Help!
 

My husband & I are heading on a trip to Taftville CT next week. We will be stopping in Washington DC to see the sights there. What is the best route (more scenic & less stressful) to go avoiding NYC? We will be going that way on Thur Oct 17. We have never traveled here before & definitely welcome your expertise. Thank you in advance.

Unless you are willing to do a huge detour, there is no really scenic route from DC to Taftville (Norwich),

I've done the trip many times and find that timing and luck help a lot. If you do not have a transponder for tolls, get one. I think you can go on line to the Massachusetts DOT site and have one sent to you that is linked to your credit card. This allows you to use the "easy pass", or "tag holder" lanes and will cut down on time sitting at toll booths. If you download WAZE on your phone or tablet it will tell you where the problems are.

The shortest route in miles would be 95, (avoid the section that goes to Philadelphia use NJT) over the GWB and through CT to 395 north. That said, for us the usually least stressful route is to take 95 to New Jersey Turnpike to Garden State Turnpike to Tappanzee Bridge (or what ever they are calling it now) then use WAZE or maps google and look at what route has the fewest problems in CT. It might be taking 95 to 395 or 84 to 2. The 84 to 2 is a bit more scenic and avoids places on 95 like Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven that tend to be traffic nightmares, but 84 does have some sticky points too, especially Waterbury and Hartford.

As a PA native I like the route through York PA, and picking up I-81 NE of Harrisburg. You get on I-84 east near Wilkes-Barre.