Avoiding Lines while Sightseeing
It’s hardly worth the effort of jetting off to a holiday abroad if you spend the majority of your time in a line when you get there. So, before you whisk your spouse or family away on your next trip, make sure that you know how to avoid those long, energy-depleting queues that make traveling, at times, downright tiresome.
Pay the Entrance Fee at Museums – Don’t Visit a Facility when it Offers Free Entry
For example, if you plan to visit a museum, it’s better to pay the entrance fee than go at those times when the museum offers free entry. Therefore, if you want to avoid the prospect of being packed into a facility like a sardine, it’s best not to go when a museum provides free access to its visitors.
Visit Sites Early or Later in the Day
Also, when you visit well-known or popular attractions, it’s better to be an early bird than stop by the site in the middle part of the day. Unless you want to scramble for photo opportunities during those peak times, it’s better to set your sights toward visiting the sites when they first open. You’ll also find fewer crowds at attractions toward closing time as well.
Obtain Reservations in Advance
Again, forking out a little extra money will ensure that you’ll have more time to enjoy the sights and attractions. For instance, obtaining advanced reservations will enable you to get into most tourist sites much more easily. After all, it’s better to have the reservations already booked than to stand in line for a couple hours, only to discover that the tickets have been sold out or are no longer available.
As some attractions can take an inordinately long time to get into and see, the wait time will definitely test your patience. However, if you make advanced reservations, you can avoid those long, boring lines and easily get into see such popular sites as the Vatican Museum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Get a Discount Card
Another way to prevent getting caught in a lengthy admission line is to secure a tourist card for the city you’ll be visiting. Many cities offer this type of discounted amenity which makes it possible for you to not only avoid standing in long lines but also allows you to see many sights and attractions for free or at a reduced entry fee.
Plan Ahead so you Won’t Spend the Good Part of your Time Waiting in Line
So, whether you are traveling within the U.S. or have plans to visit Europe, make it a priority to plan ahead so you can extend more of your energy seeing the sights rather than waiting to gain admittance into them.
