Fortress of the Bear

Fortress of the Bear
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A 501(c)3 non-profit educational bear sanctuary in Sitka, Alaska. Providing a safe haven for Alaska's orphaned bears.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • Jackie g
    Paeroa, New Zealand13 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to visit while in Sitka
    We grabbed an excursion to this place at the port of Sitka and it did not disappoint. Watching the short video was really informative. There were 5 big brown orphaned bears and 3 black bears. One of the brown bears spent most of our visit trying to put a road cone on his head as a hat. The staff were lovely and the excursion was worth doing as when there are numerous cruise ships in they stop allowing walk-in visitors.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written May 21, 2024
  • Becky D
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Day in Sitka Thanks to Fortress of the Bears!
    I don't typically post or do reviews...but I have to tell you about our experience at the Fortress of the Bear in Sitka, AK. Today my husband and I did not have any plans for while at Sitka, but last minute I propsed we look into visiting Fortress of the Bear. So we took the blue line bus for $2 (caution the bus is not very big and there's only 1 bus for the whole loop). We got there and bought our ticket at the door. It was pretty simple to get to after walking a couple of minutes after the bus dropped us off. I can't even describe in words how AMAZING this place is. I'm from Delaware so I've not seen bears outside of the zoo. The passion of the workers and just the idea behind the safe place for the orphan bears to be kept/loved/cared for actually moved me to tears. Seriously. I was in just awe. The workers at the observation platform were amazing and just watching the bears was indescribeable. When we started to leave, I could feel myself so excited and happy we decided to pop by and I actually was overcome with emotion! As we were exiting I recognized the owner from the video sitting off to the side. I got myself together and went over and thanked him and he was so thankful and his passion was also evident (and authentic). The best $15 I have ever spent! Please go and see for yourself!
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 24, 2024
  • Richard
    Florida116 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    You see bears
    Fortress of the Bears is a small rescue center about 5 miles from town center in Sitka. We chose to ride the public bus system there but that was an absolute poop show. The very small buses only run once an hour and hundreds are trying to get on these buses since this is the most popular attraction in Sitka. When the bus arrived people were freaking out nearly trampolining children to get on. Some A-hole even screamed out push your way to the front inciting madness. People are just awful sometimes and we were pushed away missing that bus. Not wanting to wait another hour we chose to leave that non sense and just have a tour company drive us. It cost a lot more but was worth it in the end not dealing with that craziness. These bears are rescued black and brown bears that cannot be released back into the wild. The bears have large natural habitat pins they roam freely in. They seem to be very well kept and happy. The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the animals. Even saw a bald eagle that hangs around the pins. Overall I’d say it was well worth the time and money to see the Fortress of the Bear. I would highly recommend, just make sure you have transportation.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 26, 2024
  • Kevin B
    Denver, Colorado834 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best of Sitka Tour stop
    Stopped here on a 3 part best of Sitka tour. Guaranteed to see bears for sure lol. Awesome mission and friendly staff. Spent only about 20 minutes so not sure what price is if not part of tour. Several Black bears and brown bears. A few signs to read and a short video presentation.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written July 5, 2024
  • David L
    Silver Spring, Maryland398 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Better than viewing bears at a zoo
    Enjoyed our visit. My 4 and 6 year old granddaughters were thrilled to see the Alaska Brown bears and the black bears. The introductory video was informative and despite the busload of visitors there were plenty of opportunities for viewing them. The gift shop seemed to have every item about bears ever made.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 10, 2024
  • NiniBug
    London, United Kingdom330 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fortress of the Bears is not to be missed in Sitka!
    The Fortress of the Bears is a wonderful refuge to rehabilitate orphaned bears back into the wild. The area is very relaxed and isn't just about bears. We saw plenty of bald eagles flying over head. Purchasing any item from the information center goes back to funding the bear orphanage.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 30, 2024
  • Southwest_Gaucho
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona1,276 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An actual bear fortress.....
    We were lucky to visit early in the day with our local friends and avoid the madness of all of the cruise ship passengers. Rescue center is very well done and provides good habit to bears that cannot be released back into the wild. Glad to see structures have been repurposed for bear habitat. Staff was knowledgeable and polite.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written August 7, 2024
  • littlejet
    405 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highlight of our Alaskan cruise vacation!
    Came here as part of an Alaskan cruise. Came on our own, not part of a boat excursion. We loved it! This was one of the highlights of our trip. The workers were soooo knowledgeable. Loved learning about the different personalities of the bears. Really enjoyed our time here.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 15, 2024
  • Kevin T
    13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    You will be sorry if you don’t visit
    This is must visit in Sika! Amazing to see the interface with the bears and their trainers. Who would have known that bears can sign language with mankind?! As the owner said - they are very smart. And playful and adoring with personalities. Never saw something like this in a zoo. Pay the small admission price as it is well worth it (we got retired military rate). And your money goes to a great cause to save the lives of the orphaned cubs.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written August 17, 2024
  • David F
    81 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Safe way to see bears up close
    Great morning or afternoon trip. The Sitka bus will almost take you there, then short walk to the site. Two large concrete tanks from past use in water treatment or sewage treatment have been recycled into bear areas where bears that are thought to not be releasable to the wild are kept. Bears can be viewed on an elevated platform or at ground level. There are quite robust glass windows keeping you safe at ground levels. The tanks have areas for the bears to sleep in as well as swim. Sometimes the bears will roughhouse with each other. Stories of how the bears came to the shelter are presented and it’s all well done. Next door is “The Shed”, which provides snack food, hot dogs, etc to eat while waiting for the bus to come back. Much more interesting than seeing bears in zoos, and safer than seeing them in the wild. Leave the bear spray at home. Open seasonally.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 18, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,031 reviews
Excellent
679
Very good
235
Average
75
Poor
20
Terrible
22

WeLoveDisneyland
Forked River NJ296 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
This is a wonderful place to see bears up close and personal at a safe distance. These orphans are very playful and curious and the staff works very carefully with them to keep the bears happy and healthy. I bought a membership so I could visit more than once during my 2 week stay in Sitka. It's at the end of the island so you either need a rental car or a tour bus/private tour. (Note: Cruise ship excursions are probably too expensive- try to use a taxi?)
Written May 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jolene K
Vero Beach, FL3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Just had a private tour with the owner Les, omg, he’s got an incredible history in Alaska. His got a heart as large as the state when it comes to his bears! Claire was wonderful as well, I got to be there when the fed the bears it’s incredible. If you like wildlife you can’t get ay closure to a coastal brown bear(s) than this. Please consider donating to this cause, they are not funded by anyone but by donations and revenue with tickets purchased at the door. I have to go EVERY to see those beautiful creatures. He also has blk bears that are pretty big size themselves!

This is a RESCUE center so had it not been for Les the owner these bears and others that he’s sent to different zoos around the US would have been euthanized!

One cool thing to do, they are building a brick walkway for the bears, you can personalize them and help in that manner and your name or your loved one will always leave a piece of yourself in Sitka By The Sea!
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deborah P
Cape Girardeau, MO29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
We visited via a escorted trip. This is a wonderful up close and personal but safe way to see the alaskan bears. Also, it is interesting since the facility was an old pulp mill which has been repurposed and makes an excellent enclosure. Highly recommend a visit, but they need a better donation system for visitors to be able to donate while on site.
Written November 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

XXNYC
NYC87 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
This is a really great opportunity to see brown bears up close. There were five bears when we visited. The staff who work here are really knowledgeable and happy to answer all of your questions. We watched them feed different types of food to the bears and also watched them play.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

IndieBajan
New York City, NY152 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Amazing opportunity to real life bear up close in their natural habitat. I visited as a stop on Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Sea from July 7th- July 14th. Instead of a cruise excursion, I took a taxi from Centennial Hall, charging $50 for 4. I then paid the admission fee of $15 for adults and $5 for youth(13-17 yrs), this saved me a bunch. On our way back we got off at The Raptor Center to explore and walk back to the Centennial which was only a 15 minutes walk away.
If you're able body and can read a map I suggest this experience without going broke via the cruise excursion.
Written July 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carrie B
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
I wasn't sure what to expect but I was more than satisfied. We happened to be there on the day when the owner was too. The bears, who are very easy to see even with multiple visitors, did hand gestures/tricks and he fed them. It was amazing to see the love he has for these powerful creatures and how well they are treated. I wish we could have spent even more time there!
Written July 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nunya B
67 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
Very disappointed in the size and condition of this place. The cruise ship really pumped this place up only to add to our disappointment. Was basically an old sewage treatment plant and a little natural area. Maybe five bears. We got off the shuttle bus, paid and once we saw the poor condition of the place we tried to hop back on the departing shuttle to leave. Sad really.
Written May 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lanamom
Sunnyvale, CA674 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
we had seen a lot of bears on our Alaska trip so I was lukewarm to the idea of coming here and saved it for our last day if we had time. I'm so glad we had time - it was amazing!!! The bears have a great habitat and you really get to see them itneracting with each other. They even have a pond where they can catch salmon.
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

YuontoGo
Huntsville, AL165 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We actually ended up going twice during our stay in Sitka and enjoyed it each time. The bears are always doing something different and they are very entertaining. We even saw a Bald Eagle swoop down and take a fish from the paws of a Black Bear. The eagle was happy, the bear was not. They said sometimes the bears will win.

It is sad that these bears can never be released into the wild, but they are healthy, happy and have a great home.

We recommend a visit to Fortress of the Bear during your visit to Sitka. It is pretty far out of town so plan on taking a taxk.
Written July 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ellensbee
Kansas City, MO21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
We met one of the founders, Evy, in the Seattle airport and chatted a lot about her life in Sitka as a co founder/owner of the Fortress of the Bear. She inspired us to visit! We went with my Coastie son, his wife, my veteran hubs and I. Military discount for all!!! Thank You!
Orphan bears usually are dispatched (shot and killed) these were saved by Evy and Les to educate the public. They are treated with respect and have continuous change of sensory experiences (music, scents, foods, objects) to stimulate them in captivity. This place is a labor of love. The gift shop is really nice too!
Written July 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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FORTRESS OF THE BEAR (2025) - All You MUST Know Before You Go (with Reviews)

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