Hmmm....hubby and I went from San Diego to Orlando in summer 2012. We took I-8 to I-10, I-20 through Dallas, US-49 from Jackson MS down to Gulfport, then I-10 again to I-75. Our overnights were different than suggested above, because we had 2 stops with family and friends (one of two reasons we jumped up to I-20). If we had not stopped in Phoenix and a little town just northwest of Ft Worth, TX, we would have gone via I-8 and I-10 straight across.

If you used I-75 up to I-10 and went straight I-10 to I-5 north, your overnight stops would be: (all of these days driving around 580-620 miles except the last one)

Slidell, LA
Kerrville, TX
Deming, NM
Palm Springs, CA
Sacramento, CA

Suggestion: To go around Phoenix and minimize traffic, when you get to Casa Grande, AZ, head west on I-8 until you get to Gila Bend. Then go north on AZ-85 up to catch I-10 again. It avoids a LOT of traffic this way.
GLC suggested: " To avoid major LA traffic, when you get to San Bernardino, take I-15 north to Hesperia, then US-395 to CA-58, take that to CA-99 in Bakersfield. You can either take CA-99 north to Sacramento, or cut across CA-46 to I-5." That is definitely a good way to skirt around the LA traffic!!!!


Donna