Driving to Disneyland . . . which way to go?

[mom2dzb]

I'm driving to Disneyland in June from Spokane, WA. I'd settled on heading west and taking I-5 down to LA. Mapquest suggests I head south and hit I-15, hitting Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

When I take the I-15 route it says it'll take me just over 20 hours.
When I change it to the I-5 route it says it'll take me just over 20 hours (but the distance is shorter.)

So I guess for us, it comes down to which is a "better" drive?

Does anyone have an opinion? Which would have better traffic? Which would be more visually stimulating?

Oh, and we're planning on one overnight stop. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

 

[sonnyjane]

You might have more to look at if you take the 15, but I think the 5 will get you here the fastest. That drive from Las Vegas on the 15 makes me hate life every time I do it lol. I'd suggest stopping somewhere in Northern California (Redding, Yreka) for your overnight.

 

[Dobie]

Well, we took the 5 once from Tri Cities--we got a late start at 9 am, stopped around Sacramento that evening, then got up at 4 and were in LA by noon, as I remember. I have only ever taken the 15 through Idaho, but there was no traffic and we could go very fast. On the other hand, Nevada is dreary. DH and I have talked about "looping" if we ever do this as a road trip again. So it kind of depends on whether you would rather drive faster through empty country or slower through civilization.

Whatever you do, avoid 97 through Bend. It looks inviting on the map, but it is two lane all the way through and there is major slow RV traffic!!!!!

 

[sasywtch]

We drove one time around SLC down toward Las Vegas and a lot was so barron (baron?) I actually got car sick the first time. Not that I-5 is all thrills but it does have rest stops and places to stop. You have to head west anyway so I'd do it at the beginning, makes you feel like you are going in the direction of DL right away. My cousins do this trip from eastern WA and make their first day the longest. They stop in Sacramento (free places to stay with all the relatives here), leave at 6am and are in the DL area at noon. Lots of hotels popping up along I-5 in Sacramento now. Holiday INN Express, Hampton Inn on either Del Paso Rd or Arena Blvd (can't remember now and I drive past it every day) are new and there is a restraunt buffet next door where buses stop because you have a variety....In N Out, Taco Bell, Strawhat Pizza, Sizzler, KFC etc. Safeway is across the street for any sodas, ice, snacks. Carl's Jr is down the street as is Wendys. If a weekday other than furlough Friday, trick is to get out on the freeway before 7am. You are 5 minutes from downtown where all the state workers get off and that part of the freeway doesn't get congested until 7:30. If you want to miss this, there are new hotels in Elk Grove just past downtown that I heard are good also.