Located at the southern tip of Alaska's Inside Passage, the city of Ketchikan began life as a Tlingit fishing camp, later booming with the Gold Rush, timber and fishing industries.
My daughter and I visited this isolated, charming port during a seven-day cruise along the coastal route aboard the Discovery Princess.
"Each season in Alaska, we strive to deliver enriching experiences for our guests to feel immersed in the beauty and local culture of this spectacular destination," said Terry Thornton, chief commercial officer of Princess Cruises.
But choosing the perfect excursion in Alaska can be a challenge. For instance, I was traveling with my 12-year-old daughter. As a girl with two older brothers who love high-altitude hikes and fishing, she has been dragged along on vacation activities she didn't choose or want. So I wanted to pick the perfect excursion from a thrilling list of options offered at the Princess Excursions desk.
My daughter is vegetarian, so she nixed "The Great Lumberjack Show & Axe Throwing Challenge & Crab Feast" and "Deadliest Catch Crab Fisherman's Tour." Our whale-watching tour in Anchorage had been fun, but it was also long and cold, so my daughter requested a half-day, comfortable itinerary.
We settled on the three-hour "Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion," an inexpensive choice at $149.95. This tour, run by the local company Lighthouse Excursions, which has been in business since 2001, can be booked through cruise lines and travel advisors as well as independently.
Boarding the Lighthouse Excursions vessel at Ward Cove in Ketchikan. Photo Credit: Amanda Eyre Ward
A van and a plan
The skies in Ketchikan were overcast, almost purple, and the air was piney and impossibly fresh. Our small group drove away from the port in a cozy van. At Ward Cove, we boarded Lighthouse Excursions' vessel. This tour is perfect for clients with disabilities, but they must be able to board a small boat, after which they can sit.
We were welcomed warmly by the captain, who mentioned he had studied theater in college but returned home to Ketchikan. (My daughter, a self-proclaimed "theater kid," lit up.) He and the other boat staff were young and friendly, excited to talk about their unique community. Their warmth and pride was beguiling; while some cruise excursions can feel overcrowded and sterile, the Lighthouse Excursions staff forged a more personal connection from the start.
We were invited to relax in the heated main cabin or breathe fresh sea air from an outside observation deck. We set out into the dark-green water of one of Alaska's deepest and most protected harbors as low, forested mountains rose around us.
A perching bald eagle spotted on the excursion. Photo Credit: Amanda Eyre Ward
The staff served hot drinks as we cruised along the coastlines of the islands of Revillagigedo and Gravina. The hot chocolate was rich and delicious. As a tween and a 50-year-old teetotaler, my daughter and I are hot chocolate connoisseurs -- we gave the Lighthouse hot chocolate an 11 out of 10. As we sipped, the crew handed out fog-proof, waterproof Bushnell binoculars and readied to help us spot marine-based wildlife, including the iconic bald eagle.
We took in panoramic views of Totem Bight State Historical Park, complete with 14 towering Tlingit and Haida totem poles and an Alaskan Native clan house. The wild seascape was breathtaking as we neared Guard Island and heard about the Guard Island lighthouse, which was built in 1904 and is still in operation today.
Smaller children on the vessel seemed happy, but clients with more energetic toddlers might prefer a more active excursion.
Locally sourced snacks on the Lighthouse Excursions vessel included smoked salmon and bull kelp pickles. Photo Credit: Amanda Eyre Ward
Eagles and kelp pickles
Our group gasped as we spotted eagles and eaglets in their nests. My daughter and I were peering at the unique Alaskan homes and colorful cabins when we were given a plate full of local nibbles, including traditional alder-smoked salmon, salmon dip, crackers, bull kelp pickles and artisanal chocolate.
My daughter made her way to the front of the boat, stood next to a staff member and raised her binoculars, utterly happy, warm and transfixed.
When we touched base with our fellow Discovery Princess passengers that evening, we were regaled with tales of bears, helicopters and unlimited crab legs. But my daughter and I agreed that we had chosen the perfect excursion for us, one that included kelp pickles; new, local friends; and the desire to return to piercingly beautiful Ketchikan.