Buddy, the East Coast is quite densely populated. Along the way, you’ll pass through so many towns and villages that you could stop in nearly every one and find something interesting. You can check for yourself where to make stops on a road trip from NYC to Boston here: https://buffalonews.com/exclusive/article_86aa387a-e106-55d0-a980-0b0a1b50db05.html . By the way, they also offer advice on which company to rent a car from for this adventure.