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“What Tourist Attractions Are Not Overrated?”: 35 Places That Are Worth The Hype
Interview With Expert
Have you ever traveled to an insanely popular destination but found it extremely underwhelming, Pandas? For me, the Eiffel Tower seemed pretty overhyped. Perhaps I should've visited it at night? Still, nothing beats the disappointment one feels after a long flight and many months of expectations. Luckily, this time, we're talking about the opposite – the travel destinations and tourist attractions that are actually worth the hype.
Recently, one netizen went on to ask others: "What tourist attractions are NOT overrated?" Fellow travelers came through with answers from almost every continent. I personally have to agree with one commenter: pictures don't really do Yellowstone justice. It's considered the No. 1 National Park in the U.S. for a reason!
As summer is almost already here, dear Pandas, scroll down to see where you can plan your next vacation and not be disappointed.
Bored Panda also reached out to travel bloggers Kristin Addis and Matthew Kepnes. Kristin is the CEO of Be My Travel Muse and founder of Parenthood Adventures, and Matthew is a New York Times best-selling author who helps people travel more for less. We asked them what destinations they would deem totally worth a traveler's time and the psychology behind why we sometimes get disappointed by tourist attractions. Read their insights below!
Kristin Addis: Be My Travel Muse | Parenthood Adventures
Matthew Kepnes: Nomadic Matt's Travel Site | Ten Years a Nomad | Twitter | Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France. It looks like the home of a particularly prosperous wizard.
Professional traveler Kristin Addis shares some unique destinations that are, according to her, definitely worth the hype. Her first pick might surprise some people. "For me, Utah is not at all overrated," she says. "It's so beautiful, and those canyons are unique in the world. The American southwest, in general, has a natural beauty that's unlike anything else I've ever seen after visiting 65 countries."
Then she goes for a more international tourist attraction. "The rice terraces in China's YuanYang are just as extensive and impressive as they look in photos. No Photoshop there!" After Googling it, I can confidently say: wow! Definitely agree! However, Kristin has one more pick: "Norway was just as pristine and beautiful as it appeared in the photos," she tells us.
Matthew Kepnes, aka Nomadic Matt, says that there are too many destinations that are worth the hype in his opinion. But if he had to name just three, they would be Albania, Tbilisi, and The American South. "Albania (and the Balkans in general) [are] super affordable, few tourists. Tbilisi, Georgia [is a] lively city with a youthful and progressive vibe. And The American South – perfect for road trips and has amazing food."
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#2
The Duomo in Florence is freaking amazing. We went right before sunset when the crowd was basically gone, and it was incredible.
Bald Panda 7 months ago
I recently visited Florence and the surrounding hills and it was simply stunning. Awe inspiring natural beauty with this gem of a city plonked in the middle. One of the places (alongside New Orleans) that truly exceeded my already high expectations.
Unfortunately, not all places can be as fascinating. Not all destinations and tourist attractions can look like they do in pictures. That's why lowering your expectations sometimes might do you some good. "I think it's easy to get disappointed when your expectations are high," Kristin agrees with that sentiment.
"I try not to have expectations when visiting a place, but it can be tough when we see such perfect pictures on social media. Some of the 'Instagram vs. Reality' trend has helped to uncover that, but when it comes down to it, if you want things all to yourself, you've got to wake up super early, go in the off-season, or make peace with sharing it."
#4
Angkor Wat.
Panda Kicki 7 months ago
That tree must be the most photographed at Angkor. I assumed the whole place was like that until I went there and realized that it is one preserved building with trees and the rest was restored. Of course I got the traditional pic with me between the roots :D
Matthew agrees that the disappointment might come from the reality vs. social media phenomenon. "I think people all too often compare reality with what they see on social media or in the media at large. They are comparing imperfect reality with curated, edited photos and videos, and naturally come away disappointed."
"I think the best attitude to have when traveling is an open mind. Accept things as they are. People and places aren't there to appease you, so take them as they come and embrace them on their own terms. Do that, and you'll have a much more rewarding experience," Matthew tells us.
#7
Kyoto. All of it.
#8
I fight with who ever says The Colosseum is overrated.
Lame Llama 7 months ago
It's amazing! Seems like the people who don't appreciate it, also like to nitpick on everything, at least from this whole post. :P
#9
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is a serene haven of cascading lakes and waterfalls that look spectacular no matter the season.
Šimon Špaček 7 months ago
And the water is drinkable. At least used to be some 15 years ago...
If we're talking about what's underrated, maybe let's cover a few overrated places? I already confessed mine, so it's natural I was curious to know what Kristin Addis, a professional traveler, had to say.
"For me, it was the Romblon sand bar in the Philippines," she confesses. "I'd seen so many pictures of it with just a single person walking out on the sand bar and thought it looked beyond dreamy, but when I arrived, it was positively crawling with people. I should have expected that since I was going midday, but it sort of ruined the magic for me," Kristin admits.
#10
The Grand Teton, Yellowstone and The Redwoods.
#11
The Louvre in Paris has a well deserved reputation. There is SO MUCH in there that nobody ever talks about. When I visited, I spent hours just looking at sculptures and barely even got to any of the paintings.
The nearby Musée d'Orsay is also pretty dope. The museum itself was originally built as a train station in the late 19th century and I had a great time just admiring its architecture in addition to the art on display there.
#12
I was worried I'd be let down by Venice, but it absolutely was everything it was made out to be. Actually, everywhere I've been in Italy has exceeded expectations - Lake Como and Milan as well.
Matthew, in turn, says that some destinations are going to appeal to some but not to others. "For me, I wasn't much of a fan of Koh Phi Phi in Thailand," he tells Bored Panda. "It felt way too overdeveloped and overpriced. I've been three times now and I doubt I'll go back. But that's just me! Tons of people visit and love it. So, to each their own!"
#13
The British Museum in London is worth every bit of hype for history buffs, with artifacts that span the breadth of human civilization.
#14
The terracotta soldiers in xian. Very unimpressive low key entrance and then you come around a corner and it’s just jaw dropping. Dunno if they’ve changed the entry but it’s very much “under promise, over deliver”. Quite awesome.
Penguin Panda Pop 7 months ago
This is one that definitely gets more impressive as you go along. Each warrior is individual. I started off thinking "that's pretty cool" and by the end I was completely blown away by what an incredible feat it was to build. Pro-tip: be careful about the peddlars selling souvenirs outside, they will try to cheat you. They offer little statue replicas and you believe that you are negotiating the price for the set, but they insist it's the price for one after price is agreed.
#15
Arches National Park in Utah. Seems like a different planet.
#16
The Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s basilica are all definitely worth it. The art is incredible, plus the scale of St. Peter’s is unreal .
Marianne 7 months ago
I wasn't impressed by the Sistine Chapel. Yes, it is pretty, but so so so crowded. And when I was there, they had a person with a megaphone who shouted "SILENCE! SILENCE! THIS IS A PLACE OF WORSHIP!" without interruption, which was comical at best and cynical at worst. I've never been in a church that felt less devout.
#17
Schloss Neuschwanstein and the castles around it too, like the one from his family. Its a little bit expensive but damn that dude built coloured lights into the backgrounds that he built in his castle of his favorite operas and theaters. COLOURED LIGHTS. That was 1869. If you're into gold and glamour, expensive s**t, history and a little bit architecture then its truly amazing.
Bavaria for the win.
WindySwede 7 months ago
And some posts ago, it was the opposite? 🤷♂️ like "visit some real castles instead".. Lesson from this is,never fully trust someone's experience of things.. nor fully belive any BP post? 🤷♂️😅
#18
Yosemite.
#19
All those museums in DC by the capitol. They’re free and range from pretty good to world class amazing.
Edit: The Smithsonians, can't believe I forgot the name.
#20
Petra, Jordan. It’s insane. I’ve been all over Europe, but this was the only country I’ve been in the Middle East and it was nuts.
As a side note, safari in Tanzania was a scooch overrated. Still awesome, 100% would do again, but a little overrated.
Panda Kicki 7 months ago
Petra is a lot more then just The Treasurey everone post pic of. Give it 3 days and explore at least some of the giant area. Skip the event Petra At Night, not worth it. Cleopetra Hostel was a fun and crazy place.
#22
Milford Sound and the drive to it from Queenstown New Zealand.
#24
Since I mainly see US and Europe here I'm going to add some of my favourite places from my travels to Asia.
1) the peace memorial museum in Hiroshima is one of the most intense, emotional but beautiful experiences I have ever had. I personally think it is even better than the 9/11 museum in New York.
2) Ubud in Bali is an incredibly beautiful town surrounded by forest and rivers. It is a nature escape at its best. A stay there will definitely leave you feeling more relaxed.
3) Fo Guang Shan buddha museum near koashiung in Taiwan is the biggest and most beautiful temple I have ever seen. Just the scale of it is jawdropping and all of it is immaculate and stunning.
4) Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul, South Korea is absolutely spectacular, it can get crowded, but the crowds are well deserved, I cannot possibly overstate how gorgeous it is.
5) Shiratani Unsui gorge on Yakushima island in Japan is an amazing place to go for a hike, there are several connected loops and you just pick the distance you are comfortable with.
The gorge, the mountains and the forest are all breathtaking. For those who have seen the Ghibli anime movie "Princess Mononoke" this place is the inspiration for the forest in that movie.
cerinamroth 7 months ago
+1 for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Rivalled only by Yad Vashem for me in terms of emotional clout and the sensitivity of its exhibits. There are so many beautiful places in Japan. I would go back again any day if I could.
#25
Catacombs in Paris.
#26
Santorini was somehow more impressive to me in person than the social media/Instagram pictures made it seem. Something about being able to see the remnants of an absolutely huge natural disaster was really appreciable.
The part I shouldn't say is that other islands in the area that are less popular are equally, if not more beautiful and cheaper to stay on.
Everyone keep going to Santorini though. I'ma take my next vacation on another island for less money while I pull up pictures of the caldera.
#27
I don't care what anyone says, the sheer power of niagara falls is worth visiting. It is incredible even if the town sucks.
General Anaesthesia 7 months ago (edited)
The Iguazu Falls in Brazil are indeed very impressive, BP. Now, how about staying on topic and posting a picture of Niagara Falls? Here's one, American falls left, Canadian falls right: 3Falls_Niagara.jpg 
#29
Grand canyon.
Teressa Reeves 7 months ago
That's a photo of Monument Valley, not the Grand Canyon. Both are very worth spending time at
#30
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Went for the first time last year and barely had time to see everything in a day. It’s like the Smithsonian crossed with Disney World, with creative exhibitions of actual spacecraft. We even got to speak with actual astronauts.
#31
Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York. Even if you're not at all interested in museums, or you find it's always crowded.
William Teach 7 months ago
Try the art museums in D.C. They are rarely crowded, and have stunning works, including lots of Monets
#32
The Path of the Gods hike in the Amalfi coast. It's absolutely incredible, the views you get from there are some of the best in the world, also, the Road to Hana on Maui. Highly recommend the Shaka guide app to play on your trip it tells you when to pull off and go look at waterfalls.
cerinamroth 7 months ago
Agree - the Amalfi coast is paradise on earth (apart from the driving on some of the winding roads!)
#33
The Architecture Boat Tour in Chicago. Such a great time and something a little different from typical tourist activities.
Marie Lane 7 months ago (edited)
And every time you go, it is usually different because different docents from the Architecture Foundation lead the tours!
#34
I think that the underground tour in Seattle is worth the money, and I am a native of WA State. At least the last time that I went it was worth the price of the ticket. It is so unique and the guides do a good job. Also, Pike Place Market is a place that I as a local genuinely enjoy and visit for my own purposes. I go there to eat at the Sound View Cafe and buy incense at Tenzing Momo. There are some things that are overpriced but there are some things that locals love.
#35
The French Quarter in New Orleans. Too many people associate the French Quarter with Bourbon St, and it’s unfortunate. The French quarter has amazing architecture, history, restaurants, and people. It’s not just one street with titty bars and drunks, and it’s also not a representation of New Orleans as a whole. There are so many amazing parts to the city that even a week won’t allow you to explore them all. However as a main tourist grab, I’ve gotta say my answer is The French Quarter.
A lesser known tourist attraction in that area is Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. It’s absolutely beautiful. American wetlands are a rapidly decreasing ecosystem, and Bayou Sauvage is one of a few protected areas in Louisiana. With its proximity to the French Quarter, any trip to New Orleans should absolutely include a walk through the bayou’s boardwalks.
Jrog 7 months ago (edited)
After Katrina the place is rundown and dangerous. It did receive very little direct damage, but the effect of the city impoverishment on the Vieux Carrè is noticeable. Also, it became over-commercialized and the traditional music clubs gave way to touristic bars and clubs. *LOTS* of panhandlers and very easy to be pickpocketed. It is slightly better on Frenchmen Street, at the very edge of the Quarter.
What do you think ?
PFD 7 months ago
How are these "underpromise"? They're all (or almost all) massively famous tourist attractions universally known for being spectacular. Weird list.
Paul Rabit 7 months ago
What's funnier is that I've seen many of these same places on "Overrated Tourist Trap' lists.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 7 months ago
I'm going to have to go with Discworld. Two Flower loved every minute of it, although the Luggage rather didn't.
rullyman 7 months ago
At least if you fall in the Ankh, you stand a fairly good chance of just walking your way across it and back out
Load More Replies...
PFD 7 months ago
How are these "underpromise"? They're all (or almost all) massively famous tourist attractions universally known for being spectacular. Weird list.
Paul Rabit 7 months ago
What's funnier is that I've seen many of these same places on "Overrated Tourist Trap' lists.
Load More Replies... Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 7 months ago
I'm going to have to go with Discworld. Two Flower loved every minute of it, although the Luggage rather didn't.
rullyman 7 months ago
At least if you fall in the Ankh, you stand a fairly good chance of just walking your way across it and back out
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