TRAVEL PLAN THE ULTIMATE (UNCROWDED!) SUMMER TRIP

During the height of tourist season, summer vacation can feel like a full-contact sport. Here's how to bypass the hordes and take a trip that leaves you relaxed, not raggedy.

- KATIE JAMES WATKINSON

DID YOU SPEND the dreary winter and mucky spring yearning for a sunny beach, a classic city jaunt, or an epic road trip? Rejoice! Getaway season is here...but wait: You're not the only one itching for an escape. If last year's staggering numbers are any indication of what lies ahead (the TSA screened 220 million passengers between Memorial Day and Labor Day in 2022, 30 million more than in 2021), you can expect full flights, packed hotels, and throngs of fellow travelers at every attraction. "This summer, we're anticipating crowds to be at an all-time high," says Patty Ehinger, an adviser with the travel agency Local Foreigner. "Tourism has skyrocketed in the post pandemic travel craze, and we're definitely not seeing any signs of a slowdown."

To avoid having to elbow your way to a prime lounge chair or viewing spot, you need an open mind, a willingness to explore the road less traveled, and these tricks, straight from global-travel experts.

Think "Undiscovered"