Hello road trippers,

I've been dreaming of driving across the states from the East to the West since I migrated here about 20 years ago but I have really not planned anything well enough to have the courage and the will to come to a fruition. With my 4th child coming out in a weeks time, and having realized that my 3 other kids are growing up, I told my wife that this trip must be done no later than next summer. This will at least give me some time research, plan, and save. Plus, by that time, our 4th child will be about a year old. I am a teacher by profession so I get summer off so basically I do have some time on hand.

With that being said, I wanted to know if there's a logical order on how to approach this big endeavor. What I know is that I need some proper guidance so I can get a better sense on how I can pull this off. To give you a vague idea on what I currently envision:

Goal: Round trip from Leesburg, VA to San Diego, CA
Timeline: Whole of Summer 2022 (give or take about 8/9 weeks)
Vehicle of Choice: Family Van (2012 Odyssey)
Wishlist:
1. Only drive during the day (or at least not past 8pm)
2. Stop at family friendly spots/cities/attractions
3. Safe route with ample stops when needed (gas, RR, food)
4. See/stay with relatives and friends along the way (Atlanta GA, Houston TX, Phoenix AZ)
5. See as much places we can without sacrificing too much time on the road/driving so we can spend as much time with relatives in San Diego.

List of questions/concerns:
1. How do I figure out a good stopping point for the day?
2. Should I book a hotel/motel room in advance and reference that place as my designated stop point for the day?
3. Is having 8/9 weeks realistic for this trip?
4. What is a good number of days to cover one way trip?
5. Will it be preferable to use a rental instead of my personal vehicle?
6. Budget; what is a realistic number for me to budget for this trip? 2adults, 3 kids under 12, and a barely 1yo.
7. Route? - I initially though I-10 all the way but obviously, it is not the best/preferred way.

Thank you!