Your total trip with all stops is around 2,100 miles / 3380 km, taking roughly 32.5 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 SMX and PIA.
Start from Santa Maria Public Airport.
Saint George, Utah is stopping point #1 after driving about 520 miles (840 km) or 8 hours.
Grand Junction, Colorado is stopping point #2 after driving about 390 miles (630 km) or 5.5 hours. Your total trip so far is about 910 miles or 1460 km over roughly 14 hours of driving.
Denver, Colorado is stopping point #3 after driving about 240 miles (390 km) or 4 hours. Your total trip so far is about 1,150 miles or 1850 km over roughly 17.5 hours of driving.
Grand Island, Nebraska is stopping point #4 after driving about 400 miles (650 km) or 6 hours. Your total trip so far is about 1,560 miles or 2500 km over roughly 23.5 hours of driving.
Finally, General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport is your destination after driving about 540 miles (880 km) or 9 hours. Your total trip with all stops is around 2,100 miles or 3380 km, taking roughly 32.5 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.