Best route for surface conditions

I agree w/ Drew that 86/88 will be more scenic and not too many hills till you get Cobleskill east. 88 can be rough, but still scenic. Oops, forgot, there is a very good hill on 88 just east of Binghamton. No tolls all the way to VT.

Both the routes you're considering are okay, in my estimation.

I-86 to I-88 has less traffic generally (particularly as you don't have to go through Scranton et al in eastern PA) and in my opinion is a bit more scenic. It has, in years past, had some pretty rough areas of pavement, but most of them, at least the worst bits, have been repaired in the last several years and it's not too terrible now.

I-80 on the whole is probably a bit better maintained, I-81 maybe a hair less so just because of the traffic it gets, and I-84 through PA and NY is miserably rough. Once in MA, I-84 is now fine although normally busy.

We come from the south, up rt 81 to Harrisburg and take 78 to east to 287 north and east into NY then go east into CT. Pretty good roads. You would probably head north from there.

Although rereading your post I’d stick to 80 across PA.

Dave