If you want to see the roads of Alaska, your itinerary is fine. If you want to see Alaska, I think you are nuts

You didn't mention much of what you are doing in the places. Seward to Homer to Cooper Landing. Why in the world are you going to Homer? I assume just "for the drive." If you don't get out on the water for a tour or go hiking or fishing, I see no reason to do that. And who is "we"? Two active adults? Seniors? Family with kids? If kids, what ages?

And Anchorage to Denali can easily be 5 hours without stops (traffic, road closures, construction, slow RV's etc). Then if Mt. McKinley is "out" you will be stopping to take photos, etc. From Cooper Landing I would leave at least 8 hours. The Seward Highway is known to be closed for hours due to an accident. Two-lane road and no other way to "bypass" in case of problems. And if you add Alyeska, you are adding another hour or two. Plus you need to stop in Anchorage or Wasilla on your way to Denali to pick up supplies for your trip into the park.

Be sure in Seward to take a day cruise that is at least 6 hours - no less! Anything less and you don't get out of the bay.

You mentioned "Denali tour" which I assume you mean Tundra Wilderness Tour? I would take the shuttle BUS (not tour). Costs 1/3 of the price and get you much further into the park. The fall colors should be incredible that time of year. And with the shuttle, you can hop off and on at will to hike, etc. Bring all your own food and water (water is refillable at Eielson but no food in the park). Even on the Tundra Tour where they give you a small box lunch, many people take their own food along.

Another issue is Fairbanks and Valdez. You take an 8 hour or longer shuttle bus in Denali, 2 hours to Fairbanks. The next morning you drive from Fairbanks to Valdez. But you missed Fairbanks - the pipeline exhibit, the excellent Museum of the North, the Large Animal Research Center, the gold mine, the Public Lands Information Center and more. Same with Valdez. A highlight in Valdez is a glacier tour into Prince William Sound (different from the Seward tours that emphasize marine wildlife). I can't imagine driving through Fairbanks and Valdez and seeing basically nothing!!

>>-- Feasibility of overall itinerary? Too much driving?

Way too much driving. I will give my proposed itinerary below

>>-- Quality of cell phone coverage (Sprint & Verizon)

I use T Mobile and now get coverage on most of the main roads in Alaska but it is spotty between Talkeetna and Denali.

>>-- Typical weather & driving conditions in first week of September

No "typical" weather really. Whenever I go to Alaska from May to September I pack for warm sunshine as well as cold and rain. Layers is the key, with the outer layer being rainproof. Bring hat and gloves for the Kenai Fjords day cruise from Seward. It will get cold at the glacier.

>>-- Any must see spots along these roads that we absolutely need to cover?

Honestly you don't have time for stops with all that driving

>>-- Other than Denali & Seward we don't intend to do advance booking in Cooper Landing, Fairbanks & Valdez). Hoping it will give us maximum flexibility if weather conditions force a change in plans. Is it feasible given its the shoulder season?

Well, shoulder season really is not until mid September. And with Labor Day weekend thrown in there, you WILL be smack in the middle of high season.

>>-- Day3: Worth going to Homer just to enjoy the drive? Instead of driving to Homer is there anything else we can do in Seward for the day?

See below

>>-- Day4: Detour to Talkeetna worth it?

I like Talkeetna for a lunch stop.

>>-- Day6: Is Fairbanks to Valdez doable in a day? Especially with all the scenic spots along the way

Doable to drive there but not to drive there Day 6 and depart Day 7. When I drive to a place, I also want to DO something there!

How about something like this?

Day 1 land early evening. You won't get your luggage and car until about 1 hour later. Then you will want to stop for food. The drive from Anchorage to Seward is incredibly scenic. By leaving at say 8pm you will miss much of the scenery (sunset is before 9pm in early September). I would overnight in Anchorage or Girdwood. Girdwood is nice due to your mention of Alyeska.

Day 2 do Alyeska today (lift, hike, hand tram?), drive to Seward. Could stop at Exit Glacier or Sealife Center today depending on your arrival time. The Portage Glacier Visitor Center or Wildlife Conservaton Center are worth stops too, either today or Day 3/4.

Day 3 day cruise and Exit Glacier. If you took the 8am cruise, you could even drive to Girdwood or Anchorage this evening after visiting the Sealife Center and Exit Glacier.

Day 4 Girdwood or Anchorage to Denali. Stop in Talkeetna for lunch. Maybe flightseeing if you want - great flightseeing trips from here to Denali.

Day 5 shuttle bus to Wonder Lake or Eielson. I would book to Wonder Lake and if the Mountain is not "out" get off at Eielson and catch another bus back to the entrance. If you get a 7.30am bus, you are back at the entrance by 7pm at the latest if you go to Wonder Lake, drive to Fairbanks, arrive by 10pm.

Day 6 some of the things mentioned above depending on your interest.

Day 7 long drive back to Anchorage (I would allow 8-9 hours and check in at the airport 2 hours before departure unless you have elite status then you can reduce that by at least 1/2 hour.

Honestly, if it were *me* I would skip Fairbanks altogether. Then I would overnight Day 5 in Denali again. Day 6 drive back toward Anchorage to the Matsu Valley. Wasilla, Palmer, Independence Mine, Matanuska Glacier. A neat activity is to hike on the glacier with Mica or Nova guides. Day 6 overnight can be somewhere in this area. Day 7 drive back to Anchorage for your flight. Some things to do on the way depending on what your interests are. Also, lots to do in Anchorage too (Native Heritage Center is excellent, coastal trail for walking or bicycling, museums, hiking trails, etc).

John