Surrounding the town’s cozy cafes and little harbour is a landscape of surpassing beauty: snow dusted mountains, waterfalls, forest, fjords, broad rivers, glaciers, lakes, and wildlife galore.

The big cruise ships rarely stop here, and it is a long drive from Fairbanks and Anchorage, so this friendly town of 1,500 people is a delight to explore. Lookout Park, at the foot of Mission Street, overlooking the harbour and Chilkoot Inlet, makes a good starting point for a walk through historic Haines.

Head north to Main Street and the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Centre. The core of the 3,000 item collection comes from the personal stash of Steve Sheldon, who began acquiring things in early 1900s at age 8. The array of Native artefacts stands out, especially those from the local Tlingit, such as the carved ceremonial hat.