Haines (Alaska)

Haines AK is a port town in Alaska's Haines Borough, located in the state's northern part and close to Glacier Bay Park. The town has total area approx 56 km2 (22 mi2) and population around 2,500.

Many tourists arrive for the annual bald eagle watching in the Chilkat Preserve. Every year, in the period October through February, the town boasts the world's largest concentration of these mighty birds.

Port Haines has locode USHNS. The town and its surrounding area are very popular for outdoor recreation activities. Hiking in Takshanuk Mountains and rafting on Chilkat River are among the most popular. Haines is also popular for heli-skiing. Popular destinations include Davidson Glacier (for hiking) and Chilkoot Lake and Lutak Inlet (for fishing). Lutak is frequented by seals, sea lions, orca whales.

Fort William Seward (aka Port Chilkoot) is within the town's limits and is designated as National Historic Landmark. It features officer housing, barracks, and parade grounds. Some of these structures function as restaurants and businesses. Alaska Indian Arts Centre offers demonstrations by traditional craftsmen. The town's history and local Tlingit traditions are featured in Sheldon Museum. Hammer Museum is themed on the hammer's history. Tsirku Canning Company Museum is themed on the historic salmon canneries.

The town hosts the annual Southeast Alaskan State Fair (held in July). Other tourist attraction is the portion of the set from Disney's "White Fang" movie (1990) filmed here. The surviving set includes small structures common to an Alaskan mining town.

Many tourists also visit Haines on cruise ships, mainly from the Alaskan fleets of Holland America and Princess Cruises.

Since 2009, cruise ship visiting frequency is nearly 20 per year. The cruise berth (terminal) is located close to Fort William.

In September 2024, Haines Borough Assembly unanimously approved a new revenue tariff for cruise ship tourists taking effect in 2025. The fee was set to start at US$9 per passenger (2025-2026), rising to US$12 (in 2027) and US$13 (in 2029). In 2024, the town expected ~100,000 cruise passengers. The collected money supports the town’s tourism infrastructure - maintaining and improving Haines Port's cruise ship facilities. Although the exact allocation of the funds is not determined, the revenue is legally required to go toward improvements that directly benefit cruisers, such as upgrading the port’s facilities/current dock or constructing a new floating dock.