It’s hard to believe my Alaskan adventures ended one week ago! Our first stop along the way was in Ketchikan, Alaska. I remember waking up and the Ruby Princess was already docked. I pulled back the curtains and looked out on this quaint little town. It was a beautiful and clear day, although still a bit chilly hence the jacket and beanie! We walked around a little bit by the ports, saw a beautiful totem pole, a saloon that’s been around since 1893, and some fun little shops. Everyone kept on marveling on what a beautiful day it was because it’s usually a little more cloudy. I’m thinking we brought the Southern California sun with us!
After walking around the little downtown area, we took a bus to our excursion. We went on a nature walk at the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary which was maybe about a 15 minute drive from the port. We walked around, learned about salmonberry plants, saw a hallowed-out tree where bears hide temporarily, spotted bald eagles, and learned about the general ecosystem in Ketchikan. Unfortunately, or maybe I should say fortunately, we didn’t see any black bears but we did spot their huge tracks. Beary scary!!
This zebra print backpack totally came in handy on our trip! It was a lucky Crossroads find that I got the day before I left. There was no way I could be hiking around the forest with a purse!
We also visited the Alaska Raptor Center, where they care for injured animals who wouldn’t be able to support themselves in the wild. We met an adorable Barred Owl with an injured leg and a Bald Eagle that was born with a deformed beak, preventing him from hunting for food. It was amazing to see these animals up close and learn about the work this center is doing for them.
After our nature walk we had an epic crab feast at the George Inlet Lodge. Honestly, this was my favorite part of the whole day. We devoured pounds and pounds of fresh Dungeness crab. It was like we couldn’t stop. It was so incredibly fresh, light and delicious. We had crab a few other nights on our trip, but this place was by far the best! It was just so tender and fresh. We also probably drank a cup of melted butter each! So worth it though! If I was going back to Ketchikan I might recommend doing ziplining in the rainforest {if you’re brave enough} or a sea plane. Whatever you do though, I’d definitely get in on this crab feast at some point! You won’t regret it!
See more photos from my Alaska trip and stay tuned for more!
xox
photos by Valorie Darling
