In the present day is the fifth day of my Alaska cruise and Radiance of the Seas docked in Sitka in the present day for a full day of exploring one other lovely Alaskan port.
Sitka is the 4th largest metropolis in Alaska, with a inhabitants of round 8,500 individuals. Town is the previous capital of Russian Alaska and there are a number of Russian influences to see all through city, from historic buildings to monuments and memento retailers.
Like different Alaska cruise ports, the encircling surroundings is breathtaking in Sitka, and the Mount Edgecumbe volcano towers over city.
I used to be supposed to go to Sitka final yr, however our port was modified to Ketchikan resulting from excessive seas, so I used to be excited to have the chance to go to in the present day.
We ate breakfast in the present day within the Windjammer, the place I loved one other plate of my favourite breakfast: french toast topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips.
I additionally took in my first views of Sitka. I am positively going to overlook the outside seating space on the Windjammer!
Serenade of the Seas pulled into port as we had been consuming breakfast. That is the primary time I’ve seen Serenade of the Seas and, as Serenade is one other Radiance Class cruise ship, she appears to be like similar to Radiance of the Seas.
We disembarked the ship round 9:30AM. Sitka’s cruise port is situated round quarter-hour from downtown, and there are complimentary shuttle buses accessible to move visitors to and from the town.
I used to be nervous we might have to attend some time earlier than getting on a shuttle bus, however the line solely took round 5 minutes and we rapidly arrived on the town.
We didn’t guide any excursions in the present day. Most of Sitka’s major points of interest are all walkable from downtown, so we deliberate to discover on foot and not using a plan and see the place the day led us!
We began the day at Lincoln Road, Sitka’s major vacationer road. It was good to see that the city blocks the road from automobiles, making exploring the road simple and protected for all guests.
The road is lined with memento retailers and native eating places. Our first cease was to a Russian memento store promoting dolls and Christmas decor. It was positively extra distinctive than different memento retailers I’ve visited thus far in Alaska and the shows had been lovely.
At this level it wasn’t raining too onerous, so we took benefit of the climate and walked to the Baranof Citadel State Historic Web site, situated adjoining to Lincoln Road.
This small hill is the positioning the place the ceremonial switch of Alaska from Russia to america occurred. Not solely was it fascinating to face the place such an influential historic occasion happened, however the hill had one of the best views of Sitka I noticed all day.
Sitka’s mountain surroundings is dramatic and completely attractive, with jagged peaks and a rainforest dominating over the city. I may have stayed on the hill Sitka’s skyline for hours!
Nonetheless, we’re in Alaska, so the rain made us head again to Lincoln Road.
We continued window purchasing and visiting native companies in Sitka. Whereas we did not buy the $30,000 fur coat on show at one store, we did heat up with some sizzling chocolate at Outdated Harbor Books espresso store and bookstore.
We additionally made a quick go to to St. Michael’s Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church situated in downtown Sitka that was based in 1848. Whereas the unique constructing was destroyed, the duplicate was constructed with the identical structure, transporting guests again in time to when Sitka was owned by the Russians.
Our final cease downtown was to Ashmo’s, a seafood meals truck with menu objects together with salmon mac n’ cheese, teriyaki halibut, and rockfish fish n’ chips. I ordered the fish n’ chips and thought it was effectively well worth the value of solely $13 for freshly caught Alaskan seafood.
There was additionally a small meals stand promoting reindeer sizzling canine, and though I wasn’t fairly adventurous sufficient to order one, I am certain they’re scrumptious.
After lunch, we left Lincoln Road and walked alongside Sitka’s marina. On the finish of the marina was a salmon hatchery. It is prime salmon spawning season and there needed to have been over a thousand salmon swimming round!
Subsequent I continued strolling alongside the waterfront path, which led to the Sitka Nationwide Historic Park. The park had lovely trails, though the quantity of bear warning indicators made me fairly cautious! There have been additionally a whole lot of salmon within the river on the park.
My final cease for the day was the Alaska Raptor Heart, a rehabilitation middle for eagles, owls, and different birds of prey. This non-profit group rescues injured birds and helps the birds attain some extent the place they’ll return to the wild.
Admission to the Alaska Raptor Heart was $15, which I discovered effectively value the price because it goes to an incredible trigger.
After a quick introduction, a workers member launched a rescued eagle and we had been capable of study extra about how they enhance the well being of those birds. We made a cease by the middle’s Flight Coaching Heart, the place eagles apply enhancing their flight abilities after damage.
Positioned outdoors the middle are numerous habitats for rescued birds of prey. Right here guests can get extra shut up views of the birds and examine every fowl on the middle. The outside space was positively my favourite a part of my go to.
I walked again to the shuttle bus space in downtown Sitka from the Alaska Raptor Heart, which in all probability took me round 25 minutes.
The road to catch a shuttle bus again to port was fairly lengthy and I waited one other 20 minutes or so within the rain earlier than getting on a bus. You should definitely convey a rain jacket or umbrella!
I used to be again onboard round 3:30PM and took a a lot wanted relaxation in my stateroom earlier than watching sailaway from the Viking Crown Lounge at 5. I loved a glass of wine for sailaway and Reeham ordered a blueberry mojito frozen mocktail.
Sadly I don’t have photographs from sailaway in the present day resulting from points with the web on Radiance of the Seas… however relaxation assured, it was lovely!
We hung on the market for some time earlier than heading to dinner round 7. We have been horrible about displaying as much as our Principal Eating Room reservations this week, and have solely confirmed as much as our 5:15 reservation as soon as. Fortunately we have had no problem being assigned a desk straight away, and we loved a pleasant meal earlier than heading again to our stateroom for the night time.
General, I cherished my time in Sitka in the present day! Subsequent time I am right here I might prefer to make a visit to the Fortress of the Bear to see rescued bears of their pure habitat and do extra climbing within the surrounding areas.
Tomorrow we’re in our final port of name: Skagway, Alaska.
