Haines or Skagway (Nome, Ferry: to buy, construction, camping)

[Trevor James]

I'm planning a trip and would like to know which of the two is the nicer place to visit and which has the nicer drive from the Alaska Highway. Unfortunately we can't see them both because we'll be taking a ferry from one or the other. Thanks.

[Metlakatla]

Skagway is just faked Alaska. Go to Haines

[Barkingowl]

I second Haines.

[stiffnecked]

It depends on what time of year you go. From October to April Skagway is real. If you take the time there is lot's of history around the place. I think it's a neat town but I like Nome as well. To each our own.

[akck]

If you want to see a tourist town, go to Skagway. It you want to see small town Alaska, go to Haines. I think both offer a nice scenic drive.

[GrammasCabin]

No contest. Haines. I spent one summer up there with bf who was working on a construction job. The town is adorable, beaches walkable and great exploring, Chilkoot river breathtaking, little hideaway picnic & camping areas all over. When do the eagles gather in the Chilkoot? It's a spectacular site with tens of thousands of eagles gathered for the fish run. The people will treat you like family. The local's favorite was the Pioneer Bar. That and the 33 mile cafe for breakfast. Passport in hand you can take a most amazing drive into Canada, Haines Junction a couple hours away but you might want to take your tent and live it a bit. Oh, please do not pass up Haines for the tour boat's Plastic Alaska - aka Skagway. There are only a few hundred locals still living in Skagway and they disappear turning the tourist season unless they have jobs in one of the tin shops or latte cafe's.
What I am assuming, however, is that you want to expierence Alaska, not the mall from China.

[ASpilot2be]

Haines. Of course I am biased

[starlite9]

If you are driving there, go to one, catch the Ferry around the point to the other and then drive back out. Much better bang for the buck... and a lot more fun...

[warptman]

I also say Haines, you can hook up with Rotorhead, he'll get the beer!

[rotorhead]

Warpt...how could you have gotten it so wrong? The local custom is that you have to buy ME a beer!

I'll admit that I'm also a bit biased on the matter, but there is very little comparison between the two towns. Skagway is "Alaska Diznyland', a theme-park based on a narrow slice of Alaska history, wholly-owned by the cruise ship companies and largely owned by out-of-staters. Haines is a regular SE Alaska town, where the people who own the stores still live here, for the most part. There is some spillover from Skagway, specifically the rafters and other tourist businesses, but nothing like the herds of white-tennis-shoe oldsters that trample Skagway in their multitudes. \

Both drives up through the passes into Canada are pretty, but the route through Haines is prettier, although longer. Gas is cheaper in Skagway, for what it's worth. Basically, Haines is a real town and Skagway is an Alaska-flavored tourist trap full of overpriced jewelry and plastic trinkets made in China.