Questions on NYC to Maine Trip

ML wrote in message ...
My friend and I are planning to spend 2 weeks around the 4th of July
weekend in the northeast, starting with a few days in NYC and then driving
through CT, RI, NH, VT, and ME. We definitely want to spend some time in
Acadia National Park and we're considering Cape Cod and/or Martha's
Vineyard,
[snip]
- My friend wants to leave things flexible and not book hotels ahead of
time, except in places where we definitely know we want to visit like NYC
and near Acadia, and probably someplace over 4th of July weekend itself.
Is this a good idea during the summer? Will we have trouble finding
moderately priced accommodations (say $50-$80/night) without reserving in
advance? I don't know how popular the area is for summer tourists.

Some years it seems like the entire DC-BOS corridor "summers" in the
areas you list, and people who summer book lodging early--including
low-budget bike tours, youth group tours, summer employees, and anyone
else looking for cheap lodging. Are you and your friend flexible
enough to spend an hour or 2 each day calling and calling and calling
hotels to find what's available in your price range? Flexible enough
to sleep in the car or to camp without benefit of camping equipment?
Flexible enough to stay in a crappy motel right on the highway (with
noise to match) but an hour's drive from anything most people would
consider worth a visit? If you folks are, stick with the original
(non-)plan...otherwise, reconsider and start booking rooms now.

Nancy