Driving from Los Angeles to New York, which cities/sights do you recommend?

Hey,
I’m German and I’m doing my semester abroad in Los Angeles until December 15th, after that I’m planning to drive to New York. Ideally, I would like to arrive between 01.01 and 05.01. Which cities/sights would you recommend on the way?

I would be grateful for any ideas.

Edit:
Start: 16.12.24
End: Between 01.01.25 and 05.01.25