I would love some help planning a summer trip for my 80 year old parents(good health but can't hike) our 2 adult children & spouses and ourselves. I'm thinking 1 lodge location to headquarter and take various day trips. Do we need a car? Thanks for taking time to help us!

Where? Which state

Mary, are you referring to Kenai the town or the Kenai Peninsula in general? Regardless, I think you will find a car necessary, as distances are fairly great. The main areas of visitor interest on the Kenai Peninsula are around Seward, including the Kenai Fjords, and at the southern end of the peninsula at Homer. The two areas are a couple hundred miles apart, kill off a whole day to drive from one to the other, plus you've got a large group (I make it 8?) to move by vehicle. Maybe a convoy?

What in particular interests your group - wildlife, fishing, sightseeing, etc.?, because it might make a difference in your planning.

We had the most fantastic day out on the water in Kenai Fjords National Park. Make sure to take the longer (6+ hour) trip, not the Resurrection Bay tour which doesn't see enough. We saw so much wildlife, lots of glacier calving, and the area is simply filled with gorgeous scenery.

You will probably fly into Anchorage and rent a car(s). I would split the week between Seward and Homer with more time spent in Homer. I think Anchorage to Homer is about 5 hours. Anchorage to Seward 3 hours. But they are on opposite sides of the peninsula and there's no direct route between them. If you can manage it, plan your trip so you have a full weekend in Alaska. Seward is an easy town to walk around in but Homer is more spread out. I think there is more to do in Homer such as the Pratt Museum and more restaurant choices. There's a wonderful view as you enter Homer and also from the road overlooking the airport and Spit. A car is definitely needed here.
You might plan stops on the way to Homer to ride the tram up Mt Alyeska, visit Portage Glacier's visitors center, and various viewpoints. We watched salmon fishermen at Bird Creek in early August. We have not been to Exit Glacier which many recommend and we also missed Big Game Alaska (which has a new name) which others said they enjoyed. From Seward to Homer you will pass by the famous Russian River salmon fishing area and go thru Kenai/Soldotna area. This is not as pretty an area but you'll have a chance to do some shopping if you need supplies since there are a couple of large grocery stores, etc in this area. Check activities at local libraries and visitor centers. The Anchorage Daily News will have calendar listings nearer your trip. There should be some lectures or music events during your visit. You might consider splitting the group up once or twice to let some hike while others enjoy more sedentary activities. Get the visitor guides to help plan your trip as well as the Milepost. If any of your group likes to read, the Title Wave Bookstore in Anchorage has a lot of books about Alaska, both fiction and non-fiction. There's also a nice little bookstore in Soldotna.

... those 80-year-old parents are now 83 1/2. This is a very old thread.