summertime New York- Rhode Island trip

The most scenic drive across NY would be Rt 20. You will drive through the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Down side is you will go through hundreds of small and medium towns and every medium town has its miracle mile of commercial development.
Do not use it if you are trying to make time.

My votes would be:

Watkins Glen state park (walk the glen)
Winery in the same area (research what makes sense to your liking)
Route 17 is a rolling scenic drive and it is free! unlike thruway
Letchworth is pretty neat for NY

I would work my way over to Corning, NY on I86 and visit the Corning museum of glass it is very big and interesting when I was there there were people there from all over the world. Then take a short drive to Watkins Glenn and visit the Gorge at Watkins Glenn state park ...amazing and beautiful !! Then and this is all in the finger lakes reign area....you could go to Keuka Lake State Park and stay there on the lake for a day or two , drive around visit some wineries and just look at some of the beautiful country side and small towns ..Americana for sure !! from there I would go to Letchworth park for a day then on to the Falls. When we were in that area we couldn't believe how beautiful upstate NY is....Have fun.

We live between Syracuse and Buffalo. I would recommend a trip through the finger lakes and making a stop or two a winery. Then maybe a day or two at Letchworth State park and finally end at Four Mile Creek State Park. None have full hookups but electric. Beautiful parks and once you are at Four Mile your trip to Niagara Falls State park, would be free. If you want to cross the bridge to Canada, you will need a passport. Take the Maid of the Mist at NF. We are planning a trip to your area of Newport RI in April to see a state we havent' been to yet. PM me if you have more detailed questions.

In the Niagara Falls area, Four Mile Creek State Park is an easy drive from the falls and is a really nice park with large sites, albeit electric only. The site fee includes free access to the falls parking lots.

To focus on New York...I would break it down into a few areas using a scenic route to access these areas, they are:

Using Rt 17(a interstate quality/parkway type) and I-86...firstly the Catskill area. Lots of available spots to drop anchor but close to NYC and that time of year many vacationers from that area. Second would be the Finger Lakes, again with lots of choices where to stay. Here the State Parks are many.

Still using I-86 the Allegany/Chautauqua area is similar to the Finger Lakes.

But another choice could be taking I-390 towards Rochester and do one of the states largest and most beautiful parks,Letchworth. Then choose a route to Buffalo/Niagara Falls. One could be Hwy 104 or the route further north along Lake Ontario.

In New York you can pass through Lake George and Lake Placid. If you are into baseball, Cooperstown would be a nice stop for you along the way. Have your passports because there is more to do on the Canadian side of the falls. As for campgrounds, do you want full hook ups or do you like state parks? Fisherman's Memorial State Park in Narragansett, RI has full hookups and is not too far a drive to get to Newport. Closer to Newport are smaller state campgrounds, but they book up fast during the summer and have limited amenities.