We weren't quite sure what to expect from Ketchikan when the key fact about it in our guidebook was that it was the first port of call for many cruise ships and that it generally receives about 800,000 visitors per year.
Upon arrival, we were very pleasantly surprised to find Ketchikan to be a charming and quaint town and one of our favourite (perhaps Geoff's favourite) stops on our trip.
The town itself is small, comprised mainly of touristy shops and a few local restaurants. They only have four stop lights but are proud to enjoy a Walmart (which has a special shuttle just for cruise staff) and the famous "bridge to nowhere".
But it is certainly the scenery that really sells this town.
To take in the nature, the two of us went on a kayak excursion. Following the guidelines to a tee, we equipped ourselves with thermal socks, multiple layers and a winter ski jacket only to discover that Ketchikan were experiencing its driest heat wave all year. We were told that we should not only remove all of our layers but that we would be paddling without skirts on the kayaks to prevent us from getting too overheated.
The ocean itself was calm and sparkled in the sun. It felt almost like we were paddling in an Algonquin lake except for the frequent encounters with jellyfish, starfish and more bald eagles than we could count.
We covered a lot of ground in the few hours that we paddled out in the sun. Naturally, however, we rejected the hydrating hot chocolate and apple cider they offered upon our return in favour of the coldest water we could find.
We had an incredible day in Ketchikan and learned a good lesson: sometimes guidebooks don't do a town justice!
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