Need help with 10 day driving Alaska trip
 

Day 1 My plan so far is to land in Anchorage 1 am on June 1 -check into hotel and check out June 2
While in Anchorage, I'm taking a walking tour of Anchorage
Day 2- Leave Anchorage for Homer and either take a sea kayaking tour or guided nature tour
Day 3- Halibut fishing trip
Day 4- drive to Seward and either take a whale watching cruise or kayak tour
day 5- 1/2 day in Caines Head State Rec. Center- Back to anchorage
Day 6- Drive to Talkeetna- fishing trip for Salmon
Day 7- Either raft float or Flightseeing Mt. Denali
Day 8- Denali visitors centers
Day 9-Tundra Wilderness Tour
Day 10- drive back to Anchorage

Is this a good plan? It's so confusing. We do need 2 fishing days as my husband loves fishing. I love nature and also rafting. Please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Too many one nighters. Slow down and spend at least 2 nights in each location. Distances in Alaska are deceiving and travel take twice as long as one would expect, since roads are 2 lane and there is usually road work. I am only familiar with Homer and Seward. Both are worth at least 2 full days.

Have tou figured driving times from Anchorage to Homer and also Homer to Seward? Also consider distractions alomg the way which will make you want to stop and look. The Seward Hwy is spectacular scenery. When you drive by Russian River if salmon are running you will want to stop to watch fishing. Late in summer salmon are running in Bird Creek which you will cross over when you are on Seward Hwy. we loved getting out and watching.
Anchorage north to Denali does not have spectacular scenery. You also aren't stopping at Independence Mine which we enjoyed. Gives feeling of how isolated mining camp was. You might also be missing Pratt Museum in Homer. I also think there are other stops along Seward Hwy you will want to take.
But we also didn't visit Denali. We see bears and coyotes at home so sealife was a highlight.

What salmon species do you expect to fish for in early June near Talkeetna? Assuming the king salmon fishery is open and unrestricted (not a sure thing) it would be very unusual for there to be catchable kings as far up the Susitna Valley as Talkeetna in the first week of June; indeed they probably won't be there until mid-month if then. (And then probably on a single-hook, catch-and-release basis.) You might refer to the Mat-Su fishing report, Southcentral Management Areas Fishing Reports - Sport Fish Division - ADF&G (alaska.gov) for June, which says, "By mid-June, kings are caught at Clear Creek off the Talkeetna River, although this run usually doesn't peak until the last week in June."

I used to go fishing for kings at Lake Creek near Willow in mid- to late June but stopped because of the crowds and the bugs; YMMV. It's also worth noting that by the time the fish get as far upstream as Talkeetna they're not exactly at their best - too long in fresh water. Again, YMMV, but that might be a good reason to reconsider how much time you spend north of Anchorage.

Need Help with 10 day driving Alaska trip
 

Thanks for the comments. I'm planning on 2 nights in Anchorage, 2 nights in Homer, 2 nights in Seward, 1 night in Anchorage, 2 nights in Talkeetna, and 2 nights near Denali. Is it better to drive from Anchorage to Seward and then on to Homer or vice versa- drive to Homer and then to Seward. Is halibut fishing good in beginning of June in Homer? Where do you recommend salmon fishing if it's available at all? I would have taken a tour but my husband loves fishing so I want to get at least 2 fishing trips in. What other activities do you recommend? Has anyone rafted in Denali? Does anyone know about the sea kayaking near Homer and Seward? Again thanks for commenting. I'm going to do some revisions on my trip plan. Also can I just travel without reservations during the first 2 weeks of June. I would love to keep my options open and travel where and when we want to go rather than being restricted to hotel reservations. I have my car and the first night in Anchorage only.

Halibut fishing in Homer ought to be okay in early June. As for salmon fishing, unfortunately the State of Alaska closed most of the Kenai Peninsula king salmon fisheries in June of last year owing to poor returns of native fish. No idea if this will be the case this year, but I'd certainly be prepared for it. Honestly, while it might be beyond your power to change things, if I was coming to southcentral Alaska with salmon fishing a priority, I'd come in mid to late August and go after silver salmon, which IMO are more fun than the kings anyway.

I don't think it makes a great deal of difference whether you begin north of Anchorage (Talkeetna etc.) or south (Kenai Peninsula.) The road system doesn't allow for easy loop drives, and with your limited time I wouldn't try to force a loop (Anchorage - Denali - Fairbanks - Valdez - Whittier via ferry - Anchorage.)

As for not booking ahead, that's very risky and nor something I'd recommend. The cruise lines are big users of accommodations, especially in the Denali area, so if that's a priority I'd book ahead.

Arriving in Anchorage at 1AM and taking a taxi to your hotel/motel is not ideal. My DW and I were lucky enough to get a morning flight into ANC and could get our rental car before leaving the airport. We found free parking around 10th St. and walked around Anchorage until mid afternoon. We left Anchorage for the Microtel by Wyndham in Eagle River. It is great not to be in the city when you start out in the morning. It was a good head start on the road to Fairbanks and our B&B in North Pole AK. The good hotel rooms in Anchorage are quite expensive and tend to sell out. On the return from Fairbanks, we had a night at a hotel (with elevator) in Palmer. I would have gone back to Eagle River if there had been a room available.
For the salt water fishing, check both Homer and Soldatna. The rooms available in Seward tend to get taken by people getting off cruise ships and can be quite expensive when available. We enjoyed the small B&B we stayed at on the hill above Homer. While we were eating breakfast with our hosts one morning, a mom moose and yearling walked right past the window.
The best places to get gas in the Anchorage area are at the Costco and out at Eagle River beside the Fred Meyer. Freddie's is a great place to pick up provisions for a long travel day and even a piece of clothing that you may have forgotten

A lot of hotels near the airport around Lake Spenard/Hood with included shuttles. You don't need to stay downtown, and why would you anyways, unless going to a convention?

If you decide to head south first, staying at the lake works out better. We stayed at the relatively inexpensive Coast Inn, it was fine.