Sitka Day Tours & Attractions
Explore fun day tours and attractions in Sitka. From day cruises to kayaking adventures, options to get out on the water are endless.
Visit the several notable attractions, including the Raptor Center and Science Center. The Science Center features a salmon hatchery and aquarium, which provide fascinating insights into the lifecycle of salmon and showcase the marine wonders of Sitka’s coastal environment. At the Raptor Center, you can experience close encounters with majestic birds of prey, learn about their rehabilitation, and witness remarkable flying demonstrations.
The city also boasts great wildlife viewing, music festivals, museums, and historic sites, which provide insights into Sitka’s fascinating past.
Fairs & Festivals View All
Summer is not the only time to embrace Sitka’s connection to our vast oceans and the inhabitants. November’s annual Sitka WhaleFest, hosted by the Sitka Sound Science Center, celebrates marine life through a science symposium, art, wildlife cruises and so much more!
This ambitious event spotlighting overlooked choral and classical music and incorporating natural elements from Sitka’s surroundings, speaks to the town’s artistic legacy and its ambitions. This annual, week-long chamber music festival promotes an inclusive, accessible vision of classical music, with free events, workshops and performances.
Jazz in Alaska? In the winter? You bet. In fact, this three-day festival, which takes place over the first weekend in February, has been going on for 17 years. And it continues to draw musicians from New Orleans, Detroit, San Francisco, and New York. The festival’s mission is to bring jazz to Sitka. Professional musicians headline evening performances, but music students also perform at the 650-seat Performing Arts Center. In fact, nearly 200… ...more
Although it’s a state holiday, Alaska Day is owned by Sitka, which throws an annual, day-long party to observe the anniversary of the transfer of the Alaska Territory to the United States. There’s a parade led by the pipe and drum regiment of the Seattle Fire Department; a ball, historical reenactments, panel discussions, and more.
This festival brings together some of America’s most talented string musicians and has garnered national acclaim. Celebrated for over 40 years, the festival is the vision of Paul Rosenthal, a violinist from New York who visited Alaska while on tour in 1972. It’s grown to include fall and winter performances in Anchorage and other parts of the state. The stringed performances are truly impressive (they’ve been featured in the New York Times… ...more
It’s a wonder that it took until recently to launch this celebration in the town long-billed as “Sitka-by-the-Sea.” Who doesn’t want to be a mermaid? Held over five days in late August, this celebration of the sea includes a Mermaid Parade, seafood tastings and a two-day public market.
Wildlife Parks View All
In the coastal Southeast Alaskan town of Sitka, marine wildlife typically plays out on a big scenic backdrop. At Sitka’s unique Science Center, you’ll find a salmon hatchery and aquarium. Wildlife fans get an up-close look at the marine creatures that make this part of Alaska so special.
You’ll look eagles in the eye at this raptor rehab and education center on the edge of Tongass National Forest. You’ll get a close-up look at a snowy owl, American kestrel, peregrine falcon, great-horned owl, red-tailed hawk, and even the tiny northern saw-whet owl.
Sailing Adventures View All
Multi-day Sailing Adventures • Customize Your Itinerary
Explore Alaska by chartering the 90-foot yacht Alaskan Story, out of Juneau. It’s the perfect way to see some of the state’s most stunningly beautiful areas, like Glacier Bay National Park, and enjoy lots of opportunities for fishing, kayaking, hiking, and wildlife viewing along the way.
Discover Southeast Alaska’s natural wonders aboard a chartered sailboat with Sailing Alaska. Customize your private expedition with experienced captain John Joeright and enjoy all-inclusive meals, comfortable accommodations, and endless adventures on the 46-foot S/V Shamrock. Watch whales, hike, fish, visit local communities, and more — all at your own pace.
Bear Paw Charters offers private, all-inclusive day trips and longer tours on its luxury yacht — perfect for whale watching, bear viewing, and experiencing Alaska’s scenic majesty.
Fishing Charters View All
Sitka Expeditions offers 6‑hour outings, but can customize the tour to your cruise schedule. Fish, take in the mountain views, and look for wildlife. The unique ecosystem of the Sitka area attracts tons of fish. And, the company’s owners were both born and raised in Sitka and have been fishing these waters their whole lives. They have inside scoop on the best spots to cast your line!
Whale Watching View All
Enjoy a private and family-friendly journey through the pristine waters of Sitka
Join Sitka Expeditions for an intimate wildlife cruise. Choose between a 2‑hour trip to Sitka Sound or a 4‑hour deep wilderness exploration for a truly immersive Alaskan experience. Spot whales, sea otters, and bears while exploring stunning Alaskan scenery and active fisheries. Perfect for cruise passengers and families.
Museums & Cultural Centers View All
Learn the history of this quiet coastal community that was once the hub as a center for trade
Dr. Sheldon Jackson, museum founder, had the distinction of serving in three pioneer fields during the late 1800s, founding Protestant missions and schools, establishing the public school system, and introducing domestic reindeer. In his travels he reached many sections of Alaska, as well as the coast of Siberia, gathering the majority of the artifacts now seen in the museum. Located on the campus of Sheldon Jackson College, the museum was… ...more
Walking the streets of Sitka, you may find it hard to believe that this quiet coastal community was once the hub of the West Coast: a center for trade, diplomacy, and the arts. When San Francisco had less than 10 residents, Sitka was home to 800 Russians, Europeans, Tlingits, and Aleuts. The oldest town on the West Coast, it was the capital of Russian America — called New Archangel — and was booming from the early 1800s through the United States’… ...more
This is a fun little treasure hunt for kids. The money tree isn’t marked, but it’s near the start of the Totem Trail. Look for a tree stump, about a foot and half tall, that’s filled with coins. Where the branches have broken off, there are coins in the little holes. People have been putting coins in this tree for over 50 years; if you can find the tree, join the tradition!
Explore a large, scale model of Sitka from 1867, the year the Russians transferred the Territory to the United States. View exhibits on traditional Tlingit lifestyles and see a collection of tightly woven cedar and spruce root baskets. Or learn about the town blackouts and a large-scale military buildup in Sitka during World War II. The museum is the only place in Sitka that includes all three elements of the town’s history – Tlingit, Russian… ...more
Historic Parks & Sites View All
Visit the Russian Block House from the early 1800s and stroll through the Sitka National Historical Park
After four years of worshiping in the Presbyterian Chapel, Episcopalians finally had their own church in 1899, with the construction of St. Peters-by-the-Sea. Complete with stained glass windows, modified flying buttresses, and wooden pews, this small chapel is open to the public 24⁄7. The church and the adjacent See House (1905) are both on the National Register of Historical Places, and are largely the work of Bishop Peter Trimble Rowe.… ...more
Overgrown and unmarked, this 200-year-old Russian cemetery is still used for Russian Orthodox parishioners of St. Michael’s. You’ll find stone and wood headstones, some of which are made from the ballasts of old Russian ships.
Arrange a water taxi ride to this man made archipelago extending into Sitka Sound, a relic of decaying fortifications built to defend Alaska from foreign invasion during World War II. During World War II, Sitka was the hub of military activity in Southeast Alaska, with a U.S. Naval Air Station and other installations.
Alaska’s oldest National Park isn’t a big one — only 113 acres — but it’s rich with history and there’s plenty to do: hiking trails, ranger-led interpretive walks, carving demonstrations, ethnographic displays, and more. The park’s main attractions are the roughly 20 totem poles and the beautiful coastal rainforest, which you can explore on your own or with park rangers.
Once the administrative headquarters for an empire stretching from Asia to California and Hawaii, Castle Hill today is little more than a grassy hill with a few interpretive signs, a modest stonewall, several old cannons, and a few flagpoles. But when you visit the top of this hill, you’re standing on rich historic grounds.
Start at this landmark, in the center of town, to grasp the richness and depth of Sitka’s history as the capital of Russian America. The architecture and treasured icons of this landmark highlight Sitka’s long history as a European settlement decades before the American Revolution.
One of only a few structures remaining from the original Russian settlement, the endurance of the Russian Bishop’s House reflects the dedication brought to the job by the missionary Bishop Innocent Veniaminov, its first occupant. Its chapel includes several icons Innocent imported from Russia.
You won’t find any old buildings here, but there are great interpretive signs and numerous hiking trails at this state park. And it’s an important place — the site of the first Russian settlement on Baranof Island.
After Finnish laborers completed St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, they asked Russian authorities if they could build a Lutheran church for themselves. The Russians allowed it, but only if the building didn’t look like a church. That building was torn down in 1888, but you can still see what it looked like: the current Lutheran church (which looks like a church) has a model and photo of the original. The Lutheran Church is right across… ...more
This stout structure is a re-creation of the guard tower that once stood here, part of the fortress enclosing the Russians during their time in Sitka, from 1804 to 1867. Fearful of the wilderness around them, and of Tlingit Natives, the Russians’ enclosed fort was open to outsiders only in the daytime.
Visitor Information Centers View All
Alaska’s oldest National Park isn’t a big one — only 113 acres — but it’s rich with history and there’s plenty to do: hiking trails, ranger-led interpretive walks, carving demonstrations, ethnographic displays, and more. The park’s main attractions are the roughly 20 totem poles and the beautiful coastal rainforest, which you can explore on your own or with park rangers.
Day Cruise View All
Experience the best of Sitka’s wildlife and scenery on a small, personalized day cruise.
Sitka Expeditions offers 6‑hour outings, but can customize the tour to your cruise schedule. Fish, take in the mountain views, and look for wildlife. The unique ecosystem of the Sitka area attracts tons of fish. And, the company’s owners were both born and raised in Sitka and have been fishing these waters their whole lives. They have inside scoop on the best spots to cast your line!
Join Sitka Expeditions for an intimate wildlife cruise. Choose between a 2‑hour trip to Sitka Sound or a 4‑hour deep wilderness exploration for a truly immersive Alaskan experience. Spot whales, sea otters, and bears while exploring stunning Alaskan scenery and active fisheries. Perfect for cruise passengers and families.
Plays & Performances View All
Held in a modern traditional Tlingit clan house, these dances are powerful performances that kids love. The booming echo of a drum, the smell of burning cedar, the lively chanting, and the energetic dance moves make for a memorable experience. The 30-minute performances include a story and five traditional songs. The dance troupe includes performers of all ages, dressed in colorful black and red blankets or traditional regalia. There are… ...more
Clap your hands, hoot and holler, and tap your feet — it’s all encouraged when you attend a show by the New Archangel Dancers. Performing Russian folk dances in Sitka for over 40 years, this all-female group has been dedicated to preserving and celebrating the town’s Russian heritage since 1969. You’ll experience upbeat dances (with their emcee leading a clapping audience), as well as beautiful, serene, slow dances. There are character dances… ...more
Guided Hiking View All
Tongass National Forest • Coastal Views • Waterfalls
Shimmering lakes, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, old-growth rainforest, and stunning views: Tongass National Forest is filled with gorgeous, remote spots that are iconically Alaskan. And the best way to see them is on foot, during a private, personalized hike with Tongass Treks, on the trails around Sitka. It’s an intimate, authentic experience with lots of amazing photo ops!
Flightseeing Tours View All
Witness the dramatic volcanic coastline of the North Pacific, or fly to remote hot springs