We took our whole family on a cruise to Alaska in 2006 and did the White Pass & Yukon, 75 years and 1 day to the day that my mother at age 21 did the same and wrote a great description in her trip diary. We read it as we went along the way. When I got off the plane in Anchorage for that cruise I suddenly realized that I had actually finally made it to all 50 states---I never had a specific goal to do that, but I did--------------and Alaska is an absolultely gorgeous state. As a native Californian, I don't think there are any places better than this, but---Alaska comes close (but no cigar) :-)
C.