We are going to the New England states this fall. We are flying into Philadelphia going up to Vermont, over to Maine and down through Connecticut, New York, Washington D.C. to Virginia and back to Philadelphia. My QUESTION is are hotel rooms hard to find without reservations. My travel agent said there are so many I don't need to worry. We are renting a van and driving so we don't know exactly where we will be each night. What does everyone else think about the reservations?
Thanks, Debbie

You may get away with it on the southern part of that route, but I wouldn't venture into New England - CT and north - during leaf-peeping season without reservations (and I live here). That's not to say you couldn't find the odd vacant room here and there, but you'll spend some time looking and I, at least, would be worrying about it each day.

I agree with Dick -- at the peak of foliage season, a room can be hard to find. Your travel agent has given you poor advice. Foliage season is NOT a time when you can just drive around all day and then expect to find a room wherever you are. Book rooms now (if you still can).

Any travel agent who thinks that you can find a room just because there are lots of them just isn't thinking clearly. Foliage season is one time of year that the hotels and motels count on being at full capacity, to help them get through the quieter times.

We have had five or 6 weeks with almost no rain. Drought often brings foliage season on early (due to stress) so you might want to factor that in to your locations; the peak will probably be a little farther south than average on any given date this year.

You probably are already too late to get a room in some areas. Your travel agent has given you very bad advice.

The same goes for New York State. If you thinking about visiting the Adirondacks it may be too late. I would make a phone call today to make reservation, then next call to fire this misinformed travel agent. Did she/he ever traveled during fall foliage season?
To answer your question yes, hotel rooms are hard or almost impossible to find without reservations.

Thanks, everyone! I am on my maps trying to figure out where we will be on each night and then the phone to make reservations. We will be there the last week of September and the first 2 weeks of October. Do you think it will be peek then?

Hi Debbie
Yes, these three weeks are the best. I speak only for New England states and Upstate New York.

Try to stay in one place longer than one night. Otherwise you will see foliage only when driving from one place to another.
Do not miss White Mountains in New Hampshire. However, you have to make some choices because there are so many places to be admired.
I suggest you start north and go south as foliage progresses.

Debbie -- those weeks you mentioned are definitely peak season for leaves. I've been looking for a weekend getaway in the fall myself and have found that most places are booked every weekend, but there are still some mid-week vacancies.

Good luck.