I also just got back to Vermont from MB last night, and yes, I do use cruise control. My father tells me that it kills your gas mileage, but I don't care. It's convenient.
We abandoned the I95 route after our first trip to the outer banks a few years ago. Got stuck in traffic for over 6 hours at least, and the tolls were substantial. We take 87 down to New Paltz and then take 84 West all the way over to I81 which spits us out just south of Scranton. Then we drive down to Staughton VA and hop on 64 east which brings us back to 95 on the south side of Richmond (cut over on 288). 81 is sooooo much better than 95, IMO. We made it from central Vermont to Myrtle in 15 hours with 2 small kids. If I'm headed pretty much anywhere south of D.C. this is the way to go.