I love the song about Alaska's flag:
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue,
Alaska's flag, may it mean to you,
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes and the flowers nearby,
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams,
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear," the "Dipper," and shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
O'er land and sea a beacon bright,
Alaska's flag to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.
You don't have to pay for an expensive cruise ship to travel up the striking Marine Highway/Inside Passage. You can book modest but comfortable accommodations on the state ferry system. The state operates 11 ferries that serve coastal areas from Bellingham, Washington all the way out to the Aleutian Islands. It is a glorious trip.
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/
Alaska is a big place with 656,425 square miles of rugged wilderness, scenic beauty and abundant wildlife. Which means traveling in Alaska presents some unique challenges as well as opportunities. Unlike the 'lower 48', many of our communities are not accessible by a land based road system, making the primary means of travel to them by air or sea. The Alaska Marine Highway makes up a large part of our 'highway system' and is a route so special it has been designated National Scenic Byway and an All American Road, the only marine route with this designation.
From the southern terminus in Bellingham, Washington, the Marine Highway stretches more than 3,500 miles to Dutch Harbor. With 119 state parks spread across the state and a total of 365 million acres, there's plenty of room for everyone to seek their own adventure. Whether your interest is in bike trails, secluded coves for kayaking, hiking trails, camping or National Parks and Wilderness areas, the Alaska Marine Highway is the perfect way to experience the communities that populate Alaska's diverse and scenic coastline.
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