Guild Wars 2

I’m relatively new to PvP, coming from a lot of WvW.

I’d like to look around each map, learn routes, names, attack points. Is there a way to do this outside the free play before a match?

If you join an empty custom arena then you can explore them freely.

Dueling arenas are good for that too even if they have people in them. Typically you have to emote and the other acknowledges it before you start fighting.