Just taking a survey - When traveling by car in Italy (off season) I have read posts where people comment that they decide to change itinerary because of bad weather or "just because". Do most like to have a planned, reservation inhand, kind of trip or do you like to wing it and take your chances.

I like the idea of changing plans as I go, but I don't like the idea of having to find someplace to stay. It's not as if there are a lot of Motel 6's along the backroads in Tuscany. Fodors folks do like to research, so I am curious how they manage getting a good nights sleep.

I always make an itinerary. I don't have to stick to it (and have changed it many times) but it's nice to have a plan.

I used to look for hotels when I arrived some place (except for large cities where I always had reservations) but I no longer want to spend my vacation time looking for a place to sleep so I make reservations.

The last time in Italy I stayed in Orvieto for a few days and then moved to Pienza for a week and did day trips from both locations. I had planned what towns I wanted to see but one day we got to San Gimingnano and it was too busy so we left and came back another day.

I think so many people travel off season today that it might be difficult to find places to stay within budget. Also if you're moving around all the time all your luggage will be in the car during the day and I'm not comfortable with that.

I like to make things as easy as possibly on vacation and spend my time and energy sightseeing and deciding on where to eat dinner (also what flavor gelato to have!!).

adrienne mentions all the reasons why I remain a planner. For me, it all boils down to being on vacation and not wanting to have to think about anything other than enjoying where I am.

We've been on trips where we've had short periods of snow and heavy rain. To avoid either, I would have had to look for better weather in a few places, cancel reservations, search for new lodging in advance and/or on arrival, make sure I knew what we'd be seeing in the new place (and open hours/days), determine our route to get there, etc. When I got home, I'd have to figure out a way to work that place I left into a future trip.

As I said in the original post, I like the "idea" of being footloose and fancy free, but I don't want to take any old B & B or hotel.

A few years back, my friend and I were traveling in England. We had a few "open" days so we booked a hotel with the tourist information center. When we arrived at about 5 pm we found the hotel in a desserted industrial area. We were told to drop off our luggage and go down the alley and park behind the building. It was a spooky place but we did as we were told. There were mechanics in the back working on trucks giving us and our car the once over. When we were registering, the hotel seemed very silent and empty. We asked how many guests were there and the creepy guy said, Just you two ladies. Well at that instance, we looked at each other, got our luggage and started leaving. The desk clerk started yelling, but we kept on walking. We had seen enough Alfred Hitchcock movies to know that there must have been two way mirrors and an axe murdered waiting in the closet.

Needless to say, you know it is hard to book a B & B after 6 pm, no cell phone, etc. We finally found a quaint old farm house, owned by a wonderful older couple who welcomed us with the porch light on. It turned out to be a memorable evening, but I have to say we did put the chair in front of our bedroom door that night. We still laugh about it.

Really, the only unpleasant times I've had in Europe were nights spent in places I had to "settle for" because I didn't plan.

That said, I HAVE done trips where I took along my Hachette or Michelin Red Guide and called ahead to places in the morning to reserve for the evening. But even that exercise takes away a few minutes from time I could be enjoying the travel.

I plan.

We have done road trips a lot all over europe - almost always in shoulder season - May or late Sept/early Oct. We always have hotels reserved in advance.

The serendipity comes from what you find on the way from one place to another - or in day trips from the town we are staying in. We never do one night stops - almost always we spend 3 nights anywhere - one day to see wherever and a second to see more or see one or more other places nearby. And we don't usually drive full days - we make our stops perhaps 4 or 5 hours apart - never 8 hours or more - so we have the option of stopping to see somelace that pops up between 2 scheduled stops.

I plan and always have a hotel room. I can change what I do during the day, but I would be uncomfortable with out a confirmed place to stay. Most of my vacations mistakes are when I had no plans at all.