Hi,
I may be a little help with some of your Alaska questions. Can you do Alaska for less than $4k/wk? YES, do you like camping in a tent? Just kidding, well, kind of. If you are staying in the Presidential Suite at the Captian Cook, then $4k is not going to last long. If you are using points at the Sheraton, and are frugal, then sure, Alaska is not much more expensive than other US destinations.
When you ask about distance to National Parks from Anchorage, you need to understand that Alaska is a very large place, and there are a number of National Parks. You can google how big Alaska is, but for a quick reference, it's roughly 12 times the size of the state of NY. You can rent a car and drive four hours to Seward, and catch a glacier cruise to see some of Kenai Fjords NP. If you want a nice morning hike, drive out early, and hike out to Exit Glacier. You will believe in global warming (whether or not the warming is man caused may still be debatable, but the warming is happening) after seeing how far the glacier has retreated over the last 100 years. If you are driving, Portage Glacier is a nice stop. If you have time, a drive through the tunnel to Whittier and taking a wildlife cruise is also fun. While you are down on the Kenai Peninsula, you can go over to the river and go rafting or fishing. Both are fun. You could actually spend a week or two just on the Peninsula.
Same rental car, drive four hours North, and you will hit Denali National Park. You cannot drive into the park, but there are busses that will take you in. I suggest you take a look at the park web site for more information.
Local Alaskans use little airplanes like Texans use pickup trucks. You quickly realize why when you understand the size of Alaska compounded by the limitations of the road system. That four hour road trip may turn into an hour and a half flight with a local air charter company. This has the side benefit of being able to see Alaska from my favorite vantage point... up in the air. Unfortunately, aviation is expensive.
The Alaska Rail Road is another method of reaching either Seward or Denali. It is more expensive and slower than driving, but has its own unique qualities. You can relax, and enjoy the scenery while having a glass of local beer. It also has a strict time table, which may limit your ability to see everything you would like at your destination.
Once you start talking about other National Parks in Alaska, you are really back to using small aircraft because there is just no other way to reach them. I'd suggest you contact a number of local charter operators with exactly what you would like to do for quotes. There is competition, which helps some with the cost, however, aviation is expensive. You could easily hit that $4k figure.
Oh, and I know you said Vancouver city is on your to do list. If you happen to make it to the island, I'd strongly suggest you check out Butchart Gardens.
Good luck!
