Summer and the holiday season are two of the busiest travel times of the year. Everyone seems to travel because of the vacation days from school and work, the favorable weather, and the desire to spend the holidays with friends and family. It is inevitable that at some point you, too, will be traveling over the long weekends in summer (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day) or during the winter holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s). To better prepare you for that time, here is a list of tips for traveling during the busy seasons…
First and foremost, when initially planning the vacation, consider traveling somewhere the holiday is not celebrated. If you travel over July 4th, you will find crowds all over America, so why not take that trip over the pond and visit Europe or head north and travel to Canada.
If your destination will be crowded while you are visiting, plan ahead. Buy venue tickets, reserve necessary rentals, and book dinner reservations before you begin your trip. Typically, these activities are tasks you would complete upon arrival at your destination; however, to avoid a sold out show or undesirable reservation times – plan ahead. If you need help doing this, call the hotel you have booked and speak with their concierge.
Another thing to consider in the planning stages of your vacation is the actual times you will be traveling. You have decided the days, but what time are you starting the road trip or booking your flight? Avoid peak travel times over busy travel dates. Most of you seasoned travelers understand this concept, but for you less seasoned travelers, keep reading. This means do not plan to hit the road at 5pm the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Consider leaving a few hours earlier or later than the rush, but be sure to check that while en route you will not end up in another major city during peak travel times. If planes or trains is your mode of transportation you can still apply the same concept. Try the earliest flight to your destination (anything before 8am) or the latest (anything after 8pm – red eyes are even better!)
So now you have established your travel itinerary and it’s only days before your trip begins and packing is your focus. Be sure to pack smart when traveling during the busy seasons. What does it mean to pack smart, you ask? Pack an extra outfit. You have no control over weather or mechanical delays or extended layovers, but you can be prepared for them. My best suggestion is to actually include your “emergency outfit” in your carry on just in case your checked luggage is lost or delayed. Pack snacks, especially if traveling with children. If you pack a box of granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, etc. you will not only save time, but money too! Having the snacks on hand while traveling saves you the time of searching for a vendor to buy overpriced food from wherever you are and saves you the time of waiting in their most likely long lines. Finally, packing smart implies packing to travel regulations. Lines are long enough during the holidays; you do not need to get held up in an airport security line because your shampoo was a 3.5 oz bottle and not 3 oz.
Once you have arrived at your destination and your vacation is in full swing there are still a few things you can do to try and avoid the large crowds. When visiting places like amusement parks, museums, etc., avoid peak venue times. Most amusement parks or museums are not crowded at opening or in the late afternoon/early evening dinner time frame. Work your schedule around these times. Family friendly amusement parks also seem to die down mid-afternoon when toddlers need naps. Another smart move is to check with the venue and ask if they have extended hours for the summer or the holidays. Walt Disney World and the Smithsonian are two great examples of venues adjusting their hours of operation for the heavy traffic the summer and holiday seasons bring.
My final crowd avoidance tip is one that I have actually been guarding as bit of a secret for some time now. It seems rather simple, but I can vouch for its effectiveness: Veer left in crowds and lines. As Americans, we are trained to favor our right side. Most of us are right-handed; we drive on the right side, etc. This has become an subconscious decision for us now as adults. This is why if ever presented with multiple lines for the same end result, the right tends to be longer. So I advise you to make it a conscious decision and head to the left. Silly, I know; but it works!
