I love when we get to visit places that are easily overlooked or just not on people’s radar, and visiting Haines, Alaska is one of those experiences. Located at the northern end of the Inside Passage, Haines is actually one of the two towns in Southeast Alaska that you can drive to. Most people coming here are probably visiting as a day trip over from their cruise port of Skagway, but Haines is worth its own dedicated time.
You know we’re big advocates of exploring the Inside Passage on your own without a cruise ship, so if you’re “on board” with that, check out our recommendations for things to do in Haines. I think 3-4 days here is ideal, but you could plan longer and just enjoy every hike and fishing spot to your heart’s content. If you have any questions about things to do in Haines or planning your trip, please leave us a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an unforgettable adventure!
Highlights of Visiting Haines, AK
So why in the world would you want to plan a trip to a remote town in Alaska that most cruise ships don’t even come to when there are famous ports of call that are clearly the better choice? Well, are they though? When you make port in Skagway on a cruise, a lot of the excursions actually require you to do the Haines Skagway Fast Ferry over to the town of Haines to do your activities. There are so many things to do in Haines and such beautiful places all around the town that people ditch another beautiful destination for the day to come here.
Spending a few days in Haines is so great because it’s both one of the most mellow towns you can visit in Alaska and it’s never boring. You don’t have cruise ship days with 10K+ people wandering about and you don’t have traffic all around town because of a singular big attraction, but it’s a destination that has lots of wonderful nuggets of interest and fun. I love cruise ports like Juneau and Ketchikan, but the calm of Haines is something else. IF you want to stay busy or if you just want to enjoy watching the clouds roll through the fjords, you can do either here and enjoy every moment of it.
Haines is also quite the wildlife destination. I love how easy it is to see black bears in Ketchikan and how prevalent the sea otters are in Seward, but Haines is incredible for eagles and brown bears. Since the Chilkat River has all five types of salmon that run in it you get an incredible concentration of wildlife all along the river corridor and over at the Chilkoot River also. Seeing wildlife in Alaska is once of the biggest reasons people travel here, so Haines makes for an awesome spot to be able to experience it.
Weather When you Visit Haines and Southeast Alaska
Southeast Alaska can be gorgeous and sunny or it can be full of moody mist and drippy days, and you should plan for both. We always take the approach of expecting rain every day and then being excited when it’s clear with eagles soaring overhead. Haines gets a pretty cold winter, more so than Ketchikan but not intense like Fairbanks in winter.
Visiting Haines is best starting in May and going into November. “November? Won’t it be getting really cold then?” Yes, it will, but also November is when the last salmon run is and it’s a HUGE attraction. Even though the leaves are nearly gone and the temperatures have dropped into the 30s and colder, because of geothermal energy below the Chilkat River, the water stays quite warm allowing for a massive salmon run in November that then thousands of bald eagles descending on Haines. The town of Haines does the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival to celebrate this absolutely insane natural event, typically on the first or second weekend of November.
Regarding weather for the rest of the summer season when most people will want to visit, plan for temperatures ranging from the low 50s to the high 70s, with the 60s being the norm. I love getting to explore Southeast Alaska in the summer because the weather is always so mellow and temperate. When I lived up at Denali NP and on the Kenai Peninsula, we would sometimes get temps in the upper 80s, and when you’re in Alaska, that’s just not what you want. It’s just one more great thing about spending time in Haines and the rest of the Inside Passage.
Getting to Haines, AK
So how do you get to Haines, Alaska? Solid question but you actually have a few options. The most popular way is to visit on a day trip from Skagway when you’re on an Inside Passage cruise, but that’s not how we did it. The other main way people come to Haines is via the Alaska Marine Highway System, departing from Bellingham, Washington or joining the sailing in Ketchikan or Juneau. You can also arrive as a walk on passenger via Alaska Fjordlines in Juneau, bringing your luggage aboard and getting off in Haines.
The last option is really fun but is a huge commitment. You can drive to Haines. This requires driving on the Alaska Canada Highway and heading south through the Yukon to the Haines Highway. From Seattle, the drive to Haines is about 35 hours, or from Anchorage it’s around 15 hours. It’s the most epic road trip in either direction (I’ve done it several times) and it’s unforgettable. It takes a long time though.
Where to Stay in Haines
You won’t find luxury resorts and national chains for hotels in Haines. It’s low key. There are some small inns and vacation rentals, but that’s about it. The only chain property (as of 2025) is an Aspen Suites Hotel which is pretty nice. We really enjoyed the Captain’s Choice Motel (motel isn’t always a bad thing) and had a great room with a lovely view out across the water and could watch the ships sailing by. If you’re looking for vacation rentals, there are few that are directly in town and then others out by Chilkat State Park or Chilkoot Lake State Park. There are also some small cabin properties out by Chilkoot Lake, so you’ve got some nice options.
There’s actually a cute, vintage hotel that’s within Fort William Henry Seward that’s pretty neat. The Hotel Halsingland is just off the parade lawn across from the Chilkat clan house. It’s not super fancy, but it’s cute and historic, and a cool place to stay that’s walking distance from everything in town.
Things to Do for a Trip to Haines, Alaska
So what exactly does Haines offer when it comes to things to do? Lots and lots! For being a very small town (less than 2000 people) it’s got all sorts of activities. There is plenty of wilderness and there are also lots of guided tours and even some museums. You’ll have the chance to learn all about Chilkat Tlingit culture and see plenty of wildlife.
And PS: the movie White Fang was filmed here in Haines and YES! You can see the sets of the old Alaskan town during the Klondike Gold Rush over at the Fairgrounds. The Southeast Alaska State Fair happens here each summer and part of enjoying it is walking through the old town set. Pretty cool.
Walk through “Downtown” Haines
Haines is cute and just has one primary street with a few shops just off the main drag, which you’ll never guess what it’s called: Main Street. It is actually pretty wonderful and it’s got lots of shops with locally made goods and art, there is a brewery, a pour house, quite a few restaurants and lots of character. There are even a few murals. As a bonus to the main downtown area of Haines, one of the other things to do on foot is to visit Fort William H Seward National Historic Landmark. Here you’ll find a beautiful old Officer’s Row like at Fort Worden or Fort Casey in Washington State, you’ve got some small galleries and shops, a few restaurants in the mix off the main parade grounds, and you’ve got a Chilkat Tlingit clan house with totem poles. There are also some ruins from an older part of the fort that is no longer there. Haines is pretty cool and cute, and exploring on foot is easy.
Tip: get a totem pole map at the visitor center and that will guide you all through town and you’ll get to see so many beautiful totem poles.
Visit the Sheldon Haines Museum
I know that we visit a ton of museums and that every museum is my favorite, but we especially loved the Sheldon Haines Museum for its wonderful collection of Chilkat Tlingit art and the storytelling elements of the museum. If you’re not into learning the history of the Chilkat people or the progression of events in Southeast Alaska, you’ll still enjoy it here. Explaining things from how formline art is done to how the artisans design the famous Chilkat blankets do their work, it’s a wonderfully comprehensive museum.
The Sheldon Haines Museum also gets into the Russian influence in Alaska and how the Chilkat peoples met that, and then how other immigrant populations (yes, white people from the lower states were and ARE immigrants) became a part of Haines. You’ll love the exhibit drawers (like specimen drawers) that have both smaller pieces of art and crafting tools. Really, the Sheldon Haines Museum is cool.
Scenic Float on the Chilkat River
We try to go rafting or kayaking everywhere we can. Southeast Alaska, and Haines specifically, doesn’t have much whitewater, but there are some beautiful broad rivers like the Chilkat River that make for great scenic floats. If you don’t do river rafting, don’t worry because this is a super mellow way to enjoy being on the Chilkat, and big bonus: it goes through the Bald Eagle Preserve! What better way to watch for wildlife and really take in the scenery than from the water.
We stopped counting how many eagles we saw, there were so many. We saw lots of other birds, some dear, and there we were hoping to spy a bear (saw one just after we got off the river actually). This is a really fun thing to do when you’re in Haines, and if you’re just visiting for the day from Skagway, you can still plan for this scenic float trip as they schedule them to align with the arrival of the fast ferry.
Book Alaska Mountain Guides Chilkat River Float here!
Fish for Salmon or Rockfish
A lot of people come to Alaska with the hopes of fishing, or the plans to fish everywhere they possibly can. Fishing is one of the great things to do in Haines as you’ve got plenty of options for both salmon fishing (several species) and salt water fishing. You can book fishing charters or if you have your own gear you have lots of options for where you can go. We borrowed gear from friends and enjoyed fishing for salmon (lures) at Chilkoot Lake State Park and going for rockfish just off the docks right in downtown Haines. There are many more places you can go through, especially if you want to do some fly fishing or check out some of the other lakes in the area.
Note: visitors 16 and over need to have a fishing license no matter the type of fishing they’re doing. Kids don’t need one, but if you’re an adult who’s casting and reeling, you better be sure you’ve got a valid one with the right type of tags.
Quiet Wood and Coves of Chilkat State Park
Even if I’m not dressed for hiking I will get us out on a trail somewhere. Chilkat State Park is not too far from the town of Haines and it’s simply beautiful. One of the best things to do on a sunny afternoon, there are lots of trails here in the park and a great beach loop that goes between some of the prettiest, most calm little coves on the Inside Passage. If you happen to be traveling with a kayak or SUP, Chilkat State Park is a wonderful place to launch (at the end of the road). You’ll love the views, the wildlife and the peacefulness.
Kayaking on Chilkoot Lake
A very different sort of experience from rafting on a river, kayaking on Chilkoot Lake is super cool and what I could only describe as dreamy. If you have your own gear, great! If not, don’t worry because there are guided kayaking options on Chilkoot Lake within Chilkoot Lake State Park. Paddling from the boat ramp and along the shore, the mountains and their waterfalls literally pour into the lake. We were really lucky to be out on the water on a morning with low clouds and the most beautiful moody weather. I’ve done a lot of kayaking in Alaska and this is one of my favorite spots.
Note: if you’re here during the sockeye salmon run (end of July and into August) there is a spawning ground on the lake and the water clears into a beautiful place to sit and watch the bright red salmon do their thing. It’s really unique and special.
Book Alaska Mountain Guides Chilkoot Lake Kayaking here!
Explore the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
I mentioned the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve as where we were doing our scenic float. The preserve is much larger than just the part of the river that you can raft on, and coming here with a camera and some patience will really pay off. Of course you can just drive out to the preserve and stop at the different pullouts along the highway, but if you stop at the primary parking area, you’ll see there are actually some exhibits talking all about the Chilkat River, its salmon runs and what makes this such a haven for Alaska’s bald eagles. Also at the primary parking area there is a great boardwalk that goes through the woods. As you go you can learn about the different wildlife you may see and then get to different views of the river and surrounding forest along the way. It’s an easy walk and when the eagles are in full force, it’s amazing.
Tip: if the timing is right, there is a small visitor center for the preserve in the Chilkat native village of Klukwan, or you can plan to visit the American Bald Eagle Foundation back in Haines.
Haines Highway Adventure
Did you know that Haines is only 40 miles from the Canadian Border? If you’ve got a car with you, this is a beautiful and interesting drive to do. Leaving from downtown Haines, you’ll drive north toward the Yukon Territory. Along the way you can watch for wildlife and then make stops at the Bald Eagle Preserve, the many Chilkat River viewpoint pull-offs, and eventually up to Mosquito Lake. Hopefully your timing will be just right to be able to visit the Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center, which is really cool and full of information about the Chilkat Tlingit peoples of the area. And there is beautiful Chilat art. Keep on driving and you’ll make it to Mile 33 Roadhouse for lunch or dinner before heading south back to Haines. It’s a nice little road trip for half a day.
Wildlife Watching Around Haines
I’m a sucker for wildlife watching and we’ll be out late stalking moose and bear. One of the best things to do in Haines is to go out before sunset and drive around, both on the Haines Highway and out to Lutak and Chilkoot Lake State Park to watch for animals. On the Haines Highway, watch for eagles, moose and brown bears. When you head towards Lutak and Chilkoot Lake, eagles, whales and brown bears are the goal. Alond the tidal flats and up the Chilkoot River is nearly guaranteed bear viewing during salmon season, with bears fishing, walking along the road and strolling through the coastal grasses during golden hour.
Another cool sort of wildlife watching you can enjoy in Haines is actually watching salmon spawning. I mentioned that we got to see salmon spawning when we did kayaking on Chilkoot Lake, but there are lots of freshwater streams the meet the Chilkat River where you’ll see salmon spawning as well. Culverts, trails and roadside pull-offs are great spots to see the fish. BE CAREFUL AND WATCH FOR BEARS. Just like you enjoy salmon, so do bears and you can see the stream banks absolutely littered with fish carcasses.
Visit the Hammer Museum
My kids would say that I’ve saved the best for last. Their favorite thing to do in Haines is actually the Hammer Museum. Yes, we did so much other fun and fascinating stuff, but both kids will swear that the most interesting activity is without question the Hammer Museum. It’s full of unique types of hammers from what you use to nail into a wall to prohibition era cocktail hammers for coded drink ordering. I’ll admit, this is one of the most unique museums we’ve been to and it was weirdly cool and fun. It’s totally worth visiting when you’re in Haines.
Hiking around Haines
There are some lovely hiking trails in the Haines area, from just simple walking paths to actual intense hikes going up into the mountains. For an easy and beautiful hike, the Battery Point Trail at the start of Chilkat State Park is lovely and takes you to the beach. At the end of the road in Chilkat State Park is the beach loop which is great for watching marine life and birds. Also in Chilkat State Park is Mount Riley, which is quite the challenge, but awesome views if you’re up for it. Another tough hike but bursting with views is the Mount Ripinski Trail, taking you to double fjord views (each side of the peninsula). There are a few more difficult hikes, but don’t get so caught up in the mountains that you miss out on all the other great things to do in Haines and the state parks.
As you can see, Haines has so many things to do and is a wonderful destination to plan for. Getting here is half the fun and then enjoying the scenery, wildlife and peace of Haines is the other part. If you have any questions for us about planning a visit to Haines or exploring the Inside Passage of Alaska on your own, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
And don’t forget that we have a dedicated site all about travel to AK: MyAlaskaTrip.com!
