One of the skill sets I acquired as long-term runaway was the ability to sneak into just about anywhere.
I sweet talked my way into luxury hotels and relaxed in their hot tubs, pools, and saunas. I snuck onto trains and traveled thousands of kilometers. I even managed to enter the Pyramids with a fake ticket.
In the beginning, I got caught plenty of times. Trembling hands, a bright red face, and profuse perspiration gave me away. But the more I tried, the calmer, stealthier and more emboldened I became.
The following guide will empower you with the fundamentals to sneaking into anywhere. It will also suggest 8 of the best places to sneak into for intense budget backpackers and runaways.
Disclaimer: Trespassing on private property is illegal everywhere. Sneaking into businesses and other establishments should be used as a last resort and undertaken with respectful intentions.
1) Remain Calm
Fear is the greatest threat to any successful sneak attempt. It manifests in timid body language, irrational thought, and for some, increased flatulence. Even if you manage to keep clenched, authorities and guards will sniff you out. It all comes down to the energy you exude. Therefor it is essential to lose your fear and keep calm.
By rationalizing any mission, you are able to put your fear into perspective. Whether your hoping trains, or sneaking into hostels, you have to ask yourself, what’s the worst that could happen? In most cases it’s simply a verbal reprimand before being released. Aside from being a bit embarrassing, there’s really nothing to fear at all. Staying calm, cool, and collected is the foundation that will enable you to successfully sneak into anywhere.
Keeping calm pool side in Guatemala
2) Play The Part
Once you suppress your fear, it’s time to increase your odds of success by becoming an academy award winning actor. In order to do this, you must embody your character in every aspect. You must believe with all your being that you are who you say you are.
If you’re sneaking into a hotel, play the part of a guest. Maybe you’re the son or daughter of a rich business tycoon. If anyone tries to stop you, respond quickly and arrogantly. Don’t give anyone any reason to believe that you aren’t supposed to be where you are.
Although playing the part takes practice, once this technique is perfected, it is the most effective in any sneak endeavor.
To play the part, you gotta look the part
3) Become Invisible
In some settings, the most effective method is to become invisible. This means keeping a low profile, moving among groups, and hiding in the shadows. It is the fast paced, confidence driven, stealth reliant technique used by the likes of James Bond and Indiana Jones.
In order to attain 007 mode, you must call upon a combination of the first two techniques. You must remain calm, confident, and unassuming and play the part to perfection while constantly adapting when necessary.
This is the best method for sneaking into festivals guarded by medieval walls and guards, or jumping international borders.
Getting ready to go undercover at a Japanese festival
8 Places To Sneak Into On The Road
How To Sneak Into Hotels
The hotel is one of the easiest and most rewarding establishments to sneak into. As long as you act like a patron you should be able to swipe a bit of food from breakfast buffets, improve your hygiene by pinching a bottle of shampoo from the maids carts, and relax a bit in the hotel sauna.
How To Sneak Onto Trains
Sneaking onto trains is easier than you might think. Aside from the Eurostar, TGV, and other prestigious high tech lines, you do not need a ticket to access the tracks or enter the train. Once on board, you can travel as long as you manage to avoid the suspicious glare of the ticket controller. The tenacity of the ticket controller to catch free-riders greatly depends on the country. Staying calm is key. For a complete guide, check out How To Sneak Onto Trains.
Perhaps the most difficult train to hop in the world, Eurostar
How To Sneak Into Hostels
Due to the small size of most hostels, sneaking in can be a bit tricky. But if you need to sleep indoors for the night it’s a viable option. The easiest way to do this is to make friends with kids from the hostel, play the part of a backpacker, and enter as a pack.
How To Sneak Into Apartment Complexes
Most apartment complexes are easy to enter with the right amount of stealth and agility. Security is often minimal and gates are generally low and easy to hop. They can offer a degree of safety from the streets and even a hot tub if you’re lucky.
How To Sneak Into Festivals
To sneak into a festival requires a high degree of 007 stealth. Festival organizers anticipate people sneaking in and take every effort to combat this. They design the grounds like a castle and hire hundreds of security guards to protect it. To sneak in successfully, you must locate a weak spot and wait for the opportune moment to move. Staying patient is key. The price of being caught can be up to a week long jail sentence, especially in Eastern Europe. For more on festivals, check out European Music Festival Guide.
The the high walls around Exit Festival, Serbia
How To Sneak Into Shows
Unlike festivals, most shows are very easy to gain access to. The easiest way to do this is to enter the show at intermission. At this time, attendants rarely recheck tickets. Just make sure to dress the part and blend into the group. For info on sneaking into Broadway shows, check out Free Fun In NYC.
How To Sneak Into The Movies
Sneaking into the movies is a great way to hone your skills. It’s relatively stress free and has minor repercussions should you be caught. The easiest method for all movie theaters is to find an old ticket stub and hold it up to the ticket checker while swiftly walking past as if you’re late for the previews.
How To Sneak Into The Pyramids
Many large historic sites such as Angkor Wat and The Great Pyramids are too big to be enclosed by a continuous perimeter wall. Although they have main entrances, unguarded side entrances are surprisingly easy to come by. To enter the Pyramids, simply walk around and enter via the vast desert. For detailed info on sneaking into Angkor Wat, check out Sneaking Into Angkor Wat.
Sneak in through the stables. Hard but not impossible.
Conclusion
Staying calm, confident, playing the part, and going stealth when you need to are the fundamental skills for sneaking into just about anywhere. However, depending on the situation, you may have to get creative. Look for weak spots in security, blend into large groups when you can, and take advantage of the power of persuasion. Though it’s a bit nerve-racking at first, it’s really not as hard or dangerous as you might think.
Keep calm and sneak on,
-Leif
If you really need in indoor sleeping place for the night and can’t afford it I guess apartment blocks are about the easiest thing ever: just read a label on the door bells, wait until someone goes out and pass them quickly and mumble the name you just read.
Bonus point if you go into a student home since they have shared kitchen and the big ones are too big for anyone to know everyone. They often have foreign students as well so fitting in is no real problem.
I only have experience in Europe though.
I used to wait for someone to come out and then just grab the door before it closed. Apartment blocks are a great way to get inside for a night for sure. Thanks for mentioning it!
Another safe tip for festivals or events is to phone or email ahead requesting a press pass. Being a foreigner helps esp if you speak English. Tell them you work for a magazine, maybe even go the extra mile and set up a blog of sorts with reviews or whatever on. You can usually get back stage/free beer/free food and all the perks and choose wherever or not you actually want to interview and take photographs of the acts.
Wow. This is amazing. I just might use this sometime
Love this article – sounds like an adventure in itself!!
Me?? Have I ever snuck into places ?? …. maybe when I was younger & braver! ;)
Thanks! It always makes for some good adventures and some great stories later.
Fun stuff!
As a teen i sneaked into Universal Studios by walking in with the crowd at employee gate returning from lunch.
Joined a tour in progress and it was a riot!
Like you said, just be confident and act like you belong there.
Well done! That sounds like it was great day!!
Really wanna thank you for this! I’ve been on my own travelling the past year until I ran into some problems. I literally had zero funds for the next 2 weeks. Mentally drained, alone at Xmas, super cold city…I freaked out. I prayed for a miracle. Then I found your post + it instantly put my mind in a better place. You showed me how this can be exciting + memorable experience. Long story short, I let go of any fear, realized I’ve relied more on $ than my imagination + that nothing really is impossible. I stayed warm/dry every night + had the BEST 2 weeks. Finding your blog recharged me out if the rut I was in.
Good job! Your doing what I wish I had the courage to do 10 years ago.
Hey. thanks for getting in touch. Sounds like much of my travels, going broke often. I’m really glad to hear it, happy to inspire! That’s great, thanks for sharing.
I love this article.
Thanks Wesley, nice site by the way!
Great post, very different and interesting read. Thanks!
Hey Bo, glad you like it! Ha det!
I love your blog! It’s so helpful and you have great stories and advice!
Thanks Jennifer! Glad I could help! Let me know if you ever need help planning a trip!
brilliant article, as always.
Hey Tom, Thanks a lot! Cheers, -Leif
Very good tips. I find myself sneaking into establishments surprisingly often while I’m traveling. Did it several times while in Asia when I didn’t agree to the entrance price and thought it was just too high. Another thing to add to the list, the first thing I check is to see if the exits have anyone there. There are times when you can walk right into a park/zoo/temple by entering the exit. ;-)
Hey Ron, that’s a good tip, totally forgot about exits. It really depends on the place. You really gotta feel out each place.
These days, I usually only sneak into places like big resorts with empty pools that charge ridiculous entrance prices. Yea, overpriced hotels in developing countries never present a moral dilemma for me when it comes to sneaking in.
Haha I hear you there. Can’t say that I haven’t done that once or twice myself! ;-) lol
Good article on how, but you miss a word about the ethics. First, someone else is paying for your freeride. Second, you’re not supporting jobs for the locals. Third, security for others may get either more unsafe (due to number of rogue freeriders roaming the place) and trigger more security guards (to the annoyment of all). I think your article from Angkor tells the rest, it’s a well balanced article.
Hey Sandalsand, I totally agree with you. I was doing this when I was totally broke and going months without bathing. I mention in the intro that sneaking into places should be done as a last resort and respectfully.
Nice article!
Thanks Logan!
so I’m going to head to antibes on your advice. I too am an on again off again tramp and would like to explore more of europe. so what are some places that you would suggest sneaking into in southern france and italy ? oh and like you said, I don’t want to get struck in antibes. I’m living an adventure and don’t want to get drawn into the homeless circuit, though I am one. so is it better to hitchike out of antibes or sneak onto a train restroom ?
Hey Sadhu,
Sounds good!
There are a lot of nice hotels in Nice and Monaco that are relatively easy to get in to and have great rec areas with pools and stuff.
Also, there are rarely ticket checkers after rush hour or even during rush hour on local trains on the Cote D’azur. If you don’t want to fall into the homeless thing too much, try and do day work on the mega yachts in antibes, juan les pins, and nice. There’s often day work int he winter and it usually pays 15 to 20 euro an hour. Good luck!