Many adventurous travelers prefer visiting new places during the peak season. They love the energy radiating in a city or place packed with people. They find joy in the noise of festivals, concerts, and busy pubs, and meeting a lot of friendly tourists wherever they are. More attractions, national parks, and restaurants are also open during the high season.
Other travelers, who seek a more laidback and relaxing vacation, want otherwise. They want to travel when no one’s traveling. They hate long queues, congested attractions, cramped restaurants and establishments, and simply having to be skin-to-skin with people. The same mindset comes in handy when traveling during the pandemic era: the fewer people on-site, the better.
If you’re more of the latter, we recommend these 7 surefire tricks that’ll help you avoid encountering massive crowds on your next travel.
1. Avoid major holidays and weekends
Avoid traveling on popular dates including Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Labor Day, and Easter, which are typically the most expensive times to travel. It’s a no-brainer: major, non-working holidays and weekends mean huge crowds. People are off work and they have the time to travel, so check holiday calendars. If you want to encounter fewer crowds, you better time your travel on a regular weekday.
2. Choose your destination wisely
The country’s capital city is packed with a lot of great sights to discover. However, it tends to be more crowded. With this, you may opt for smaller cities, preferably a charming town in the countryside, as well as lesser-known spots that aren’t often included in tourists’ itineraries. You can even use online platforms to check how crowded a destination is on a given date.
By traveling off the beaten path, you can encounter fewer tourists and connect with the locals more, enjoying a richer, more meaningful experience. You may also avoid tourist traps, including less than stellar eateries that serve overpriced dishes that claim to be “authentic” (but they’re not). Plus, you’ll get to take great photos of the place without the sight of crowds ruining the scene.
3. Know the shoulder and off-peak seasons
Aside from choosing your destination carefully, you should do your research on when their high and low tourist seasons, and school holidays are. They vary significantly depending on your destination. In most cases, the summer season brings a lot of tourists in so you might want to avoid that.
Aside from avoiding the surge of tourists, traveling during the off-peak season also allows you to avoid expensive flights and hotel accommodation, whose rates increase due to higher demands.
4. Be wise when visiting major cities or top tourist spots
What if the destinations you want to visit are located in a bustling city center? Well, you should develop smart strategies to avoid crowds.
Firstly, try scheduling your trip when no one’s traveling, like a regular weekday or a low season. Then, use technology to your advantage. Instead of showing up at the entrance as a “walk-in”, book your tickets or appointments online. You can even find apps that give special discounts to such customers, as well as promos fo children which can be helpful when you’re looking for cheap ways to travel with kids.
5. The early bird catches the worm
Getting up early never fails. If you’re lucky, you can enjoy a major destination all to yourself before tourists start to come in at around 10 AM. Take note that most people won’t head out until they’ve had their breakfast.
You won’t only avoid the crowds – but you’ll also make the most out of what you paid for. And besides, isn’t it delightful to take photos of picturesque views and take a stroll when the sun isn’t that high?
6. Prepare for gray skies, rainy days, and closed attractions
One of the main reasons why people hesitate to travel during the off-peak season is unfavorable weather conditions. For many tropical destinations, off-season means rainy days. Another reason is the possibility that not every attraction you want to visit is open.
It pays to do your research before deciding to embark on an off-season trip. Know the right clothes to pack, as well as the attractions that are open during this time. You may avoid crowds during the shoulder weeks or months that fall just outside of the peak season, like the last few days of the summer or the first few days of the rainy season.
7. Be a little more willing to pay extra
There’s no doubt that people are drawn to cheap and free stuff. We always love to look for free ways to travel, like going to parks and museums with free admissions. But if you want to avoid bumping into a lot of people, are you willing to pay extra for such privilege?
Comfort and convenience come with a price. You may look for destinations with options that allow you to enjoy the experience privately. These include private resorts, private guided tours, private boat rides, and hiking trips with fewer strangers.
Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is one of the seasoned writers for Holiday Inn Parramatta Hotel, a modern hotel located in the heart of Western Sydney, delivering top-class Parramatta accommodation. She has always been passionate about traveling, taking photos, and writing travel tips and tricks.
