Take the historical tour and receive discounts from selected Sitka merchants.
2 plus hour historical tour is $50 per person
For more information or to book an historical tour, call Bob at 907-738-6574 or email robert@tasteofsitka.com.

Taste of Sitka Sea Walk Tour :: Explore Historic Lincoln Street

Taste of Sitka Sea Walk Tour is a two-hour historical tour of downtown Sitka, Alaska. The focus of the tour is on Tlingit and Russian history and current historical points of interest in Sitka. Bob Purvis, a retired University of Alaska educator, has been involved with the tourism industry in Sitka since 1997.  In 2016, he created a walking tour along historic Lincoln Street.  Tour guest will also meet several local merchants who create locally made products.  The tour begins by exploring Castle Hill, where the transfer from Russia occurred in1867.

Block House and Russian grave. Photo by Mim McConnellSitka is a small community of about 9,000 on the Western shore of Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska.  Southeast Alaska has a rich indigenous and cultural history, dating back to time immemorial.  As a longtime resident of Alaska and Sitka, Bob enjoys sharing the uniqueness of this small community with visitors.  He considers Sitka to be the ‘jewel’ of Alaska.

Russian Bishop's House.  Photo by Bob Purvis

Totem at Sitka National Historical Park.  Photo by Mim McConnellThe two-hour tour begins at Castle Hill and then to historic Lincoln Street.  Tour guests will have an opportunity to walk along the main street in downtown Sitka; stopping for historical points of interest and tasting several locally made products. Highlights include Castle Hill, site of the transfer, St. Michael’s Cathedral, location of first Protestant church on the West Coast, Russian Bishop’s House, the new Sea Walk (see photo at right), historic Sheldon Jackson College, and the Sitka Sound Science Center.  Admission to the Science Center is included with tour cost.

The tour ends at the Sitka National Historic Monument where guests can proceed on their own to visit the Park, go on to the nearby Raptor Center, or return to explore any of the previous points of interest.

Sitka Seawalk.  Photo by Mim McConnellSitka has a number of excellent locally made products, Theobroma Chocolate bars, (your first ‘taste’) Devil's Club soap, salves, Alaska Pure Sea Salt and Sweet Sisters Caramel’s. Tour guests will have an opportunity to meet some of these creative artisans.  At tours end, guests receive a discount card if they wish to return and purchase these items.

Join Bob, on a Taste of Sitka tour and learn about Sitka’s rich history from a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. At the end of the tour, guests receive a map of downtown Sitka, a document describing tour highlights and a discount card for several local merchants.  

As Bob was ‘blessed’ years ago with AMD, the tour is accessible to the vision and mobility impaired.  In order to personalize the tour experience, Bob limits each tour to six or less guest. Tour cost is $50 per person. To book your tour, contact Bob at 907-738-6574 or email robert@tasteofsitka.com.

Trip Advisor Reviews

View from Totem Park.  Photo by Mim McConnell

WinterSong Soap Co.

202 Lincoln Street

WinterSong Soap Company is a small family business. Their business started in a home kitchen. They combine soap-making with traditional herbs, including local plants. Their herbal soaps, salves and bath products are simply made, cut and packaged by hand using recycled papers, locally made wooden crates and simple packaging. For more information go to wintersongsoap.com.

Wintersong Soap Company

Alaska Pure Sea Salt

388 Lincoln Street

Alaska Pure Sea Salt, owned by a local husband and wife team, produces flake style sea salt. After many kitchen experiments, they came up with a product that is now sold to some of the nation's best chefs, and to you. It comes in different flavors and products. Learn more about this product on their website: alaskapureseasalt.com.

Alaska Pure Sea Salt

Chocolate Moose

104 Lincoln Street

Chocolate Moose/Sitka FlowersThe Chocolate Moose and Sitka Flowers is a locally-owned, combined chocolate shop and flower store. It has a wonderful selection of gifts, plants and flowers, espresso coffee, and gourmet chocolates. For more information, visit their website: sitka-flowers.com.

Sweet Sisters Caramels

Buy in Sitka at the Alaska Pure Salt Co. 388 Lincoln St.

Sweet Sister Caramels makes small batch, soft, buttery, melt-in-your mouth caramels in Sitka, Alaska. They have three flavors: Classic, Salted & Spicy, they also have specialty flavors throughout the year. All of their caramels are made in small batches, hand stirred. They pour the caramel, cut the caramels and hand wrap each one before packaging into perfect little boxes. For more information, visit their website: sweetsisterscaramels.com

Old Harbor Books

201 Lincoln St.

Old Harbor is a general book store specializing in Alaskana, Native American and Alaska Native, children's books, ecology, travel, natural history, philosophy, and, of course, nautical books. For more information, visit their website: oldharborbooks.net.

Theobroma Chocolate

Available in many Sitka stores.

Theobroma Chocolate Company was established in Sitka in 1992 and continues to be family-owned and operated. For more information, go to the website theobromachocolate.com.