Cruise Diva Goes Ashore in ALASKA
Sights to see & things to do
Sitka, Alaska
Located on Baranof Island, between mountains and the Pacific Ocean, on the outer waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage, Sitka is a unique combination of native culture, Russian history, and Alaskan wilderness. In the later fall and early spring, nearby waters are a popular feeding ground for humpback whales.
Diversions
Most cruise ship passengers arrive near downtown Sitka by tender, as the harbor is too small to accommodate large vessels. Shuttle buses and cabs are available for the short ride to the center of town. At the Visitors Dock, pick up a map at the Sitka Convention and Visitors Bureau. Nearly all attractions in Sitka are within walking distance.
Gems in town are St. Michael’s Cathedral, a superb Russian Orthodox structure, and the New Archangel Dancers, who (although amateurs and not Russian) perform Russian folk dances with precision and grace.
A favorite shore excursion visits the Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center where injured raptors (or birds of prey) are brought for treatment. When healed, they are returned to the wild. The hour-long tour also includes the surrounding rain forest. Other wildlife shore excursions take visitors by boat to glimpse bears, whales, or sea otters. Some are so certain that you’ll see them that they offer a refund if you don’t!
Cool Cruising-- Spring! It's in the air and cruisers' fancies turn north. North to Alaska, with thoughts of majestic scenery, frontiers to explore, and what to pack.
Return to Alaska Ports of Call
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