Fun for the Whole Family
Daily Sitka Sentinel , James Poulson
THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN SITKA where you can make heartfelt memories with your children , and experience the island with a sense of childlike awe and wonder .
Sitka ’ s community playground is the perfect outdoor spot for kids to play in a fun , safe , and creative space . With a miniature lighthouse and climbable octopus and salmon sculptures , the playground provides multiple areas for different age groups : perfect for 3 to 5-year-olds and for ages 6 and up . Located on Sitka ’ s waterfront Sea Walk , parents can relax on the playground benches and take in the gorgeous ocean and mountain views while their kids enjoy the park . You can even pack a picnic for the family to eat alongside the Sea Walk or on the campus of the nearby Sitka Fine Arts Camp .
Just a short walk away from the playground , the Sitka Sound Science Center is a must-see for any traveling family . Their touch tank is the one place where parents do not need to use the phrase , ‘ Don ’ t touch that !’ Home to urchins , sea anemones , and a variety of starfish , the touch tank allows adults and children alike to experience the vibrant colors and textures of Sitka ’ s aquatic critters right at their fingertips . array of deep-water fish and invertebrates . Interactive digital exhibitions and mounted aquatic habitats will teach you everything you need to know about marine life in Southeast Alaska . Ask about the Junior Naturalist program for your little one , so they can earn their very own badge !
The Sitka Sound Science Center also operates the Sheldon Jackson Hatchery , which raises 250,000 silver , 3 million pink , and 12 million chum every year . Tour the hatchery with your kids and learn about the life cycle of salmon and the importance of hatcheries in Alaska . If you visit in late summer months and early fall , you ’ ll witness the salmon run : hundreds of salmon thrashing in the water as they return to the hatchery from the open ocean .
Of course , at the end of a long day , there ’ s no better place to take your children than to one of Sitka ’ s many beaches ; you never know what colorful creatures you ’ ll see swimming in the tide pools .
Additional exhibits in the Center include a Salmon Bubble where visitors can observe the underwater world of juvenile salmon . Don ’ t miss the killer whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling or the 800-gallon saltwater aquarium that houses an
Attractions »
Alaska Raptor Center alaskaraptor . org / Fortress of the Bear fortressofthebear . org / Sitka Sound Science Center sitkascience . org
VISIT SITKA MAGAZINE 27 VISITSITKA . ORG