Head down the steep staircases to the ocean’s edge, where you’ll find three covered gazebos with picnic tables and fixed binoculars. You can also climb, play, and slide on life-size sculptures of humpbacks.
There’s a chance to see whales anytime, but September to December is prime time; that’s when humpbacks congregate before heading to Hawaii for calving. March and April are also good months, with the whales chasing schools of herring in the waters off Sitka. You may also see harbor seals and Steller sea lions, shorebirds, sea ducks, and eagles.
