Even though decades have passed, I still remember my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. I’d waited years to see this natural wonder—now the country’s third most visited national park, and I was bowled over by its scale and beauty. It was 100 percent worth the wait, and proof that there’s nothing like the thrill of finally, finally getting to see a bucket-list attraction or destination.
But were I to visit today, I’d probably have to wait a little longer—up to two hours to get through the entrance gate alone. According to a recent study of TripAdvisor users, many of America’s national parks and monuments, museums, amusement parks and major landmarks experience exceptionally long wait times. They may not be enough to ruin a vacation, but hours spent waiting in line instead of enjoying the destination can certainly put a damper on things, especially if you have young kids or an elderly aunt in tow.
To help you plan accordingly, we’ve taken a look at the attractions with the longest wait times—a few of them might ring a bell—and sought expert advice on how to avoid the worst delays. Because who wants to spend their precious vacation time waiting in line?
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How were the attractions with the longest wait times ranked?
The study, by online social casino McLuck, analyzed keywords in close to 1 million TripAdvisor reviews of some of the most visited destinations in the U.S. The study looked for reviews containing terms like long line, long queue or waited hours, then drew conclusions based on the percentage of attraction reviews that included those complaints. The final list ranked 45 destinations with the longest wait times. Some of them are where you might expect to wait a long time to get in or gain access, while others are somewhat surprising. Let’s see if your bucket-list destination is on the list!
Which U.S. attractions have the longest wait time?
Many of the attractions made the list for obvious reasons—like, they’re indoor or have limited space, so only a set number of visitors can enter at one time. In some cases, the attractions are free of charge, which adds to their appeal, especially for families traveling on a budget. Here’s a closer look at the top five attractions with the longest wait times, followed by the full list.
1. The Liberty Bell, Philadelphia
This iconic symbol of American history is one of the most popular attractions in the U.S., but according to the study, you’ll spend more time waiting in line to see it than you will actually admiring the famously cracked two-ton bell that dates back to 1753. That’s due in part to tight security checks to enter the monument, but also because the actual Liberty Bell viewing area holds only 20 visitors at a time, and those visitors tend to take photos and pose for selfies. Folks get an average of five to seven minutes with the bell, but the wait to see it can add up to much more than that—more than 18% of TripAdvisor reviews mention the long wait.
How to beat the wait time: Try getting in line first thing in the morning, before the Liberty Bell Center opens at 9 a.m., or around 4 p.m., one hour prior to closing, when much of the crowd will have ebbed.
2. Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky, Ohio
Braving even a few of the 18 bloodcurdlingly scary rollercoasters at the theme park known as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World” means mustering some courage—and some patience. The thrill rides at Cedar Point are a rite of passage for many a vacationing daredevil, so it’s no surprise that the lines to ride them are long, especially in the summer. (The park’s annual open period is early May to early November, but it’s open only on weekends from September to November.) More than 16% of reviews mentioned long wait times to have your wits scared out of you, but the value of saying you survived the park’s newest coaster, Siren’s Curse? Priceless.
How to beat the wait time: “If you can plan your trip for September onwards, when kids are back in school, you should find shorter lines at parks like Cedar Point and elsewhere,” says Emily Kaufman, a leading travel expert and on-air personality known as The Travel Mom.
3. The Broad Museum, Los Angeles
This museum of contemporary art in downtown LA was founded and funded by philanthropist art collectors Eli and Edythe Broad, who donated their own extensive private art collection. Admission to The Broad is free, so art lovers, as well as countless school groups, line up to ponder challenging works from Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol and other contemporary icons. Apparently, though, the museum’s timed entry system creates a bit of a bottleneck outside the ultra-modern building, and nearly 14% of TripAdvisor reviews mention long wait times, especially when there’s a popular limited-time exhibition.
How to beat the wait time: “With any museum,” says Kaufman, “try to visit outside of school hours so you avoid field trip groups. And if you’re booking tickets for a blockbuster exhibit, book the earliest entry slot available.”
4. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.
This national repository of Black history and culture, nicknamed the Blacksonian, is part of the Smithsonian Institution. It opened in 2016 along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and it has quickly become one of the Smithsonian’s most visited museums. As with all Smithsonian Museums, admission is free. But the National Museum of African American History and Culture issues timed-entry passes that you must reserve in advance. Long wait times at the door are apparently due to tight security.
How to beat the wait time: As with many popular (and free) museums, try to book outside of school hours, say, in the late afternoon. You may also want to avoid February, which is Black History Month, when special museum events will draw bigger crowds.
5. The Gateway Arch, St. Louis
A monumental icon from the moment it opened in 1967, the Gateway Arch (in my hometown of St. Louis) is visible from many parts of the city. But the real thrill of the Arch is going up to its viewing platform to survey the city and enjoy views of up to 30 miles. That said, there’s no quick way to do this, thanks to an ingenious, but space-limited, tram system that snakes up one shaft of the curved arch and down the other. Only 80 people can ride at a time, in cramped five-person pods, and they’re allowed just 10 minutes at the viewing platform before they have to descend to make room for other guests. It’s a must-do experience in St. Louis, just not one that can be rushed.
How to beat the wait time: Summer weekends see frequent events at the nearby Riverfront Park. They’re a lot of fun, but best avoided if you want to reduce wait time for the Arch.
Which other attractions made the list?
Not surprisingly, the rest of the list is dominated by theme parks, monuments, natural areas and attractions with limited space or daily visitor caps.
6. Dollywood: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
7. Space Needle: Seattle
8. Madame Tussauds Wax Museums: New York City, Las Vegas and elsewhere
9. Walt Disney World Resort: Orlando/Kissimmee, Florida
10. SeaWorld Parks: Florida, Texas and California
11. Statue of Liberty: New York City
12. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: Merritt Island, Florida
13. Graceland: Memphis
14. Hoover Dam, Nevada
15. Empire State Building: New York City
16. Yellowstone National Park: Montana and Wyoming
17. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): New York City
18. Franklin Institute: Philadelphia
19. Biltmore Estate: Asheville, North Carolina
20. The Art Institute of Chicago: Chicago
21. Grand Canyon National Park: Arizona and Utah
22. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Washington, D.C.
23. The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum: New York City
24. USS Midway Museum: San Diego
25. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Washington, D.C.
26. Alcatraz Island: San Francisco
27. Niagara Falls: Niagara Falls, New York
28. The High Line: New York City
29. The National WWII Museum: New Orleans
30. The Metropolitan Museum of Art: New York City
31. Exploratorium: San Francisco
32. Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Keystone, South Dakota
33. Diamond Head State Monument: Oahu, Hawaii
34. Antelope Canyon: Arizona
35. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Tennessee
36. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Key Largo, Florida
37. New Orleans French Quarter: New Orleans
38. Chihuly Garden and Glass: Seattle
39. Bryce Canyon National Park: Utah
40. Iolani Palace: Honolulu
41. Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory: Key West, Florida
42. National Museum of World War II Aviation: Colorado Springs
43. Fountains of Bellagio: Las Vegas
44. Stetson Mansion: Deland, Florida
45. Taliesin Preservation – Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center: Spring Green, Wisconsin
How can you skip wait-time issues when traveling?
While some wait time is inevitable, Kaufman offers the following additional tips on how you can spend more of your vacation time actually enjoying these destinations and less time cooling your heels in line.
- For some attractions, it pays to go later. “The lines for big observation wheels like the Orlando Eye are the longest at opening,” says Kaufman, “because they slowly load the cars. Get there about 45 minutes after opening time and you’ll have less waiting.”
- Vacation in shoulder season. This is tough for families with school-age kids who can only get away in the summertime. But if you can sneak the kids out of school for a few days, Kaufman says September is often ideal. “It’s shoulder season in most places; the weather is still warm (but not deathly hot), and the crowds are thinner.”
- At most places, don’t just show up. Some attractions encourage booking timed entry in advance, while others, like many national parks, require doing so. For an attraction you have your heart set on, don’t leave it to chance.
- Buy attraction passes with skip-the-line benefits. “Companies like Go City and City Pass offer you the ability to buy multiple attraction tickets in advance, many of which include timed booking or skip-the-line options, or that feature dedicated lines just for those passholders.”
- Bite the bullet and buy the fast pass. “Theme park lines can be brutal during peak times,” says Kaufman. “It is a bit pricey, but ultimately worth the cost to purchase an express pass, so you can spend your time on rides, and not in line.”
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Sources:
- Emily Kaufman, leading travel expert and on-air personality known as The Travel Mom
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