The first thing you notice about Haines is that it isn’t Skagway, the tourist showpiece situated 33 nautical miles to the north. Instead, this is a quiet, independent, unprepossessing town of native artists, outdoor-adventure lovers and 100% Alaskans hooked on the tranquil life. People come here to see bald eagles in the wild, dissect one thousand years of Chilkat-Tlingit culture, ponder the remains of an old military barracks and enjoy the best drinking scene in an American town of this size.