I just drove my family of six from SoCal to SLC area last night to see family for a few weeks and to anger Utahns with our CA plates. We do this drive 2-3 times a year and I almost always do it through the night. We leave SoCal at 8ishpm and get into Utah at 6:30ish am. Here are the huge advantages of the night drive:

-If you have young kids, they sleep through the night! No complaining or loud noises, and the car doesn’t get destroyed like it does during a long day drive where anything goes to keep them entertained
-No traffic! I literally sail on empty freeways averaging about 85 mph. It’s amazing
-No hot sun: Whenever I do a long day drive in the sun, I always get a splitting headache and am so sweaty, despite cranking AC
-I can listen to podcasts, music and books completely at peace. Great time to think
-Get to UT and I crash for a few hours and then I simply go to bed earlier the next night and I’m caught up. My kids get there in the morning and are ready to play and have a whole extra day

I drink one Red Bull or Rockstar around midnight and just power through. I make two stops: Terrible’s in Jean, NV (cleanest bathrooms and best snacks this side of the Mississippi, and Beaver, UT.

If you have young kids, I invite you to try out the overnight drive.