TN to Boston

I like to take 81 to 78. Mostly flat unlike the steep grades to Scranton. 78 to 287 to 87 will take you to the Newburgh KOA if you want to. Then on to 84 to 90. We go to Maine and back and there is no "perfect" route to the Boston area. I have tried them all over the years and each have advantages/disadvantages. The truck traffic on 81 has become a real pain. So many large distribution centers are now located on its corridor. 78 traffic builds as you approach the Allentown area but smooths out in NJ and is no problem at midday. From Western Village at Carlisle Pa I can make the Boston area easily well before afternoon rush hour. totally avoid 84 thru Danbury, Woodbury and Hartford during am or pm rush hours. I'm talking dead stop and stop and go traffic. Same for most routes approaching the NY to Boston area. Pine Hill RV just before Allentown is a very convenient location too and I also stay there if I can drive that far from NC. From there you can jump back on 78 around 9am and totally avoid rush hour traffic to Boston. If I feel lazy I take 87 all the way to 90 then to 495. Its longer and costs more in tolls, but about the same amount of time (all at 70mph). I make only one food/fuel stop on 90. 84 thru Conn can be constant slow traffic from entrance ramps with some white knuckle hard breaking. And the road surface, especially the bridges will rattle your fillings. There are other two lane roads I use sometimes but if you don't know the area stick to the interstates. One day of tolls isn't that bad about $20 to $30 depending on where you get on or off. From Florida to Maine the segment from Pa to just past Boston is my worst day for traffic, rough roads and tolls.