If you’re planning a trip to Sitka, Alaska, you have some fun and fascinating things to do when you arrive. Less visited than cities like Juneau or Ketchikan, Sitka is a quiet town set on the outer edge of the Inside Passage. That’s literally what the name means: Sitka, Shee At’ika – People on the Outside of Shee, aka Baranof Island. Being on the outside means you’re getting more of the changing weather and tides than the sheltered communities, but that just means when you visit you’ll need to be a little more prepared. There are lots of things to do and no matter the weather you’ll have the chance to enjoy Sitka.
I think three days is ideal for getting to experience Sitka, but of course you can add onto our suggestions with things like fly-out lodge trips, days of relaxation or enjoying photography all around the Sitka area. Beyond our picks for things to do in Sitka, you’ll find more activities if you have a car or are participating in tours. If you have any questions about our itinerary or activity suggestions, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great trip to Alaska.
Get our 3 day Sitka itinerary here!
Visiting Sitka in Summer: need to know and activities
Summer is the best time to visit Sitka, and it’s when most people make the trip. Because winter can be so harsh, unless you have family to visit or you’re just so hardcore, it’s best to plan your trip for May through September. You’ll have lots of fun things to do from hiking to fishing, museums and appreciating Tlingit culture. In the summer businesses, restaurants and shops are all open, so Sitka is a lot of fun. You’ll have your best chances of sunny days and there is no shortage of wildlife activity. True, summer is when the cruise ships make their port in Sitka, but the great thing about is that the large ships don’t come into downtown, so you never actually have to see them, and their guests are brought in on buses that drop and disappear.
Sitka in summer can be busy, but in comparison to other Southeast Alaska cruise ports, it’s very quiet. In Ketchikan and Juneau the big ships come directly into downtown, so you have the eyesore and constant flow of people. In Sitka it’s peaceful even when it’s at its busiest. I think you’ll enjoy all the fun things to do in Sitka and like the vibe here.
Where is Sitka, Alaska?
Sitka is located on Baranof Island, part of the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska. It’s west and a little off parallel with Juneau, north of Ketchikan, south of Haines, Skagway and Gustavus. You can get her flying from Seattle, Anchorage or Juneau, and sometimes it’s hard to get a direct flight, so you may be on one of the Milk Run routes that stops in every little town in Southeast Alaska. You can also take the Alaska Marine Highway mainline route, getting to Sitka after Skagway or Kake.
Weather in Sitka in the Summer
If you’ve been to Seattle in the summertime, you know that you’ll likely have some beautiful days and likely some rain. Sitka is very similar, leaning more heavily on the rain side. The breaks in the clouds are pretty and make you glad to be visiting in summer. The temperatures rarely get into the 80s ever, so a nice Sitka summer day is likely around 70 degrees, maybe even just the high 60s. When you’re packing for a visit, plan on pants and sweatshirts, and even rain gear.
Having said all of that, Sitka is super rainy and you will likely not have a 100% blue sky day when you’re here. You won’t regret having an umbrella or raincoat, and even rubber boots. Depending on the thing to do you choose, you may even be extra glad to have waterproof clothing options.
Where to Stay in Sitka
Being a smaller town there aren’t a ton of options for where to stay in Sitka, but there are a couple of hotels in great locations for being able to enjoy the town on foot: Southeast Resort Sitka Hotel Aspen Suites Hotel. We found that the Southeast Resort is in a great spot for both easy access to walkable activities, it’s right across from the marina where most boat tours depart from, and there are lots of dining options within a block of the hotel. The Sitka Hotel is cool and well updated too, and it’s also in a great spot, so you can’t go wrong booking there either.
If you’re more of a vacation rental person, you’ll actually be surprised how many options there are within walking distance of most of the things to do as well. I like staying in a vacation rental when we’re someplace for more than 3 nights because it allows us the ability to cook and really relax and unpack, but I don’t know that Sitka is the sort of place where that’s necessary, but hey, we’re all different and if that’s what makes your stay great, go for it! Find a vacation rental in Sitka here!
Things to Do in Sitka, Alaska
Everybody has a different list of activities they enjoy when they’re exploring Alaska, but when it comes to Sitka, a primary focus for things to do lands on experiencing Tlingit culture. With options like the Sitka National Historical Park, Sheldon Jackson Museum and the History Museum, you will have plenty of choices to occupy your time. Sitka is very walkable for most things to do, and if you need transportation somewhere there are taxis (or rental cars if you really want). I think you’ll find that planning a trip to Sitka is easier than you might expect.
Because Sitka is so walkable, when you’re planning your visit, look at the things to do on a map and plan your walking routes. We’ve listed our suggestions in an order that makes sense to visit on foot, but you can pick and choose based on how much time you have here.
Sitka National Historical Park – Totem Poles and Trails
Let’s start with the Sitka National Historical Park, as it’s the best thing to do in Sitka. About a fifteen minute walk from the main hub in downtown, here you’ll find a wonderful visitor center with a film about the indigenous people of Sitka, the Tlingit nation, and then several exhibits about carving, traditional ceremonial clothes, and totem poles. There is a beautiful collection of very old totem poles inside, but then when you make it outside, that’s what most people are coming to the park to see.
There is a 1.6 mile loop trail leaving from the visitor center that goes through the forest and past the beaches, peppered with totem poles all throughout. It’s amazing and is one of the coolest assemblages of totem poles. There is also a carving station where there will often be a master carver or junior carvers working on new or replica totem poles. I know you’ll love visiting the Sitka National Historical Park.
Alaska Raptor Center for Bald Eagles
Located very near Sitka National Historical Park, the Alaska Raptor Center is another must-do activity. Here you’ll get the chance to meet/see several permanent resident bald eagles up close, as well as owls and other birds of prey. The goal of the Alaska Raptor Center is always rehabilitation and release, but not every bird passes the tests to be able to live back out in the wild.
One of the coolest things to see at the Raptor Center is the flight wing. This is a very large open air enclosure that’s exposed to the elements, it’s got different levels of perches, and even a stream. This is where recovering eagles get to practice flying and work towards being released back into the wild. Sometimes there aren’t any birds here and sometimes there’ll be 20, but it’s just one of the really cool and interesting parts of the Center.
Fortress of the Bear Sanctuary
Further out of town, the Fortress of the Bear is a Sitka activity that you’ll need to have transportation for. You can take a taxi, use a rental car or visit as part of a tour, but the bear sanctuary is quite a way from downtown. This unique facility used to be a pulp mill (paper) so the large concrete tanks have actually been converted to habitats for brown and black bears. This is a sanctuary vs a rehabilitation facility as Alaska currently doesn’t have a bear release program.
Visiting Fortress of the Bear is interesting as you’ll learn about the problems bears face, from loss of habitat to loss of parents. You’ll have some great opportunities to see the bears up close and get some great photos, so bring your big lens!
Sitka Sound Science Center and Hatchery
I love exploring the intertidal zone with my kids, and the Sitka Sound Science Center is a great place for seeing a lot of those creatures up close. It’s a very small aquarium, but it’s got some awesome touch tanks. One of the best things to do in Sitka with kids, the Science Center is located right next to the waterfront park and the fish ladder, so it’s a great activity to show kids (and adults) just what the coastal ecosystem is like. There is also a small salmon hatchery operation here, so if you’re visiting on a cruise ship and have the option to book a guided tour as an excursion, you can actually get a tour of the hatchery too.
Sheldon Jackson Museum for Indigenous Culture
Another great thing to do for learning about indigenous culture, the Sheldon Jackson Museum is a really cool collection of art and artifacts that does a great job of weaving together the stories and practices of the peoples all around Alaska, not just Southeast. Yes, there are lots of Tlingit pieces and features, but as you go through you actually will see those pieces alongside similar functioning or themed pieces from Yupik, Athabascan, Inuit and more nations. And then fun fact: the Sheldon Jackson Museum was the first concrete building in Alaska.
Exploring Sitka on Foot
While there are some cool places to visit beyond downtown Sitka, you can experience so much on foot and you don’t ever need to worry about a car. Even for things outside of the downtown area you can get either a van tour or transportation through a taxi or other transportation provider. But downtown is super easy to explore on foot. You can walk all over, from the bridge at the airport island all the way to the Alaska Raptor Center. Downtown there are historic sites like the old Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the Russian Block House, and then fun shops to pop into and snacks to get. You can easily continue onto the sites at the south end of downtown, like the Sitka Sound Science Center and the National Park.
Look for Local Art from Sitka Artists
I love when we actually find something that we want to bring home, and Sitka is a wonderful place to look for art or interesting souvenirs. You’ll find both Tlingit and Russian pieces as you explore the shops, but then also many pieces by local artists depicting the setting and wildlife of Sitka. Island Artists collective is a really wonderful shop to stop into and you’ll find many different types of local art that you just might want as your memory from visiting Sitka.
Where to Eat in Sitka
Sitka is very different from Ketchikan or Anchorage in that there are not tons of dining options, but there are more than in Haines. The restaurants here are great about featuring as many LOCALLY SOURCED ingredients as possible, and even on a busy cruise ship day things move pretty swiftly. These are our picks for where to eat in Sitka whether you’re here for the day or several nights.
- Wildflour Cafe & Bakery – awesome breakfast and pastries; loved the Turkish egg and goat cheese mushroom Danish
- BEAK – very eclectic, Alaska-forward menu, LGBTQ supporting, fun and delicious
- Bayview Pub – yes, it’s touristy but the food is really good, best chowder in Sitka
- Ludvig’s Chowder Cart – located next to the Sitka Sound Science Center, they have weird hours but good chowder
- Sitka’s Burger & Crab Shack – good burgers, but the fries are the BEST in Southeast AK
- Mean Queen – good fish n’ chips, awesome pizzas, good atmosphere, and they’re another LGBTQ supporting business
- Harry Race Drug Store soda fountain – just come here for a dessert or coffee; great root beer floats
- Pel’Meni – go here for Russian dumplings, they also have a location in Juneau
- Pioneer Bar – always love a good P-Bar in Alaska; this one has good drinks and pull tabs!
Sitka Tours You Might Like
Because we do strongly recommend visiting Sitka without a car, for some experiences you may want to consider booking a tour. There are some cool things to do in Sitka that you won’t want to miss, and although you’ll stay plenty busy with everything else that’s walking distance around downtown, these sorts of opportunities are fun and unique ways to experience a different side of Southeast Alaska.
Selkie Snorkeling at Magic Island
I love snorkeling and getting to do it in the beautiful intertidal waters of Sitka is one of the most unique tours you can do in Southeast AK. You’ll be outfitted in 7mm wetsuits (very thick and insulated) and then guided through the cold waters off shore, looking for sea stars, octopus, kelp forests and seals. This is such a different sort of snorkeling experience than when you’re in Key West or Hawaii.
Sitka Walking Tour
If you’re somebody that loves to get the stories and histories as you are out sightseeing, do a Stika walking tour. With its complex past as being a part of imperial Russia and then also historic and modern Tlingit culture, a guided walking tour is a good idea to really get the big picture of Sitka.
Sitka Whale Watching Tours
Because Sitka is more at the edge of the Inside Passage and is so close to the open ocean, it’s a wonderful place for whale watching. The tours go out from Crescent Harbor downtown, making it easy to be able to join one. Orcas and humpback whales are the goal, but you never know what species you’ll see as you skirt the Gulf of Alaska watching for wildlife.
Sitka Kayaking Tours
We try to go kayaking in every town we visit, as the scenery and wildlife is always a little different. Sitka has a beautiful intertidal zone and perfect coves along the coastline to explore in kayaks. Similar to kayaking in Ketchikan, you’re very likely to see lots of eagles, seals, tidal life, and you’re always hoping to get a from-the-water whale watching experience.
Guided Sitka Sightseeing
It’s easy to explore downtown on your own, but if you need some help with mobility or want to go beyond the standard sightseeing in Sitka, doing a guided tour is a great way to tackle it. Tours are usually less than three hours, so they’re easy to fit into your day and work well if you’re just stopping into Sitka as a port on a cruise on the Inside Passage.
3 Day Sitka Itinerary
Sitka is ideally visited over three days, but if you’re a mover and shaker, you can do it in two, and then you’ll just need to pick and choose what you want to fit in. This three day easy Sitka itinerary is great to pair with a small ship cruise that either starts or ends here (The Boat Company and UnCruise both have options) or that you can do as part of your own independent trip through the Inside Passage.
Arrival to Sitka
When you first arrive in Sitka it’ll either be by boat or by plane. The airport is just a few minutes from downtown, so don’t worry, getting to your hotel won’t take forever. A lot of visitors arrive very late in the day, so upon arrival just get settled in and take an afternoon/evening stroll along the Sitka waterfront, enjoying a meal with a view.
Day 1 – Wildlife of Sitka
Today’s activities are all about wildlife! Reorder these things to do however works best with whatever tour you have scheduled, but you should be able to do each of these things all in the same day.
- TOUR – sea kayaking, whale watching or cold water snorkeling
- VISIT – Fortress of the Bear, Alaska Raptor Center
- WALK – stroll the waterfront around to the Sitka Sound Science Center, watch the fish ladder for both spawning salmon and wildlife hunting in the easy bottleneck area
Day 2 – Tlingit History and Russian Stories
This is a great day to learn something new and appreciate the history and culture of the Tlingit people who’ve called Sitka and Southeast Alaska home for thousands of years.
- TOUR – a van tour of Sitka is a good idea for hearing about history and seeing the sights beyond downtown, but it may also double up on other activities you have planned.
- VISIT – explore the visitor center and full totem pole trail at Sitka National Historical Park. Stop at the Russian Bishop’s House on the way back into town, doing the ranger led upstairs tour if your timing is right.
- WALK – walk the trail system at Sitka NHP beyond the totem pole trail, including out to the point and along the river in the forest. Watch for bears and eagles, as the wildlife also loves this area. Walk back to town through the neighborhood.
Day 3 – Exploring on Foot
Downtown Sitka is easy to explore on foot, and you’ve no doubt seen much of it in the last few days, but today you’re being more intentional.
- TOUR – do a guided walking tour of Sitka to hear the stories of Russian history and how the prospectors shaped Sitka into the town it is today, blending indigenous life with immigrant peoples from around the world.
- VISIT – be sure to check out St Michael Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the Sheldon Jackson Museum.
- WALK – Climb Baranof Castle hill, visit the Russian Block House and learn about imperial days, check out the harbors and view from the bridge, browse the many shops and galleries, go on a chowder tasting walk (self guided), if you have kids with you, hang out at the waterfront park and playground, and wander the town checking out the many Tlingit murals
This is a full three days of exploring and enjoying Sitka. I know you’ll love it and you’ll be tired by the end of your visit.
I hope you’re excited to visit Sitka and fall in love with this cool, interesting town in Southeast Alaska. If you have any questions about our recommendations or need additional suggestions, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great adventure!
