We opted to stay at the Raindancer Lodge, run by Raindancer Charters. This is the first year they've hosted guests at their place, opting to pocket the money instead of giving it to local hotels.The accommodations are basic, warm, and inviting. My father-in-law and I…Read More

We opted to stay at the Raindancer Lodge, run by Raindancer Charters. This is the first year they've hosted guests at their place, opting to pocket the money instead of giving it to local hotels.

The accommodations are basic, warm, and inviting. My father-in-law and I had the "Wolf" room with two twins and a full bath, private entrance and all kinds of birch wood accents up the walls. Very woodsy.

There's a recreation room with a flat-screen, a pool table and sink for making coffee, hot cider, or anything else you'd like to warm up to.

Upstairs is the dining room and kitchen where Chef Ty Yamamoto prepares some of the most delicious dishes you've ever laid lips on. His paints are his sauces and his canvas is halibut, beef, pork, and anything else you may request.

The lodge is located a few miles from downtown, on the ocean side of Sawmill Road, where you'll habitually see Bald Eagles and even an occasional moose running around. Peaceful location + inviting hosts = vacation bliss.   Close

The Tlingits survived undisturbed on this west coast of Chicagof Island until 1799 when the Russians arrived. Alexander Baranof, president of the Russian American Company, built a fort just north of the current ferry terminal. The Tlingits grew immediately hostile at the prospect of becoming…Read More

The Tlingits survived undisturbed on this west coast of Chicagof Island until 1799 when the Russians arrived. Alexander Baranof, president of the Russian American Company, built a fort just north of the current ferry terminal. The Tlingits grew immediately hostile at the prospect of becoming slave labor to the fur trade company. The Tlingits attacked the outpost and killed nearly all the Russians and their Aleut slaves. Two years later Baranof retaliated. For six days the Tlingit village was bombarded with guns and cannons and brutally defeated. This battle took place near the present town site and at the current site of Sitka National Historical Park.

Sitka became known as New Archangel under Russian rule. For almost fifty years the Russian American Company was the most profitable fur trader in the world. During this period Sitka was the European cultural center of the Pacific. It had a cultured and a vodka-devoted population, leaving some vistors to remark that it was difficult to survive Russian hospitality. It had the first shipyard and built the first steam vessel in the Pacific. New Archangel became known as the "Paris of the Pacific" when San Francisco was just being founded. By the mid 1800s fortunes declined with the sea otter numbers.

The Russians sold Alaska to the United States for 7.2 million dollars on October 8, 1867. This cermony took place on top of Castle Hill. Until 1906, when the territorial capitol moved to Juneau, Sitka continued to be the the seat of government for all of Alaska.   Close

The smaller M/V Leconte takes the scenic route through many of the smaller villages of this region. This is the only way to see places like Tenakee Springs. The M/V Leconte takes 16 hours to make the trip. You will also have to sleep on…Read More

The smaller M/V Leconte takes the scenic route through many of the smaller villages of this region. This is the only way to see places like Tenakee Springs. The M/V Leconte takes 16 hours to make the trip. You will also have to sleep on deck or in the lounge since the M/V Leconte does not have cabins. The heated solarium on the top deck makes provides the best view. Pack your sleeping bag or a blanket. You are sure to meet many locals on this ship.

You can hop off at any of these smaller villages on this northern feeder route and pick up the next ferry. Please note that the schedule is sparse. Two to three days at Tenakee Hot Springs may leave you a little shriveled and bored. Many of these villages are very tiny. If you stop over arrange your lodging ahead of time. Many people just settle for brief ferry stops on the smaller villages in route between Juneau and more major stops such as Sitka or Petersburg.

The M/V LeConte will typically operates on the following weekly sailing pattern during summer months: Sitka - Angoon - Tenakee - Hoonah - Juneau - Hoonah - Tenakee - Angoon - Sitka - Kake - Petersburg - Kake- Sitka - Angoon - Hoonah - Juneau - Hoonah - Angoon - Kake - Petersburg - Kake - Angoon - Tenakee - Hoonah - Juneau - Hoonah - Tenakee - Angoon - Sitka.

In addition, every other week the pattern includes a round trip between Juneau and Pelican. The trip to Pelican is an excellent day trip from Juneau, and you are almost certain to see whales. This is the least expensive whale watching excursion in Alaska.    Close

The Alaska Marine Highway is the only highway that connects all Southeastern Alaska towns. It's fairly easy to design your own customized point to point itinerary, but be mindful of departure and arrival times. First, decide how long you want to stay in each place.…Read More

The Alaska Marine Highway is the only highway that connects all Southeastern Alaska towns. It's fairly easy to design your own customized point to point itinerary, but be mindful of departure and arrival times. First, decide how long you want to stay in each place. Then, check out all the options on the ferry schedule. Book your ferry before your flight.

RESERVATIONS
If you need to reserve a cabin or you are traveling with a car, it is important reserve ahead. Either will add significantly to the fare, with staterooms generally being the less expensive of the two. This can easily be done at the AMH web site, but make sure you reserve everything you need on each segment.

CABINS
For longer trips they also offer cabins which rent by the room and not by the person. Most have private bathrooms. Rooms with three berths or larger are likely to be arranged with beds side by side instead of bunk style. The Kennicott has many very inexpensive roomettes which provide a private booth/bunk bed setup using public bathrooms.

THE SITKA ROUTE
You get a real bonus with a ferry trip to Sitka from Juneau. You will pass through not one but three narrows. Peril Straight is the most famous and narrow. Olga and Nevis Straights follow. You can often feel the Pacific swell between each of the three straights. These are great wildlife viewing opportunities. We saw killer whales and bald eagles on this route. Look closely at the mouths of creeks for brown bear. Bring binoculars!

Ferry service to Sitka is very regular in the summer, but arrival times are all over the clock. At least one sailing a week from Juneau will arrive and depart at a reasonable hour. We found that the best strategy in Sitka was to arrive on an afternoon or evening ferry, spend the night, and depart on the northbound the following evening. This gave us 24 hours in Sitka, and Peril Straight during the day and the night. These trips on the main line ferries are 8-9 hours from Juneau. The northbound ferries will continue on to Haines and Skagway.    Close

With all that Sitka has going for it you might ask why Sitka has not become the center of tourism and commerce for the entire region. After all, it had a 100 year head start. At over 8000 citizens, it is a substantial small town.…Read More

With all that Sitka has going for it you might ask why Sitka has not become the center of tourism and commerce for the entire region. After all, it had a 100 year head start. At over 8000 citizens, it is a substantial small town. The answer in two words would be: rain and location. Sitka averages 7 and 1/2 feet of rain per year. Fierce storms can pound Baranof Island's Pacific coast from September through December. Our late evening arrival in Sitka was met with pouring rain. By the next morning it was just cloudy, by afternoon we had a little sunshine, by the evening we were again surrounded by swirling clouds of mist. This is fairly typical weather day in the late summer in Sitka, if you are also lucky. Bring a waterproof top layer.

Sitka is the only city on the "outside" passage. For this reason Sitka enjoys a form of splendid isolation. Sitka is an eight to nine hour ferry ride from Juneau. It is a thirteen to seventeen hour overnight ferry ride to the nearest mainland road. Both ferry segments work nicely if you are planning a point to point trip on the ferry of the northern inside passage. These facts will soon change when Alaska Marine Highway rolls out the first "fast ferry" for the Sitka to Juneau route. Alaska Airlines does have daily flights to Sitka on the Juneau to Seattle route. It is also a stop for the major cruise lines, though they certainly don't call here on every sailing. It is 95 miles southwest of Juneau (the one stop that seems to obligatory for all Alaskan cruises). Sitka seems to make a little over half the cruise itineraries.    Close

The Raptor Rehabilitation Center helps injured birds (mostly raptors) from all over the United States with medical attention and recovery. We saw some bald eagles, owls and a falcon. Hike the mile and a half from the dock past the historical park. On a nice…Read More

The Raptor Rehabilitation Center helps injured birds (mostly raptors) from all over the United States with medical attention and recovery. We saw some bald eagles, owls and a falcon. Hike the mile and a half from the dock past the historical park. On a nice sunny day it is a pleasant hike. Also get yourself the "I Am Smiling" t-shirt with the bald eagle on the front.   Close

Sitka is a Tlingit name that means 'by the sea.' Under the name of Novoarkhangelsk, it was the capital of Russian Alaska until the USA bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867. The acquisition of Alaska was signed at Castle Hill, ending Alaska's over a…Read More

Sitka is a Tlingit name that means 'by the sea.' Under the name of Novoarkhangelsk, it was the capital of Russian Alaska until the USA bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867. The acquisition of Alaska was signed at Castle Hill, ending Alaska's over a century status as a Russian colony. Sitka is located on Baranof Island, named after Alexander Baranov, manager of the Russian-American Company that explored the region. Companies in the area were particularly attracted by sea otters' fur, and these animals were hunted almost to extinction.    Close

The bus will be waiting when you arrive by ferry in Sitka SITKA FERRY SHUTTLE provides transportation to the downtown area or to accommodations May-Sept., $5 one way, $7 round-trip. For information, call Sitka Tours at (907) 747-8443. For information, call Sitka Tours at (907)…Read More

The bus will be waiting when you arrive by ferry in Sitka SITKA FERRY SHUTTLE provides transportation to the downtown area or to accommodations May-Sept., $5 one way, $7 round-trip. For information, call Sitka Tours at (907) 747-8443. For information, call Sitka Tours at (907) 747-8443. Tours are often offered that will give you a good overview while the ferry is in port. There are longer tours if you will be staying overnight.

SITKA TRIBAL TOURS provides a variety of bus tours. 1-888-270-8687. Sitka Tribal Tours
1 HOUR BUS TOUR: On large ship port-of-calls, a narrative drive of Sitka's historic sites and includes photo stops at scenic locations. PRICE: $10/person.
2 1/2 HOUR TOUR: Learn Sitka's local facts, Russian and Tlingit history and culture during narrative tour, with stops at S.E. AK Cultural Center, Sitka Nat'l. Historical Park, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Tlingit Native dance performance at the Tribal Community House (includes all entry fees) PRICE: $42/adults $32/child.
3 1/2 HOUR TOUR: Includes all of 2 1/2 hr. Tour plus a stop at the Alaska Raptor Center $55/adult $45/child.
COMBINED TOUR: 2 1/2 hr: Hiking and Coach Tour (Starrigavan Trail) Scenic drive to Old Historic Sitka and walk through old growth forest, muskeg, and natural bird watching estuary. PRICE: $50/person.
Email: ttours@ptialaska.net    Close

Sitka is wonderfully walkable. Pick up a map at Centennial Hall. This walking tour will lead to all of the major attractions and many that you may not have heard about. Don't miss the view from Castle Hill, Russian Block House, Princess Mousouktof's grave,…Read More

Sitka is wonderfully walkable. Pick up a map at Centennial Hall. This walking tour will lead to all of the major attractions and many that you may not have heard about. Don't miss the view from Castle Hill, Russian Block House, Princess Mousouktof's grave, the Pioneers Home, shopping for Russian items, and a walk down to the Pioneer Bar on the salty and seedy Katlain Avenue.   Close

Sitka's harbor is quite picturesque. It has more than its share of towering mountains and numerous islands with many homes and lodges dotting the islands. The trip on the tenders is a pleasant entry into town.…Read More

Sitka's harbor is quite picturesque. It has more than its share of towering mountains and numerous islands with many homes and lodges dotting the islands. The trip on the tenders is a pleasant entry into town.   Close