The Alaska state ferry route between Ketchikan and Juneau stops in Sitka for a couple of hours. A very wise company in Sitka runs a shuttle (i.e. a school bus) to take ferry passengers to downtown Sitka from the ferry terminal and then back again, as it is several miles. That gave us about an hour and a half in downtown Sitka. I would have loved to have a day there. The Sitka National Historical Park has some nice trails that I only had about 15 minutes to explore. There are also a couple of historic buildings I would have loved to go in, and I discovered a couple of really cute shops. When I was planning this trip, Sitka was a place I wanted to stay overnight, but alas, there is just so much to see and so little time.
Near Sitka National Historical Park
Near Sitka National Historical Park, a view of Mt Edgecumbe and downtown Sitka
Totem pole in Sitka National Historical Park
St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral
St Peter’s By the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka Hotel in downtown Sitka