Community Overview

Resources for Visitors

Sitka Convention & Visitor's Bureau

Sitka Through Four Seasons

GETTING to Sitka

Alaska Airlines - flight information

Delta Airlines - Summer flight info.

Alaska Marine Highway - ferry system

Cruise Lines

Make sure your itinerary includes Sitka, not all cruise ships visit Sitka.

Alaskan Dream Cruises

Holland America

Linblad/National Geographic

Oceania Cruises

Regent Seven Seas

Silversea

Un-Cruise Adventures

Sitka is the fifth largest city in Alaska with a population of 8,929 (2016). It is located in the outer coast of Baranof Island, along the great circle air route to Japan, Korea, China, and Southeast Asia, and is a port of call for major cruise lines that travel the Inside Passage in summer.

Sitka's island location in the Alexander Archipelago provides unique opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoyment of the natural beauty of Baranof Island and the Pacific Ocean. Outdoor recreational opportunities are extensive. Kayak with whales or dive with sea lions. Fish for salmon, halibut and other salt-water species or try fly fishing in one of the nearby lakes or streams. Hike an extensive network of trails that range from rugged alpine splendor to easy boardwalks with interpretive signs.

The air and water in Sitka is among the cleanest on earth and the community ranks as one of the safest in Alaska.

Sitka has a new renovated public library, three public auditoriums, a daily newspaper and an award winning public radio station, as well as reliable cable & Satellite TV and internet connections.

Sitka Community Profile: Demographic and Economic Data for Sitka

Sitka View 6-8-06 048.jpg

Climate

Yes, Sitka gets a lot of rain, over 80 inches per year, but this provides the benefits of clean, affordable hydro-electric power, superb drinking water, and lush green forests.

Temperatures are moderate, generally ranging from winter lows in the 30s to the high 60's/low 70's on the warmer summer days. The sunniest months are May and June and wettest month is October.

  • August is the average warmest month.

  • The highest recorded temperature was 87degrees F in 1976.

  • On average, the coolest month is January.
    The lowest recorded temperature was -8 degrees F in 1947.

  • The maximum average precipitation occurs in October.

  • Annual average precipitation is 86.1 inches, mostly in the form of light rain.

Accolades for Sitka

  • Designated as one of the top ten "Best Small Towns to Visit in 2013" - Smithsonian

  • Named a “2010 Distinctive Destination” - National Trust for Historic

  • PreservationOne of the “12 Great Places You’ve Never Heard Of”- Mother Earth News Aug/Sept 2006

  • The Second Biggest Small Town in America!