A Complete Guide to Sitka, Alaska

9/29/2022

**Updated : March 2023**
Use the map to see a visual of all our recommendations - click the arrow next to our photo to have a pop up list! This post may also contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase a product via these links, with no extra cost to you!

Sitka can be a difficult town to get to, with no roads that reach the city it is only accessible by water or air, making it a popular stop for cruise ships! We were able to stop here on our cruise with Royal Caribbean, and although we were only there for one day, we gathered all the recommendations we got from locals and all the places we found on our own into one simple list for you! It's worth noting that the cruise ship port is a bit out of town, however, there are free shuttles that will bring you into the city center of Sitka. Read on for the best places to stay (if you're not visiting via cruise), where to eat, and the best things to do while exploring the Sitka area!

The Best Places to Stay in Sitka

With just over 8,000 people in the borough and city of Sitka, there are surprisingly some very unique stays and lodging options (they just might cost you an arm and a leg...)! Since we were just visiting for the day, we asked some locals and did our own research to compile this short list of unique (and best) places to stay in Sitka!

Sitka Lighthouse - you read that right, you can actually stay IN the lighthouse in Sitka! After being remodeled in 2018, you'll have stunning views of Sitka and the marine wildlife that swims by!
Twin Islands Retreat - an all inclusive, boutique resort complete with a sauna and deep sea fishing charter
The Caboose - a secluded float house in the middle of the Alaskan outdoors, it'll take a 7 mile boat ride out of sitka to get there! This is a bit of a more rustic stay, but will definitely give you a unique story to tell!
Sitka Hotel - located right in town and overlooking the Sitka Harbour

Where to Eat in Sitka

Sitka was one of our favorite places to explore and we actually ended up doing our own DIY short food tour around downtown! If you go during the warmer months, these little food stands should be open, and we highly recommend doing your own walking tour around town!

The Fresh Fish - stop here for some of the BEST seafood/clam chowder you'll ever have!
Fisherman's Alley - located in a small alleyway between two buildings, they sell fresh King Crab in individual serving sizes and have them pre cut and buttered for you! Hands down the best King Crab we've ever had!
Jessie's Uptown Dogs - stop here to try the famous Alaska Reindeer Dogs, hot dogs made from reindeer meat! Our favorite reindeer dogs are in Anchorage, but this will do them justice if you don't make it to the mainland during your trip to Alaska
Harry Race Drug Store - a local drug store that also has an old Soda Shop/Ice Cream Parlor inside, we got a chocolate shake to cool down after exploring and it was perfect!

(These spots aren't included in our map above, but if you walk the downtown area near St. Michael's Orthodox Cathedral you should be able to spot them around town!)

Some other places we got recommendations for but didn't have time to stop at during this trip included :

Beak Restaurant - sustainable seafood restaurant
Mean Queen - open late for great pizza!
WildFlour Cafe & Bakery - coffee, smoothies, breakfast and lunch
Backdoor Cafe - local coffee shop
Sitka Pel'meni - in case you didn't know, Pel'meni is basically a Russian dumpling, and is usually filled with a meat or cheese, they are delicious and although we haven't tried the ones in Sitka, Anchorage also has a Pel'meni restaurant and we highly recommend trying them while in Alaska!

What to Do in Sitka

If you're unfortunate like us and only have one day to explore Sitka, then be warned you might have a difficult time choosing what to do. Since we were traveling via cruise, we did do the Wilderness Sea Kayaking Tour as an excursion, however there is plenty of fun activities to do in the Sitka area!

Wilderness Sea Kayaking Tour - we went through Alaska Travel Adventures and if I'm being completely honest, I would skip this. It was very beautiful and peaceful, however if you're looking to kayak and see wildlife this isn't the best way to go. We would only recommend if you're really looking to kayak in Alaska during your trip.
Hiking - much like the rest of Alaska, Sitka has some great hiking areas! We would recommend checking out the Baranof Castle State Historical Site for an easy, downtown hike or the Mount Verstovia Trail for a harder 5 mile/5 hour hike for stunning views.
Sitka National Historical Park & Totem Poles - just a short walk from downtown Sitka and you'll find the Sitka National Historical Park with many Totem Poles, although we didn't have time for a full tour, we recommend booking a tour to fully learn about the history of the area!
Sitka Sound Science Center - a great stop for families and children, they have a small aquarium and salmon hatchery you can visit!
Fortress of the Bear - this bear center is an excellent stop to learn more about Alaska brown bears and see bears up close if you aren't able to in the wild
Alaska Raptor Center - this center (with locations in Sitka and Ketchikan) provide help to over 200 injured birds each year, head here to support their efforts and see birds like owls, eagles, hawks and falcons up close