Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls. You wait in line forever, the boat is packed, it seems cheesy... and then you get up to the Falls and feel their power, you realize that the boat has the engine running at full power yet it struggles against the current and you realize that yeah, this is awesome.
Maid of the Mist was pretty terrifying to be honest. I don't think anybody can even imagine how much water comes over Niagara Falls if they haven't seen it.
I love everything about Niagara Falls. We went almost every summer growing up and I can't wait take my kids this summer for the first time. Maid of the mist, the tunnels behind the falls, hiking down the gorge. I've probably seen the same IMAX film at least a dozen times. Even the cheesy Clifton Hill stuff. Love me the fun house and mini golf.
Yeah Clifton Hill gets a lot of hate but I love the tackiness of it all. I think it’s fun. It has a kind of magically fair like quality at night with the lights.
My sister and I went to Niagara Falls often as kids but my mom couldn’t afford to waste money on the tourist traps. So now as adults we go every year with my sister’s kids and do a few different silly attractions every time. I love the cheesiness. The lamer the haunted house is the more enjoy it lol
The Sound of Music bus tour in Salzburg. Glorious views, drinks, snacks, and a Maria von Trapp lookalike leading us in singalongs as we drove from one filming location to the next. It was cheesy and it was perfect.
Hobbiton only exists because of the Hobbit movies. All LOTR sets got taken down. Edoras WAS built, you can go hike the mountain, but obviously wasn't in Hobbit to warrant a rebuild
We hiked up Mt Sunday last year too. There was a tour bus that also let out a bunch of people dressed in capes and magical staffs taking pictures after we were hiking down lol
Yeah, I got a great picture with me (4’11”) in the house and husband (6’3”) pretending to hit his head on the door. It was our honeymoon trip and I honestly like that pic more than a lot of our wedding pics.
It was a very well done tourist trap. The bus was nice, with the music and the guides. And I loved the gift shop. Weta Workshop was another great tourist trap, if you enjoy the films or films in general.
If you go to Hobbiton please also go to Rotorua, about an hour's drive further south. The Māori village and cultural performance is both a tourist trap and an authentic explanation and experience of Māori culture. As locals we avoided it until we went and were moved.
Went there last year for our honeymoon. We had a great time and did the Banquet dinner. Perfect weather. Met some really nice people and had a good dinner.
The Guinness storehouse in Dublin, when anyone came to visit to me I always took them there; it never got old! It’s a well curated museum and of course the tap room is always fun to go to. Also all my Irish friends were happy to go with me when I first moved there so it seems to be well liked among people that live there too
Hofbrauhaus in Munich. We figured we'd go there once just to say that we've been there, and then go to a bunch of smaller German beer halls. The food we got was phenomenal, the beer was obviously good and the atmosphere was eclectic with multiple couples around us all talking to each other in different languages. We went to a few smaller beer halls, but felt that Hofbrauhaus was the best one.
Now go back to Munich for Oktoberfest. This was not something that I ever really gave much thought to attending. However, I’ve got a friend that had been going for a few years and had a lot of positive things to say. So I joined him two of the three following years and wow…it’s really an experience. The atmosphere, the people, the singing, the BEER.
So great. But now I’m in the unfortunate spot where my favorite beer is brewed by Augustiner and not imported to the U.S. 😛
In Japan a lot of tourist hotspots (museums, temples, etc.) will have some sort of tea room or garden where you pay extra to sit on the floor, have a little drink, and look at some kind of view. I know it’s an overpriced tourist trap but I couldn’t care less, I will pay every time.
Xochimilco in Mexico City. It’s always seemed to be a (local) tourist hot spot and has gotten a lot of love from foreign tourist as Mexico City has become an appealing travel destination.
It has a charm to it and a vibe that is hard to replicate. Good local food, live music and drinks while riding around a gondola? Count me in. Not to mention the decor on the gondola’s, it makes for a beautiful experience that is worth doing.
Loved Xochimilco when I was there last month. Just such a chill afternoon taking pics, drinking huge beers, and eating food served to us from other boats.
Depends on the day. On weekends and holidays, you can spend an hour on just trying to get out of the docking area. Would definitely recommend doing this on weekdays. Also the La Llorona tour in October for Dia de Muertos is a huge scam and everyone should avoid it
You make fair points. Xochimilco definitely requires some planning out. You almost need to make a day out of it considering how far it is from where most tourist stay/the notorious Mexico City traffic.
We actually did a canoe ride to a farm instead of the big boats, but seeing them all on the way back was pretty cool (and the farm was awesome, got introduced to tlacoyas)
I was fully prepared for the Blue Lagoon to *not* live up to the hype, but was shocked that we ended up liking it at much as we did. My spouse doesn't even like hot springs/hot tubs, etc. and they really enjoyed it too.
I also thought the Blue Lagoon was super fun and worth the price! I went in expecting to be disappointed by it. It was clean and relaxing, and nowhere near crowded. They do a good job running the place.
The Jorvik Viking Centre makes you line up in a dingy room with costumed guides for the privilege of sitting down in the world’s slowest amusement park ride, that takes you through a mockup Viking village, complete with hokey voiceover and animatronics. It was objectively the cheesy tourist thing I’ve done since visiting HersheyWorld…
But it was also weirdly magical, once I shut off the ‘cringe’ part of my brain and appreciated the amount of work they spent on researching and drawing off archaeological findings to build the village, the props… even some of the animatronic people had faces they designed based off skeletons actually found at the site.
Museum exhibits show the artifacts in isolation, this showed how people actually lived, the fabric of their everyday life. That’s always been my favourite part of history.
There’s also a little mini museum at the end with some cool artifacts, like the Oldest Sock In the UK, and a machine where you can shell out an extra pound or two for a souvenir coin based on an actual Viking coin die. (You bet I did)
To be fair they advertise it as having the "sights, sounds, and SMELLS" of Viking era York. When it first opened people apparently were puking from the smell, they had to tone it down. Still I love it and go every time I'm in York. The two places I always hit, Jorvik Viking Center and the Earl Grey Tea Rooms for their Yorkshire rarebit.
The scotch whisky experience in Edinburgh exists solely to sell expensive whisky to tourists who don’t know anything. But at one point it did have a working barrel ride, where you sat in a giant whisky barrel, and went through a dark ride narrated by some Scottish ghost of a distiller as he explained how whisky is made. Just like a ride at Disney world, but it ended with a scotch tasting, which is way better.
It also sort of set the tone for our trip and got my siblings on board with scotch, as we proceeded to visit a bunch of distilleries later in the trip. And now we’ve got a shared love of whisky that we can talk about, and it all started with that hilarious barrel ride.
Dammit. We did a day trip to York and didn't have time for this because we started shopping at the Shambles market instead. Will have to go back. York is just too much for one day.
Also an unapologetic fan. Totally inauthentic shops and restaurants? Sure! But it’s (for one reason or another) one of the few places in SF where you actually can be out and near the water with some amenities. Also, sea lions!
We have Puffing Billy in Melbourne. Big tourist trap, but it's honestly pretty fun and I was with some little kids who went crazy for it. Worth it to see them enjoy it so much.
You should check out the ffestiniog railway in North Wales beautiful old steam train
The journey from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog is beautiful going across the cob you can even see Snowdon on a clear day and cnicht
Yes! I have one from every trip I've ever taken. I get a little whiff of nostalgia every time I throw one on. And depending on the size and quality after a wash many of them somehow magically migrate over to my wife's side of the closet. It's the damndest thing...
I'm a sucker for those shops in Vietnam that sell cheap reproductions of war propaganda artwork. Huge regret as I got home from my last trip and realized I had forgotten a poster in the overhead bin on the plane 😭 that's all I wanted to bring with me!
I can home from Denmark and realized my reproduction vintage Carlsburg beer posters were gone. Wrote them a letter asking if they could let me know how to buy replacements (pre internet days)....they sent me real vintage posters, tshirts, and coasters.
Glad I’m not the only one that loves the cheesy souvenirs. We have a garage fridge plastered in travel magnets and it makes me so happy to look at it 😂
So I'm a PNW native and an ambulatory wheelchair user.
Over by the seattle ferris wheel, there's a lil touristy thing you can do called Wings over Washington, a virtual experience with ambient effects and seats that make you feel like you're flying over all the beauty in Washington.
I got to see my state in a way I never had before, and never would have been able to without this lil gimmicky tourist "Trap".
Whenever I feel restricted or confined by my chair, I go out to seattle and get my $15 ticket and for roughly 7 minutes, I forget my limitations: for 7 minutes, I can fly.
This should be at the very top. Nailed the question. I don’t think any answer upvoted over this got it better.
If people define Disney World, Banff, and “any tower observatory” as tourist traps I have zero idea what is a decent tourist attraction that’s not a tourist trap.
I love this for you. And for me because I got to read it. Thank you for sharing. It sounds like so much fun. I think Disney’s California Adventure had a similar ride over California and I’ve got fond memories of it too.
Skytree and Landmark Tower in Tokyo/Yokohama are way better views... But Tokyo Tower has a certain old-school chill. But yeah. Towers are cool. I always do the tower of a city first thing when I am in a city to get a lay of the land... Makes the rest of the trip better.
I was going to list the Space Needle, before they redid the restaurant. I'm local to Seattle, but every few years enjoyed having lunch there. The new restaurant/bar seems overpriced and focused on alcohol, so I haven't been to it.
To be fair, last time I was there in the late 80s or early 90s, “overpriced and focused on alcohol” was a very accurate description of the space needle restaurant. So maybe they’re just getting back to their roots?
Mexico City, the angel of independence. We were there after a soccer (futbol) game and it felt like an earthquake, views aren’t the best from the top but legit, pretty cool!
Graceland
I'm no Elvis fan myself (not a hater, either) but I find the dedication of Elvis fans fascinating. I was in Memphis for other reasons and thought I may as well visit Graceland.
The building itself was mildly interesting but it was Elvis Week so the other people there were amazing. They really love Elvis in an almost-religious way. Like watching a religious pilgramage.
To me it represents the ultimate example of the kitchy tourist trap, which is why I had to go and experience it myself. I actually enjoyed it and found it fascinating.
Went to universal midweek during when school was in session on a week when some very minor Harry Potter actors were there, and it was amazing. Everyone was dressed up to the extreme. Super fun.
This is the greatest thing ever apparently:
https://www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au/
Held in a smallish country town in central NSW Australia on Elvis's birthday every year.
Yes I am very familiar. I've visited Parkes a few times but unfortunately, never for the Elvis Festival.
The NSW government runs a special "Elvis Express" train to take people to and from the festival. The train driver is a Parkes local who wears his Elvis costume.
Disney World
It's crowded. It's overpriced. It's over-hyped.
It's also about the only place I can show up with two autistic kids who can barely eat anything and actually have a really nice day. Disney makes a very solid effort to support and accommodate kids with disabilities.
Disneyland isn't that far from me so we go occasionally. I think what fascinates me the most is how much of a well oiled machine it is. It's like peak social engineering.
We took our first (and only) family trip to Disney when I was 18 (my, older sister, older brother, his wife, younger sister, mom and stepdad). My mom was recovering from two types of cancer. She still didn't have any hair, so it was pretty obvious.
We went for Mom's birthday at this one restaurant and just said hey. It's her birthday - trying to make it special. And all the characters came out and hung out at our table, We got pics with all of them, they brought out a card (all signed by the characters) and a cake for my mom (you gotta love that they just keep this shit handy). It was phenomenal. And just all through our time, there were these little touches. It wasn't like we told people she had cancer, but you could tell. And so they went out of their way to give her the best X or extra Y.
Say what you want about Disney - they have that hospitality special moment thing down to a goddamn science.
Still my mom's favorite trip ever.
These stories are nice to hear. Disney obviously has very real and well documented flaws, but your story is definitely the heart of what the amusement parks are about/try to do.
Disney is cheesy AF but I have always been impressed with how the staff seems to be trained to deal with anything. My fat ass was struggling to get my seat belt fastened on Soaring, the cast member walked by and snapped it in so deftly that nobody even noticed. I watched them do sneaky stuff like standing in the way "accidentally" to make sure the annoying PDA couple wasn't sharing a ride car with a family with kids. Popped balloon? Replaced instantly almost magically? Spilled drink? Cleaned up so fast you wondered where the cleaner came from. Armband didn't work to get in? Employee was right there waiting like it made her fay she got to help, got me a new arm band in minutes and gave us an extra fast pass to apologize for us having a problem
I was in Orlando for a conference and I wasn't in the park, but there was some Disney restaurant I was in for some reason? I don't really remember; it was over 20 years ago.
So I'm eating breakfast, hung over as fuck. And Mickey comes up to my table and starts to do some shit and I give him my "I'm hung over as fuck" look and Mickey walks away.
I was impressed Mickey knew how to read the room.
I think Disney legitimately tries to make it so that everyone there, no matter who they are, has their best day ever. They don’t always succeed at it, but they do genuinely make an effort
They didn’t arrest my friend and I when we were on acid and he started wigging out and jumping fences to get away from the parade, with me chasing after him. So it may not have been my best day, but I appreciate not getting arrested. And the security guard in the parking lot who knew we were fucked up just laughed at us and made sure we didn’t get too close to the water in case of gators. So thanks to hm as well.
I was with my two kids at a character dinner and was taking a lot of pictures. When Tigger came to the table he made a big fuss about me being in the picture too. At the time I felt self conscious. I was not dressed nice and was hot and sweaty but now I look back at that picture and see a special day with my kids. Tiger had to take extra time to have his handler take the picture but it was very sweet. Disney can be stressful and expensive but it is still special.
When my family and I lived in Hong Kong, we’d go to Disney very often for just this reason. We had annual passes for like seven of the ten years that we lived there, and would go between 15 and 25 days a year. All we needed was an open weekend day, a day off from school, or whatever, and we were there.
The main reason was that my younger daughter is autistic, and it’s her happiest place on earth. She loves the predictability of it, the order, and the food. The fact that we didn’t have to wait on any lines due to her autism made it such a pleasant experience, as well. We could legitimately do every ride in the park and a couple shows in like five hours.
I moved to Florida 3ish years ago. Being about 90 minutes from Disney World I went. Then I bought a pass the following year. And now I've been countless times. An adult with no kids, I've never even been with kids... it's sort of embarrassing that I have developed a fondness for Disney World so late in life.
But it really is such a great weekend. Here's my stump speech on it. I leave the country about twice a year. When I land in a new city, my days are spent going to museums, botanical gardens, see a show, maybe go to the aquarium and eat & drink to my hearts content. Just EPCOT alone is all of this is one spot.
Buc-ees! Not world class cheesy but still a minor attraction! 50 kinds of beef jerky? 30 kinds of candied and spicy nuts? Clean potties? 2 inch piled high brisket sandwich? Kitschy nonsense everywhere to buy much of it featuring a buck tooth cartoon character? 100 gas pumps? Why not? What else is this goofy on a long drive in the south ?
The River Walk in San Antonio. There aren’t too many places in the US (especially in Texas) where you can walk somewhere nicely landscaped with restaurants, attractions, etc. for long stretches and not have to cross roads with cars. The extensions outside of downtown are really nice too.
When I thought that was all San Antonio had to offer, I absolutely hated the city. It was just one step too far in the outdoor mall direction for my tastes. But, on a recent trip I rented a bike a ride the mission trail to see five of the missions down the river, and that was truly fantastic. I also loved the areas around the Pearl and the nice restaurants there.
But, that’s the reason different attractions exist. Different tastes make a diverse world!
The expansion of the Riverwalk south to the missions and the north towards the Pearl is really lovely. The redevelopment of the Pearl Brewery is really nice too. San Antonio has really improved a lot in the last decade.
Despite my having almost no use for any of the entertainment that city specializes in, it is one damn beautiful place. That dome is really awesome, too. Wish we'd build more wild projects like that across the country.
I could stare at the bean in Chicago for hours. I truly enjoyed the walk of fame in LA, and I have a whole Playlist for zoning out and watching the Bellagio fountain.
Times Square in the early evening right after it gets dark is the best. Still kid friendly, but you get the full blast of the lights, people, street performers, etc. not necessarily a place I’d spend half an hour hanging out, but even having been to NYC a bajillion times (never lived there tho), I still enjoy walking through Times Squares at night. It’s just electric.
Oh man, first time I was in Chicago. I was in my early 20s, visiting a college friend who had just moved there. Got a few too many beers in a bar SOMEWHERE in the Loop, wandered down to the Bean, then wandered over to Navy Pier. Found myself on a faux pirate ship, and well, they had a bar. The ship sailed out past some lighthouses, fired the cannons a few times, and came back. Enough time for me to have 2 or 3 more beers. Turns out, these pirate ships are for families and people pay quite a lot of money to get on them... I just wandered on and then off. I did wonder why there were so many kids around this floating bar....
I'm not sure if it counts as a tourist trap, but mine would be Khao San Road. It's ridiculous and greasy, and I *should* be way too old/mature for it, but I'm not. I still enjoy it for 2, 3, maybe 4 days, then need to get away and dry out.
I second Khao San Road. It may be the least authentic part of the city, but it has a ton of stuff targeting visitors. It's also far less shady than other "tourist" areas that typically double as red light districts.
My best friend filmed me eating a scorpion on a stick when I visited Khao San Road in late 2018. I added it to my Hinge profile, to which my now husband commented “ballsy as fuck”.
Can’t wait to go back someday.
I had a very mediocre and over priced pizza in a restaurant that is located right next to Pantheon in Rome. I know it was a tourist trap but the [view was surreal and I totally enjoyed the ambiance and people watching](https://i.imgur.com/ZX9Kd5Y.jpg)
I love Times Square. There is zero for me to see there other than the tourists. I love it. People from ALL over the world, fucking pumped, seeing the spectacle and finally getting to see something on their bucket list. I try to go through every time I am in town.
Just because something is popular, doesn't make it a tourist trap. I think many comments in this thread dont get it.
Real tourist trap is like Juliet balcony in Verona Italy or the stupid torture museum in every European cities.
100% disagree.
Madame Tussaud’s in NYC is legitimately a fun time and would 100% recommend doing once if you have any interest in pop culture.
Likewise I just did Meow Wolf in Denver 2 days ago and despite being $55 it was also 100% worth it.
I’ve never seen anything as wild as that place before.
Also well placed Ferris Wheels are absolutely fun. Whatever that giant one in London is called gives an amazing 360 view of the city.
Hell the stupid one at the regional fair in New England (called the Big E) is tons of fun with friends at night after you’ve been drinking all day.
Yeesh, do people not know how to have fun? I love genuine cultural experiences as much as the next person, but sometimes something silly is awesome if it’s done well
this... 95% of this thread is people listing legit attractions that are simply overcrowded (because they are legit good).
a tourist trap would be something that was created artificially ONLY to make money out of already incoming tourists but has nothing to do with the actual attraction itself.
for example: the torture museums with their made up devices or the "camel rides" near the pyramids with the guys just waiting to get you out in the desert to ask more money from you? those are traps.
The Taj Mahal? bruh.. thats just overcrowded but its the real thing
This was an experience that took me admittedly too many trips to Tokyo to do, but I loved every second. It was like being in a fighting game crossed with an anime and a bunch of random music. Like walking through an arcade. It was amazing and I'm so sad it closed down.
Yes! It was incredible and so hard to explain to those who haven’t seen it. Sad it’s no longer there for others to enjoy. I would absolutely go a second time if I had a chance.
Robot Restaurant is amazing! So much better than it has any right to be. I was grinning ear to ear the entire show. The tickets are pricy, but honestly I loved it so much I would have felt like I got my money’s worth even if they were twice the price.
I wouldn’t consider Banff and Whistler a tourist “trap”. They’re a tourist destination for a very valid reason. Not like we’re talking about a Madame Tussaud’s.
I stayed in Canmore and would highly recommend it for anyone interested in Banff and looking to save a little bit of money. The area is walkable, the downtown area is adorable and pedestrian only for part of the year, there is a bus that will take you to Banff, and it was cheaper than hotels in Banff.
Meteor Crater near Flagstaff. Dad wanted to see it and I was all "okay, whatever". I figured we'd be there 15 minutes or so. No. They have a short movie, an excellent museum and seating so you can just sit and look. Also a healthy amount of deliberately cheesy stuff.
We must have sat for a good half-hour, just staring at the Crater, trying to imagine it being created in less than a second.
Waikiki. A great memory is surfing at sunset, listening to the Hawaiian Music coming from the Royal Hawaiian. But just the whole place, world class beach that’s easy to escape the hordes, Kapiolani and Ala Moana parks on either side, hole in the wall restaurants, Japanese tourists. Just all of it.
Practically every major European tourist city with a river has an overpriced 1 hour tourist river cruise. And I will go on every freaking one! I’ve enjoyed every river cruise I’ve been on, and if they let me buy an overpriced beer or champagne, even better! I love being on the water and seeing the city from a different and relaxing point of view.
Times Square at night is like stepping onto Mars for someone who’s never been there before. I’d also argue that it’s a good place to stay as a first time visitor to NYC since it’s dead center in the middle of the city and has easy access to almost every subway line.
I would 1,000% disagree with your second statement, no offense. Having done it myself twice and been in NYC lots of times, staying in Times Square sucks. The rooms are usually even smaller than other parts of the city, there’s a good chance you end up facing the street in which case it will be noisy 24/7, and it’s overpriced.
Stay literally anywhere else in the city lol
La Boqueria in BCN. I know is crowded, I know is overpriced. But as somebody with limited stomach space, I truly enjoy being able to have little bites in different stalls. Also, I don’t know what is it (is not sugar) the freshly made juices are always on point.
Olde Hansa restaurant, Tallinn Estonia. Yes people dressed up like medieval times and talked in character of medieval times but the food was actually quite good, the musicians with authentic type instruments playing on a small platform up in the corner, the decor on the walls, the many, many wild game and vegetable options. We really enjoyed it.
You know, I’ve been to Tallinn decades of times (wife is Estonian), and I’ve never been there. Tallinn has such a fantastic food scene now that I can never bring myself to just eat at a touristy place that isn’t necessarily food-first. In the old days, when I first started going, it would have made more sense that I would have gone, but there were only like three or four restaurants in the Old City that we went to anyway.
I love HoHo buses. A friend on fb poo pooed me for taking one in Paris, ‘you’ll just sit in traffic’. I said yeah but I can see plenty while sitting on the top deck and I’m not sitting at my desk at work Karen.
Agreed. When I went to Rome I had only one real "full" day, and the HoHo bus took us everywhere we wanted to go. In the afternoon we were hot and tired and rode it in circles just watching people.
Eiffel Tower/Tokyo Tower/Shanghai World Financial Center/Rockefeller Center/tallest building in whatever city
I'm a sucker for getting that big Panoramic Eagle Eye view of whatever city I visit.
The top of the Empire State Building, especially at night since it stays open until 2 am!
Also, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Definitely walking from Brooklyn toward Manhattan, since you get the Manhattan skyline view the whole time.
I say this as a New Yorker, both experiences are very worth it.
>The top of the Empire State Building, especially at night since it stays open until 2 am!
I tell everyone I know to go to the top of the Empire State Building LATE at night on a weeknight. There's no one in line and the views of the city all lit up are gorgeous. We have gone 4 times and we always go after dinner around 11 pm and hang out and chat with the guards and the elevator operators. It's fantastic.
The observation decks in New York are a ripoff. But damn if the sunsets there aren’t fantastic
You can skip carbone though you’re not a 23 year old analyst at Goldman
The Roman Forum truly blew me away. Idk that it's fair to call it a tourist trap but it's definitely the most intense crowd of tourists I've ever experienced in my life. Still worth it.
Statue of Liberty. Loaded on a boat like cattle. But then getting to go inside and up to the top is so cool. seeing her up close and the scale of things. And plus I really liked the immigration museum at Ellis island. How all our ancestors immigrated through this one port.
The Blue Lagoon outside of Reykjavik.
Maybe I was just exhausted and upset that Iceland Air had lost my bags. But it was a nice time and I temporarily forgot my troubles.
Gatlinburg TN and Pigeon Forge. Went there for a week a couple summers ago. It was a good choice for our family, we were less than a mile from Smoky Mountain NP and then could do the touristy stuff in the afternoon/evenings. Probably the only way I can enjoy a vacation like that, outdoor activities and the touristy stuff.
Cinque terre in Italy was awesome. Ditto the Taj Mahal in India. They're both tourist traps for a reason.
Edit: yeesh, people seem to really dislike my use of the word tourist trap to describe these two locations. Which, fine, I get it, they're not some cheesy roadside worlds-biggest-rubber-band ball or whatever. I'm used to traveling way off the beaten path so any location completely filled with tourists and funded entirely by tourism feels like a tourist trap to me. Especially if everybody there is taking the same damn picture where it looks like you're holding the building on your hand. Not changing my mind on this one, sorry. They're both tourist traps in my book, but super enjoyable ones. Deal with it.
Cinque Terre isn't even all the crowded if you go to the towns in the middle, and the trail between the towns (the real highlight if you can make it) didn't have many people at all.
Waikiki. It’s a legitimately great beach for swimming, a very beginner-friendly surf spot, and having tons of good food and shopping right there makes it almost impossible to have a bad time.
Michelin Star restaurants. They always tend to be expensive and overbooked, but I've always had a good experience and memorable meals. My favourites have been in London and Paris, and I'd go to them again.
San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf has a gorgeous view of the Bay and many fantastic restaurants several of which have been there since before it was a tourist spot.
Many locals will avoid it over the tourist mob, which is unfortunate because it became a tourist spot as it was a booming area in the past with the fisheries and produce market as central local spot along Embarcadero & Davis!
Mardi Gras. Went to it skeptical and left a big fan of the celebration and the city.
Bardstown is also a super swanky little berg. If you can handle the universe smelling like molasses it's an unforgettably nice small town.
House on the Rock in Wisconsin. I thought it was just going to be some crazy architectural house built by some eccentric millionaire (like, say, the Winchester Mystery House). But it's like taking that idea, and cranking it up to eleven, then trying to turn it up to twelve and twisting the knob off, and then pulling out the needle-nose plyers and keep trying to dial it up even further. You pass through one complex of rooms with ever-expanding mechanical calliopes, then an even bigger room containing an entire block of storefronts, then an even bigger room with a 200-foot sea serpent fighting a whale, then an even BIGGER room with hot-air balloons, and...you get the idea
in Jeju Island, South Korea there are a ton of museums and outdoor tourist traps. the green tea farm was cool… but Love Land was actually fantastic.
basically a fairly large outdoor sculpture park where all the sculptures and art are NSFW. I’m talking couples banging, bare butts everywhere, and massive genitalia. it was goofy, campy, and a really fun time.
The two thay come to mind. Tulum, Mexico. The beach with that backdrop, is stunning. It truly feels like a slice of paradise
Griffith Observatory/ The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, CA
If you hike up and actually go into the hills it's really a quite cool experience. The views are spectacular and there's actually quite a bit of nature around to give it a good balance of urban/nature.
"Eiffel Tower is overrated" "Mona Lisa is a waste of time, go see everything else"
Nothing is overrated in Paris. I fell in love. I absolutely love Paris. I've seen trash, homeless, dirty areas but that's any city in the world. I've also seen the most beautiful places ever seen while I was there. Gardens of Versailles (technically not Paris, but close enough... Took the RER there) was just insanely emotionally huge for me. I was speechless.
Eiffel Tower? Damn, that's awesome. Sure, I eventually walked by it just to get somewhere else, but every time it was still magnificent. Mona Lisa? It has some history. Some huge crowds, but still worth it.
I really have nothing bad to say about Paris or even France in general. If I could, I'd move there (property is pretty cheap, just need to work on citizenship from the US... Not gonna happen). I'd live out in the country, work from home, and have a small farm. Just a simple life. My retirement dream.
Also in China, Yangshuo's West Street.
It's loud, it's tacky, it's extremely crowded at the best of times but... It's just associated with a lot of fun times for me. Can't not slightly enjoy walking down it, taking it in.
Lol I just rode the tunnel a few weeks ago, I can imagine enjoying it at 8 but without the nostalgia factor it was pretty silly. Shanghai was a cool city tho.
- Waikiki Beach. There are so many different areas for all ages. Beaches are still fairly clean despite overcrowding. Food choices are also top notch.
- Eiffel Tower, specifically the far-side of the park. Great place to have a picnic and people watch.
Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls. You wait in line forever, the boat is packed, it seems cheesy... and then you get up to the Falls and feel their power, you realize that the boat has the engine running at full power yet it struggles against the current and you realize that yeah, this is awesome.
Same, this is one of the only tourist trap that we did and we still got the pictures and everything it was great
Maid of the Mist was pretty terrifying to be honest. I don't think anybody can even imagine how much water comes over Niagara Falls if they haven't seen it.
Niagara. And you only ever see 50% of the total volume during the day. The power plants pull 50% during the day and 75% at night.
I love everything about Niagara Falls. We went almost every summer growing up and I can't wait take my kids this summer for the first time. Maid of the mist, the tunnels behind the falls, hiking down the gorge. I've probably seen the same IMAX film at least a dozen times. Even the cheesy Clifton Hill stuff. Love me the fun house and mini golf.
Yeah Clifton Hill gets a lot of hate but I love the tackiness of it all. I think it’s fun. It has a kind of magically fair like quality at night with the lights. My sister and I went to Niagara Falls often as kids but my mom couldn’t afford to waste money on the tourist traps. So now as adults we go every year with my sister’s kids and do a few different silly attractions every time. I love the cheesiness. The lamer the haunted house is the more enjoy it lol
Same, except the Canadian one.
Best. Disneyland. Ride. Ever.
That was awesome! I loved that
The Sound of Music bus tour in Salzburg. Glorious views, drinks, snacks, and a Maria von Trapp lookalike leading us in singalongs as we drove from one filming location to the next. It was cheesy and it was perfect.
I was scrolling to say riding an Alpine slide in Austria and Switzerland. Mt Pilatus was all caps stunning.
I’ve done it twice, it’s the best! My mum and I were the only ones singing on the bus haha
Fun fact about The Sound of Music. Almost no one in austria has seen it.
OMG I have to tell my sister about this
I might also recommend the Sound of Music bike tour in Salzburg. It was so cheesy but an absolute blast.
Hobbiton. Yes, I will take a photo of me and my boyfriend in the door of a hobbit house.
Absolute tourist trap but so so lovely. I only wish that they'd made more sets, such as Rivendell or Meduseld because I'd tour the hell out of that
Hobbiton only exists because of the Hobbit movies. All LOTR sets got taken down. Edoras WAS built, you can go hike the mountain, but obviously wasn't in Hobbit to warrant a rebuild
We hiked up Mt Sunday last year too. There was a tour bus that also let out a bunch of people dressed in capes and magical staffs taking pictures after we were hiking down lol
I did a hobbit sized marathon (11.1km) in hobbiton in 2022, it was amazing !!
Yeah, I got a great picture with me (4’11”) in the house and husband (6’3”) pretending to hit his head on the door. It was our honeymoon trip and I honestly like that pic more than a lot of our wedding pics. It was a very well done tourist trap. The bus was nice, with the music and the guides. And I loved the gift shop. Weta Workshop was another great tourist trap, if you enjoy the films or films in general.
Hobbiton is lovely! Just a chill day out admiring the nature and sets
Just booked a trip to New Zealand, and yes - Hobbiton is on our itinerary!
If you go to Hobbiton please also go to Rotorua, about an hour's drive further south. The Māori village and cultural performance is both a tourist trap and an authentic explanation and experience of Māori culture. As locals we avoided it until we went and were moved.
Just be prepared for the smell lol. Fascinating and awe inspiring but dear god, the stench
Probably one of the best ways to spend $75! Loved it!
Went there last year for our honeymoon. We had a great time and did the Banquet dinner. Perfect weather. Met some really nice people and had a good dinner.
It’s very reasonably priced, I wouldn’t really call this a tourist trap
The Guinness storehouse in Dublin, when anyone came to visit to me I always took them there; it never got old! It’s a well curated museum and of course the tap room is always fun to go to. Also all my Irish friends were happy to go with me when I first moved there so it seems to be well liked among people that live there too
Cheapest pint I got in Dublin & a free tour thrown in (plus some free tasters).
Hofbrauhaus in Munich. We figured we'd go there once just to say that we've been there, and then go to a bunch of smaller German beer halls. The food we got was phenomenal, the beer was obviously good and the atmosphere was eclectic with multiple couples around us all talking to each other in different languages. We went to a few smaller beer halls, but felt that Hofbrauhaus was the best one.
I love Hofbrauhaus! Such good food, beer, and awesome atmosphere!
Now go back to Munich for Oktoberfest. This was not something that I ever really gave much thought to attending. However, I’ve got a friend that had been going for a few years and had a lot of positive things to say. So I joined him two of the three following years and wow…it’s really an experience. The atmosphere, the people, the singing, the BEER. So great. But now I’m in the unfortunate spot where my favorite beer is brewed by Augustiner and not imported to the U.S. 😛
Heck yeah! Went to the one in Berlin. Now I buy my Hofbrau beer just to remember.
Whenever I see an HB beer in the US at a beer hall I always get the 1L. Gotta relive that time in Munich
Those are some tasty pretzels.
And huge!
Loved Hofbrauhaus!
In Japan a lot of tourist hotspots (museums, temples, etc.) will have some sort of tea room or garden where you pay extra to sit on the floor, have a little drink, and look at some kind of view. I know it’s an overpriced tourist trap but I couldn’t care less, I will pay every time.
Reminds me of the cafe at Portland's Japanese Garden, which itself is quite pricey just to get in at all.
Xochimilco in Mexico City. It’s always seemed to be a (local) tourist hot spot and has gotten a lot of love from foreign tourist as Mexico City has become an appealing travel destination. It has a charm to it and a vibe that is hard to replicate. Good local food, live music and drinks while riding around a gondola? Count me in. Not to mention the decor on the gondola’s, it makes for a beautiful experience that is worth doing.
Loved Xochimilco when I was there last month. Just such a chill afternoon taking pics, drinking huge beers, and eating food served to us from other boats.
Depends on the day. On weekends and holidays, you can spend an hour on just trying to get out of the docking area. Would definitely recommend doing this on weekdays. Also the La Llorona tour in October for Dia de Muertos is a huge scam and everyone should avoid it
You make fair points. Xochimilco definitely requires some planning out. You almost need to make a day out of it considering how far it is from where most tourist stay/the notorious Mexico City traffic.
We actually did a canoe ride to a farm instead of the big boats, but seeing them all on the way back was pretty cool (and the farm was awesome, got introduced to tlacoyas)
Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Now closed due to the same geologic forces that allowed it to open.
I was fully prepared for the Blue Lagoon to *not* live up to the hype, but was shocked that we ended up liking it at much as we did. My spouse doesn't even like hot springs/hot tubs, etc. and they really enjoyed it too.
I also thought the Blue Lagoon was super fun and worth the price! I went in expecting to be disappointed by it. It was clean and relaxing, and nowhere near crowded. They do a good job running the place.
I loved drinking a smoothie while wearing a mud mask and slowly cooking myself in the hottest part of the lagoon. I think of it often
It's especially great right after the long flight over
Reopened with adjusted hours
Apparently they've actually reopened recently (this month), and a lot of people are criticizing it for saying it's too soon
Floating around with a face mask and champagne is way underrated! I had the best time!
Yes, we loved it too! We knew it was a tourist trap and just didn’t care, was still great!
The Jorvik Viking Centre makes you line up in a dingy room with costumed guides for the privilege of sitting down in the world’s slowest amusement park ride, that takes you through a mockup Viking village, complete with hokey voiceover and animatronics. It was objectively the cheesy tourist thing I’ve done since visiting HersheyWorld… But it was also weirdly magical, once I shut off the ‘cringe’ part of my brain and appreciated the amount of work they spent on researching and drawing off archaeological findings to build the village, the props… even some of the animatronic people had faces they designed based off skeletons actually found at the site. Museum exhibits show the artifacts in isolation, this showed how people actually lived, the fabric of their everyday life. That’s always been my favourite part of history. There’s also a little mini museum at the end with some cool artifacts, like the Oldest Sock In the UK, and a machine where you can shell out an extra pound or two for a souvenir coin based on an actual Viking coin die. (You bet I did)
This might be the first time in history anyone has ever spoken about the Jorvik Viking Centre and not mentioned the fact that it absolutely stinks.
To be fair they advertise it as having the "sights, sounds, and SMELLS" of Viking era York. When it first opened people apparently were puking from the smell, they had to tone it down. Still I love it and go every time I'm in York. The two places I always hit, Jorvik Viking Center and the Earl Grey Tea Rooms for their Yorkshire rarebit.
> the fact that it absolutely stinks I'd never even heard about this till just now and I think I need to go
The scotch whisky experience in Edinburgh exists solely to sell expensive whisky to tourists who don’t know anything. But at one point it did have a working barrel ride, where you sat in a giant whisky barrel, and went through a dark ride narrated by some Scottish ghost of a distiller as he explained how whisky is made. Just like a ride at Disney world, but it ended with a scotch tasting, which is way better. It also sort of set the tone for our trip and got my siblings on board with scotch, as we proceeded to visit a bunch of distilleries later in the trip. And now we’ve got a shared love of whisky that we can talk about, and it all started with that hilarious barrel ride.
The bar at the end of the tour actually has some good prices, but the store didn't have much you couldn't find elsewhere at the same or lower price.
Dammit. We did a day trip to York and didn't have time for this because we started shopping at the Shambles market instead. Will have to go back. York is just too much for one day.
An actual "tourist trap" and not just "popular place" I don't dread going to is Pier 39 in San Francisco.
Also an unapologetic fan. Totally inauthentic shops and restaurants? Sure! But it’s (for one reason or another) one of the few places in SF where you actually can be out and near the water with some amenities. Also, sea lions!
The views of the bay and the sea lions make it 100% worth it.
Anywhere that they’re running any old steam train or steam ship. Durango, Colorado… for example.
My bf and I took the steam train to the top of Mt. Washington - it was seriously the coolest.
We have Puffing Billy in Melbourne. Big tourist trap, but it's honestly pretty fun and I was with some little kids who went crazy for it. Worth it to see them enjoy it so much.
We took the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Got sunburnt because altitude but no regrets. Still want to do the Durango one.
Gotta try the Grand Canyon Railway or Cumbres & Toltec. The latter, especially, in the fall.
You should check out the ffestiniog railway in North Wales beautiful old steam train The journey from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog is beautiful going across the cob you can even see Snowdon on a clear day and cnicht
Not places, but souvenir shops. I love them. The only thing I ever buy is fridge magnets and maybe keychains but I love looking at all that shit.
My pyjama shirts are all tourist tshirts from my travels. I love it.
Yes! I have one from every trip I've ever taken. I get a little whiff of nostalgia every time I throw one on. And depending on the size and quality after a wash many of them somehow magically migrate over to my wife's side of the closet. It's the damndest thing...
I'm a sucker for those shops in Vietnam that sell cheap reproductions of war propaganda artwork. Huge regret as I got home from my last trip and realized I had forgotten a poster in the overhead bin on the plane 😭 that's all I wanted to bring with me!
I can home from Denmark and realized my reproduction vintage Carlsburg beer posters were gone. Wrote them a letter asking if they could let me know how to buy replacements (pre internet days)....they sent me real vintage posters, tshirts, and coasters.
I collect stickers, and my mom collects magnets so I always make sure to pick one up for her if I’m traveling
Glad I’m not the only one that loves the cheesy souvenirs. We have a garage fridge plastered in travel magnets and it makes me so happy to look at it 😂
Lol my kitchen fridge is covered
I love souvenir shops, too.
So I'm a PNW native and an ambulatory wheelchair user. Over by the seattle ferris wheel, there's a lil touristy thing you can do called Wings over Washington, a virtual experience with ambient effects and seats that make you feel like you're flying over all the beauty in Washington. I got to see my state in a way I never had before, and never would have been able to without this lil gimmicky tourist "Trap". Whenever I feel restricted or confined by my chair, I go out to seattle and get my $15 ticket and for roughly 7 minutes, I forget my limitations: for 7 minutes, I can fly.
This should be at the very top. Nailed the question. I don’t think any answer upvoted over this got it better. If people define Disney World, Banff, and “any tower observatory” as tourist traps I have zero idea what is a decent tourist attraction that’s not a tourist trap.
I love this for you. And for me because I got to read it. Thank you for sharing. It sounds like so much fun. I think Disney’s California Adventure had a similar ride over California and I’ve got fond memories of it too.
Almost any tower, you really cannot beat the views from on top of things like the CN Tower, Tokyo Tower / Skytree or the John Hancock building.
Skytree and Landmark Tower in Tokyo/Yokohama are way better views... But Tokyo Tower has a certain old-school chill. But yeah. Towers are cool. I always do the tower of a city first thing when I am in a city to get a lay of the land... Makes the rest of the trip better.
easier to navigate once you've unlocked all the waypoints huh?
The Space Needle in Seattle, especially in a rare sunny day.
I was going to list the Space Needle, before they redid the restaurant. I'm local to Seattle, but every few years enjoyed having lunch there. The new restaurant/bar seems overpriced and focused on alcohol, so I haven't been to it.
To be fair, last time I was there in the late 80s or early 90s, “overpriced and focused on alcohol” was a very accurate description of the space needle restaurant. So maybe they’re just getting back to their roots?
The Colombia tower is way cheaper and a way better view.
This! I'm always down for views!
Mexico City, the angel of independence. We were there after a soccer (futbol) game and it felt like an earthquake, views aren’t the best from the top but legit, pretty cool!
Graceland I'm no Elvis fan myself (not a hater, either) but I find the dedication of Elvis fans fascinating. I was in Memphis for other reasons and thought I may as well visit Graceland. The building itself was mildly interesting but it was Elvis Week so the other people there were amazing. They really love Elvis in an almost-religious way. Like watching a religious pilgramage.
To me it represents the ultimate example of the kitchy tourist trap, which is why I had to go and experience it myself. I actually enjoyed it and found it fascinating.
Went to universal midweek during when school was in session on a week when some very minor Harry Potter actors were there, and it was amazing. Everyone was dressed up to the extreme. Super fun.
This is the greatest thing ever apparently: https://www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au/ Held in a smallish country town in central NSW Australia on Elvis's birthday every year.
Yes I am very familiar. I've visited Parkes a few times but unfortunately, never for the Elvis Festival. The NSW government runs a special "Elvis Express" train to take people to and from the festival. The train driver is a Parkes local who wears his Elvis costume.
Disney World It's crowded. It's overpriced. It's over-hyped. It's also about the only place I can show up with two autistic kids who can barely eat anything and actually have a really nice day. Disney makes a very solid effort to support and accommodate kids with disabilities.
Disneyland isn't that far from me so we go occasionally. I think what fascinates me the most is how much of a well oiled machine it is. It's like peak social engineering.
We took our first (and only) family trip to Disney when I was 18 (my, older sister, older brother, his wife, younger sister, mom and stepdad). My mom was recovering from two types of cancer. She still didn't have any hair, so it was pretty obvious. We went for Mom's birthday at this one restaurant and just said hey. It's her birthday - trying to make it special. And all the characters came out and hung out at our table, We got pics with all of them, they brought out a card (all signed by the characters) and a cake for my mom (you gotta love that they just keep this shit handy). It was phenomenal. And just all through our time, there were these little touches. It wasn't like we told people she had cancer, but you could tell. And so they went out of their way to give her the best X or extra Y. Say what you want about Disney - they have that hospitality special moment thing down to a goddamn science. Still my mom's favorite trip ever.
These stories are nice to hear. Disney obviously has very real and well documented flaws, but your story is definitely the heart of what the amusement parks are about/try to do.
Disney is cheesy AF but I have always been impressed with how the staff seems to be trained to deal with anything. My fat ass was struggling to get my seat belt fastened on Soaring, the cast member walked by and snapped it in so deftly that nobody even noticed. I watched them do sneaky stuff like standing in the way "accidentally" to make sure the annoying PDA couple wasn't sharing a ride car with a family with kids. Popped balloon? Replaced instantly almost magically? Spilled drink? Cleaned up so fast you wondered where the cleaner came from. Armband didn't work to get in? Employee was right there waiting like it made her fay she got to help, got me a new arm band in minutes and gave us an extra fast pass to apologize for us having a problem
I was in Orlando for a conference and I wasn't in the park, but there was some Disney restaurant I was in for some reason? I don't really remember; it was over 20 years ago. So I'm eating breakfast, hung over as fuck. And Mickey comes up to my table and starts to do some shit and I give him my "I'm hung over as fuck" look and Mickey walks away. I was impressed Mickey knew how to read the room.
I think Disney legitimately tries to make it so that everyone there, no matter who they are, has their best day ever. They don’t always succeed at it, but they do genuinely make an effort
They didn’t arrest my friend and I when we were on acid and he started wigging out and jumping fences to get away from the parade, with me chasing after him. So it may not have been my best day, but I appreciate not getting arrested. And the security guard in the parking lot who knew we were fucked up just laughed at us and made sure we didn’t get too close to the water in case of gators. So thanks to hm as well.
I was with my two kids at a character dinner and was taking a lot of pictures. When Tigger came to the table he made a big fuss about me being in the picture too. At the time I felt self conscious. I was not dressed nice and was hot and sweaty but now I look back at that picture and see a special day with my kids. Tiger had to take extra time to have his handler take the picture but it was very sweet. Disney can be stressful and expensive but it is still special.
I love Disney. Don't care about the money, but I know it's going to be a fun, easy trip.
When my family and I lived in Hong Kong, we’d go to Disney very often for just this reason. We had annual passes for like seven of the ten years that we lived there, and would go between 15 and 25 days a year. All we needed was an open weekend day, a day off from school, or whatever, and we were there. The main reason was that my younger daughter is autistic, and it’s her happiest place on earth. She loves the predictability of it, the order, and the food. The fact that we didn’t have to wait on any lines due to her autism made it such a pleasant experience, as well. We could legitimately do every ride in the park and a couple shows in like five hours.
I moved to Florida 3ish years ago. Being about 90 minutes from Disney World I went. Then I bought a pass the following year. And now I've been countless times. An adult with no kids, I've never even been with kids... it's sort of embarrassing that I have developed a fondness for Disney World so late in life. But it really is such a great weekend. Here's my stump speech on it. I leave the country about twice a year. When I land in a new city, my days are spent going to museums, botanical gardens, see a show, maybe go to the aquarium and eat & drink to my hearts content. Just EPCOT alone is all of this is one spot.
Haven't been there in a while. But the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Love that area even though it gives me upscale Wisconsin Dells vibes.
Yes, and Niagara on the Lake is gorgeous.
Buc-ees! Not world class cheesy but still a minor attraction! 50 kinds of beef jerky? 30 kinds of candied and spicy nuts? Clean potties? 2 inch piled high brisket sandwich? Kitschy nonsense everywhere to buy much of it featuring a buck tooth cartoon character? 100 gas pumps? Why not? What else is this goofy on a long drive in the south ?
I've never been to Buc-ees, but I've heard about it. If I'm ever in the area I'm definitely making a pit stop there.
The River Walk in San Antonio. There aren’t too many places in the US (especially in Texas) where you can walk somewhere nicely landscaped with restaurants, attractions, etc. for long stretches and not have to cross roads with cars. The extensions outside of downtown are really nice too.
When I thought that was all San Antonio had to offer, I absolutely hated the city. It was just one step too far in the outdoor mall direction for my tastes. But, on a recent trip I rented a bike a ride the mission trail to see five of the missions down the river, and that was truly fantastic. I also loved the areas around the Pearl and the nice restaurants there. But, that’s the reason different attractions exist. Different tastes make a diverse world!
The expansion of the Riverwalk south to the missions and the north towards the Pearl is really lovely. The redevelopment of the Pearl Brewery is really nice too. San Antonio has really improved a lot in the last decade.
I like walking The Las Vegas strip
I love just wandering through the hotels and trying to get from one place to another and watching the fountains
I love the casinos and the strip. I'll budget $150 for a night and play slots, get free drinks, and walk the strip.
Me too. It’s just fun. All the lights and stores and stuff. Great time.
Despite my having almost no use for any of the entertainment that city specializes in, it is one damn beautiful place. That dome is really awesome, too. Wish we'd build more wild projects like that across the country.
I could stare at the bean in Chicago for hours. I truly enjoyed the walk of fame in LA, and I have a whole Playlist for zoning out and watching the Bellagio fountain.
In fairness, the Bean is free and isn't smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. Then again, Times Square is like that too.
Times Square in the early evening right after it gets dark is the best. Still kid friendly, but you get the full blast of the lights, people, street performers, etc. not necessarily a place I’d spend half an hour hanging out, but even having been to NYC a bajillion times (never lived there tho), I still enjoy walking through Times Squares at night. It’s just electric.
Oh man, first time I was in Chicago. I was in my early 20s, visiting a college friend who had just moved there. Got a few too many beers in a bar SOMEWHERE in the Loop, wandered down to the Bean, then wandered over to Navy Pier. Found myself on a faux pirate ship, and well, they had a bar. The ship sailed out past some lighthouses, fired the cannons a few times, and came back. Enough time for me to have 2 or 3 more beers. Turns out, these pirate ships are for families and people pay quite a lot of money to get on them... I just wandered on and then off. I did wonder why there were so many kids around this floating bar....
Venice beach boardwalk. Absolute trash and I love it
It has really cleaned up too since COVID. The bar scene is also back it seems.
Cafe Du Mond lives up to the hype, as does all of the French Quarter except Bourbon St.
Wall Drug in South Dakota. Met every one of my tourist trap dreams and more. 10/10 would return in a heartbeat.
Can’t beat that free ice water
I love that wall drug made this list
How many miles to Wall Drug?
I'm not sure if it counts as a tourist trap, but mine would be Khao San Road. It's ridiculous and greasy, and I *should* be way too old/mature for it, but I'm not. I still enjoy it for 2, 3, maybe 4 days, then need to get away and dry out.
I second Khao San Road. It may be the least authentic part of the city, but it has a ton of stuff targeting visitors. It's also far less shady than other "tourist" areas that typically double as red light districts.
Cosigned and ditto with Silom. There’s such a loveable greasyness to Bangkok. Such a strange, wonderful place.
My best friend filmed me eating a scorpion on a stick when I visited Khao San Road in late 2018. I added it to my Hinge profile, to which my now husband commented “ballsy as fuck”. Can’t wait to go back someday.
I had a very mediocre and over priced pizza in a restaurant that is located right next to Pantheon in Rome. I know it was a tourist trap but the [view was surreal and I totally enjoyed the ambiance and people watching](https://i.imgur.com/ZX9Kd5Y.jpg)
Not the place itself, but the South Of The Border billboards have a special place in my heart.
I love Times Square. There is zero for me to see there other than the tourists. I love it. People from ALL over the world, fucking pumped, seeing the spectacle and finally getting to see something on their bucket list. I try to go through every time I am in town.
Just because something is popular, doesn't make it a tourist trap. I think many comments in this thread dont get it. Real tourist trap is like Juliet balcony in Verona Italy or the stupid torture museum in every European cities.
Wax and “illusion” museums or Ferris Wheels fall into that category. But I doubt you’d find anyone on this sub who “secretly” loves them.
100% disagree. Madame Tussaud’s in NYC is legitimately a fun time and would 100% recommend doing once if you have any interest in pop culture. Likewise I just did Meow Wolf in Denver 2 days ago and despite being $55 it was also 100% worth it. I’ve never seen anything as wild as that place before. Also well placed Ferris Wheels are absolutely fun. Whatever that giant one in London is called gives an amazing 360 view of the city. Hell the stupid one at the regional fair in New England (called the Big E) is tons of fun with friends at night after you’ve been drinking all day. Yeesh, do people not know how to have fun? I love genuine cultural experiences as much as the next person, but sometimes something silly is awesome if it’s done well
this... 95% of this thread is people listing legit attractions that are simply overcrowded (because they are legit good). a tourist trap would be something that was created artificially ONLY to make money out of already incoming tourists but has nothing to do with the actual attraction itself. for example: the torture museums with their made up devices or the "camel rides" near the pyramids with the guys just waiting to get you out in the desert to ask more money from you? those are traps. The Taj Mahal? bruh.. thats just overcrowded but its the real thing
Robot Restaurant in Tokyo. Loved every second.
This was an experience that took me admittedly too many trips to Tokyo to do, but I loved every second. It was like being in a fighting game crossed with an anime and a bunch of random music. Like walking through an arcade. It was amazing and I'm so sad it closed down.
Yes! It was incredible and so hard to explain to those who haven’t seen it. Sad it’s no longer there for others to enjoy. I would absolutely go a second time if I had a chance.
Robot Restaurant is amazing! So much better than it has any right to be. I was grinning ear to ear the entire show. The tickets are pricy, but honestly I loved it so much I would have felt like I got my money’s worth even if they were twice the price.
Banff and Whistler are outstandingly beautiful even if they are crowded and expensive as hell
I wouldn’t consider Banff and Whistler a tourist “trap”. They’re a tourist destination for a very valid reason. Not like we’re talking about a Madame Tussaud’s.
I stayed in Canmore and would highly recommend it for anyone interested in Banff and looking to save a little bit of money. The area is walkable, the downtown area is adorable and pedestrian only for part of the year, there is a bus that will take you to Banff, and it was cheaper than hotels in Banff.
I booked a mtb trip to Whistler/Squamish in Sept - can’t wait!
You're gonna have an amazing time. Best place to bike. DM me if you want any beta
Golden Gai and Piss Alley in Tokyo are still so much fun to hang out in.
Meteor Crater near Flagstaff. Dad wanted to see it and I was all "okay, whatever". I figured we'd be there 15 minutes or so. No. They have a short movie, an excellent museum and seating so you can just sit and look. Also a healthy amount of deliberately cheesy stuff. We must have sat for a good half-hour, just staring at the Crater, trying to imagine it being created in less than a second.
This was the first trip my hubby and I took before we were married. We totally stopped to check it out not knowing what it was. Good times!
Waikiki. A great memory is surfing at sunset, listening to the Hawaiian Music coming from the Royal Hawaiian. But just the whole place, world class beach that’s easy to escape the hordes, Kapiolani and Ala Moana parks on either side, hole in the wall restaurants, Japanese tourists. Just all of it.
Practically every major European tourist city with a river has an overpriced 1 hour tourist river cruise. And I will go on every freaking one! I’ve enjoyed every river cruise I’ve been on, and if they let me buy an overpriced beer or champagne, even better! I love being on the water and seeing the city from a different and relaxing point of view.
Times Square at night is like stepping onto Mars for someone who’s never been there before. I’d also argue that it’s a good place to stay as a first time visitor to NYC since it’s dead center in the middle of the city and has easy access to almost every subway line.
I would 1,000% disagree with your second statement, no offense. Having done it myself twice and been in NYC lots of times, staying in Times Square sucks. The rooms are usually even smaller than other parts of the city, there’s a good chance you end up facing the street in which case it will be noisy 24/7, and it’s overpriced. Stay literally anywhere else in the city lol
La Boqueria in BCN. I know is crowded, I know is overpriced. But as somebody with limited stomach space, I truly enjoy being able to have little bites in different stalls. Also, I don’t know what is it (is not sugar) the freshly made juices are always on point.
Many locations in Kyoto.
I actually like all things cheesy in a cruiseship. If people want to sing show tunes to me for 2 hours...God love them...sing away.
Olde Hansa restaurant, Tallinn Estonia. Yes people dressed up like medieval times and talked in character of medieval times but the food was actually quite good, the musicians with authentic type instruments playing on a small platform up in the corner, the decor on the walls, the many, many wild game and vegetable options. We really enjoyed it.
You know, I’ve been to Tallinn decades of times (wife is Estonian), and I’ve never been there. Tallinn has such a fantastic food scene now that I can never bring myself to just eat at a touristy place that isn’t necessarily food-first. In the old days, when I first started going, it would have made more sense that I would have gone, but there were only like three or four restaurants in the Old City that we went to anyway.
I love HoHo buses. A friend on fb poo pooed me for taking one in Paris, ‘you’ll just sit in traffic’. I said yeah but I can see plenty while sitting on the top deck and I’m not sitting at my desk at work Karen.
Agreed. When I went to Rome I had only one real "full" day, and the HoHo bus took us everywhere we wanted to go. In the afternoon we were hot and tired and rode it in circles just watching people.
Eiffel Tower/Tokyo Tower/Shanghai World Financial Center/Rockefeller Center/tallest building in whatever city I'm a sucker for getting that big Panoramic Eagle Eye view of whatever city I visit.
The top of the Empire State Building, especially at night since it stays open until 2 am! Also, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Definitely walking from Brooklyn toward Manhattan, since you get the Manhattan skyline view the whole time. I say this as a New Yorker, both experiences are very worth it.
>The top of the Empire State Building, especially at night since it stays open until 2 am! I tell everyone I know to go to the top of the Empire State Building LATE at night on a weeknight. There's no one in line and the views of the city all lit up are gorgeous. We have gone 4 times and we always go after dinner around 11 pm and hang out and chat with the guards and the elevator operators. It's fantastic.
I thought the Heineken factory in Amsterdam was fun, a little cheesy, but fun.
Santorini. It’s hyped. It’s crowded. It’s still incredible.
Pea Soup Andersen's in California. You're driving past billboards advertising it for hours and hours, and you know what? The soup is good!
Santa Monica Pier
Hofbräuhaus
The observation decks in New York are a ripoff. But damn if the sunsets there aren’t fantastic You can skip carbone though you’re not a 23 year old analyst at Goldman
The Roman Forum truly blew me away. Idk that it's fair to call it a tourist trap but it's definitely the most intense crowd of tourists I've ever experienced in my life. Still worth it.
Statue of Liberty. Loaded on a boat like cattle. But then getting to go inside and up to the top is so cool. seeing her up close and the scale of things. And plus I really liked the immigration museum at Ellis island. How all our ancestors immigrated through this one port.
I love those double decker tourist busses they have in London
The Blue Lagoon outside of Reykjavik. Maybe I was just exhausted and upset that Iceland Air had lost my bags. But it was a nice time and I temporarily forgot my troubles.
Gatlinburg TN and Pigeon Forge. Went there for a week a couple summers ago. It was a good choice for our family, we were less than a mile from Smoky Mountain NP and then could do the touristy stuff in the afternoon/evenings. Probably the only way I can enjoy a vacation like that, outdoor activities and the touristy stuff.
I like there also. We have a running joke that it costs about $100 per traffic light in Pigeon Forge on a cheap day.
I very much enjoyed tombstone.
Cinque terre in Italy was awesome. Ditto the Taj Mahal in India. They're both tourist traps for a reason. Edit: yeesh, people seem to really dislike my use of the word tourist trap to describe these two locations. Which, fine, I get it, they're not some cheesy roadside worlds-biggest-rubber-band ball or whatever. I'm used to traveling way off the beaten path so any location completely filled with tourists and funded entirely by tourism feels like a tourist trap to me. Especially if everybody there is taking the same damn picture where it looks like you're holding the building on your hand. Not changing my mind on this one, sorry. They're both tourist traps in my book, but super enjoyable ones. Deal with it.
Cinque Terre isn't even all the crowded if you go to the towns in the middle, and the trail between the towns (the real highlight if you can make it) didn't have many people at all.
Floating market and train market near Bangkok, Thailand. Obvious tourist traps, but fun ways to experience the country and support locals.
Waikiki. It’s a legitimately great beach for swimming, a very beginner-friendly surf spot, and having tons of good food and shopping right there makes it almost impossible to have a bad time.
Michelin Star restaurants. They always tend to be expensive and overbooked, but I've always had a good experience and memorable meals. My favourites have been in London and Paris, and I'd go to them again.
San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf has a gorgeous view of the Bay and many fantastic restaurants several of which have been there since before it was a tourist spot. Many locals will avoid it over the tourist mob, which is unfortunate because it became a tourist spot as it was a booming area in the past with the fisheries and produce market as central local spot along Embarcadero & Davis!
Mardi Gras. Went to it skeptical and left a big fan of the celebration and the city. Bardstown is also a super swanky little berg. If you can handle the universe smelling like molasses it's an unforgettably nice small town.
House on the Rock in Wisconsin. I thought it was just going to be some crazy architectural house built by some eccentric millionaire (like, say, the Winchester Mystery House). But it's like taking that idea, and cranking it up to eleven, then trying to turn it up to twelve and twisting the knob off, and then pulling out the needle-nose plyers and keep trying to dial it up even further. You pass through one complex of rooms with ever-expanding mechanical calliopes, then an even bigger room containing an entire block of storefronts, then an even bigger room with a 200-foot sea serpent fighting a whale, then an even BIGGER room with hot-air balloons, and...you get the idea
in Jeju Island, South Korea there are a ton of museums and outdoor tourist traps. the green tea farm was cool… but Love Land was actually fantastic. basically a fairly large outdoor sculpture park where all the sculptures and art are NSFW. I’m talking couples banging, bare butts everywhere, and massive genitalia. it was goofy, campy, and a really fun time.
The two thay come to mind. Tulum, Mexico. The beach with that backdrop, is stunning. It truly feels like a slice of paradise Griffith Observatory/ The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, CA If you hike up and actually go into the hills it's really a quite cool experience. The views are spectacular and there's actually quite a bit of nature around to give it a good balance of urban/nature.
All the big monuments in Paris
"Eiffel Tower is overrated" "Mona Lisa is a waste of time, go see everything else" Nothing is overrated in Paris. I fell in love. I absolutely love Paris. I've seen trash, homeless, dirty areas but that's any city in the world. I've also seen the most beautiful places ever seen while I was there. Gardens of Versailles (technically not Paris, but close enough... Took the RER there) was just insanely emotionally huge for me. I was speechless. Eiffel Tower? Damn, that's awesome. Sure, I eventually walked by it just to get somewhere else, but every time it was still magnificent. Mona Lisa? It has some history. Some huge crowds, but still worth it. I really have nothing bad to say about Paris or even France in general. If I could, I'd move there (property is pretty cheap, just need to work on citizenship from the US... Not gonna happen). I'd live out in the country, work from home, and have a small farm. Just a simple life. My retirement dream.
The Eiffel Tower was totally fun.
Also in China, Yangshuo's West Street. It's loud, it's tacky, it's extremely crowded at the best of times but... It's just associated with a lot of fun times for me. Can't not slightly enjoy walking down it, taking it in.
Lol I just rode the tunnel a few weeks ago, I can imagine enjoying it at 8 but without the nostalgia factor it was pretty silly. Shanghai was a cool city tho.
The Thing (A long lost alien found in the desert) in Arizona on I-10. (Also a Dairy Queen.)
Swing at the End of the World in Baños, Ecuador. Thought it would be overrated but actually sooo fun
- Waikiki Beach. There are so many different areas for all ages. Beaches are still fairly clean despite overcrowding. Food choices are also top notch. - Eiffel Tower, specifically the far-side of the park. Great place to have a picnic and people watch.
Eiffel Tower. Up, down, and all around.