How long a vacation are you planning? You have got 8 days driving back and forth between coasts. You can do better if you full throttle, bathroom and fuel but I wouldn't enjoy that so much. No way can you do a comprehensive trip with out 8 to 12 weeks, and then you would only scratch the surface. You need to decide on a focus for this trip!
Remember the east coast was settled when the only mode of transportation was wagon or water. Towns were built 10 to 20 miles apart sometimes closer, depending on how far a teamster or packet boat could make in a day.
Roads were laid out along property lines and the same general lay out exists today,so you zigzag to get anyplace.
Everyone of us is proud of our state and region,I am partial to NY, We have Niagara Falls the Erie Canal the Finger Lakes, Watkins Glen for Motor Sports, Corning Glass Museum, Downstate and the city,Adirondacks, and on and on.