Sitka Alaska

Sitka is a small Alaskan town located on an island. It's a great location for seeing Bald Eagles while enjoying the scenery of this fishing village. Given its location, there's a lot of Russian influence here, including architecture and food. The port is located about a 15 minute ride from the town, but they do offer a free shuttle. Keep in mind, a large cruise ship visiting this port will probably double the towns population.

• Walk the town - The town has a very strong Russian influence. It has a small shopping area, and you can find authentic Russian restaurants in the town which are worth a try.

• Sitka National Park - This is easily within walking distance of the town and has some nature trails. You can also see the Tlingit Totem pole there.

• Harbor Mountain Brewery - This is a bit of a walk, but is worth it for the brews and the views. Here you may spot Bald Eagle as you sip your brew.

• Alaskan weather - The rainy season starts in late July and runs through fall, and being an island there's definitely a risk for rain. Think long pants and maybe a sweatshirt, and possibly a rain coat if rain is in the forecast. That said, the cool weather is great for walking.

Top Your Own Excursion: Walk through Sitka National Park to the Harbor Mountain Brewery. It's about 1.5 miles each way if you walk through the park, but worth it for the views. It's a nice walk, and you'll get a good feel for the town and some excellent local brews.

Top Booked Excursion: Have not done any excursions here, but it could be a good port for fishing or nature tours. In general, most of the good stuff is accessible on your own, and you don't need to pay to do an excursion at this port. For example the Alaska Raptor Center and National Park are within walking distance from the town.

Transportation: They offer a free shuttle that runs between the port and Sitka. It's about 15 minutes. This shuttle can get very busy! The way around this is to either pre-book shuttle rides or to get off the ship really early or really late. Reservations are not required, but they do help. Otherwise, your best option is Uber. The down is not very big, and is generally walkable once you get there.

Safety: A- Overall it's very safe with a very limited local crime risk. As with other Alaskan ports, you do need to be aware of bear when walking trails through the parks.

Port Rating: B This is a great port to visit once, with great sights, beer, an restaurants. The downside is that it's small so if you've been here before, there may not be too many new things to do a second visit.