Sitka

The former capital of Russian America, where Tlingit and Russian cultures meet, with a totem trail, an Orthodox cathedral and boat tours to see sea otters and whales.

Sitka sits on the west coast of Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska, facing Sitka Sound and the Pacific, with snowy peaks and temperate rainforest behind it. It is a historic town on Alaska's Inside Passage. Originally the homeland of the Tlingit people, it became New Archangel in 1804, when the Russians founded it as the capital of Russian America. In 1867 the ceremony transferring Alaska to the United States took place on Castle Hill. Downtown is compact, and you can easily walk between St. Michael's Cathedral, the Russian Bishop's House, Castle Hill, Totem Square and the totem trail in Sitka National Historical Park. East of town are the Alaska Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear. The best season is May–Sep, when you can take a boat out to see sea otters, humpback whales and seabirds, or hike the Harbor Mountain and Gavan Hill trails for views over the sound. The weather is mild and rainy all year, so be sure to bring a waterproof jacket. No roads lead to Sitka, so you can only arrive by plane (flights from Seattle and Juneau), Alaska Marine Highway ferry or cruise ship. In peak cruise season, crowds concentrate during the day. Plan on 2–3 days. Downtown is walkable, but you'll need a taxi or rental car for sights outside town.

Top sights

• Sitka National Historical Park – Alaska's oldest federal park. Totem poles of the Tlingit and Haida stand along a rainforest coastal trail.
• St. Michael's Cathedral – An onion-domed Orthodox church on Lincoln Street in the city centre. It is a symbol of the Russian America era and houses precious icons.
• Castle Hill (Baranof Castle State Historic Site) – The site where the United States took over Alaska from Russia in 1867. From the summit you can look over Sitka Sound and its islands.
• Alaska Raptor Center – A rescue centre for injured birds of prey, where you can see bald eagles, owls and falcons up close and learn about their rehabilitation.
• Fortress of the Bear – A rescue centre that takes in orphaned brown and black bears, where visitors watch bears play and forage safely from raised platforms.
• Russian Bishop's House – Built in 1843 as a wooden structure from the Russian America period, it is one of the oldest Russian buildings still standing in North Amer…
• Sheldon Jackson Museum – One of Alaska's oldest museums, with masks, kayaks and everyday objects from the state's Indigenous peoples.
• Mount Edgecumbe – A cone-shaped dormant volcano on Kruzof Island across Sitka Sound, resembling Mount Fuji, and a signature backdrop to the city.
• Sitka Sound Science Center – A small seaside aquarium and salmon hatchery where you can touch starfish and sea urchins with your own hands, ideal for families.
• Russian Blockhouse & Russian Cemetery – A reconstructed wooden Russian blockhouse. The old Russian cemetery on the hill behind it lies hidden in the rainforest and can be visited…
• Totem Square & Sitka Pioneers' Home – A waterfront square in the city centre, with a double-headed eagle totem pole and, across from it, the red-roofed Pioneers' Home.
• Sitka History Museum – A city museum inside Harrigan Centennial Hall that tells the story of Tlingit, Russian and American chapters of Sitka's history.
• Sheet'ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi – The clan house of the Sitka Tlingit people, which hosts traditional dance and song performances in summer and has richly decorated interior…
• Harbor Mountain – One of the few mountains in southeastern Alaska that you can drive up. A ridge trail overlooks Sitka Sound and its islands.
• Gavan Hill Trail – A hiking trail that starts straight from downtown and climbs through rainforest to a mountain summit, with the option to continue to Harbor…
• Mount Verstovia – The iconic peak east of Sitka. A trail climbs straight up from the roadside, and from the summit you can see the city, the bay and the volc…
• Indian River Trail – A gently graded rainforest river-valley trail at the edge of town, ending at a waterfall, where salmon run in late summer.
• Halibut Point State Recreation Site – A state recreation area on the northern coast with gravel beaches, rainforest paths and seaside picnic shelters, with views of the volcano.
• Starrigavan Recreation Area & Old Sitka – Estuary wetlands and rainforest trails on the bay north of town, and the original site where Russians first founded a settlement in 1799.
• Saint Lazaria Island – A seabird nesting island outside Sitka Sound, where wildlife boat tours offer views of puffins, sea otters and humpback whales.
• John O'Connell Bridge – A cable-stayed bridge linking Sitka with Japonski Island, where you can look out over harbour fishing boats, small islands and the volcano.

Where to eat

• Beak Restaurant – A local seafood restaurant run by a James Beard-nominated chef, famous for its black cod tips and rockfish tacos.
• Sitka Pelmeni – A cozy Russian dumpling shop next to St. Michael's Cathedral, serving only beef and potato fillings—cheap, fast, and op…
• Ludvig's Bistro – An intimate restaurant serving Mediterranean-style Alaskan seafood, making it a popular choice for dinner dates in Sitk…
• Sea Daddy's – A cash-only fish shack run solely by the owner, serving freshly fried skewers of the day's catch for about $20 each.
• WildFlour Cafe + Bakery – A popular bakery and cafe in the city center, famous for its croissants, cinnamon rolls, and brunch, often drawing line…

Itineraries

• Southeast Alaska Inside Passage Independent Tour – Skip the cruise ships and use regional flights and ferries to explore Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Glacier Bay, and Skagwa…