MOUNTAIN PEAKS & MIDNIGHT SUN

Cruise to Sitka, Alaska

Sitka truly offers the best of Alaska. Its small-town appeal stems from a unique blend of Russian, Tlingit and American history. Its snow-capped peaks and volcanic Mount Edgecumbe pose among the state’s most postcard-worthy scenes. And its rare wildlife astounds, from Saint Lazaria Island’s orange-beaked puffins to Alaska Maritime Refuge’s 40 million seabirds. This is off-the-path Alaska, where you can kayak Sitka Sound alongside swimming sea otters or fly-fish for the world’s biggest halibut. Whether it’s hiking Baranof Island trails or listening to tribal stories passed down for generations, in Sitka the midnight sun never sets on adventure.

National Language English

Currency Accepted U.S. Dollar (USD)

Things To Do in Sitka

Kids Playing Around a Totem Hiking Trail

LINKS TO THE PAST

Explore Sitka National Historical Park to trace the town’s early beginnings and native heritage. See indigenous artifacts, watch a documentary film, and walk the mile-long Totem Trail. Then view creative pieces by local Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian artists at the Sitka Cultural Center.

Saint Peters Cathedral Russian Influence, Sitka, Alaska

BERING HISTORY IN MIND

Learn about Sitka’s Russian influence on a walk to St. Michael’s Cathedral, one of the few remaining Russian Orthodox churches in Alaska. Check out the Russian Bishop’s House and watch New Archangel Dancers perform traditional choreography. Then stand atop Castle Hill, where the first American flag flew over Alaska in 1867.

Eagle Soaring through the Air, Sitka, Alaska

FOR THE BIRDS

Get up close to native eagles, owls, falcons and hawks at the Alaska Raptor Center’s rehab hospital. Meet the vets who nurse injured birds back to health and view the flight-training center— a rainforest environment where recovered animals relearn survival skills before release back into the wild.

LOCAL CUISINE

The local Pacific Northwest “frontier cuisine” is packed with fresh seafood offerings like sockeye lox and halibut fish and chips. Here you’ll find Dungeness crab harvested by local families and food trucks serving black cod collars. And don’t miss Baranof Island Brewing Company— the Silver Bay IPA and Halibut Point Hefeweizen are two solid sipping options.

SHOPPING

Downtown galleries are your best bet for Northwest Coast native art and jewelry made by Inupiat Eskimos. Russian nesting dolls, woven Tlingit baskets and wild berry products also make authentic Alaskan souvenirs. Stop by the WinterSong Soap Company for herbal bath products made on-site.