Hello,
Sounds like a big trip to me! Hope you have a great time~ My personal thoughts on driving interstate 80 across Nevada are this: one time is once too many...
If I were you I would go Highway 50 across Nevada. Depending on how many days you plan on driving/staying in the area. Just outside of Austin is a great free campground with flush toilets and water, The NFS Bob Scott Campground. Along the way are some cool petroglyphs if you off road (dirt road, actually) a bit, and towards the border is the wonderful Great Basin National Park. There are other sites along the way. This route 50 is known as the "lonliest road" it is at higher elevation than Interstate 80 and is usually cooler in the summer, little traffic. The only disadvantage is towns are few and far between, but then I-80 isn't a mecca for cities...
Once you get to Utah you can zoom right up to Provo and SLC. Or, if you want to avoid SLC (I would ~ traffic is icky) see what routes thru Idaho you might like.
Otherwise you could avoid Nevada all together and go into Oregon and across to Idaho. Lots of nice things to see and places along the way if you haven't travelled that way... Besides Oregon doesn't have a gas tax like California and prices are much better...
I am sure others have suggestions on different parts of the trip...
Enjoy your vacation!
Mrs. NorCal Bambi traveling in S Tardis ~ from the Great State of Jefferson
My new blog:
Yreka History