I’ve always wanted to someday do an east coast to west coast trip. Is the ride at least somewhat enjoyable?
It depends on which way you go. Mass Pike to Albany, NY, then take I-88 to Binghamton, and west on I-86 to Erie, PA. That's the most beautiful way through New York. The NYS Thruway is not bad, and has decent scenery, but the southern tier is beautiful. Then take I
-90 through PA and northeast Ohio. I bypass Cleveland by taking I-271 and I-480, then get on the Ohio toll road, I-80/90. Through OH and IN, into IL. Then a big decision once you get to Chicago: I-80 through IL, IA, NE, WY, UT, NV, and CA, or the northern routes on I-90 and I-94. I don't like I-80 much through IL and IA. Nebraska is pretty nice, and Wyoming is just nasty until it starts descending into Utah west of Evanston. I have yet to drive through any part of Utah that I didn't like. West of Salt Lake City, I-80 is dead flat and straight through desert landscape, and you go right past the Bonneville Salt Flats. Then Nevada is all desert until you get to Reno, then you climb into mountains to cross into CA.
I prefer the northern routes, through WI, MN, SD or ND, MT, ID, and WA or OR. I-90 and 94 are together until they split at Tomah, WI. I-90 goes west through southern MN, SD, and WY before joining I-94 at Billings, MT. I-94 goes through MN, ND, and WY, ending at Billings. Distance is about the same whether you go through ND or SD, and I think both have nice scenery. Montana gets really lovely west of Bozeman, then the scenery is spectacular through Couer de Alene, ID and Liberty Lake, WA. Then it's I-90 to Seattle. Central WA is high desert, then gets somewhat challenging to cross Snoqualmie Pass before descending to Seattle.