Inexpensive hotels between Salt Lake City and San Fran, CA

[Karen]

I'll soon be traveling from Salt Lake City to San Francisco and was wondering if you knew off good places to stay nearer to San Francisco than Salt Lake, such that I can get in a good 8 or so hours of driving in one day and only have 2 or three left the next!
Thanks to you experienced travelers!
Karen

[Mark Sedenquist]

Karen, I hope you know that the run you have specified is about 745 miles. In the summer you can easily make it in the 10-12 hours you have specified --but this is still winter and I-80 is subject to freezing rain and snow. It could take closer to 15 hours or so.

Sorry, I don't have a specific recommendation for you -- there are plenty of Comfort Inn type places on that route,

Mark

[harveyH]

i'm taking a Chicago to San Fran roadtrip on Wednesday. what i have figured is Reno is a good place to stop before making the home stretch into San Francisco. It's only 3 and half hours from Reno to SF, and about 7-8 hours from Salt Lake City to Reno.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Harvey,

I know that mapping programs indicate that one can drive from Reno to San Francisco in 3.5 hours, but that is assuming you have a powerful car that can zip up the mountain passes and that all of the roads are clear and dry. If I-80 has a spring snow storm -- that same distance can require 10+ hours. I have made that run a number of times, and the fastest I have ever heard anyone making it was 4 hours

Mark