Is a coast-to-coast USA road trip worth it?
Worth it only if the road is the point. If you mainly want cities, parks and good days out, a tighter regional road trip usually beats a continent-crossing endurance test.
Answer
A coast-to-coast road trip is a particular kind of holiday: long horizons, fuel stops, changing radio stations, plain towns, motel mornings and the satisfaction of watching the country unroll. That can be wonderful if you have time and you like the road as much as the destinations. It is a poor shortcut to seeing the “best” of the USA. Many of the strongest places sit far from each other, and the middle days can become a blur if the plan is too tight. A California coast route, a Southwest loop, the Pacific Northwest, New England or the Southeast may give you more pleasure with less exhaustion.