Thank you all for the input. We ended up doing the QEW / I-90, I-79 - 76 - 70 then 15 down to Leesburg. 558 miles took us abt. 9.5 hrs. We thought about the central NY / PA routes for sightseeing but decided we just wanted to get home and the other way was faster. The easterly routes to me are just too crowded around the holidays. WAY too many people on the routes between DC and Boston.

Thanks again all.