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How’s your stress level? I know it’s the middle of summer and we are supposed to be relaxing. BUT if we are on vacation, we have to watch the youngest travelers like a hawk in an unfamiliar environment. We may have experienced flight delays, lost luggage, car trouble, bad weather, annoying relatives … the list goes on and on.

AND if you have been trying to take in the Great Sites in European cities like Paris, Barcelona or Madrid, you might have been caught in a demonstration against overtourism. Were you hit with a water pistol?

We get it. It’s tough in these cities where locals can’t find an affordable place to live, to eat, to shop in the central cities. It doesn’t help that so many tourists are blind to those concerns.

At the same time, there are similar issues in popular spots in the US. Do you make sure to always pick up after your dog? Not everyone does.

Do you get impatient trying to get into the national parks – and once you do get in, you may not be able to find a parking spot at a trailhead. (Yes, that’s happened to me at Rocky Mountain National Park.)

What’s a tourist to do? First, take a deep breath. Traveling this summer is different – the heat, the hurricanes, the economic uncertainty, the wars in the Middle East. The long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo has again been postponed; flight routes are being scrapped – in the US, as well as abroad.

That’s not surprising. Though there were record numbers of people traveling over the Fourth of July holiday, according to AAA – 72.2 million Americans – the majority were driving. And according to the latest American Travel Sentiment study from Longwoods International, Americans are cutting back on travel spending, everything from shopping to food and lodging. Nearly a third are choosing a destination closer to home.

That doesn’t necessarily de-stress the experience – either for you or for locals here and abroad. Yes, the locals badly need your travel dollars, but they don’t want to be run out of their hometowns or cities. Have you been in Bar Harbor Maine, the gateway to Acadia National Park, in August? In tiny Crested Butte, Colorado, during the Wildflower Festival? At Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in the middle of summer? Walt Disney World?

It can be crazy crowded! Here is what you can do. It’s not that you shouldn’t see Old Faithful. But also seek out less crowded parts of the park – and other national parks. Yellowstone has 3,468 square miles, larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

If those in local shops and restaurants take longer to serve you, don’t get angry. They are likely overworked, underpaid and don’t have enough staff. That’s also the case in the national parks this summer as a result of all of the staff and budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration.

If you can, seek out popular destinations during shoulder season – Cape Cod or the Pacific Northwest in September, for example. The weather is still good but there will be fewer crowds and prices will be lower. Visit Italy and France in October, Thailand and Vietnam until November.

I know. You have to travel when your kids aren’t in school. Seek out less busy locales. Summer is hurricane season but if you protect yourself with travel insurance, you will get a much better deal in the Caribbean and Mexico than in winter and enjoy less crowded beaches and unique festivals like the Crop Over festival in Barbados that spotlights Bajan artisans, storytellers and chefs.

Check out smaller museums and smaller cities. How about the Rodin Museum and sculpture garden in Paris or the Center of the history of the (WWII) Resistance in Lyon. Everyone visiting Amsterdam wants to visit the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum but foodies would enjoy Amsterdam Eats. A history in dishes at the Allard Pierson Museum, part of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. (More after my visit.)

Rather than spending all of your time around the Spanish Steps in Rome, Times Square in New York or Pier 39 in San Francisco, explore some less crowded neighborhoods. Free Tours by Foot offers complimentary tours led by locals in cities, including New York, Chicago, London, Washington, D.C., and more. The International Greeter Association pairs visitors with locals for off-the-beaten track walks, based on your interests and language needs. There is no charge. You might connect with a greeter in Denver, Toronto, Tokyo, Bologna or Vienna, among other places. We had a memorable walk once in Paris with a Greeter in his neighborhood, for example.

But be aware. The US State Department has issued a Worldwide Caution Security Alert and travel advisories for various regions due to increased safety concerns and demonstrations against tourists. T he conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.” Check here for country information and recent security alerts.

Ditch the car. Not only will you be traveling greener, but you won’t stress about finding places to park. Take public transport or ride bikes. In the summer, you may find free shuttles in places, including Bar Harbor, Maine, where you can take the Acadia Island Explorer, Yosemite Valley Shuttles in California or Free Seattle waterfront shuttles and in Estes Park, Colorado, among other places. They can be good places to chat up locals about their favorite summer pastimes and places to picnic.

Most importantly, wherever you find yourselves this summer, thank the locals for hosting you. They deserve that.

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)

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