We car camped through NJ to Maine and back, Arcadia was great, water was cold in July. Vermont had real nice shelters to rent that are raised up and roofed, I think we camped only one night on the way there. The drive was beautiful, we stayed off 95 for the most part, we like the scenic route. I have done road trips to Maine and Canada fairly often, and really enjoy the freedom. If you get tired of it there are always motels, BnBs, even resorts for one night. I always had a current book of the area, but now with tablets, it is even easier. I think we got up and out faster too, having a great view on the other side of the mesh inspires me to get a move on. Gear can be reused and the current space saving equipment is so nice I stay small even when not backpacking. I just bring the same tent and bag, just upgrade the food system to include the old two burner Coleman and cooler. We took a tiny Honda first trip, it was fine. If you like the scenic routes maybe get a road atlas, to me they give you overview and choices. Also the state published ones available from tourist info usually show scenic routes better than the Internet stuff does. But maybe you young ones are handier with that than I. We found really fine roads, enjoyed ferries, lots of green woods. Route one in Maine has great side roads that roughly follow it that have great towns and ports. I think you miss half the fun flying. But I am looking forward to cross country again and I have never taken the same way twice. How much time you have is the key, Arcadia is nice for a week, but we only stayed two days on the way home from Baxter SP. Maine is so beautiful, inland, the coast, lol got room in the car for another? Just kidding, put some research into it and stay loose, bring a full size spare and no how to use it. But we never had a flat, just one radiator puncture from the rip rap back roads in Baxter. And a ranger whittled a radiator plug from a tiny tree and it was good until we got home two weeks later! My first trip with Hubby was to Maine before we were engaged, that was 30 years ago and I still think it is the pretty of the east coast states.