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How long do you have for your trip? Coming from the East, Zion/GC are really spectacular the first time you see them. Crowds will be an issue but still doable. Otherwise any of the other trips people listed below would be great. Since you're driving consider some of the out of the way parks such as Big Bend or Great Basin since those are hard to fly to anyway.

I'd recommend this book as it is very comprehensive: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Guide-National-Parks-Complete/dp/1621280004/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I bought a black 12”x12” shadow box off amazon and made this for my trip to Acadia last fall.

Acadia

My inspiration came from shadow boxes I found on Google but I couldn’t figure out how to use photoshop to do the words like in this picture and gave up and just made what I have above. I’ll probably try to redo it at some point because it looks super plain but I’m just not that creative so I’m waiting to steal someone else’s better idea haha.


Inspiration for the shadow boxes

There’s also this scratch off National Parks map I really want to get.

Map

If you don’t want 50 single shadow boxes you can find thick ones off amazon where you can just toss in the maps and pins together. They have ones without words and they also sell these and bigger ones at Michaels Craft Stores.

Amazon shadow box

another idea would be to do a giant US map and then cut out each National park in the shape of the state it’s in and fill in the map as you go.

EDIT: added the idea

Generally, if you want lodging in a well-known National Park, you have to plan at least 1/2 year ahead, if not a full year. Some parks have convenient gateway towns like Springdale for Zion and Estes Park for Rocky Mountain and they'll have a wide variety of lodging and restaurant options. Lots of the western NPs do have historic lodges - check out the Great Lodges of the NP book and/or DVD from a library to get an idea of what's available.

If you can swing September, you'll find fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, fall colors, and in places like Yellowstone or Rocky Mountain you get to hear and see elk bugle. May is also a less crowded time and weather can be a little cooler (and waterfalls in Yosemite are going full).

As already said, don't overlook national monuments like Devils Tower or Cedar Breaks or Canyon de Chelly or Craters of the Moon. State parks like Custer in SD or Baxter in ME have lots to offer too.

Some parks you group nicely together in a two week trip, if you plan - the 5 Utah parks (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches) plus the North Rim of the Grand Canyon; Glacier & Yellowstone; etc.

I'll have to check that out. Meanwhile, I found this series on Amazon. I hope it's good, I briefly watched the Acadia one and it seemed pretty decent.

America's 58 National Parks

You're skipping a bunch of parks, and I don't know if that's intentional.

Do yourself a favor and get a book on the area like Fodor's Pacific Northwest: with Oregon, Washington & Vancouver. And go the park websites, most at nps.gov. I think Reddit is better for answering questions of a smaller scope than helping you plan a 3-week trip over an area the size of the France.

I got this book and it was been super helpful for planning my trip this upcoming August.

I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you plan on going mid-summer or something, and/or your car is really unreliable. I'd be most concerned with having shade if I had to wait out near the road for a hitch or something. I like having a sun umbrella

I have seen rangers driving around, even on the minor roads, but doubt there are very regular patrols everywhere. The spots you mentioned are popular enough that you'll see people and shouldn't have to wait too long for help. It could take a while to get a tow truck out there though..

Yes. If OP hasn't seen the Ken Burns series, they are a must see. Amazingly well done.

https://www.amazon.com/Ken-Burns-National-Parks-Americas/dp/B004D1T8B4

I had this problem on my travels as well. At some point, I found this set for my car. So I don't have to worry about them not matching until I go to the gateway arch or Indiana Dunes. Kind of awkward since I live closest to those.
https://www.amazon.com/59-Piece-Deluxe-National-Parks-Sticker/dp/B0731LZXLD

Looks like its available on Amazon.