Sitka excursions

[Herfnerd]

Will be sailing on the Eurodam in September. Have our excursion planned for Juneau, Victoria and Ketchikan already but still at a loss about Sitka - we will be in port from 7am to 3pm

 

I know that the town appears to be very walkable and we have seen a tour that goes to the Raptor Center, Fortress of the Bear and the National Historic Park, but wonder if we could visit these places on a DIY tour - is the Raptor Center and park walkable from the pier? How would we get to the Bear Center?

 

Any other suggestions would be welcome - seems like Sitka is one of the lesser ports.......

Edited March 13, 2017 by Herfnerd

[mapleleaves]

My understanding is that HAL will be docking, not tendering in Sitka. The dock is a good 5 miles west of downtown. Depending on where the cruise shuttle drops you off, the Raptor Center could be walkable. Sitka is quite hilly tho, and going in Sept you should expect rain. Walking a mile in the rain might take the fun out of DIY. Fortress of the Bears is about 5 miles East of downtown.

 

There is a town bus for $2 each way. Runs once an hour. You could take the blue line from downtown to the raptor center, spend an hr, then catch the bus to the Fortress of the Bears (last stop on route), spend another hour and catch the bus back to town.

http://ridesitka.com/

 

Look at Bostonjet's trip report from last fall. They took the cab for $20 to each location. How does that compare to the tour price ? There are several tours/shuttles listed in the town web site. Or maybe walk to the Raptor Center and take a cab to the Fortress? Depending on what else you want to see and do, a taxi might be the most efficient use of your time.

[LMZinSC]

We docked in Sitka last year. The cruiseline provided a free shuttle to town. We then hopped on the bus to Fortress of the Bear and then the Raptor Center. We walked back from the Raptor Center to town. It was a very nice walk. I would definitely do it again.

[shadowmeboy]

We did the Best of Sitka tour through the cruise line. There are options for independent tours and shuttles.

 

Here is a link to what we did in Sitka: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376089&page=12. Lots of pictures to give you an idea of what to expect.

[Budget Queen]

With the above HAL shuttle, Fortress of the Bears does provide it's own shuttle. Yes, the Raptor Center is walkable, past the National Park. walk with the sea on your right, walkway, goes first to the NPS. The Raptor Center, is up hill from the National Park. If doing the loop trail of the totems, it's an advantage to purchase the cheap totem guide, so you can get the information of what you are passing. Be prepared for some strong rotting fish odors in September. :)

 

There is also a loop shuttle bus that makes stops as wall. Plenty to see and do in Sitka. http://www.sitka.org - the transportation section has the map and city shuttle information.

[CM1984]

Will be sailing on the Eurodam in September. Have our excursion planned for Juneau, Victoria and Ketchikan already but still at a loss about Sitka - we will be in port from 7am to 3pm

 

I know that the town appears to be very walkable and we have seen a tour that goes to the Raptor Center, Fortress of the Bear and the National Historic Park, but wonder if we could visit these places on a DIY tour - is the Raptor Center and park walkable from the pier? How would we get to the Bear Center?

 

Any other suggestions would be welcome - seems like Sitka is one of the lesser ports.......

 

So Herfnerd...I just saw this and was wondering what excursions you did on your September trip, if you would not mind sharing?!

[Traveling Library]

The Bishops House is well worth a visit. Lots of Russian history in Sitka. If you walk to the Totem Pole Park you'll pass the Sheldon Jackson Museum with lots of local cultural history and artifacts.

[SuperCrewBear]

There is a car rental there called "Sitka Car Rental" that will leave the car for you near the drop off for the shuttle from the ship. It's about $75 per day. That would give you maximum flexibility on what and when you do something. I rented in Sitka for the day when I was there in May '16. We had a great day! We did the Fortress of the Bear, Raptor Center and some general site seeing along the way. The ability to stop where I want for pictures is a huge plus for me. We were also able to stop at the Post Office (on the way to FotB and RC) for stamps and to mail some post cards. Sitka is a very cool place - my favorite port.