TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

As you drive along a highway to your ultimate destination, chances are you'll see plenty of brown signs (the universal color designating a historical site) on the way. And depending on the day, or the time of day, chances are the site may be closed -- as I found out a couple of times on a driving vacation I took a few months ago!

It wasn't a case of me not planning my trip properly. I had a list of all the sites I wanted to see -- and I got to them on time. But sometimes you just see a sign for something that has some kind of interest for you. Or you might just be glad of an excuse to get off the highway for a few minutes and take a break, looking at something more interesting than a McDonald's restaurant interior.

If you're driving somewhere on a Monday, that's the day when many smaller museums are closed. They're open on weekends because that's when people have time to go see them, and the workers need some time off, so it's usually Monday.

In addition, they usually close around 5 pm, or so.

However, even if you're driving along and you're sure a site is closed, why not go check it out anyway? (Always assuming your schedule permits.)

If nothing else, you'll be 'walking on ground on which so-and-so walked,' or just get a feel for the place from its exterior. You'll also learn how to find it again, should you be retracing your same steps on the way home.

And don't sell sites short just because of their exterior appearance. I once drove to the Iowa Aviation Museum over a poorly graded road, and saw a dingy hangar, and thought to myself,... what is this, this isn'g going to be anything. Then I went inside and the interior of the hangar was huge and full of classic planes that were just a joy to see.

So, depending on your time, let serendipity take hold, and visit sites even if you're sure they'll be closed.