Alaska- Dad's bucket list place to visit *advice needed*

[darcytribe]

Needing some advice on visiting Alaska-

Dad has mesothelioma. He's always wanted to visit Alaska. This summer is probably the last opportunity for him to get up there in this life. He loves wildlife and scenic beauty. He can't walk very far due to breathing difficulties, maybe 50 yards max at a time. I'd like to get him up there this summer to see what he can see of Alaska's beauty. I'm looking for advice on locations he could go to, day trips that are accessible/doable for people in his situation. We can use a wheelchair to get him around if it's a longer distance to walk, just need locations that we can push it to. A few ideas I have thought of were:

1. Scenic train ride from Anchorage to Denali.
2. Car tour of Denali National Park- Would love to try and ensure he could see grizzly, moose, caribou.


* Other things I was wondering about:
1. Are there any glacier viewing day trips out of the Anchorage area?
2. Whale watching out of Anchorage area?
3. He's always loved fishing/fish- Are there any ways he could see the salmon run? When is that at it's prime?
4. Are there other not to miss things to see that we should look into?

If anyone knows of any other sights or tours (operators) they would highly recommend up there, I am all ears. Thanks for any thought or advice you can offer!

 

[2531usmc]

The best way to see Alaska and experience Alaska is to rent an RV in anchorage and just explore. Go to talkneeta, drive the Denali Highway, see the kenei river.

If you have the flexibility of an RV, you’ll find plentiful spots your dad can get close enough for stream fishing.

We did 10 days in Alaska and another year did 10 days in Alaska and the Yukon.

The cost is roughly comparable to a cruise or hotels.

 

[wyosteve]

If you don't want to drive as much, you can go from Anchorage to Seward/Homer. They have a day trip boat out of Seward that takes you up close to the glacier and will likely see whales, sea lions, sea otters, mountain goats, etc. Homer is worth seeing, and you can make the short detour to Whittier if you'd like. Going through the tunnel in unique!

 

[jte5013]

My family took a trip up there last summer and with little kids we didnt hike much either. The train trip from Anchorage to Denali and a day cruise out of Seward were our favorites. Those were a great way to see a lot without hiking a lot.

The cruise was the 6h trip with Major Marine and we saw tons of whales mid July and got close-ish to one of the glaciers

 

[OsoMountain]

Needing some advice on visiting Alaska-

Dad has mesothelioma. He's always wanted to visit Alaska. This summer is probably the last opportunity for him to get up there in this life. He loves wildlife and scenic beauty. He can't walk very far due to breathing difficulties, maybe 50 yards max at a time. I'd like to get him up there this summer to see what he can see of Alaska's beauty. I'm looking for advice on locations he could go to, day trips that are accessible/doable for people in his situation. We can use a wheelchair to get him around if it's a longer distance to walk, just need locations that we can push it to. A few ideas I have thought of were:

1. Scenic train ride from Anchorage to Denali.
2. Car tour of Denali National Park- Would love to try and ensure he could see grizzly, moose, caribou.


* Other things I was wondering about:
1. Are there any glacier viewing day trips out of the Anchorage area?
2. Whale watching out of Anchorage area?
3. He's always loved fishing/fish- Are there any ways he could see the salmon run? When is that at it's prime?
4. Are there other not to miss things to see that we should look into?

If anyone knows of any other sights or tours (operators) they would highly recommend up there, I am all ears. Thanks for any thought or advice you can offer!

I ain’t crying, you sum bitch!!!

This pulled at heart pretty deep. My dad is almost 80 and I’m watching an absolute juggernaut become more and more human every day. I nearly cried when I had to tie his boots for him on our last bear hunting trip to Idaho.

Darcy, I have nothing to offer but my hopes that you and your old man have an absolutely GRAND adventure. Take it in, soak it up. And enjoy that moment with your dad. Because it will be special.

 

[beretta_man11]

For the salmon runs, you're looking at mid to late July for the larger numbers of sockeye (reds) on the Kenai. On even years, such as 2026, the pink salmon (we don't eat pinks) will be plentiful as well during that late July run.

There are lots of public areas on the kenai to fish. The walkways on public ground as well as the platforms to stand on in many places are extremely nice, just be mindful that some have several steps that you'd have to go down to get on the water.

If you're there 7/5-7/12, look me up, I'll be able to help on fishing the Kenai in Soldotna. I'll have the gear and the easy-private access.

 

[Thinkingman]

July 17 is the peak of the sockeye run on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers. Go to the park at the mouth of the Kenai and you will see epic numbers caught by the dipnetters and families processing fish for subsistence.
Not sure what access is like for the bear watching at Brooks Falls but that is pretty interesting for an Alaska experience.
Lots to see within a 4 hr drive from Anchorage.

 

[danhuntingmi]

Seward and Valdez> denali

 

[hiway_99]

You can view the matanuska glacier from the Glenn highway. There is an overlook off the highway. I believe there is also helicopter tours that will take you onto the glacier.

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[jte5013]

Im also always a little underwhelmed by viewing glaciers from a distance. We didn't take a tour up close of one of them, so that might be an improvement.

The bus tour through Denali is a good way to see wildlife, or a small plane around Denali was also a great time.

The Alaska people can probably give better recommendations and dates, but a float trip for Sockeye wasn't very physically taxing

 

[sniper61]

Now that is a gift .Your dad raised a good man. Im sure you are the greatest achievement in his life time. The sites that can be seen out the window in alaska will make it the trip of a life time. Takeing my only grandson to the artic next summer for his high school graduation present . It might be my last time but I am planting the seed that will grow like it did in me. We live in Pennsylvania.

 

[Strider1967]

Take a plane ride out of Talkeetna to see mount Denali up close..... majestic and awe insipiring! You may even get to land on a glacier on Denali. Unforgetable! All of Alaska is beautiful in its way, rugged and natural.

 

[wyosteve]

The Major Marine glacier tour out of Seward gets to a couple hundred yards of the glacier. You can see/hear it calving. Kind of a neat highlight is that the crew 'nets' some glacier ice and makes margaritas with it. Probably the only time you can get a margarita with thousand of years old ice!!

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

My wife and I took a trip a few years ago to Alaska and drove everywhere. I think if a vehicle rental is available/feasible with your dad I would go that route . Seward had a nice 6-8 hr boat tour of a few glaciers and costal viewing. My highlight was stopping at Sheep Mountain Lodge on the Glenn Hwy. We did a helicopter tour and saw bears, moose and landed on the Matanuska glacier. Mark can adjust his tour to what you want to see. https://sheepmountain.com/

I also really like the drive from Delta Junction to Valdez although its long and remote. Another shorter trip closer to Anchorage is Hatcher Pass.

Overall i Denali was probably lower on our list of places we viewed as we went from Anchorage - Fairbanks - Valdez - Sewered-Homer. I will not do as much driving as we did if/when i go back.

 

[displacedtexan]

If you can swing it, I'd fly to Anchorage and spend a week on land, then take an inside passage cruise home. Two one way flights isn't any more hassle than a round trip in my experience.

The train from Anchorage to Denali is really cool.

You can see a lot from the green busses in Denali. They go farther into the park than you can take a rental car.

The cruises will mostly follow the coast, so lots of scenery. Glaciers, and stops at towns that are a time suck to drive to. I'm not a big cruise person, but the Alaskan ones are enjoyable.

Drive out the Kenai peninsula, salmon and Grizzlies.

 

[chizelhead]

Inside Passage trip on a small cruise line. Lot's of scenery to see without needing to move around a lot. I would recommend a small one that can go through the Wrangell Narrows. Depending on budget, you could charter from Ketchikan to Juneau. The charter will get you into some very scenic spots.

 

[kota]

We went to glacier bay and took the park service boat ride through the bay. I think it was the highlight of the trip. Lots of animal viewing (both water and land), and we did get pretty close to the toe end of a big glacier.

In Denali, be aware that the shuttle buses have a schedule to keep. If there are animals about they will stop so you can see them, but not for long! Might be worth staying at one of the private places at the end of the road just so you have more flexibility getting to the interior of the park? We did not see much wildlife in the first section of the road that you can drive.

 

[MountainTracker]

You can go on a glacier boat tour out Whittier, it’s about 1.5 from Anchorage. You’ll go through the 2 mile long tunnel, I believe there is possibility to see whales and other sea creatures. I think there is also a meal included.

There’s all kinds of helicopters rides out of Anchorage, or try the Alaska glacier lodge for rides to the Knick glacier, there is a restaurant there also.

You could go to Denali and take the bus around to see the area.

Enjoy the trip


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[MountainTracker]

One other that comes to mind, rent a car, drive to Whittier and jump on the ferry to Valdez, about 6 hour ride, stay in Valdez, then drive back to Anchorage. If you wanted to extend the trip drive to Mcarthy when driving back to Anchorage.


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[akhunter3]

-You can take the train to Seward as well- much different views.

-Glacier viewing the best bet would be a cruise out of Seward or Whittier (bonus, the ones I've done out of Seward often involve other types of wildlife as well such as humpback whales, puffins, etc.). Boat docks there in Seward also bring in a lot of fish and you can watch them at the cleaning tables/bragging board area very easily

-Red runs peak ~Mid-late July, Tern lake near the Seward/Kenai cutoff is usually a pretty good viewing area, even easier is Potters Marsh in Anchorage. Fishing-wise Kenai has wheelchair-accessible bankside fishing in a couple parks such as Swiftwater, Centennial.