Arrving at ANC 3 pm get car
stay 3 nights in ANC area(hike,market,Mat-SU valley, Flightseeing at Talkeetna.

Drive to Homer for 2 nights(kick back, pratt,beaches,kayak)

Drive to Seward stay 2 nights(hike,cruise,town)

Last day drive back to ANC for 9pm flight.

Do you think I can do all that from 9/8 to 9/15? I have the option for staying for 2 more nights if I could but it gets expensive.

The plan looks good to me.

It's been my experience that I never look back and regret spending a little more money than I was comfortable with on trips to special places but I frequently regret not taking the opportunity to extend a stay at a place I love when I could have done so.

If I had two extra days on your plan, I'd add a day to the Homer visit and a day in the Talkeeetna-Denali area.

Whichever you decide, have a wonderful trip.

I would spend a night in Talkeetna rather than making it a day trip. Then consider the slow drive back to Anchorage with plenty of excellent stops to consider. If Denali Park is an interest, definately add the days. It the best bargain around for wildlife viewing. This isn't a trip to skimp on in my opinion.

good ideas.. Hey we only live once and I'm gonna go ahead and use my 2 extra nights. spend the last 2 nights in the mat-su valley?

Denali Park is usually a highpoint for most people, any interest to you?? I would not stay 3 nights in Anchorage then another 2 in MatSu valley, only a couple hours apart. Go further, would be my suggestion.

I would like to go to Denali but I think there is no way I can sit on a bus all day. You think I could drive to Denali park and hike around there.

Your basic plan looks pretty good but if you are adding 2 more days I think the time in Homer is a little skimpy if you want to kick back. It will take you a minimum of 5 hours from Anchorage to Homer so that pretty much shoots a day. That leaves kayaking plus Pratt on your first full day. Then figure you'll drive to Seward, about 3 hours the following. You have plenty of time on the last day to do a casual drive back to Anchorage from Seward, doing some additional sightseeing. I like Anchorage but I wouldn't use it as a base for exploring the Mat-Su area and Talkeetna because you have an hour commute just to Wasilla on a busy highway. Figuring coming and going, that's 2 hours minimum of "commuting". From Palmer (Hatchers Pass wasn't open) we drove to Talkeetna with the morning spent at Independence Mine (from the Palmer side) and a visit to the Transportation Museum in Wasilla arriving mid-afternoon in Talkeetna. We spent the night at a cabin since we didn't have reservations in Talkeetna. So I would recommend using one of those days for an overnight in Talkeetna or other place north of Anchorage, even if it's only as far as Palmer.

I would not stay in Anchorage for 3 days. Most people go to Alaska for the sheer beauty, there is to much outside of the city to see to spend much time in Anchorage

In Denali Park the bus is a necessity. But it is the quickest pass of time on your trip. One vista after another and plenty of wildlife opportunities. Rest stops are about every hour and half. Going your dates has the great opportunity of Wonder Lake without bugs, but consider to Fish Creek.