Sitka, AK Road Trips

1 Sitka National Historical Park, 106 Metlakatla St, ☏ +1 907-747-0110. Open year-round: mid-May through September daily 8AM–5PM; October through mid-May: M–Sa 8AM–5PM; closed on Federal holidays during the winter months. There is no food service or lodging in this park. The visitor center is wheelchair-accessible. The Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, totem poles, and museum exhibits are in the building. Exhibits depict traditional Tlingit life. A short video reviews Sitka's history. Over 12 years old $4, under free. The Russian Bishop's House open mid-May through September daily 9AM–5PM. Ranger-led tours are offered every 30 minutes. October through mid-May open by appointment only. 12 years old $4, under free. This original log structure built in 1843 is one of the last remaining buildings from the Russian colonial period. Not wheelchair accessible. Park Trails open mid-May through September daily 6AM–10PM; October through mid-May daily 7AM–8PM. Free. Walk in a temperate rain forest under towering trees, observe migrating salmon, explore the intertidal zone, and study wildlife. A pleasant walk through the Alaska woods with interesting totem poles interspersed. The Village Watchman, the Raven in Human Form, the Raven and a Bear are some of the figures displayed. 2 Castle Hill. Baranof Castle State Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark. American flag raising site. In 1867, when Alaska was transferred from Russia to the US, the Russian flag was lowered and the American flag raised here.

Tongass Troll, Tours & Taxi LLC, 617 Katlian St, ☏ +1 907-738-2458. Go saltwater sport fishing with a friendly local instead of with an over-priced 'monster' lodge. Alaska Seaplanes, ☏ +1 907-789-3331. A floatplane flightseeing trip is a good way to get an overview of Baranof Island. Sitka Tribal Tours, 204 Siginaka Way, ☏ +1 907-747-3207, toll-free: +1-888-270-8687. Tribal Tours provides a variety of cultural coach tours including a 2½-hr cultural tour and 3½-hr cultural tour w/Alaska Raptor Center. Both tours feature authentic Tlingit native dance performed in classic clan-style house with cedar fire pit. New Archangel Dancers (Russian Dance Performance), 208 Smith St (Downtown Sitka on the waterfront), ☏ +1 907-747-5516. Summer: varied times during cruise ship visits. Enjoy a half-hour performance of lively, traditional Russian folk dances. The New Archangel Dancers mission is to promote and encourage interest in Alaska's Russian History and culture through sharing of ethnic folk dance and song. These were evident in Sitka during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Dancers have performed in Japan, Canada, Mexico and Russia, and are considered by many to be ambassadors for Sitka and Alaska. $15.75 (Sep 2023).

There are a nice mix of restaurants in Sitka including: Mediterranean, Mexican, Japanese, and Chinese. Despite the town being relatively small, there are about 17 restaurants and a dozen or so other places serving food. The only franchises are McDonald's and Subway. Ludvig's Bistro (Ludvig's), 256 Katlian St, ☏ +1 907-966-3663, [email protected]. Tu–Sa noon–9PM. Mediterranean. Dinner: $18–28. (updated Oct 2019)

Ernie's Old Time Saloon, 130 Lincoln St, ☏ +1 907-747-3334. M–Sa 8AM–2AM, Su noon–2PM. Chips, peanuts, pool table. Live music F Sa nights. Cash only. Pioneer Bar (Known locally as "The P."), 212 Katlian St, ☏ +1 907-747-3456. Maritime themed fisherman's bar. Highliner Cafe, 327 Seward St (backside of Seward Square Mall). Internet cafe with gourmet espresso drinks and freshly roasted coffee, full line of bagels, freshly baked breakfast stuffed croissants, Scandinavian cookies, other pastries. Channel Club, 2906 Halibut Point Rd, ☏ +1 907-747-7440. 5PM–9PM. $14–42.

Cascade Inn, 2035 Halibut Point Rd, ☏ +1 907-747-6804, toll-free: +1-800-532-0908, fax: +1 907-747-6572, [email protected]. Sitka's only waterfront hotel, a little over 2 miles from downtown. All rooms have private balconies with views of the Pacific Ocean. Oceanfront sauna and barbecue, laundry and convenience/liquor. 10 rooms. $85–140. Sitka International Hostel (Tillie Paul Manor), 109 Jeff Davis St (at Lincoln), ☏ +1 907 747-8661, [email protected]. Check-in: 6–10PM, check-out: 8:30AM–10AM. 23 beds total (spread across 5 dorms and one private double room). Kitchen and dining facilities. There is a lockout from 10AM–6PM. 11PM curfew; hostel reopens at 8:30AM. Guests assigned one chore each day. Dorms $24 ($15 for children 12 and under), private double room with bath $60.

On the outer waters of Alaska's Inside Passage, on Baranof Island, Sitka is accessible only by air and by sea. 1 Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport (SIT IATA), 605 Airport Rd, ☏ +1-800-426-0333. Sitka enjoys daily jet service by Alaska Airlines from Anchorage and Seattle-Tacoma. Alaska Airlines also operates to Juneau and Ketchikan. Alaska Airlines operates Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 jetliners. Delta Connection operates seasonal service to Seattle/Tacoma with Canadair CRJ-700 or Embraer 175 regional jet operated by SkyWest Airlines. (updated Apr 2020) Sitka Tours ☏ +1 907-747-8443 provides an airport shuttle to the downtown area or to any accommodations. May–September, $6 one-way; $8 round-trip. Sitka is a popular port of call for many cruise ships that sail the Inside Passage from May through September. The majority of large cruise ships dock at the 2 Old Sitka Dock at Halibut Point, about 6 mi (9.7 km) north of the downtown area. From the dock, you'll take a free 15-min shuttle bus ride to Harrigan Centential Hall in downtown Sitka. When the dock is in use, cruise ships anchor offshore in Crescent Harbor, and smaller boats are used to tender passengers ashore to the Crescent Harbor Lightering Facility (near the Centennial Hall) or the O'Connell Bridge Lightering Facility (at the foot of Castle Hill). The town has a free municipal Wi-Fi system that was paid for by the docking fees that the cruise ship pay. Alaska Marine Highway, ☏ +1-800-642-0066. The Alaska Marine Highway ferries provide year-round service for passengers and vehicles.

The downtown area of Sitka can be explored by foot. A walking map , with two suggested loops, one westward to the Sitka Channel, the other eastward to the Alaska Raptor Center, may be obtained from the Summer Information Desk in the Harrigan Centennial Hall near the Crescent Harbor Lightering Facility. Bring your mobile devices to help you get around downtown; Sitka has a free municipal Wi-Fi system paid for by the cruise ship docking fees. The Ride ☏ +1 907 747-7103. Founded by the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Sitka Community Ride has been serving Sitka's Community since 2002. Operates three bus lines – Green, Red, and Blue – M–F 6:30AM to 6:30PM. Holidays Observed: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Alaska Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Baranof Taxi & Tours Llc, ☏ +1 907-738-4722. Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop, 805 Halibut Point Rd. (downtown, across from Harrigan Centennial Hall), ☏ +1 907-747-6317, [email protected]. Full service bike shop with daily or weekly bicycle rentals. Transit Shuttle, ☏ +1 907-747-7290. Runs only on days when there are scheduled to be at least 1000 cruise ship visitors. May–Sep M–F. Shuttle operates one hour after ship arrives in port up until ship departure. Stops every 25–30 min at Crescent Harbor Shelter, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska Raptor Center, a downtown stop by Random House, the Tribal Community House, O'Connell Bridge docking area. $10 pp all day pass; $5 pp round trip.