We docked in Haines, Alaska on 13 September 2016. This quiet, little town has a population of only 1,713 (according to the 2010 consensus) and it truly showed. Much like Juneau and the other towns in Alaska, Haines comes to life in the summer, when tourists (mainly cruisers) arrive.

We had already purchased our tickets to Kroschel’s Wildlife Center prior to docking. I’m not a wildlife kind of girl and this particular excursion really wouldn’t have been my first choice but based it was highly recommended, and it was apparently the best thing to do in Haines.

We rode one of those old-school looking buses (which I loved so much, might I just add) on our way to Kroschel’s Wildlife Center. It was quite a long drive and I badly wanted to doze off — it was so serene; what with being surrounded with snow-capped mountains, long stretches of forests, and calm rivers. It was too beautiful.

Upon getting out of the bus, we went on a short walk to reach the main entrance of the wildlife center. We were then greeted by Steve Kroschel, the owner, and the tourguide, who also happens to be a filmmaker.

Like I said, I’m not a wildlife kind of girl. While we were there, I didn’t bother listing the different kinds of wild animals we saw. Though I was happy to see a bear devour a whole pie and be so close to a reindeer. I kept wishing there would be a polar bear in there. LOL

The Kroschel Wildlife Center
1.8 Mile Mosquito Lake Road,
Haines, AK 99827-9704
https://www.kroschelfilms.com