Rainy-Day Sitka
Museums, a cathedral, dance shows, warm cafés and a heated-cabin boat for a wet Sitka port day.
By Greg Peters, editor · Updated October 2026
Sitka is a rainforest town. The airport averages about 84 inches of precipitation a year (1991–2020 normals). June is the driest month at under 3 inches, but September and October each bring more than 11, and late-season port days are the likeliest to be soggy. Pack a rain jacket and keep this list handy.
Indoors and out of the rain
- Sitka History Museum: inside Harrigan Centennial Hall, where the shuttle stops, so you can start without getting wet. We could not confirm summer hours or the 2026 fee.
- St. Michael's Cathedral: the icons saved from the 1966 fire hang inside. Open 9am to 4pm on ship days from May to September.
- Russian Bishop's House: the ranger-led tour of the upstairs rooms and chapel runs from May to September and lasts about 30 minutes.
- Sitka Sound Science Center: touch tanks, an aquarium and a hatchery, about 10 minutes east on Lincoln Street. $15 for ages 13 and up.
- Dance shows: the Naa Kahídi Dancers perform Tlingit songs and stories in the tribe's community house on Katlian Street (adults $10), and the volunteer New Archangel Dancers stage a half-hour show of Russian and Ukrainian folk dance in Harrigan Hall.
Warm up
- Highliner Coffee on Seward Street opens at 6am every day.
- WildFlour Café & Bakery in Seward Square, for French pastry and pressed sandwiches.
- The BackDoor Café, tucked behind Old Harbor Books, for espresso and baked goods.
- Sitka Pel'Meni on Lincoln Street, for a bowl of Russian-style dumplings.
Browse Lincoln Street
- Old Harbor Books, an independent bookstore with a deep Alaska section.
- Island Artists Gallery, a year-round co-op of Sitka artists.
- Russian American Company, for Russian folk art bought directly from its makers.
- WinterSong Soap Company, for soaps and salves made with plants gathered locally.
A boat with a cabin
Rain does not stop the wildlife boats. Sea Piper's marine wildlife tour has a heated cabin and a restroom, so you can watch for whales, otters and sea lions from inside between sightings.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Sitka, Alaska (climate table, NOAA 1991–2020 normals)
- Orthodox Church in America: St. Michael's Cathedral
- National Park Service: ranger-led programs
- Sitka History Museum
- Sitka Sound Science Center: visit
- Visit Sitka: Tribal Community House
- Viator: New Archangel Dancers
- Highliner Coffee
- Visit Sitka: coffee shops
- Visit Sitka: restaurants
- Viator: Sea Piper marine wildlife tour
More guides
Sitka Cruise Port Guide
Where big ships dock north of town, how the free shuttle and its reservations work, the downtown tender landings and getting back on board.
A Walk Through Russian and Tlingit Sitka
One loop from the shuttle stop past the Bishop's House, St. Michael's Cathedral, Castle Hill and Katlian Street, with the totem trail as an add-on.
Bears, Raptors or Sea Life? Sitka's Animal Stops
The Alaska Raptor Center, Fortress of the Bear and the Sitka Sound Science Center side by side: how to get there, hours, prices and what you see.