Sitka surprised us.
We arrived by tender on a morning that felt like Alaska was trying to show off - clear sky, mountains sharp against the blue, the sound glittering below us as we made our way ashore. We had a rough plan and not much else. By the time we were back on the ship that evening, we were already talking about coming back.
Here's how the day went.
Castle Hill: Where Alaska Changed Hands
We started with a short walk from the tender dock to Castle Hill - or Noow Tlein, as it's known in Tlingit, "Big Rock." If you've never heard of it, it deserves more attention than it usually gets.
This is the spot where, on October 18, 1867, the Russian flag came down and the American flag went up. Alaska, which Russia had been occupying for over a century, was transferred to the United States in a ceremony held on this hill overlooking the sound. The price was $7.2 million - about two cents an acre. The Russians weren't sure what they were giving up. The Americans weren't entirely sure either.
Ninety-two years later, in 1959, Castle Hill witnessed another piece of history: the raising of the first unofficial 49-star flag after Alaska became a state. The hill has been watching history happen for a long time.
It's a short, easy walk up - you’ll see cannons, a stone parapet, and interpretive panels - and the views are extraordinary. All of Sitka spread out below you, Sitka Sound shimmering in every direction and the mountains ringing the horizon. We spent time reading the panels and just standing there, looking. On a clear morning like ours, it's one of the better views in Southeast Alaska.
Castle Hill is a National Historic Landmark, managed by Alaska State Parks. Don't skip it, and don't rush it.
Along the Waterfront to Sitka National Historical Park
From Castle Hill, we headed east along the waterfront. Sitka has posted maps along the water to help you get your bearings - we appreciated those more than we expected. The city is genuinely walkable, and the waterfront path gives you a nice feel for the town before you head into the trees.
We stopped briefly at Harrigan Centennial Hall before heading to Sitka National Historical Park. It's worth a few minutes - the art, the interpretive panels, the context it gives you for what you're about to see. Also: bathrooms. You'll thank yourself.
Then we went into the forest.
The Totems: What Stillness Actually Feels Like
We've written elsewhere about the moment in Sitka National Historical Park. It's hard to improve on what we've already said: the totems, the ancient trees, and the absolute quiet of the path. Even with other visitors nearby, the forest absorbs sound in a way that feels deliberate.
The poles are Tlingit - tall, richly carved, each one a record of clan history, lineage, supernatural narrative. The signs along the path explain what you're looking at: the figures, their meanings, the stories they carry. We read every one. We still felt like we were reading the edges of something much larger.
The park also preserves the site of the 1804 Battle of Sitka - the last major armed conflict between the Tlingit and the expanding Russian colonial presence. The Tlingit fort and the battlefield are part of the path. Walking through, it's impossible not to think about what it took to hold this ground, and what it meant to lose it.
Plan at least an hour here. More if the weather is good and your feet are willing. This is the single best thing to do in Sitka - and we say that having done a lot of things in Sitka.
Alaska Storytellers: A Beautiful Afternoon Gift
As we were finishing up at the Visitor Center, we received a text reminder from Alaska Storytellers about their afternoon show at the Odess Theater. We’d been chatting with them for months and we were so excited for the show!
The show is a beautiful mix of storytelling and dance, focused on the Russian history of the region - told with care, with grace, and with generous attention to the other peoples whose history is woven through it. It's not a tourist performance. It's a living account of a layered place told by people who understand what those layers mean.
If Alaska Storytellers is performing while you're in Sitka, go! And tell Cat we say hi.
Sitka Pel'meni: The Dumplings You Will Think About for Weeks
We were hungry. We wanted something Sitka-specific. So we immediately made a beeline for Sitka Pel'meni, a small, casual spot in downtown Sitka that does one thing: Russian-style dumplings.
Pel'meni are small, dense, and deeply satisfying - meat or potato filling, boiled until they're perfectly tender, then served with butter, curry powder, and hot sauce. You eat them standing up, or at least that's how it felt. They're messy and humble and exactly right.
This is Alaska's Russian heritage made edible. The same trading empire that built the Cathedral across the street, that held Castle Hill for a century, that shaped this city's bones - it also left behind these dumplings. That context makes them taste better, if that's even possible.
Sitka Pel'meni is right in the heart of downtown. You'll walk past it. Take a few moments to stop in and try them.
St. Michael's Cathedral: Worth a Pause, Even From the Outside
Sitka Pel'meni is directly across the street from St. Michael's Cathedral - the onion-domed Russian Orthodox church that has anchored the Sitka skyline since 1848. (The current building is a faithful 1976 reconstruction after the original burned; the icons and treasures inside are originals, rescued by townspeople who formed a human chain to pass them out the doors as the building went up in flames.)
We admired it from the outside. If you have more time and any interest in architecture or religious history, go inside - the interior is worth it. We noted it for our next visit.
A Little Shopping, Then Ernie's
After pel'meni, we wandered through the local shops in the neighborhood. Sitka has a good concentration of independent shops with Alaska-made goods - jewelry, art, and clothing - without feeling as overtly tourist-trap as some ports. The downtown area around Lincoln Street is compact and easy to explore.
Then it was time for the Duck Fart.
If you haven't encountered this yet: the Duck Fart is Alaska's unofficial signature shot. Kahlúa on the bottom, Bailey's in the middle, and Crown Royal on top - poured carefully so the layers sit separately in the glass, dense to light, coffee to cream to whisky. You order it with a straight face if you can manage it. We couldn’t - but they gave them to us anyway.
We found ours at Ernie's Old Time Saloon, the right place to have it in Sitka. It's exactly what it sounds like - a genuine Alaska bar, nothing fussy, the kind of place that's been there forever and intends to keep being there. The Duck Fart was delicious. The company was good. The afternoon light was coming through the windows.
It was the right way to end a port day.
What We'd Tell You Before You Go
Castle Hill is a must. Short walk, extraordinary views, genuine history. Do it first, while you're fresh, so you have time to read the panels and stand there properly.
Give the park at least an hour. The totem path is the heart of Sitka. Don't rush it. The signs are good - use them.
Check Alaska Storytellers before you sail. If they're performing, it belongs on your itinerary.
Eat at Sitka Pel'meni. It's casual, it's cheap, it's unforgettable. It's right downtown. You have no excuse.
The Cathedral is worth going inside if your schedule allows. We didn't make it - it's on the list for next time.
The Russian Bishop's House - a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest intact Russian buildings in North America - is also highly recommended if you have the time and an appetite for architecture and colonial history. We didn't make it there either. Two reasons to go back.
Ernie's for the Duck Fart, if you’re curious. It’s a genuine Alaska bar with decades of history - worth a stop even if you’re just there for the atmosphere.
Sailing in and out of Sitka Sound is one of the most beautiful parts of the whole Alaska itinerary. Find a spot on deck for both. The mountains, the islands, the water - it earns the extra thirty minutes outside.
Sailing Alaska and wondering how to make the most of your time? Our Southeast Alaska inspiration guide is a good place to start. It’ll bring the region to life before you even board.
Questions about building your Alaska port days? We love this conversation.
