How should a first-time traveller plan a USA trip without trying to see everything?
The USA is not short on reasons to go; the problem is believing the map owes you an efficient trip. Pick one region or one route spine, then make it excellent.
Answer
Start by choosing the type of USA trip you actually want: big cities, national parks, coast road, desert, theme parks, music and food, or a family-friendly mix with room to breathe. Then cut anything that makes that trip weaker. New York and Washington DC can pair neatly; California needs a different rhythm; the Southwest needs distance and heat built into the plan; Florida is several holidays pretending to be one state. The mistake is stitching famous names together because flights exist. You may technically reach them, but the trip becomes airports, parking, laundry and fatigue. A tighter route usually feels more American, not less, because you have time to notice the place between the landmarks.