How to Beat the Crowds at these 30 Top Destinations

The world is brimming with beautiful places and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will make you pinch yourself. Discovering them in person is the ultimate thrill and more of us are setting off in search of the unique buzz that travel provides each year. As a result, some of the globe's top destinations are suffering from a severe case of overcrowding.

While there's nothing wrong with tagging along with the throngs, it can be really fun to leave them behind, too. Having your travel agent book you on a "shoulder" or off-season trip will go a long way towards avoiding crowds-and saving you money-and so will the following 30 bits of advice.

The birthplace of the Renaissance is the ultimate romantic Italian city, and as a result, it is perpetually packed with fawning fans. Most people see the superstar sights like Michelangelo's David, the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and the Uffizi Gallery, but many miss out on second-tier spots like the Bardini Museum and Piazza Santo Spirito. Learn from their mistake and you'll discover that Piazza Santo Spirito is the perfect spot to sip espresso after a tour of nearby Boboli Gardens.

Singapore is already wildly popular among foodies, Formula 1 fans and business travelers, and tourism is bound to take off even more after the city's co-starring role in recent hit film Crazy Rich Asians. If racing isn't your thing, then make sure your swing through town doesn't coincide with the Singapore Grand Prix. During any other time of the year, avoid packed tourist traps by using locals for food recommendations and instead of pounding the packed city pavement every day, mix in a day-trip to a local beach.

Toronto overflows with cool things to do and exciting neighborhoods to explore. It's in these neighborhoods where you will get to know "TO" and skip out on some of the city's record-breaking crowds. Therefore, before you even thinking of taking on the CN Tower, spend your morning and afternoon at neighborhood coffee shops and cafes. That way, you'll avoid a huge chunk of tourists and at the tower, you might just catch a spectacular sunset.

Adjust your expectations accordingly: a night out in Dublin's Temple Bar district or a tour of the Guinness Storehouse are not going to be "hanging with a few locals" experiences. Still do them though, because they are both really fun and you'll end up learning a ton about Ireland's most iconic beer brand. The next day though, head to Howth, as it's one of Europe's most charming small towns and its peninsula-located provides a blast of refreshing sea air.

LA is loaded with must-dos like the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign and Universal Studios, but you can get off the beaten path here, too. Head to Runyon Canyon early in the morning for some solitude-and sweeping views of the city-and you might even bump into a few celebrities. Also, instead of vying with selfie sticks for sidewalk space in Venice Beach, head to Redondo Beach for chilled beach vibes and down-to-earth dive bars.

It may be the nation's most visited national park, but that doesn't mean you can't find some seclusion in the Smoky Mountains. Avoid peak summer time and October leaf-peeping season and you'll see a dramatic drop in fellow explorers. When it comes to scenic drives, swap swamped Cades Cove Loop Road for Heintooga Ridge Road.

You simply have to swing through swarming South Beach at some point in your visit, but put that off until later in your trip to Miami. Instead, start your sunbathing sessions out in North Miami Beach for thinner crowds and less of a "be seen" scene. Or swap strolls through South Beach altogether for walks through Wynwood- a happening 'hood that gets high marks for its kaleidoscopic murals and exciting eateries.

Plenty of visitors to Prague see the big three (Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and Old Town Square), but how many have lunch in the Holesovice? This riverside neighborhood is certainly trendy but you still won't find too many tourists at the tables of its cafes or on the benches of Letna Beer Garden-home to Czech pilsner and panoramic city views.

The late bird gets the worm at Angkor Wat. While tourists show up by the busload to see the sunrise and spend the day exploring the temples, if you arrive in the afternoon, you have a chance of having some of the more hidden parts of the complex to yourself. The sure-fire way to find the secluded spots? Hire a local guide.

Rome is so saturated with tourists that a fight recently broke out between two people over selfie-taking space at the Trevi Fountain. Definitely don't do that, but do try to perform most of your sight-seeing in the early morning in order to miss out on some of the multitudes. And instead of only eating at tourist-filled restaurants, learn how real Romans feast on a neighborhood food tour and follow that with a walk through the grand gardens of slightly-off-the-beaten-path Villa Doria Pamphili park.

Any way you cut it, things are going to be busy in Beijing. You can slice a few numerals off the crowd numbers though by avoiding marquee attractions like the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven on all local public holidays and school breaks. And when it comes to the seeing the Great Wall of China, remember that there are numerous stretches that can be toured. Generally speaking, the less renovated a section of the Great Wall is, the less crowds you'll run into.

Came to Vegas to join in on the party, but now craving a little peace and quiet? Well, then rent a car for the day and make for majestic Mt. Charleston. This mountain inside the scenic Spring Mountains National Recreation Area offers fresh mountain air and a distinct lack of people-especially on weekdays.

Skyscrapers, fantastic food and great hotels might be the first things that come to mind when you think of Hong Kong, but you might end up leaving this big city in love its great outdoors. The perfect antidote to the chaotic pace of the city, the beaches and greenspaces of Hong Kong are divine. Places like Rocky Bay Beach and its toes-in-the-sand Ben's Back Beach Bar see a fraction of the tourists as the rooftop cocktails bars in the city.

The City by the Bay can certainly get congested, but it is still possible to ditch the droves. Eschew a ferry ride to Alcatraz for one that takes you to Tiburon-a charming town on the water with stunning views of San Francisco. And as far as your iconic Golden Gate photo is concerned, make for Marin Head Vista, which usually is less crowded than the sights directly surrounding the span.

There is only one Opera House and Harbour Bridge so you will definitely want to join the herd in order to experience these iconic sights. When it comes to Sydney beaches though, you are spoiled for sand. Instead of tanning at A-list attraction Bondi, make for Milk Beach or Whale Beach where you can enjoy the same Aussie sunshine with a slightly less tourist-saturated vibe.

Who hasn't seen the signature white-and-blue buildings of Greece's Cyclades Islands and immediately vowed to see them in person someday? Well, sometimes on Santorini, Mykonos and Corfu, it can feel like all those dreams have come true at once. The best way to steer clear of the pack here is to head for a lesser known island like Sifnos or Andros. You will enjoy the same quintessential Cycladic charm here with a fraction of your fellow travelers.

The City of Light is a patchwork of enthralling arrondissements (districts) and each one of them offers authentic Parisian experiences and the opportunity to surround yourself with more locals than tourists. Experience romantic waterside walks in the 10th arrondissement's Canal Saint-Martin and in the 15th arrondissement you will find the Montparnasse Tower, which is arguably the best place to view the Paris skyline.

There is nothing like the "East meets West" atmosphere of Istanbul. While it would be bizarre to come here and not shop at the Grand Bazaar, skip eating lunch there in order to feast on fresh-grilled fish sandwiches and sip tea with locals on the shores of the Bosphorus. Then explore the cosmopolitan Cihangir neighborhood, where the volume of well-dressed locals still dwarfs tourist numbers.

Amsterdam is currently dealing with extreme overcrowding, but the good news is that ditching crowds in the Dutch capital is just a short cycle away. Rent a bike so you can discover your own secret spots in the city or just pedal out to the windmill-filled countryside. Another option is to seek out Cornelis Schuytstraat street in the Old South neighborhood. Located just steps from Vondelpark and Rijksmuseum, the classy cafes and shops here still remain the domain of locals and expats.

Consider yourself a morning person? How does a 2 AM start sound? Sure, the Peruvian government has reduced the number of tourists that can visit Machu Picchu at one time, but getting there at the crack of dawn is still your only real option for snatching some solitude. And to catch one of the first buses there, you will need to set your alarm shockingly early.

If there's a poster child for being too popular, it's Barcelona. The city is swamped, but that's no reason to skip this exquisite Catalan gem. No, you just need to be a little smarter about things. Substitute visiting the packed Boqueria food market with the more local-centric Concepcion market and instead of tagging along with the tour groups in the Gothic Quarter, stroll through the stylish Sarria neighborhood instead.

Seemingly all things Brooklyn have gone viral, but Queens still remains a mystery to many visitors to New York City. Explore its sidewalks while simultaneously eating your way around the world at the endless array of restaurants you discover along the way. Furthermore, trade in the frivolity of Times Square for the relative calm of Roosevelt Island and its Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park.

Tokyo enthralls tourists with its combination of ancient and modern and millions of us flock here each year. The good news is that for every packed sight like Shibuya Crossing and the Tokyo Skytree, there is a peaceful garden waiting for you. This makes it a breeze to balance out busy and tranquil sights. When it comes time to go out for dinner, swap the theme restaurants packed with tourists (looking at you, Robot Restaurant) for no-frills establishments filled with steaming noodles and salarymen.

The most important thing to remember when trying to avoid the packs in Yellowstone is that the park is huge. Explore the backroads and you will find natural wonders that you never even knew were there and you might just have them all to yourself. And when it comes time to see the classic sights like Old Faithful, make sure to wait until well into the afternoon to visit.

Everybody loves London and while the sheer volume of attractions helps spread people out, you can still run into bottlenecks at prime attractions-especially during the summer. In order to see a different side of the city, spend quality time lunching and sipping flat whites in one of London's fascinating neighborhoods or visiting in November or December when Oxford Street is lit up for Christmas and the whole city resembles the one you just watched in Love Actually.

Bangkok is the perfect gateway to travel in Asia but if you are looking to get away from your fellow travelers, then there is one golden rule: don't even think of going to Khao San Road. This street is packed with bars and restaurants that cater to backpackers and it's always hopping. Instead, spend your nights in Ekkamai, where things are less boisterous but still all Bangkok.

Ditching the droves in Venice can definitely be done, it just takes some creativity and a love of the dark. Rise early in order to see the major sights before they get inundated but then spend your afternoon laying low. Then, go out for a late dinner and proceed to wander the mazelike streets until the wee hours. You're guaranteed to get lost, but you also won't believe how romantic things get after midnight.

You simply cannot go to India and not see the Taj Mahal, but you will also see a ton of tourists there too. Since the Taj is wildly popular among locals too, make sure your trip doesn't coincide with any major holiday or land on a weekend.

The days of Berlin being an underground hotspot are long gone as the city has blossomed into one of the coolest-and most popular-cities in Europe. While the center is always abuzz, you will still be surrounded by locals in hip neighborhoods like Wedding or Friedrichshain. Visit in late November for diminished crowds and a chance to experience the city's magical Christmas markets.

Orlando's theme parks are popular all year, but weekends, holidays and summer vacation see the highest numbers of holidaymakers. Therefore, take the family to Florida for a weekday-heavy trip in October and November (excluding Thanksgiving week) for the most paltry crowds.