getting to Long Island (KISP) IFR from Michigan

I'm considering a flight from Michigan to KISP on Long Island (some time
this winter) in our club's Skylane IFR. (armed with a Garmin 396 for
weather)

I'm wondering what kind of routing I'm likely to get around NYC. Coming
from Michigan I have a choice of Canada to Buffalo and down, or to Toledo
Ohio and then east. A friend said I should file to Pawling VOR, then
basically the LOVES2 arrival route, because I will likely get that anyway.

But when I do a Duats or Aeroplanner low altitude auto-route I get:

Starting from Toledo (KTOL) I get a route around south of Manhattan (SBJ,
EMPYR, NANCY, PROUD, JFK, DPK KISP)

1. anyone have experience at various altitudes (under FL120) from the west
to KISP area?

2. can you get flight following and get to ISP VFR? What would be the best
route and altitude for that? (with no ice protection, I might need VFR for
altitude at my own discretion)

Thanks ... Aaron