Going South from Portland, OR to Lake Charles, LA leaving 12/26

[Kipani]

We are taking a road trip leaving December 26 to arriving back home on January 8th from Portland, OR to Lake Charles, LA.

There are many stops that we want to take. We are driving our 2010 wagon that gets about 30 mpg hwy and is Front wheel drive.
Knowing that the Rockies are not very pleasant during the winter, we have decided to head south.

Stops we know we want to make: Reno, NV and the Grand Canyon then head to Louisiana from there.


Questions:
Any ideas on where to stop on the way for a rest after the Grand Canyon or any other cool sites we should stop at on the way?

Any idea what the best route would be around the time of year we are planning?

Any ideas, comments, or tips would be greatly appreciated!!