Travelers Are Sharing The Most Overrated Tourist Traps
source link: https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/travelers-are-sharing-the-most-overrated-places-theyve
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There's nothing worse than planning a trip and getting sucked into a terrible tourist trap. So redditor u/EggsAndBeerKegs asked, "What's the most overrated tourist destination?" People had some strong opinions. Here are some of the responses.
1. Bourbon Street, New Orleans
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"It's filthy, smells like pee, there's gross beer everywhere, and broken glass all over the ground." —u/HeadlessFlyKing
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2. Mike's Pastry, Boston
"...if you want to wait in a 5-mile line to eat a mediocre cannoli, go right ahead." —u/deleted
3. Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
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"It’s crowded, full of homeless people, and smells like pee." —u/ladies-pmme-nudespls
4. Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts
"It's just a rock...in a hole...with '1620' carved on it. But at least you don't have to pay to see it." —u/Kevlar5427
"It's a small stone in the bottom of a well surrounded by cigarette butts and empty beer cans." —u/Fantalones
5. The Leaning Tower of Pisa
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"Does anyone really need to take the famous holding up the tower picture? Or rather, a picture of all the other tourists taking the holding up the tower picture?" —u/Fluxxed0
6. The Sears Tower, Chicago
"If you're a tourist in the city, take an architecture boat tour instead. Or just have a drink at the Signature Room in the Hancock and enjoy the view from there." —u/-eDgAR-
7. Downtown Dubai
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"It's talked up as one of the best tourist destinations in the world, but when I was there it felt like an amusement park under construction. I felt like I was constantly being shuttled from one tourist trap to another." —u/NamerNotLiteral
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8. Manneken Pis, Brussels
"It's a tiny little statue in the corner of a building surrounded by too many tourists trying to take silly photos with it." —u/deleted
9. The Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik
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"I was very disappointed: It's tepid water flowing down from a power plant. You're better off finding the many natural hot springs scattered around Iceland." —u/KingCharlesHead
10. The Seattle Gum Wall
"Honestly, why would you want to take a picture in front of someone else’s chewed-up gum?" —u/dumbassXD
11. Phuket, Thailand
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"Planning a vacation there during high season means you'll be sharing the beach with tons of other tourists. While this may improve if you go during low season, you'll most likely get lots of rain. Plus, trash and water quality are a big problem." —u/irishamerican
12. Cancún, Mexico
"Sure, it's pretty, but doesn't represent the beauty of Mexico. Go to Mérida — the food is better, and the nature is great." —u/Lockshala
"There are so many cooler, hipper, better places to visit around Cancún and the Yucatan. Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Valladolid, and Mérida are much better if you're considering a trip." —u/samuraibutter
13. Times Square, New York
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"It’s a tourist trap, and the restaurants and shopping aren’t unique to NYC. Why eat in Times Square when you can eat at the same chain restaurants in a Midwestern city for even cheaper?" —u/putmeinthegomi
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14. The American side of Niagara Falls
"You're better off going to the Canadian side."—u/jgoldblum88
15. "The Mona Lisa" at the Louvre Museum, Paris
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"Its small and hard to really see anything." —u/FISHKABAB
"When you get to 'The Mona Lisa,' just turn around. On the opposite wall is Paolo Veronese's 'The Wedding at Cana.' It's huge and arguably even more impressive, but most people barely notice it because they just want to take a blurry picture of 'Mona Lisa.'" —u/LePotatoOne
16. Las Vegas
"I am by no means a prude person, but that place is horrific." —u/nocliper101
17. Bondi Beach, Sydney
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"It's a mediocre beach, and during the summer it's always very crowded, so you hardly have space to swim or enjoy yourself." —u/crocodiledendi
18. Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
"The famous museum there is overpriced, boring, and outdated. It's a pure tourist trap. Go to the checkpoint, take a quick picture, leave, and read up on the history later on the internet." —u/ivanoski-007
19. Jemaa el-Fnaa (Market Square), Marrakesh
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"Of all the places we visited in Morocco, Jemaa el-Fnaa was the biggest disappointment. It's full of knock-off clothes and guys trying to get you to take pictures with cobras. Marrakesh in general is awesome, but the market is a let down." —u/deleted
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20. The London Eye
"You're placed into a crowded capsule with 20 other people (think: screaming children, the guy shoving everyone around to take the perfect photo). And it's expensive, especially for travelers on a budget." —u/MaethorVorn
21. Stonehenge
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"It’s a set of rocks out in the middle of a field that smells like sheep poop. It was cool for a few minutes, but far too big of a hassle to be worth it." —u/opvina4
22. The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen
"In one of the most magnificent cities in the world, that little statue surely is not worth wasting any time over." —u/Ninegun
23. The Waikiki Strip, Honolulu
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"There are so many cooler places on the island to spend your time." —u/Jubilies
"Oahu is absolutely beautiful and worth visiting, but stay away from Waikiki. It's overpriced, crowded, and the beach is tiny. Waimea Bay on the North Shore during the summer and Lanikai/Kailua beach during the winter are way better." —u/deleted
24. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
"It's so full of people that you can hardly move without stepping on someone's feet. And it's impossible to get photos without a million other tourists in them."
25. The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
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"I was shocked at the mob it gathers, and for the entire month. The tree and building are cool enough, but not worth the headache." —u/suaveitguy
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26. The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas
"Just an old building with a bunch of tourist traps built to suck money out of your wallet." —u/tgotch
27. Oktoberfest, Munich
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It's overcrowded, super expensive, and does not represent German or Bavarian culture at all." —u/SteamedHams4Chalmers
28. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
"If you're on the Carolina coast, go somewhere else like Charleston. It's so much nicer." —u/brokendowndryer
"If you're seeking a trashy vacation, you really can't top Myrtle Beach." —u/Iplayin720p
29. Goa, India
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"Goa is talked up to be a legendary beach destination, but it really isn't that great. It's crazy busy, the water can be polluted, and it's not relaxing. If you're looking for a beach getaway, there are many better options." u/Thrill_Monster
30. Venice, Italy
"Taking a gondola ride through the canals was cool, and the city itself is pretty, but Venice gets old quickly." u/GMen2613
31. Caminito, Buenos Aires
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"Everything is massively overpriced, and if you venture out of the small triangle, it's not very safe. Stick to San Telmo and nicer neighborhoods like Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano." —u/rivkasaurusrex
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Have you visited a place — a site, attraction, town, or city — that you found seriously overrated? Tell us in the comments below!
Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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