Seward, not just a highway, but a stop for accessible beauty!
In Seward we stayed at Angels Rest right on Resurrection Bay. The only wheelchair accessible cabin, but surprisingly they didn’t allow service dogs. We found a friendly couple to watch Magnolia, my sisters service dog, in their house overnight in Rover. The little kitchenette had counters you could roll under. The cabin was tight but it was right on the water in Alaska and ADA compliant, I couldn’t complain. The wall facing the water was filled with windows. They did have shades, but they weren’t blackout, so don’t forget an eye mask! The bathroom was great, it had a roll under sink, grab bars by the toilet AND a roll in shower. The only downside, was the grab bar behind the bench which made the bench tiny; and my butt aint that small, but we made do by sitting sideways and bringing one of the kitchen chairs for my other butt cheek.
In May ‘22 there was a huge landslide near where we stayed. This is what is there now.Watch here.
In Seward, we did a 6 hour Kenai Fjord National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise with Major Marine Tours. It lived up to its name, and spoiler alert, we saw Humpback and Orca whales! The crystal clear water, with the surrounding mountains and wildlife was so breathtaking and unreal. Every few minutes we would see a glacier lose large pieces in the water. To me, it was proof of Global Warming. It was hands down the best boat cruise is definitely a must if you’re ever in Seward. Tickets are purchased at Harbor 360 Hotel, right off route 9.
After we saw the glacier on the cruise, we wanted to see more so we visited Exit Glacier. They had an accessible trail in the middle of woods and once you step out, BAM a glacier. Along the trail they had signs marking the year and height of the galciers. For instance, one of the signs in the 1800s, displayed the glaciers height and showed the glacier melting 162 feet each year! These markers show the recession due to climate change.
The wheelchair view
At our cabin, we mostly sat outside and enjoyed the view. There was a fire pit and we made s’mores on the 3rd night of our stay. The next day my mom drove my dad to anchorage airport. We stayed at the 360 Harbor Hotel, a two minute walk away from downtown. There were lots of restaurants and shops. I highly recommend Chinook Restaurant, they had the best Halibut Chowder ever!
On July 4th we saw the parade; my favorite truck had a Pterodactyl. Why? To make you smile! There were vendors and food trucks. I decided on fresh mini donuts! When we left, the Mount Marathon had started and as we drove off, we could see runners facing their way up the mountain.
