So you’ve booked a trip to Sitka (or you really want to). You’ve been Google Image searching parts of our town and scrolling social media to get ideas of where you want to go, what you want to eat, and activities you’d like to do. You know our town is small and gorgeous, with rugged mountains on one side and open ocean on the other. Your research means you know a lot about our island town, so we thought we’d give ourselves a challenge and tell you 5 things you probably don’t already know about Sitka.
- Sitka is the largest city in the United States
Wait, this can’t be true, right? Well, in terms of land area, Sitka takes the cake with a size of 2,870.3 square miles. This is more than 5 times the size of the land area of Phoenix, Arizona! Despite our large land area, Sitka still only has 14 miles of road, making it easy to walk or bike to most attractions.
Overlooking Sitka and part of Baranof Island from Harbor Mountain
- “The Proposal” wasn’t filmed here
We can just hear Sandra Bullock’s voice in our heads saying, “Sitkaaa…Alaskaaaaaa.” This movie is by far Sitka’s most famous pop culture reference, but it actually wasn’t filmed in Sitka. Sure, there are a few background shots of our town and even St. Micheal’s Cathedral makes a few appearances, but otherwise, the movie was shot in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. However, you can meet the real-life Ramon at the Cold Water Bar & Grill – the movie’s writer stayed in Sitka and often had Ramon as a bartender there!
Ramon serving up a mojito at the Cold Water Bar & Grill
- Sitka averages 90 inches of rain per year
This is nearly triple Seattle’s annual rainfall. But don’t let this deter you – our temperatures are moderate! This temperate rainforest environment means it usually doesn’t get very cold during the winter months. Just be sure to pack some raingear and layers (even for summer travel) since you never know when the sun might come out and give you the most beautiful view you’ve ever seen.
Sea lions relaxing on a moody, misty morning
- Our bridge was the first cable-stayed bridge in the United States
A cable-stayed bridge is when there are one or more towers from which cables run directly to support the bridge deck. The John O’Connell Bridge was finished in 1972 to connect the main town of Sitka on Baranof Island to Japonski Island, where the airport, hospital, and Coast Guard Station all reside. This was the first modern highway cable-stayed bridge built in the United States and is 1,255 feet in length. The bridge was designated as an Alaska Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Taking a sunset stroll on John O’Connell Bridge
- Sitka is ranked in the Top 50 in a global National Geographic Survey
Out of 109 destinations globally, Sitka has an impressive 48th place ranking. This 2008 destination-stewardship survey specifically focused on places with a community-based approach to preserving its natural and cultural heritage. Sitka was the only town in Alaska to receive this recognition and honor.
Naa Kahídi Dancers perfoming
Now when you visit our small (yet large) rainy town, you can have these little trivia tidbits tucked away. Maybe you’ll walk across the O’Connell Bridge for some spectacular views of town and simultaneously admire this early engineering feat. Or maybe you’ll walk through the Sitka National Historical Park and see firsthand why Sitka was chosen as an elite destination where nature and culture seamlessly intertwine. Or maybe you’ll talk to some locals and discover some new facts about Sitka on your own!
