Sitka, Alaska is one of the most pristine and picturesque places we have ever visited. We were only there for a day during an cruise port stop but we would go back for an extended land vacation in a heartbeat. Cruise ship excursions can get quite expensive especially for families. So, here are some free things to do in Sitka with kids whether you’re here for a day or a week.
1. Explore Sitka National Historical Park
Several impressive totem poles greeted us at the entrance of Sitka National Historical Park. Located on a scenic island, this was the site where the Russian traders and the Tlingit Indians fought a fierce battle in 1804. We enjoyed walking around the collection of totem poles displayed here with diverse stories carved on them.
The intricate details and the artistry were amazing to see up close. Locals also call this “Totem Park”. The totem poles also have numbers associated with descriptions. You can call the phone number posted on the poles linked to a cell phone walking tour.
Visitors can also do a self-guided walking tour of the totem poles around the park to learn the interesting stories behind each one. Download the NPS App and select Sitka National Historical Park. Choose the Totem Trail under Self-Guided Tours.
Hike the Trails
The park includes a temperate rain forest, meadows, the Indian River estuary to see the salmon and the beach area. It was a wonderful and beautiful area to explore. We did a leisurely walk through Totem Trail and along the coast for some beach combing.
The trails are short and ideal with kids. We were lucky enough to be here during low tide and the kids enjoyed seeing some of the fish, shells and crabs the ocean revealed. It was relaxing and hard to leave such a serene place.
There are many educational hikes and guided ranger walks here especially during the summer. This is a fantastic place for visitors and kids to learn about the local culture of the Southeast Alaskans and the natural surroundings.
Don’t miss the Visitor Center with various exhibits on local arts and crafts and a movie about the natives’ lives and their history here. You may even get lucky and see some local tribal members carving new totem poles.
Kids can do the activities to be Junior Rangers and earn a badge. You can pick up an activity booklet at the visitor’s center, the Russian house or download this digital version beforehand.
Families can also borrow a Fun Pack to explore the nearby beach. This park is located about a mile from the boat docks but was an easy and scenic walk.
2. View Wildlife
Alaska is one of those places where you quietly sit to observe the surroundings. It was one of those moments when we spotted several majestic bald eagles flying overhead. Living in the “lower 48” or the continental United States doesn’t give us these remarkable sightings.
Our leisurely walk along the coastline resulted in spotting seals and sea otters. There were also plenty of opportunities for bird watchers here.
I think we were just as excited as the kids to see all these wildlife in Sitka. If you’re visiting through a cruise ship, we found some marine animals while waiting for our tender boat to take us back to the ship.
Visit during August or September to watch spawning salmon along Starrigavan Recreation Area or over the Indian River at Sitka National Historical Park. Check out this Sitka Wildlife viewing guide to see when to spot wildlife.
3. Visit Castle Hill
Castle Hill is also known as the Baranof Castle State Historical Site. Baranof’s Castle was one of the buildings built by the Russians here but burned down in the late 1800s. In 1867, Alaska was officially transferred from Russian to the United States here.
Located within one mile of town, its easily accessible and offers beautiful panoramic views of the mountains, town and the waterfront. This is one of the best places to visit to take photographs of the scenery.
There were several plaques here to inform visitors of this site’s historical significance. Though, my kids were a little disappointed we didn’t find an actual castle here but still had a great time exploring this area. I’m pretty sure running around the park and climbing replica cannons, at this former fort, had a lot to do with it.
4. Hike the Trails
Sitka offers plenty of hiking trails for different ages and skill levels. The Tongass National Forest pretty much covers most of the island Sitka sits on. So, the dilemma may be which scenic trail to hike.
Popular family trails include the Totem Trail at Totem Park along 18 totem poles and the Halibut Point State Recreation Site for exploring tidepools or watch the fishing vessels. Check out these hiking trails list in Sitka.
5. Stroll Downtown Sitka
Located in Baranof Island in southeast Alaska, Sitka is the state’s oldest city. It is quite remote and only accessible by air or sea.
It was a major Russian port used for fur trading for over 60 years. Sitka’s downtown area is very compact and easy to get around on foot. But, it’s certainly worth visiting for a pleasant stroll and plenty of culture and shopping.
One of the things we love about Sitka was its unique blend of Tlingit Native American culture with its Russian heritage and influence and current American culture. The downtown area is a good reflection of this mix. The onion-shaped dome St. Michael’s Cathedral, an active Russian Orthodox Church, is a main attraction in downtown.
Lincoln Street, the main shopping street, has many unique shops and art galleries. The shops and galleries sell Russian collectibles and souvenirs as well as Tlingit Native American art, carvings, jewelry and baskets.
My daughter loved seeing all the Matryoshka dolls (nested dolls from Russia) here. They are great and treasured souvenirs.
There are walking tours passing by some of the 22 National Register of Historic Places buildings. Some of the historic sights include an old Russian cemetery, canons at Totem Square, a Tlingit hand-carved canoe, Russian Blockhouse, Sitka Pioneer Home (state home for elderly Alaskans) and the Sheldon Jackson Museum.
This houses a fine collection of native Alaskan artifacts, masks, kayaks and totems (kids under 18 are admitted free). Our ship actually spent quite some time in this port due to the longer summer days. It gave us more time to explore this beautiful town and it quickly became our favorite Alaskan cruise port.
*Any other suggestions for free things to do in Sitka with kids?
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Check out these Sitka tours!
This is a part of a series called Five Free Family Friday which is a collective guide of free family-friendly attractions from places all over the world. If you’d like to contribute with the free attractions in your home city, I would love your guest posts. Thanks!
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Oh it looks beautiful! I’ve always wanted to visit Alaska and am thinking about going in late September. Great post, thanks for sharing!
Happy travels, Mary :)
If you say it is one of the most picturesque places you’ve visited, I’m adding it to my list! The mix of native/Russian/American would be interesting and I wonder how it impacts on the food. I guess there would be bears around when the salmon are spawning. If I was there for a while I would love to do some of the walks.
Your photos make me want to visit Sitka. I absolutely enjoy places with provide a mix of history and natural beauty. I believe Sitka has tons of both. And, I would love to see the Russian Church.
Your photos are amazing, and this is exactly what I would want to do on my visit to Sitka, with or without kids. The historical park looks really intriguing, and those mountains just outside of town? Magical!
I’ll save your post for when we go there. Our youngest is now 2 months old, so maybe in oneor two years time we do a big trip and alaska is high on our list
I first wanted to go to Alaska after watching ‘The Proposal’ with Sandra Bullock haha. Really curious about the mixture of American and Russian culture! It’s so unusual to see European-style architecture in what we nowadays consider a North American part of the world.
Thank you for this interesting post about Sitka, Mary. Unfortunately Sitka was not on our itinerary when we visited Alaska last September, but I was curious about it. It seems it’s more beautiful than I thought and I am really disappointed we couldn’t get to visit it. I would have particularly liked to visit the historical site of Baranof Castle and see the beautiful panoramic view of the mountains.
Your photos always make me want to visit the place you’re writing about and this is no exception. I’d LOVE to go to Alaska, trouble is it’s just so far and expensive from Europe. Reading this post also reminds me that I said I’d write you 5 free things about Nice which I completely forgot, sorry! I’ll try and get it done soon.
Surely a great place to visit! I’ve been once on a cruise ship with kids – we had just one room with the kids sleeping right above us. The room without windows as we didn’t have enough money for more luxury. But it wasn’t too bad as we didn’t spend any time in the room but for the night. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Sitka sounds so exotic and… Russian. Looks like an interesting place to take the kids. Alaska is high on the wish list :)
Your post really made me miss Alaska! I could sit and watch the salmon swimming up river, jumping up through the rapids, all day (while listening for an approaching bear of course). The airport in Sitka used to be famous for its pies, I wonder if the cafe is still there? #wkendtravelinspiration
You know, I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect of Sitka. There’s a lot more to do here than I thought and it looks a lot more beautiful too!