Sitka was shrouded in fog when our ship arrived. By afternoon, it looked like a paradise.
Sitka, Alaska was the second port of call on our 7-Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise aboard Holland America's MS Eurodam. Its a short drive (but a very long walk) from the port to Sitka's downtown area. Free shuttle buses run every 15 minutes.
Rather than tour the city, our family booked a sightseeing excursion with Allen Marine Tours. Conveniently, our tour boat was docked opposite the Eurodam:
Sea Otter Quest and Alaska Raptor Center
Adult Ticket: $159.95
Child Ticket: $129.95
Direct Booking Available: No
Departure Time: 8:30 a.m.
Duration: 4 hours and 15 minutes
Tour Operator: Allen Marine Tours
Food: Snacks, water and coffee are provided on the tour, but full meals are not served. We were offered donut holes, local jams and honey, Alaskan chocolate and a sample of salmon jerky with a sweet kelp relish.
Our Verdict and Rating:
5 out of 5 - True to its same, we saw sea otters on our tour as well as sea lions, bald eagles and several humpback whales. Our only regret is that our daughter slept through most of the tour (which was an expensive way to nap).
Sea Otter Quest
Allen Marine Tours offers a $100 guarantee that passengers will see an otter, a whale or a bear on this tour. It's a safe bet: We saw dozens of otters. We suspect that whale and bear sightings are more dependent on when you travel to Alaska.
Our daughter took Dramamine before we boarded the boat. It knocked her out, but it was the right call: The small vessel rocked back-and-forth while idling near wildlife.
We were happy that we brought layered clothing, a rain jacket, sunglasses and our own binoculars. It was cool on deck, especially at top speed, and the overcast sky created a strong glare. The tour operator provided us with binoculars, but they weren't very useful.
As we boarded the Allen Marine vessel in Sitka, a crewmember scooped up a jellyfish for our daughter to touch. In true kid fashion, this was our daughter's fondest memory of Alaska.
It’s a rocky boat ride. Our daughter took Dramamine, but it made her sleepy.
A raft of otters looked at our boat, then playfully rolled into the water. They did this over and over.
We enjoyed complimentary samples of Alaskan berry jams, honey, kelp marmalade and Theobroma chocolate. The tour boat sold these comestibles more cheaply than in port.
Sitka is dotted with rocky-yet-lush islets that look like watercolor paintings against an overcast sky.
A mother humpback whale and her calf came up for air as we watched from our tour boat. We saw this pair come to the surface six times.
When the sun came out, the colors of the Sitkan forest really popped.
A small colony of sea lions fought for prime space atop a buoy, slapping each other and hollering.
Alaska Raptor Center
We saw bald eagles up-close at the Alaska Raptor Center and learned about Alaska's various birds of prey.
If you have the time, stroll around the raptor center's property: It's surrounded by lush forest.
It was a 15-minute bus ride back to port. We chose to drive back with our tour operator, but we could have stayed in downtown Sitka: Free shuttle buses ran between the town and the port every 15 minutes.
Things to Do and See in Sitka, Alaska
Holland America provided us with a Sitka port guide. Here are some highlights:
In Town
Sitka Historical Museum - Collections focused on Sitkan history and the Tlingit people.
St. Michael's Cathedral - Orthodox church built while Alaska was under Russian control.
Russian Bishop's House - One of the oldest surviving buildings of "Russian America."
Sitka Totem Park - Preserves a site of battle between invading-Russians and native Tlingits.
Sitka Sound Science Center - Salmon hatchery and aquarium.
Alaska Raptor Center - Rehabilitation center for injured birds of prey.
Sheldon Jackson Museum - Oldest institution of higher learning in Alaska.
Castle Hill - Place where Alaska was formally handed over to the United States.
Excursions
Fortress of the Bear - Rescue center for injured and orphaned bears.
Mt. Edgecumbe - Dormant volcano considered sacred by indigenous Tlingit.
Allen Marine Tours - Family-owned day cruise operator.
