Bypassing the Beaten Path Is Easier Than You Think

More people are traveling than ever before.

Which is a good thing.

It means that more of us are experiencing the magical, transformative type of fun that travel provides and also learning first-hand that the world is, in fact, a much safer and more welcoming place than we've been led to believe.

MORE Features & Advice

Health Experts’ Advice on Traveling Safely This...

Research Finds High-Income Travelers Are Scaling Back...

The New COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map You Need to...

This uptick in tourist arrivals does have a few unsavory side effects, however.

Stories of destinations buckling under the pressure of overtourism and the associated backlash are so commonplace that they could have their own section here at TravelPulse.

It's definitely crowded out there and there's an ever-increasing chance that your dream trip could be cramped not by terrible weather, but by a deluge of fellow tourists.

So how do you best avoid the crowds? Well, you have to get a little off the beaten path—something which isn't nearly as difficult as you might think.

You don't have to set sail for the furthest corners of the earth, go to places no one has heard of or become the first foreigner to step foot in an undiscovered village in order to bypass the beaten path. (Not that there's anything wrong with any of those things because they are really fun, too.)

Do those things eventually, but start by opening your mind to what a "travel experience" is where you're already heading and you will be well on your way to leaving the largest chunks of the crowds behind.

No matter where you are.

After all, since we all have different interests, varied tastes and unique personalities, does it make any sense that when we show up on vacation we should adopt a "pack mentality" and go to the same places and do all the same things?

Of course not.

On a daily basis, the world's top tourist sites are overflowing with people shuffling through them, just going through the motions because they think they "have" to see them. And you do to a small extent, but skipping a few of these big name attractions for something that is more your thing gives you more breathing room and might just be more fun.

Once you start releasing yourself from the pressure of having to do and see the same things that everyone else does, you'll start finding yourself surrounded by fewer tourists, more involved with local life and having extraordinary experiences.

Most importantly, let your travel advisor know what your passions are so they can assist in crafting an itinerary and coming up with ideas.

Do you have a favorite sport? Chances are strong that you do and since the entire world is sports-crazed, you will have no problem incorporating a love for athletics into your trip. I am a huge hockey fan, and when my wife and I visited Bern, Switzerland last December, we went and watched the local professional team SC Bern play. Even though the arena held over 15,000 people, you could have swung a hockey stick and not hit another tourist.

Are you into movies? Then go see one abroad. I'm not joking. I've seen films in Serbia, New Zealand and Bosnia, and each experience offered an insight into the local culture (and their take on theater snacks) I wouldn't have stumbled across otherwise. And there wasn't another tourist in the theater.

Concerts your thing? Go while traveling. I'll never forget the time my wife and I showed up without tickets for a Killers concert in Amsterdam. Somehow we talked our way into a pair (things always seem to serendipitously work out while traveling) and spent the night appreciating the tunes without a tour group insight.

Like spending time at the mall? Then skip the busy tourist shopping street to peruse the local mall on vacation. Attend religious services on a regular basis? Then seek out a house of worship away from home. Love to spend time buried in a book? Then check out what they are like in a different place, or at the very least, try and seek out some super-cool bookshops. Fitness fanatic? Then go for a sunrise run before the city you are visiting wakes up.

The list goes on and on and so will the great times you will have while traveling if you think outside the box on your must-do lists.