There is very little impact on your credit score when you open a new CC. Choosing the proper CC can result in a few free motel rooms. I guess most folks eat meals whether on the road or at home. When we are in MT, the choices for meals not from the kitchen are very limited so we have a rule that trophy wives don't cook when away from the farm. When we are at our winter place, not much home cooking is done, in keeping with aforesaid rule.
And yeah, I look at the map and see where it would be doable to make the entire trip in two days. I'm retired and ask myself, "what's the rush." Haven't come up with a good answer, so we spend a couple extra nights with no worries about cleaning the bathroom or making beds, & etc.