I-80: Best place to stop in Nevada

[ZLoth]

So, here is the not-so-hypothetical question. You are traveling I-80 in Nevada between Wendover (MP 410) and Reno (MP 16). Where would you stop for the night in between those places, and, if so, which hotel? The choices are:

• Fernley, NV (MP 48)
  
• Lovelock, NV (MP 106)
  
• Winnemucca, NV (MP 178)
  
• Battle Mountain, NV (MP 231)
  
• Carlin, NV (MP 280)
  
• Elko, NV (MP 301)
  
• Wells, NV (MP 352)
  

Yes, there is some road trip planning involved.

[agentsteel53]

I've had good experiences at the Motel 6es in Sparks and Wells. 

[flowmotion]

Winnemucca has a bunch of places, so that's where I usually stop.

[roadfro]

So, here is the not-so-hypothetical question. You are traveling I-80 in Nevada between Wendover (MP 410) and Reno (MP 16). Where would you stop for the night in between those places, and, if so, which hotel? The choices are:

• Fernley, NV (MP 48)
  
• Lovelock, NV (MP 106)
  
• Winnemucca, NV (MP 178)
  
• Battle Mountain, NV (MP 231)
  
• Carlin, NV (MP 280)
  
• Elko, NV (MP 301)
  
• Wells, NV (MP 352)
  

Yes, there is some road trip planning involved.

If you're starting from Wendover, it's about 6 hours to Reno. This can easily be done in a day without an overnight stop. That said, not sure what your road trip itinerary involves.

The biggest cities in that stretch (in rough guess of decreasing population) are Elko, Fernley, Winnemucca and Lovelock. If there is desire to divide this drive up, Winnemucca is probably the most suitable as it's the biggest city closest to about halfway in between, and is a crossroads (where US 95 splits/joins I-80) so there should be decent options for food and lodging. Now, if your starting point was Salt Lake City, I'd say plan your stop in Elko as a halfway point and increasing amenity options.

I've only done this drive once round trip (actually Salt Lake and back), and did it all in one day, so I don't have any hotel recommendations for you.

<tangent>
Not to nitpick, but MP 16 would actually be closer to, if not actually in, Sparks... Downtown Reno is closest to MP 13.

Fun fact: I-80 actually goes to sequential exit numbering for exit 15 (I-580/US 395) through exit 21 (Vista Blvd), i.e. all the Sparks exits. This is because the exits are less than a mile apart in this stretch. This also explains the roughly 3-4 mile distance between exit 21 on the edge of Sparks and exit 22 (Lockwood) outside the urban limits. Had they not done this, you'd have the odd instance of US 395 being exit 14B.
</tangent>

[ZLoth]

My "only exists in the planning stages" road trip involes the following:

Day 1: Sacramento -> "midpoint" I-80 (this thread)
Day 2: "midpoint" I-80 -> Wells -> US-93 -> Ely
Day 3: Ely -> US-6 -> Tonopah -> Bishop, CA
Day 4: Bishop, CA -> Sacramento

<tangent>
Not to nitpick, but MP 16 would actually be closer to, if not actually in, Sparks... Downtown Reno is closest to MP 13.
</tangent>

I was consulting Google Maps to get a "quick and dirty" MP markers. If I include Carlin as part of my calculations, then the average mileage between towns is ~48 miles. Remove Carlin, and it jumps up to ~56 miles between towns.