Your total trip with all stops is around 2,240 miles / 3600 km, taking roughly 34 hours for the whole trip. If you want to see every small town along the way, you can get a full list of cities between Merced, CA and Appleton, WI.
Start from Merced, California.
Reno, Nevada is stopping point #1 after driving about 240 miles (390 km) or 4 hours.
Salt Lake City, Utah is stopping point #2 after driving about 520 miles (830 km) or 7.5 hours. Your total trip so far is about 760 miles or 1220 km over roughly 11 hours of driving.
Rock Springs, Wyoming is stopping point #3 after driving about 190 miles (300 km) or 3 hours. Your total trip so far is about 950 miles or 1530 km over roughly 14 hours of driving.
Cheyenne, Wyoming is stopping point #4 after driving about 260 miles (410 km) or 4 hours. Your total trip so far is about 1,200 miles or 1940 km over roughly 18 hours of driving.
Omaha, Nebraska is stopping point #5 after driving about 500 miles (800 km) or 7 hours. Your total trip so far is about 1,700 miles or 2740 km over roughly 25 hours of driving.
Finally, Appleton, Wisconsin is your destination after driving about 540 miles (870 km) or 9 hours. Your total trip with all stops is around 2,240 miles or 3600 km, taking roughly 34 hours for the whole trip.
Travelmath helps you figure out where to stop when planning a long road trip from one location to another. The best stopping point for an overnight hotel stay or a break from driving often depends on how far or how long you want to drive before pausing to rest. You can find the closest city to your stopping point to look for hotels, or explore other cities and towns along the route. Use this as a road trip planner when you're driving cross-country or mapping a route with multiple stops.