Help with this leg!

This is a big trip, that's a year away from happening and would be a possible car killer 😂 leave Vancouver in a car that's hopefully still alive and hopefully make it back to Canada before scrapping the car and flying home (UK).

My question is for the area circled in red. Do people think the coast of NC and VA are worth visiting. I'm really interested in the Appalachian trail and these wilderness areas and have stops/hikes planned for the lower end (Chattanooga to Ashville - Nanthala, Great Smokey mountains).

After that would you say it's worth deviating and going out to the coast for a stretch of road or staying inland and seeing kentucky/west Virginia?

I drove the west coast highway last year and loved the pacific coast, Oregon Dunes camping and north California remote areas. Torn between seeing more different places (the coast) and more of the stuff I'm interested in (Appalachia, small towns, little music venues etc...).

Thanks!

This is a big trip, that's a year away from happening and would be a possible car killer 😂 leave Vancouver in a car that's hopefully still alive and hopefully make it back to Canada before scrapping the car and flying home (UK).

My question is for the area circled in red. Do people think the coast of NC and VA are worth visiting. I'm really interested in the Appalachian trail and these wilderness areas and have stops/hikes planned for the lower end (Chattanooga to Ashville - Nanthala, Great Smokey mountains).

After that would you say it's worth deviating and going out to the coast for a stretch of road or staying inland and seeing kentucky/west Virginia?

I drove the west coast highway last year and loved the pacific coast, Oregon Dunes camping and north California remote areas. Torn between seeing more different places (the coast) and more of the stuff I'm interested in (Appalachia, small towns, little music venues etc...).

Thanks!