Salt Lake City to Oakland, CA
 

We will be traveling in the Southwest in mid-September to early October 2024 and then will drive from SLC to Oakland to visit relatives. What is the most direct route and are there any hotels or motels you would recommend to stop for one or two nights along the way (two separate nights)? We are just at the early planning stage. Nothing is booked yet. Many thanks.

Interstate 80. Elko, Winnemucca, Reno, and Truckee are options for over nights. Further down the road: Auburn or Sacramento.

I don’t have specific places to stay. Reno has some casino hotels such as the Silver Lagacy which is fun. Truckee is a cute tourist town. You could also side track to Lake Tahoe for a few nights.

In the general Sparks/Reno/Truckee/North Lake Tahoe triangle you'd have almost limitless options for accommodations in every price range

Don't stay in Reno--it's the ugliest little city in America. Stay at Lake Tahoe (like Tahoe City).

Thanks all!

Are you driving your own car or a rental? If you really want to drive across the ugly desert of northern Nevada go ahead. The Amtrak California Zephyr leaves SLC at 11:30PM (sometimes late). It arrives in Sacramento (downtown) between 2 and 3 PM the next day. The coach fare from SLC to SAC is usually $75/pp. You avoid a night in a motel and the price of gas. Rolling through that desert at night at 79MPH beats driving 70 in the daytime IMO. You can rent a car in Sacramento to drive to Oakland or you could take a Capitol Corridor train to Jack London Square in Oakland.