Ketchikan arrived an hour early — we docked at 2pm instead of the scheduled 3pm, the port giving us a small unexpected gift of extra time. We used every minute of it.
The morning had already been good. Sea otters playing near an island visible from the Windjammer windows over breakfast. What looked like orca tail fins in the distance. Blow holes spotted further out. Alaska has a way of making even an ordinary morning on a ship feel extraordinary — you just have to look up from your oatmeal.
Morning on the Ship
The kids headed to Ocean Adventure while Matt took a complimentary spa service the ship offered that morning and I worked out and spent time in the dry sauna. Easton had already learned gagaball at kids club — a game I’d never played — and was determined to teach me before we reached port. Watching him explain the rules with complete authority, correcting me when I got it wrong, practically pulling me toward the ball — that’s one of the quiet joys of traveling with kids who are growing. They learn things and then they can’t wait to show you.
Gagaball is now on the list of games we’re bringing back to Kauai. Highly recommend finding a game if you’ve never played.
The Sundew VW Van Tour with Tristan
Six people maximum. Our group of six. A vintage 1967 VW van. Tristan — born and raised in Ketchikan, knowledgeable about every corner of his home — at the wheel. This was one of the most unique and personal tour experiences we’ve had anywhere.
Tide Pools
Our first stop was a tide pool area where we found crabs and starfish that the kids could hold and touch. Getting hands on with these creatures in their natural habitat rather than behind glass felt exactly right for our family.
Bear Creek
We stopped at a creek known for bear sightings. No bears on our day — but an eagle bathing in the creek. By this point in the trip the kids had seen enough eagles that a bathing one didn’t quite have the same impact it might have earlier in the week. They appreciated it but were quietly hoping for bears. That said — an eagle bathing in an Alaskan creek is still a genuinely extraordinary thing to witness, even for kids whose bar had risen considerably over the past several days.
Salmonberries
Tristan pointed out salmonberries growing naturally along the route and both kids ran toward them at exactly the same moment. They picked them, tried them, found more, and brought them back to share with the rest of us. Tristan explained that bears eat salmonberries — that these berries growing all over the hillsides are part of what sustains them through the season. There was something wonderful about eating something straight from the Alaskan landscape that the bears eat too. The kids thought that was pretty cool and kept finding more to offer around.
Waterfall and Scenic Stops
A beautiful waterfall. Several scenic pullouts where Tristan tried to spot whales — no luck but the views more than compensated. And a final stop at the Ketchikan sign for a photo before he dropped us right at the port.
Throughout the tour Tristan answered every question in full, shared stories about growing up in Ketchikan, and made the whole experience feel less like a tour and more like spending an afternoon with someone who genuinely loves where he lives. The van itself was a hit — both kids lit up getting into a 1967 VW van in a way that no modern shuttle was ever going to produce.
Sundew Tours is a private tour costing $600 — maximum six people. It was a cool tour, you can’t control wildlife, so while it was a little disappointing we didn’t get to see much wildlife, it was a beautiful scenic tour worth seeing.
Downtown Ketchikan
After the tour we had time to walk around the port area and browse a few shops. Vegan options in Ketchikan were very limited — we had researched ahead of time and found almost nothing. Eat on the ship in Ketchikan. Don’t count on finding much at this port if you’re vegan.
Dinner on the Ship
We switched to the later dining seating this evening to accommodate our excursion — a reminder that the main dining room offers flexibility when you need it. The chef made the kids pasta and vegan pizza. Matt and I had a tofu avocado salad and vegan enchiladas. Vegan brownies for Easton, vegan ice cream for Milo — consistent as always.
After dinner a round of uno with the kids and grandparents, then bed. A time change at 2am that night meant we lost an hour — worth knowing if you’re sailing this specific itinerary.
Port time: 2pm to 9:30pm. We were back on ship by 7pm so we could make it to the dining room for dinner.
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