South Carolina to Maine
 

We're planning a trip to Maine in October with stayovers already reserved in Boothbay Harbor and Bar Harbor. We don't mind interstates, but want to avoid the big cities, so straight up I-95 is out of the question. Can anyone offer some route ideas? Any help appreciated! Thanks!

You can take Route 1 up the whole coast but Route 95 no matter awful is the best route unless you have many days to travel. Get a good map and avoid as much of 95 as possible.

Before getting into VA or just after getting into VA, head out towards the coast, and take US13 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, and up the Delmarva Peninsula. You can take the Cape May ferry across to NJ, or just head up Delaware Hwy 1 and merge back up to I-95 and then NJ Turnpike.

Take I-287 or Garden State Pkwy up NJ and cross the Tappan Zee Bridge (I-287) into CT. Then go up Saw Mill River Parkway, I-684 and then I-84. That'd bypass NYC and I-95 for the most part.

Thanks to both of you for your replies. We're working with Rand McNally software to figure route, but it always leads to the big cities! We are considering taking I-77 from Charlotte, then I-81 up to Scranton, PA or Binghamtom, NY, then heading east either across southern Vermont and New Hampshire, or taking interstates through Connecticut, etc. We're not familiar with roads in this area, so any advice is welcome! Thanks again.

A word of caution if you plan to use I-81. This interstate gets a very heavy concentration of commercial truck traffic. The route also goes through rolling hill areas and mountains and a lot of the highway is only 2 lanes on each side. Consequently, when the trucks pass each other they lose speed going up the hills and traffic starts backing up behind them. You can easily go down to 40 or 45 miles an hour while waiting for a truck to pass and move over and believe me, this happens often.

I also agree with rkkwan to go over the Tappan Zee Bridge to avoid going through New York City.

Yes, that's a okay route. I-81 has pretty heavy truck traffic in VA, so be careful. I-88 is very easy to Albany. But crossing VT and NH on the non-freeways will be very slow. If you have time, it's fine, as it's very scenic. Just know that it's slow.

Or you take take I-81 to only to Scanton, then I-84 all the way to I-90/Masspike. Then I-495 around Boston up to I-95. That'll be the fastest way if you take I-81 route.

Taking I-81 is much better than taking I-95. Both have trucks but I-95 is sometimes insane so I would avoid this one. How much time you want to spend on a road? There some very scenic routes once you get to Binghamton, NY.

rkkwan has the best advice for you. I live in Woodstock,VA on I81 and have made several trips to SC and FL using I-77 and I-81. Trucks can slow things down from time to time, but it is much better than I-95. Have also been north and went the routes rkkwan suggested. Do not get off I-84 near Marion,CT and go east on I-691 toward I-95. Traffic that way is terrible.