Crowded places are locations that large numbers of people access easily and predictably. They include: sporting arenas; transport hubs and public transport; buildings and offices; schools; shopping centres; restaurants, hotels, theatres and other entertainment venues; community festivals and markets; places of worship; tourist attractions; and civic spaces. Crowded places also include open spaces like busy urban streets, parks and pedestrian malls.

A crowded place is not necessarily always crowded: the density of the crowd may vary between day and night, and between seasons; the crowd may be temporary (such as sporting events, festivals, concerts or one-off functions).