What to do During Flight Layovers

When flying either within the 50 United States or across the ocean to another country you may have long layovers.  Depending on these lengths of time you may be able to leave the airport to travel around the city and catch some of the sites.  Determine how much time you will have after disembarking the plane, going through security, storing your luggage in a locker or holding room and finding your way out of the airport. Also include the amount of time it will take you to get back through security and to your departing gate.   Remember if you are traveling to another country you will have to collect your luggage and recheck it.  This takes time.  If once you've done all that and have 4 hours left you can safely say you will have time to leave the airport.  I will suggest that if you plan on doing this you have an agenda set before hand.   Prior to leaving home search for things to do during a layover in that city.  TripAdvisor offers many suggestions as far as dining and site seeing.  You will want to check on transportation options as well.  Is it best to take a taxi to where you've decided to go or will a public bus be just as quick.  Can you walk to one or more of your destinations.  Find out the cost of these transportation services and whether you will need to convert US currency to the local currency to pay for them.  Write everything down, the names of places your going to visit, addresses and phone numbers.  Also their hours of operation.  Also have a plan B just in case the restaurant you want to dine at isn't open or the museum your going to visit is closed.   Don't get stuck having to ask someone where a good place to eat would be, you may end up being sorry.  We had a perfect restaurant picked out in France to eat at after we had visited the Eiffel Tower and the Arch d' Triumph.  Unfortunately our driver had not heard of it and could not find the address.  After 30 minutes of going in circles and the fare going up and up we just asked him to take us somewhere he would recommend.  Wrong!!  Food and service were terrible.  So much for our romantic dinner at the street side cafe.  So it is always best to be prepared.  Another word of advise is to download a currency exchange app on your phone.  This will make conversion a lot easier for you.   I use XE currency and love it.  Another great app is google translate.  It will actually say what you want in the language you want it.   It can be a life saver.