Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10149
AREA GUIDES SITKA THE PARIS OF THE PACIFIC BY JOHN ANTHONY Widely regarded as Alaska’s most beautiful seaside town, Sitka sits on the wild Baranof Island at the foot of the Mount Edgecumbe volcano. The city rests in the heart of North America’s only temperate rain forest, the Tongass, and is about 750 air miles north of Seattle, Washington. With a population of roughly 9,000, which ranks Sitka as Alaska’s fifth-largest city, this town seems to be the perfect size; small enough to maintain its unique, pictur- esque charisma, yet large enough to exude a bustling, modern vibrancy and extend to visitors an exceptional variety of experiences. Positioned on the Inside Passage, Sitka offers a great variety of Alaskan wildlife, has uniquely spectacular scenery, and is a very popular destina- tion for cruise ships. Almost 270,000 people pass through Sitka annually, approximately 85% of them aboard cruise ships. It seems that after cruise passengers have docked and delighted in Sitka’s sites and activities during their three to six hour excursion, it isn’t uncommon for them to come back; 15% of Sitka’s independent travelers are return visitors that just could not fit in all they wanted to do and see during their cruise ship call. In affirmation of an ancient, proud culture, the Southeast Alaska Native Cultural Center offers the opportunity to watch and interact with modern Native artisans at work. The strong his- torical Native influence is apparent throughout the town, as well as in art- work found in local museums and gal- leries. A favorite viewing location for the symbolic totem pole is Sitka National Historical Park. Here the sto- ries of the Native people have been written in wood by master Tlingit and Haida carvers in poles interspersed among towering trees and winding trails. Downtown Sitka is an abutting and bustling waterfront, offering an array of galleries, shops, parks, and restaurants. As with other Southeast towns, the visi- tor industry has clearly emerged as the driving force behind Sitka’s economy. From souvenirs and curios to sculptures and paintings by contemporary local artists, Sitka’s shopping opportunities are worth the venture. The community is well equipped to accommodate leisure and business travelers. In the hub of downtown you can find over 200 hotel rooms, lodges and bed and break- fasts. The Downtown Westmark Sitka Hotel offers 105 guest rooms and a loca- tion close to shopping, visitor attrac- tions and the Harrigan Centennial Hall. Harrigan Centennial Hall is Sitka’s civic, convention, and visitor center. In addition to being conveniently located downtown near hotel/motel accommo- dations, restaurants, shopping and entertainment, the facility also offers a breathtaking view of the Alaskan mountains. The center boasts the abili- ty to immerse meeting groups in a multi-cultural experience, as inside their building, in addition to meetings, con- STATS HOTEL Westmerk Sitka Fly-In Fish Inn Shee Atika Totem Square Inn Sitka Hotel ROOMS 180 10 68 57 EXHIBITION FACILITIES HArrIGAN cENtENNIAL HALL cENtEr total exhibit space largest hall meeting rooms 18,000 sq. ft. 4,340 sq. ft. 7 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau (907) 747-5940 www.sitka.org Cruise ships on inlet water passage to Sitka ferences, tradeshows, and exhibits, they offer onsite visitor information, a wildlife display and the Sitka Historical Society’s Isabel Miller Museum. Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, named after Sitka’s former mayor Rocky Gutierrez, is located on Japonski Island in south- western Sitka. Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 91 Photo Credit: Sitka CVB