams. Visit Dolly’s House Museum to get a glimpse into the life of a typical “working girl” plying her trade in the town’s red-light district.

For nature enthusiasts, the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary is home to Alaska Canopy Tours for zip-lining across the forest treetops. Your group can also explore Misty Fiords National Monument (www.travelalaska.com/Regions/ParksDetail) or experience a day in the life of a mail-and-freight-delivering bush pilot aloft in a floatplane.

Ketchikan Visitors Bureau (www.meetinalaska.com) so welcomes interested meeting professionals that they even provide a meetings checklist you can download from their website. The centerpiece of the community’s meeting facilities is the 4,000-square-foot Ted Ferry Civic Center.  

Your group can also explore Misty Fiords National Monument (www.travelalaska.com/Regions/ParksDetail) or experience a day in the life of a mail-and-freight-delivering bush pilot aloft in a floatplane.

Getting There

The primary airline serving the state is Alaska Airlines (alaskaair.com), though several other carriers also fly into Anchorage and Fairbanks. Seattle serves as the state’s major link to the “Lower 48.”

Several cruise liners make voyages to Alaska; alaskatravel.com/alaska-cruises.

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System also offers several options (dot.state.ak.us/amhs/) for arrival by boat.