Need tips for driving Denver to Oakland, CA
 

We're heading out this week. Not an excursion trip, just need to cover the ground and be there on time. We're allowing three nights, though, so we don't have a hectic pace and we having breathing room in case of storms, etc..

Thinking of driving I-25 Denver to Cheyenne, then over to Salt Lake City on I-80, through Nevada and to Oakland. It looks pretty bleak driving through Utah and Nevada, so I'm needing advice for stop-overs.

If we break up the 1200 miles into 300/day, what towns would you suggest we stop in? We won't be looking for entertainment on the road, just Comfort Inn/Holiday Inn type lodging.

Thanks. :)>-

I do this drive at least once each year and make it a two day trip. Going West I stop in Wendover, on the border of Utah/Nevada. There are lots of hotels there. Even the flashy Rainbow hotel is only something like $70. Days Inn is about $45 with AAA discount.

I've gone on 80 and I've gone on 70. I have sworn I'll never go on 80 again (too boring through Wyoming!). On 80 the bleakest is Wyoming and Nevada. At least driving through the Wasatch mountains and along the Salt Lake are pretty. I don't think there's much worth stopping over in Nevada.

Coming the other way I stop near the SLC airport. We usually stay at La Quinta, about $89 in summer, less in winter.

I do this drive at least once each year and make it a two day trip. Going West I stop in Wendover, on the border of Utah/Nevada. There are lots of hotels there. Even the flashy Rainbow hotel is only something like $70. Days Inn is about $45 with AAA discount.

I've gone on 80 and I've gone on 70. I have sworn I'll never go on 80 again (too boring through Wyoming!). On 80 the bleakest is Wyoming and Nevada. At least driving through the Wasatch mountains and along the Salt Lake are pretty. I don't think there's much worth stopping over in Nevada. When you take 70 you have to go north on 6 past Price and connect with 15 to 80 in SLC.

Coming the other way I stop near the SLC airport. We usually stay at La Quinta, about $89 in summer, less in winter.

Thanks, Grasshopper. I've been toying with the idea of driving I-70 through the mountains. Since we're from Denver, we have seen plenty of mountains, but I am concerned about the desolation of Wyoming and Nevada, in case of car problems, for instance. So I'm tempted to take the scenic route, as you say.

So you just stop the one night? Not sure we want to spend that much time in the car, though.

Would you know how to break it into two or three nights?
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I guess I always just feel like if I'm going to be sitting in a hotel room I'd rather be sitting in the car and push on through. Originally when I started making that drive I thought it would be a 3 day thing with a stop around Provo and a stop in Nevada somewhere. But there's nothing compelling in Nevada so if you want to make it a fun stop somewhere maybe do Moab or Lake Tahoe. I'm driving between my two homes in SF and Summit County and I just feel like pushing through to get there. It'a about a 9 hour drive each day. I get cell coverage the whole way.

Stopping in Lake Tahoe could be a great idea. I'll take a look at the map and see how that would work for us. Thanks!
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We have arrived safely in California and had a nice, easy going trip. The weather was clear the whole way.

We decided to take I-80 through Wyoming, instead of the more scenic route of I-70 through Colorado, because there were three wildfires off I-70 near Glenwood Springs, so we expected more congestion than usual there. It was so nice to set the cruise control on I-80 and just head west.

Wyoming and Nevada are actually more scenic than I expected, with hills nearby, and mountains in the distance.

We spent our first night in Park City, Utah. The Holiday Inn Express there was very nice, and they gave us a great rate, since we were checking in so late.

The next day we drove almost to Reno, and stayed in Sparks, at a Fairfield Inn, because we didn't want to drive far from I-80 and didn't need to see Reno.

Our plan was to spend the first two days driving about 9 hours each, then have time to spend almost a full day in Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley. So, from Sparks, it's only about 45 minutes to Squaw Valley, where we had reserved the Squaw Valley Lodge (at a really great price for a deluxe studio with mountain view).

We arrived around noon at Tahoe, went to the lake, had lunch at a very nice place overlooking the lake, walked around, then checked into our lodge. We took the gondola ride to the top of Squaw, after 5 p.m., had a drink up there, took photos, walked around, then headed down. It was a nice way to end our trip.

The final day was just 3.5 hours into San Francisco, where I was staying with family.
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You were at the right end of the Lake. The Tahoe fire near Emerald Bay is such a tragedy.

The fire actually started the day we left. What a shame for all those people.

A wildfire started near our mountain home in Colorado that day, too. The pine beetle devastation has made our Colorado trees especially vulnerable. Our pines are almost wiped out.

I feel for the people at Tahoe, too. Hate fire season!
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