Sitka National Historic Park without excursion?

[ChanaC]

We’re on a RC cruise to Alaska this year. One of our ports is Sitka and I’ve been researching what to do while there. Something that sparked my interest is the Sitka National Historic Park. It looks like there is a lot to see and do there! Looks like RC has a $59ish excursion that includes transportation to the park, a guided tour, and a dance performance. That all sounds good and fun… but it also looks like the park is free, with free ranger guided tours as well. And personally I don’t mind walking and exploring at my own pace. My question is if there are any independent taxis/shuttles near the cruise port that will take you back and forth? Even for the taxi/shuttle fee, it still feels like a better deal than the ship excursion. That is, unless transportation is unreliable and booking with the ship is really the best option. Has anyone been and have any thoughts?

 

[disneylandlocal]

Hello! We travel to my dads house in Sitka each summer. The park is gorgeous and easily accessible by walking from the cruise ship terminal if you are in good shape. It’s a nice well marked path along the water. It goes by the science center which is a nice quick stop if you have time. There are very few taxis in Sitka so I wouldn’t rely on one for transportation.

 

[ChanaC]

Hello! We travel to my dads house in Sitka each summer. The park is gorgeous and easily accessible by walking from the cruise ship terminal if you are in good shape. It’s a nice well marked path along the water. It goes by the science center which is a nice quick stop if you have time. There are very few taxis in Sitka so I wouldn’t rely on one for transportation.

Thank you! Since posting this, I found out that there is a free shuttle from the port to town. Looks like they drop people off near the library and Centennial Hall, which just looking at Google maps looks like is near the Russian Bishop House (something else I want to check out) which also seems like a short walk to the park. It also looks like it's near the Sheldon Jackson Museum, which I've also heard good things about.

Do you have any recommendations for other things to do? Or any restaurants? Seems like you are almost a semi-local lol!

 

[disneylandlocal]

I think you will love Sitka. It’s small and all the main sites are walkable except Fortress of the Bears which is a way out of town. The raptor center is really great. You can walk there from the national park (called totem pole park by locals) although it is a steep walkway up. The science center is small but the attached fishery is really interesting especially when the salmon are spawning. The downtown area has some nice shops and your typical tourist fare.

I’d say Sitka is less developed than the other main cruise stops. This is the first year they are allowing large cruise ships. Locals are nervous for the crowds and if the infrastructure can hold up. Last year they only had a short cruise season in august and of course cruises were cancelled in 2020. I of course want Sitka to keep its small town charm but understand they need the revenue after 2 hard years.

for lunch the ludwig chowder cart in the science center gift shop is fabulous but has a limited menu and runs out of food quickly. We like to grab lunch and eat at the little beach there. The ashmo’s food truck in town is really good. For a casual sit down I like the bay view pup which is across from the cruise terminal. There is also a good brewery near totem pole park called Harbour Mountain.

 

[ChanaC]

I think you will love Sitka. It’s small and all the main sites are walkable except Fortress of the Bears which is a way out of town. The raptor center is really great. You can walk there from the national park (called totem pole park by locals) although it is a steep walkway up. The science center is small but the attached fishery is really interesting especially when the salmon are spawning. The downtown area has some nice shops and your typical tourist fare.

I’d say Sitka is less developed than the other main cruise stops. This is the first year they are allowing large cruise ships. Locals are nervous for the crowds and if the infrastructure can hold up. Last year they only had a short cruise season in august and of course cruises were cancelled in 2020. I of course want Sitka to keep its small town charm but understand they need the revenue after 2 hard years.

for lunch the ludwig chowder cart in the science center gift shop is fabulous but has a limited menu and runs out of food quickly. We like to grab lunch and eat at the little beach there. The ashmo’s food truck in town is really good. For a casual sit down I like the bay view pup which is across from the cruise terminal. There is also a good brewery near totem pole park called Harbour Mountain.

Wow thank you, this is all great info!

 

[disneylandlocal]

I saw today that visitsitka.org released their annual brochure, you can sign up online for them to mail you online or download the electronic copy when it’s available. I follow visit Sitka on instagram.