Flying into Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport in Sitka puts you in a great spot, surrounded by islands, rainforest, and a harbor town with Tlingit and Russian roots. Sitka sits on the outer coast of Baranof Island, facing the Pacific with the snowy cone of Mount Edgecumbe across the sound. The feel is historic and green, with onion domes, totem poles, fishing boats, and eagles all within a few blocks of each other.

Standout experiences around Sitka: - Walk the totem trail through Sitka National Historical Park, site of the 1804 battle between Tlingit and Russian forces - Visit St. Michael's Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox church at the center of downtown - Climb Castle Hill, where Alaska passed from Russia to the United States in 1867 - Tour the Russian Bishop's House and the Sheldon Jackson Museum - Meet rehabilitating eagles at the Alaska Raptor Center - Kayak Sitka Sound among islands, sea otters, and humpback whales - Drive up Harbor Mountain Road for views over the whole archipelago - Eat fresh halibut, salmon, and spruce-tip ice cream in season - Catch WhaleFest in November or the Sitka Summer Music Festival in June

Sitka is an island town with 14 miles of road, so trips beyond it go by boat or plane rather than highway. Juneau is a short flight or a ferry ride away, and the hot springs at Goddard and the fishing grounds around Kruzof Island are reachable by skiff. Spring brings the herring spawn, when the sound turns milky and the harvest of roe on hemlock branches is a Tlingit tradition. Sitka is wet, which is why it is so green, and it is one of the prettiest towns on the Alaska coast.