Experience an Alaskan cultural immersion unlike any other as you explore Sitka National Historical Park’s Totem Trail before watching live song and dance in a traditional Tlingit Clan House. Join your tour guide for a tour through Sitka National Historical Park and listen along as you hear about the intersection of Russian, Tlingit and American culture in Alaska. Sitka once served as capital of the Alaskan Territory until 1906, and your guide will share the story behind its nickname: “Paris of the Pacific”. Peruse the onsite museum’s collection of artifacts, photography, furniture, and hand-weaved root baskets before walking outside to view the site of the Battle of Sitka in 1804. A stroll along the quiet seaside Totem Trail lands you an up-close glimpse of towering First Nations totem poles standing sky-high among Alaska’s temperate rainforest environs. You’ll then enjoy in-depth folkloric engagement at Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Tribal Community House, where native dancers perform ancient songs in beaded regalia. Feel the beat of the box drum, inhale the aroma of burning cedar, and hear legends behind the largest hand-carved house screen “lovebirds” in southeast Alaska. You might even learn a few Tlingit words before heading back to port.