CT to LA, August, about 10 days

That would help a lot - that way on the first day you wouldn't have to bust your butt trying to get well into OH. You could spend the night somewhere on I-80 in western PA and then go all the way to Cincy on the 10th. That way you could sleep in a bit and get yourself together before you head to the game.

If you add in one hour downtime for every 3 hours driving, you can use Google's drivetimes fairly safely. Just be aware of possible construction and traffic delays. The 500 mile rule is still a good one to try to follow.

Hello, looking for comments and suggestions on my cross country trip to graduate school. I posted about a month ago, but I thought a new thread would be good. It was a great help before and I am sure it will be a great help again. Thanks!
I have 2 questions embedded in there,
1. Should I drive through Indianapolis or Louisville on the way to St. Louis from Cincinnati? Both are about the same driving time.
2. What would be a good place to stay between Grand Canyon and Long Beach, CA? Looking for a town near Long Beach but before the Friday night LA traffic.

Western Connecticut August 9th
Drive August 9th to hotel near Akron, OH
9 hrs. 23 mins estimated total
I-80 W and I-71S

Drive August 10th to Cincinnati hotel
4 hrs 27 mins estimated total

Cincinnati August 11th 12:35 CST game 11th vs Cardinals
end 330pm EST
Drive to St. Louis 11th after game
Arrive 9pm CST in St. Louis (6 hr drive, gain 1 hr time difference)
Through Louisville or Indianapolis?
St. Louis hotel

St. Louis 11th night, 12th day…drive to KC
5 hr estimated drive leave by 1 pm
Kansas City 12th night 7:10 CST vs Yankees
Kansas city hotel

13th driving, ending in Limon, CO
8 hr 47 min estimated driving
Limon hotel

14th drive to Denver, CO
Estimated 2 hrs
(morning/afternoon)
Drive to Estes Park, CO near RMNP 1 hr 45 mins

15th rocky mountain park

16th drive to Moab, UT
Estimated 8 hr 24 mins

17th Arches National Park/Canyonlands National Park

18th Drive to Grand Canyon National Park
7 hr 42 mins estimated driving time

19th Grand Canyon National Park

20th Drive to somewhere between Grand Canyon and Long Beach, CA
6 hr+
Where would a good city to stay be along 1-605S but before LA traffic?

21st drive to Long Beach, CA
2 hr max

Personally, I'd drive through Louisville on your way to St. Louis. I've found the drive through southern Indiana is actually a lot more scenic than you might expect. Plus, after a day at a ballgame, taking a tour of the Louisville Slugger factory, and taking a few swings in their batting cage could be a nice stop long the way.

If you're hoping to find a town before traffic and on I-605, you're asking for the impossible. You are very much knee deep in LA traffic well before you even get to I-605. Pretty much any place after Barstow can start seeing traffic, especially on a Friday night. But somewhere near the Ontario airport should be along the lines of what you are looking for.

As you note, there is minimal difference between I-74/I-70 (Indianapolis) and I-71/I-74 (Louisville) in terms of either miles or time. But having driven both, I would give a slight nod to the Louisville route simply because you are likely to see a shade less traffic and the route suits my tastes better. Your tastes may be different.

By the time you hit I-605, you'll already be well within the L.A. basin and the attendant traffic which you should start to notice near the intersection of I-15 and CA/I-210 in Rancho Cucamonga. If you really want to avoid all traffic, I'd pull up as soon as you get to this area.

AZBuck

I'd spend that last night in Victorville/Apple Valley/Hesperia. There are plenty of hotel choices and it's less than 2 hours from there into Long Beach with minimal traffic delays - it's 95 miles.

Thanks, so Louisville and a bit farther from LA. I am all set then.

Hello again, I was wondering if there were any routes that are recommendable on this trip, besides taking the interstates that is. Thanks.

Not sure if you're a BBQ lover, but my friend and I just came back from a 17 day road trip and I would recommend stopping at Arthur Bryants BBQ in Kansas City, KS. Best BBQ around, definitely worth it.
We took a different route though..leaving from Minnesota and roadtripped out west through SD, WY, UT, NV to California. We visited the Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon and Arches on the way back. Depending on what you're planning to do at the Grand Canyon, it is quite possible to see it in one day--primarily because they provided buses to take you too all the vistas and famous views. Arches is really nice too, I think we spent well over an hour looking at the "Delicate Arch."

I will definitely need to checkout BBQ in Kansas City, I met someone in a diner driving cross country and that is the first thing he mentioned as well.

I've changed the tailend of the trip and added a few days, the trip is now 15 days!
Interested in comments/suggestions.

19th Drive to Escalante, UT
4.5 hrs driving, stop at Capitol Reef National Park on the way
Stay in Escalante 19th

20th Drive to Kanab, UT
Stay in Kanab 20th, 21st, 22nd
3 hrs driving
Visit Bryce Canyon National Park on way

21st Zion National Park
22nd Grand Canyon North or South Rim
23rd Drive to Las Vegas
4 hrs from Kanab, UT
24th 5-7 hr drive to Long Beach, CA