Visiting Alaska has been on my bucketlist for as long as I can remember, and Sitka was my first exposure to "The Last Frontier, as the first port day of our Alaskan cruise. It was a later port day for us, so we slept in, had room service breakfast, and excitedly made our way down to the gangway. Even the views we had from our room were absolutely gorgeous - I could barely contain my excitement!
Once the ramps were down we eagerly exited the ship, had our sea passes scanned, and were greeted by clear, sunny skies - a true rarity in September in Alaska.
From the cruise port, we took a complimentary shuttle into town, about a 15-minutes. The views were beautifully scenic and yes I felt exactly like Sandra Bullock's Margaret when she first arrived in Sitka. (If you don't understand that reference please go watch The Proposal)
I had planned out our port days, although I didn't jam-pack the time like I normally would because I didn't know what to expect in any of these towns. Since it was already early afternoon, we went straight for lunch. The shuttle dropped us off in a convenient location in downtown and we soon discovered everything was pretty walkable, including Pel'Meni.
Pel'Meni is a lowkey, no-frills Russian dumpling spot. The menu might be small, but it is mighty. We had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to make sure we had a unique, authentic experience. Sitka was under Russian rule from 1799-1867, and much of that Russian influence is still around today in places like Pel'Meni.
Our dumplings were made fresh - they were out of beef and I'm glad they were, because the potato dumplings were incredible. I got them plain with butter sauce, and Jennifer got all of the toppings (curry seasonings, sriracha, cilantro). They might not look like much, but they were hot, hearty, and very tasty.
After lunch we began our exploration of Sitka - we walked up to Castle Hill for some beautiful views, before doing some shopping downtown. I loved the selection of shops - there were so many locally-made products that were unique and great quality. One shop I particularly enjoyed was Alaska Pure Salt Company.
Once we conquered downtown, we started our trek to the Alaska Raptor Center. It was about a 25-minute walk from where we were, and we enjoyed the paved walkways, wonderful weather and even more wonderful views on our way there.
The light breeze carried the scent of the sea and the faint sound of seagulls and other birds in the area. The sun danced on the water, and I started falling in love with Sitka.
We arrived at the Sitka National Historical Park and walked through the forest to reach the Alaska Raptor Center. Our walk was very easy and flat. If you are a hiker, there are also some great trails in the same area.
The forest was so lush and vibrant, with a distinct moisture in the air. The thickness of the vegetation around us made us feel like we were in another world, like we had truly strolled into our own personal Alaskan wonderland.
We emerged from the vegetation-lined pathway and came upon a stream with a bridge over it. We noticed many people gazing into the waters and it took us a few minutes to even see that the water was full of salmon!
Many of us have heard of the "salmon run," when salmon swim upstream to spawn and in many cases, to die. Nothing prepared me for how mesmerizing it was in person, and even now I'm not sure why it was so interesting.
We stayed to observe the salmon for quite some time before continuing our excursion to see the raptors.
If you're wondering, no, "raptor" does not refer to dinosaurs, it refers to birds of prey!
The Alaska Raptor Center was a really fun visit. Admission costs $16 and gives you access to the Bald Eagle Flight Training Center, natural eagle habitats, the raptor weathering yard, and some beautiful trails in the rainforest.
I loved learning about the birds of prey as well as their rehabilitation at the center. It was also very special to see bald eagles up close, especially in a place where they are so well taken care of. And before you get concerned about animals in cages, many of these birds are injured and/or cannot fly anymore so they are placed in habitats they can handle.
Once we were well acquainted with our new feathered friends, we took one of the trails deeper into the forest.
Walking through such a stunning, wild rainforest was truly a joy. Alaska is known for its unpredictable weather, but we were so incredibly fortunate to have clear, sunny days. The great weather heavily contributed to how much I enjoyed simply walking around Sitka's forests. I mention this because I don't want to give any unreasonable expectations to anyone visiting Alaska.
Eventually, we had to make our way back to town to ensure we didn't miss our shuttle back to the ship. The last shuttle was at 6:15PM and I made sure to plan ahead of time so we would not be in a rush or a panic at any point.
Walking back was just as beautiful - the sun was descending and the light had changed. We even saw salmon jumping in the water.
We took one last look at shops that were still open, and I tried not to feel weird about how empty the town had become. That was the day I learned that many cruisers don't necessarily spend the entire port day off the boat! Jennifer had to keep assuring me that we had not in fact missed our shuttle, despite not seeing a single soul walking around town.
Once we were done shopping, we took some last photos near the shuttle stop before heading back to the ship.
I truly had a wonderful time in Sitka, from the balcony views all the way to our shuttle back onto the ship. I hadn't heard many people talk about Sitka with regard to exciting port stops, but I would very happily visit this quaint fishing town again. It has some interesting history, great shopping, good food and truly stunning views, along with plentiful wildlife.
Would you ever travel to Sitka?
Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Happy traveling!
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