Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

First of all, I'm what do you mean by 'safe places to stop'? My experience has been that one roadside motel is pretty much the same as any other in this regard. They all come with dead bolts and secondary latches. So once you're in the room You're as safe as you're going to be. If you're worried about the novel coronavirus, then staying in smaller towns would probably be better than staying in or near large cities that are more likely to be virus hotspots. You can ask at the desk about their between guest cleaning procedures, but if you walk in and the desk clerk is not wearing a mask, just turn around and find another establishment.

Ultimately, if you're looking for specific suggestions, even as far as possible towns near which to look for lodging, we'd have to know more about your travel style, particularly how many days you plan to take for this drive, how many miles a day you plan to cover, and whether you plan to get an early or late start on Day 1.

AZBuck