Cruising Alaska: 9 Free Or Inexpensive Things To Do Near Port In Sitka
Alaska itineraries are often port heavy, with few sea days to relax and unwind, so sometimes it’s nice to have a few “play it by ear ports.” And if you’re traveling with young children or adults who act like young children if they have to wait more than three seconds in the crepe line (guilty as charged), you know that overscheduling can be stressful and day drinking or spending 6 hours at a rock beach looking for crabs can go a long way in keeping everyone happy, wedded, and on the unlocked side of the brig.
Because there are so many great free and inexpensive options close to the ship that don’t require any pre-planning, Sitka has served as one of these ports for us many of the times we’ve visited.
So grab some rain boots and a slicker to both look adorable and to stay dry and comfortable on your tour of 9 free or inexpensive things to do near port in Sitka.
Get off at the One Stop in this Two Stop Light Town
As you disembark your ship in Sitka, free shuttle buses will be lined up to transport you into town. Your driver will likely be a local kid who looks so young you’ll wonder if he needs a booster seat to see up over the steering wheel and a bitty diapered assistant with one tiny pigtail to sit on the floor and press the peddles for him. Thankfully it’s a straight shot and you’ll pass through only one of the two traffic lights in the entire town.
Slip your drivers a few dollars for gas station candy and Pokémon cards in exchange for telling you the story of the tour operator and the fake bear guarantee. I won’t spoil it other than to say that Shakespeare himself couldn’t have penned a better ending and that the guarantee was real, but the bear was fake. And whether the story itself is real? Pose the question at the bar later that night for what will be, at minimum, a spirited debate and at best settled via a full reenactment (I may or may not have played the part of the moose).
In any case, your shuttle will safely deposit you at the point of the arrow on my handy dandy map below. Feel free to print it to take with you. The identifier in the bottom left will remind you of who to curse at when you tire of walking in what locals call the “Sitka sun,” but what tourists refer to as the “damn rain.”
1: Russian Bishop’s House
Halloween is my favorite holiday for two reasons. First, I get to send my kid out in a humiliating costume to pilfer candy from strangers I will then pilfer from him immediately after rushing his bedtime routine because mama needs her some Kit Kats and Twix bars. Second, I can peak inside cool looking houses without getting arrested. So naturally I was eager to step inside the house of Ivan Veniaminov, the first bishop of Alaska. It’s a mustard colored nod to Russian colonial architecture and offers a fascinating (and free) lesson into the history of Sitka and the influence of the Russian Orthodox church. Be sure to connect with a park ranger for a guided tour of the second floor.
2: Sitka Sea Walk and Crescent Boat Harbor
Take a relaxing and gorgeous walk along the sea, passing by the Crescent Boat Harbor, the Sitka Community playground, the Sound Science Center, and through the National Historical Park. Stick close to the water to see jumping fish and to find a wealth of sea creatures at low tide and tiny, equal parts creepy and adorable, crabs under the rocks. Don’t be shy, get right in that water with your rain boots, but don’t accidentally get stranded on a boulder when the tide comes in unless you want to fully saturate your pants while introducing your thighs to the Sitka Sound: “Nice to meet you, but you seem a little cold.” This is by far our favorite activity in Sitka as evidenced by the 5,000 or so photos I seem to have of us here.
3: Sitka Community Playground
If you have a child with you or an adult who clearly exceeds the weight limit but insists on riding the swings while screaming “wheeeeeeeeeeeee!” (uh hum, me!), you’ll want to stop at the Sitka Community Playground.
4: Sitka Sound Science Center
If you were that kid with the stick who was always poking at something growing up, well then this is the spot for you! The Sitka Sound Science Center includes a salmon hatchery and a small aquarium with an impressive collection of creatures in three large touch pools. It also features a juvenile killer whale skeleton on the ceiling, one of only five on display in the world. Be sure to ask about the included 30 minute guided tour if you’re there in the summer and about the Junior Naturalist Program if you’re short enough to still shop in the children’s department like I do or have an actual child with you. This is a small facility and can be easily covered in 30-60 minutes, but we enjoyed it and found it worth the inexpensive admission. Go HERE for current hours and admission fees.
5: Sitka National Historical Park
Begin at the visitor’s center where you will ground your walk through the park in history and culture, with displays of Native Alaskan artifacts and demonstrations of native crafts. Then head outside and meander through the 112 acre park shaded by mighty Sitka spruce trees and totem polls that together perfectly capture the relationship between the native Tlingit people and this magnificent little dot on our planet. And even though our planet is itself just a little dot in the vastness of the universe, as far as we know it’s the only one hospitable to our complex, capable of such horror and such beauty and triumph of spirit, kind. And you’ll emerge from this place with a fierce, almost motherly, drive to protect it. To do and be a little better.
Or you’ll find a log to stand on to stick your tongue out in protest of all this seriousness. In that case, grab a stick and let your imagination take you on an adventure. Nature is great for that too.
Either way, get out and enjoy this place. It’s not to be missed and is accessible to all for free.
6: St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral
The most prominent features of St. Michael’s are the onion domes and gold crosses that adorn the roof. The building that stands today is a more fire resistant replica of the original building, established in 1848, that burned down in 1966. If you’re lucky enough to get a peak inside, you’ll find a priceless collection of Russian artifacts rescued from the original building by local townspeople. I’m told that Sunday services are offered in English, Tlingit, and Church Slavonic.
7: Russian Cemetery
Don’t cry for me Sitka. Should you see the ambulance greeting our ship as we pull into Sitka and hear the Captain, in a solemn yet still unavoidably sexy voice, implore passengers to “please pray for the family of Prof. Cruise – it seems the fettuccine alfredo and warm chocolate melting cake with two ice creams has finally done her in,” don’t cry for me. Know that I’ve died doing what I love and return my body to the earth here, at this overgrown and neglected, making it all the more lovely and peaceful, spot where all my fans (i.e. my mother) can visit, leaving me a ship on a stick and three servings of dessert before sailing away to carry on my legacy of neglecting all adult responsibilities in favor of a pampered life at sea.
8: The Sitka Public Library
I’m the child of two former librarians who met and fell in love at the public library. It’s no wonder I’m such a nerd, right? It also explains why I always seek out the public library at every port. Well that and the free internet. Mostly the free internet.
The library in Sitka is located right next to the shuttle stop, so it’s convenient to pop over for a few minutes before you head back to the ship. It also offers beautiful views of the water and mountains you can ignore while you’re doing the important work of posting selfies to Instagram of yourself at the bar last night that get progressively more blurry until the last shot which is of your finger over the lens. There’s also a cute little children’s room with some toys for toddler-aged kids and computer learning games for older kids that you can use as a babysitter until the kid’s club on the ship opens back up.
9: The Sheldon Jackson Museum
I’m always learning things from my students. In truth, they’re usually much smarter and worldlier than I am and are far less likely to have white marks on the butt of their black trouser pants because they scratched with chalky hands behind the podium thinking no one could see. “Prof. Cruise, you have chalk on your ass again.” That’s one of the things I frequently learn from them. And also that I’m a bad speller. But, I digress.
The Sheldon Jackson Museum has always been closed when I’ve visited (and bothered to check), so I’m hoping someone can enlighten us on their experience there in the comments section. You can also find more information on their website.
Now, grab your map and enjoy a laid back day in Sitka!
Class dismissed.
Homework (10 points): Check out my other Alaska port posts here and my Alaska Packing Guide. And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog (scroll up to the top right if on a computer or keep scrolling down if on a mobile device) and follow me on social media:
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