Sitka question

[vfb2girls]

I am still so undecided on what to do in Sitka, I have the excursions already planned for the other ports but just can't decide what to do in Sitka. I have the visitor guide and have search the other posts on this forum but still can't decide. For anyone going to Sitka this year what planned excursions are you taking? Is it better for us to do a walking tour on our own or shoud we book with a tour service? I do know that I want to visit the raptor center and some of the churches..any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thank you

[allentownahoy]

This is one port where I am not booking any excursion as one can get around on foot or shuttle bus to see all the sights at your own pace. There is a bus for 5 or 10 bucks that you can ride all over. Hope this helps.

[SakeDad]

I have booked Capt Davey's Puffins & Whales trip. Small boat, local captain and good reviews here. I'll have a review and pics after the end of May for you.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I have booked Capt Davey's Puffins & Whales trip. Small boat, local captain and good reviews here. I'll have a review and pics after the end of May for you.

 

SakeDad, I finally found the time to look at your more than 450 photos of Beijing. They're fabulous! I head for BJ on Friday. :D:D:D

 

Also looking forward to reading your review of your cruise to Alaska. Be sure to post photos!

 

Regards,

Jayne

[feelin_peachy]

We will be doing two excursions while we are there. The first will be Historical Sitka & Russian Dancers and it's booked through the ship. This is one my Dad is very interested in - he loves history. During this tour we will visit St. Michael's Cathedral, Sitka National Historical Park, see more totem poles, and see the New Archangel Dancers.

Then we'll grab a bite to eat. I haven't figured out where we will go for that. Probably try to find a nice local restaurant instead of tendering back to the ship. Anyone have a suggestion?

Finally, we will go on a four hour tour with Captain Davey (www.puffinsandwhales.com). He was very nice to talk to and seems to know alot about the area and wildlife. We chose Sitka for a wildlife tour instead of a whale watch tour elsewhere because we also wanted to see the tufted and horned puffins along with other animals.

I know on our last trip (five years ago) there were several great shops if you just want to spend the day doing that.

There is also the Raptor Center (birds of prey), fishing, bicycling, or kayaking.

I hope this gave you some ideas of what to do there. Have fun in Sitka!!

[SakeDad]

SakeDad, I finally found the time to look at your more than 450 photos of Beijing. They're fabulous! I head for BJ on Friday. :D:D:D

 

Also looking forward to reading your review of your cruise to Alaska. Be sure to post photos!

 

Regards,

Jayne

Thanks! I took over 8,000 pics in two weeks there!:eek: It's an AMAZING country. You can trust I will have lots of Alaska pics to post too!:D

[Budget Queen]

We will be doing two excursions while we are there. The first will be Historical Sitka & Russian Dancers and it's booked through the ship. This is one my Dad is very interested in - he loves history. During this tour we will visit St. Michael's Cathedral, Sitka National Historical Park, see more totem poles, and see the New Archangel Dancers.

Then we'll grab a bite to eat. I haven't figured out where we will go for that. Probably try to find a nice local restaurant instead of tendering back to the ship. Anyone have a suggestion?

Finally, we will go on a four hour tour with Captain Davey (www.puffinsandwhales.com). He was very nice to talk to and seems to know alot about the area and wildlife. We chose Sitka for a wildlife tour instead of a whale watch tour elsewhere because we also wanted to see the tufted and horned puffins along with other animals.

I know on our last trip (five years ago) there were several great shops if you just want to spend the day doing that.

There is also the Raptor Center (birds of prey), fishing, bicycling, or kayaking.

I hope this gave you some ideas of what to do there. Have fun in Sitka!!

 

 

If you get a native guide for your tour, they are dressed in jackets, covered with pins they get from visitors around the world. Consider bringing an unique pin from home to add to the collection. :)

[HALNEWBY]

Has anyone done the 4x4 excursion wilderness adventure in Sitka?

[J&KCruisers]

We were in Sitka last July. It is a very beautiful place and very easy to get around.

 

From the tender drop off, it is about a 10 minute "stroll" to the National Park where the totem poles are located. You walk through the park to a road which leads to the Raptor Center.

 

At the Raptor Center you can walk around and see the Raptors in pens on the outside. They have a tour and presentation on the inside for a fee. We decided to walk on a trail from the center (about a mile loop) through the forest which has a stream with salmon spawining and eagles everywhere. It was spectacular!!!!!

 

We then walked into town to the College (tide pool museum) St. Michaels Cathedral and the Seamans Retirement Home.

 

A great day and easy to do outside of a tour. Frankly, had we booked a tour, we would have felt foolish with how easy we found it to get around!!

 

We were disappointed with the local restaurants. We found them extremely pricey and decided to just go back to the ship with some Alaskan Ale and sit on the deck.

 

Have a great time!!

[agabbymama]

I agree with J&KCruisers. Sitka is a wonderful town to just walk around. It's not really very big. There was a large hill (across from the pier I think) that is where Baranhof has his castle, but it's gone now, and it's where the first U.S. flag was raised once we purchased Alaska from Russia. And you can pick up the hop on/hop off shuttle right at the pier. In '99 it was $7, but folks are saying it's $10 now. They make about 7 stops around town at various venues. We rode the shuttle to the top of the hill to the Raptor Center. The driver showed us the trail to take through the rainforest to walk down to the Museum. We spent about two hours at the raptor center, then walked through the rainforest (seeing a Russian memorial from a native uprising), totems, and just enjoying the scenery (never thought about bears until just now :eek: ). Once down at the museum my husband enjoyed talking to the carvers. They had a totem and a canoe they were carving. We didn't go inside to any of the lectures. Hopped back on the shuttle and headed back downtown to St. Michael's (Russian Orthodox Cathedral), then walked the streets and shopped. Guess were are easily entertained. I would never think of paying $100, 200, 300 or more for any tours.

[Nancyquilts]

Anyone over 65 can use their Golden Age Passport to get into the Heritage Totem Pole Park and the Bishop's House (very interesting, right down town) for free. We also like the museum at the Sheldon Jackson school. Nancy

[kellywhitehills]

My Uncle was up there visiting..they all went to a local bar for lunch...about 12 noon the bar tender calls LAST CALL....They were like what the hell its only noon...The bartender told him the cruise ship just docked and the prices on everything went up to almost double..