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You can travel to Rome and skip the pizza place your friend told you about but you have to visit the Colosseum. Some travel destinations are simply a must-see. But that doesn't mean you'll like them.

To learn more about these questionable places, Reddit user u/superlemondaze made a post on the platform, asking: "What's a tourist attraction you've been to that was 100% not worth the hype?" And people responded.

As of today, the question has 23.6K upvotes and 17.2K comments, many of which describe why some of the most popular spots can feel overcrowded, overpriced, and simply overrated.

#1

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The glass bridge over the grand canyon.

Total rip-off tourist trap.

It takes HOURS to get there from Vegas

They charge you $20 to park in an empty desert

They charge you $30 per person to take the bus from the parking to the attraction (it's like walking from parking into a mall - no distance at all!)

Then they charge you $30 per person if you actually want to walk on the bridge

You cannot take pictures or bring a camera onto the bridge, but they will sell them to you, of course.

There is one overpriced place to eat where they sell you canned food heated up in a microwave for big money... or you could drive 5 hours back to Vegas...

Go there to get scalped.

TommyHolef**ker , wikimedia.commons Report

Travel blogger and speaker A Lady in London has been to 112 countries and she's only visited a few attractions that she thought were over-hyped. It was primarily because she isn't really drawn to such places to begin with.

"Most of them were attractions that heavily marketed themselves or got lots of coverage on social media," A Lady in London told Bored Panda. "I went because I was curious after seeing them advertised or talked about online so much, and not because I was truly interested in them."

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While the traveler acknowledges that some companies and individuals might prey on tourists, she doesn't think that makes the whole industry corrupt or dishonest. "I think most are genuinely trying to offer something that appeals to a certain demographic. If I'm not in their demographic, I'm probably not going to enjoy their attraction. But someone who is in their demographic might love it," she explained. "Like most things in life, the degree of enjoyment of tourist attractions tends to be relative to one's interests."

Don't worry. Everyone can find something they're into. "There are lots of ways people can discover cool, less popular sights when they're traveling," A Lady in London, who also documents her trips on Instagram, said. "As a professional travel blogger, I obviously recommend following blogs and social media accounts that share about under-the-radar places. Local knowledge is key, so if you can find influencers who specialize in a specific destination, you'll often discover great places through their content."

#2

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Dead Sea. You're in Israel. In the desert. It's blazing hot, like 115°F. You think you'll go take a dip in the Dead Sea to cool off, right? Wrong. First, you have to pay to go through a spa to use their towels, pools, etc. Then you take the wagon/shuttle that drives you from the spa down to the shore. The wagon/shuttle goes about 5 miles per hour in the scortching sun. No breeze. Next, you get to the shore of the Dead Sea. You the proceed to run over the sand that's so hot you're sure your feet will burn off. You tentatively step into the water....and it's like the hottest bath you've ever taken in your life. The water is maybe 1° away from boiling. But you figure you've made it this far, might as well get the full experience. So you submerge. It's a mistake. Every pore on your body is burning from the salt. If you have shaved any part of your body within the last three years, you will feel the salt seep into the little micro cuts and burn you from the inside out. You find cuts on your body you didn't even know you had. Even your asshole is burning because you have pooped and wiped within the last week, so your skin is raw there. And the worst part is, when you decide you have had enough of this boiling body of water, you practically have to crawl out because you're too bouyant to stand. And in the process of crawling out, you scrape your knees on the bottom where the salt rocks have crystalized which sets off a whole new round of pain. So now you're hot, sticky from the salt, and every inch of your body burns.

_Emerald_Eyes_ , wikimedia.commons Report

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#3

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Dubai. It's the most soulless, cultureless, and artificial city I've been to. The shameless and obscene display of bling-bling only adds to this vibe, and the supertall skyscrapers and mega malls get old sooner or later.

To top it off, all of this is built overnight on what is essentially slave labor.

PacSan300 , wikimedia.commons Report

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wonder who wouldn't have known. There have been plenty of reports on how workers from other countries are literally treated as worthless slaves and the disrespect for human lives while building this abomination.

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Karl Baxter
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It might be the Las Vegas of the Middle East and attracts those who want to escape the religious hypocrisy of surrounding countries but it’s just a soulless monument to money, consumerism and greed. The exploitation it was built on is bad enough but worse is its pot luck justice system when (depending on who you are) it suddenly decides it’s an Islamic state and prosecutes so called “crimes against morality” like holding hands in public. It gets the visitors (& tax exiles) it deserves but I’ll never be one of them and sincerely hope it crumbles into the sea.

AnnaBanana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hated it until I went on a culture and history tour. Learned all about the country before in became what it is and visited some really cool ancient sites. I loved that part of Dubai!

Judith Wilson
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Dubai is in Asia, but it's also a part of the Middle East which could also be considered part of Africa. Dubai is not a country, it is a city and emirate in a country called the United Arab Emirates, this country is in the Middle East and this is a transcontinental region."

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Ronualdo
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, Dubai is a desert so they had to come up on things other than oil. I went there back in 2016 and for someone who loves architecture, i enjoyed every bit of it. I was awed by the buildings and how a they turned a desert into a functional city.

rumade
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can you really call it "functional" though when half of it isn't on a proper sewage network and it's impossible to traverse without a car?

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F. H.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder why so many people go there. It's in every discount travel catalogue.

Nadine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For people living here, it's a haven in a crazy world surrounding. It has been home for many who left their homes for a better life. You might find it soulless for tourists looking for tourist traps but it's actually full of gorgeous life and an extremely diverse community that lives together with tolerance at its core. To you desert and beach might not be nature, but it's splendide in its own way.

Bacony Cakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yeah i'd love to live on a highway-fueled suburb surrounded by racks of stagnant water built on top of a coral reef for some random oil sheik's d*ck-measuring contest

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Craig Aitken
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A shithole built on slavery, appalling human rights, but hey the put a lot of money into European football teams. So we can overlook that and they're not the Taliban.

Brandy Grote
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly true. And if you're female, why would you want to go to a place that would prefer you dead?

kjorn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

slave labor... yeah. i saw documentary about that years ago. those are the richest people on the planet.

Christine Vogt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dubai is the most beautiful City on earth! None of you have been there, you judge from your couch. Nobody has to pay me to tell the truth about Dubai! A breathtaking city in a awesome country, with a ruler who really cares about the citizens and residents, not only today but future generations too! And wonderful with awesome hospitality and an unbelievable tolerance! 💖🇦🇪

v
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It all gets old sooner, much, much, sooner. All the photos are shot from the best angle under the best light. The scene on the ground looks like a war zone because there is always come kind of construction going on that generates piles of rubble and there is very little greenery because it's a f*****g desert and it cost too much to irrigate when most of the desalinated water is used to supply all the various living areas with potable water.

Bacony Cakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, it's a big p*HOOOOOONK* that can't even *BEEEP*roper sewer system. Sorry, poop trucks are here. poop-truck...96dabb.jpg poop-trucks-613789396dabb.jpg

James016
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have been, it is a very weird place. We went as we found a great last minute deal on an all inclusive hotel.

Alan Williams
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I loath the Middle East. I will not step foot in it again after having worked in Oman and Kuwait. Absolutely hate the culture.

Randy Klefbeck
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Except for maybe the slave labor part, I'd say Las Vegas NV is the same.

Merilyn Horton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a forced 3 days there, and ran from hotel to pool and back again, the air is thick with sand and concrete. Avoid at all costs.

Kirsty Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, ok... I didn't know. I guess, had I been intending to go there, I would have looked the place up and found all those details then, but no, I didn't know. Probably because I'm from a hick town at the bottom of the world...

Riley Quinn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, another known fact that doesn't require first-hand experience.

Nicola Gordon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went there twice - on the way to somewhere else - on the 2nd trip, I should have asked to go to Abu Dhabi instead; it's supposed to be fabulous! However the huge aquarium and the Cheesecake factory in the Dubai Mall were pretty cool!

Ronald Floyd
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What will happen to all of this when, soon, the oil money runs dry and they little to nothing left to support themselves.

Debbie Stearne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I couldn’t agree more. I was totally horrified by the whole place. Too many mosques (it seems when you are rich you build a mosque) - they are on just about every block! The citizens of The UAE do not socialise, the only people you see are foreigners either visiting or trying to make a living there. The fashion shops are depressing. There are too many things tourists are not allowed to do. All the buildings are new and extreme and unwelcoming. Some people love it, but I couldn’t get out quick enough.

Ann Golub
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

totally agree. After watching a documentary on how the slaves are kept and treated, how their passports get taken so they can't leave, how they have no rights and live in squalor, I knew I would never visit this horrible place. Shame on the people who are in charge there.

Grace Note
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wouldn't go there if you paid my fare and booked me into a top hotel suite. I'm generally not judgey but I find it hard not to judge people who think Dubai is a good place for a holiday.

Lenka Smetanová
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder... Dubai is quite young city after all... the same thing you can actually said about Las Vegas and some other 'desert cities' though.... Well, Actually, I living in Marienbad, our plus is, that the city is already two hundred years old, so the architecture of the center is pretty, but back in 200 years ago, Marienbad was Artifical, soulless and cultureless city too, it was build just for rich people to go here and dring springs water and taking bath and walk in forrest... Which is actually the purpose of this city till these days... Its like 200 hundred years old Dubai in my point of wiew

I Liquored On
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents went here 6 times. Loved it. Mostly for these reasons. Enough reason for me to never go. I love them but we are very different people.

Random Anon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless you're there to witness the shite lorry train.

Samantha PandaNotBored
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Slave Labour, and stolen money from banks . No other reason Dubai exists . More investigation needs to go into this , so that people know , where their stolen millions are !

Selina Ali
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I totally agree on this one. It is by far the worst place I’ve EVER visited.

JLH
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But it's not cultureless. It's a perfect example of modern culture and what we're making of it. It feels cultureless because it's just a part of how we live our day to day lives. This is the legacy that modern capitalist led globalism is creating for us.

Meghna Mohan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the big reasons I'm not headed there, many daily wage workers iv met at different stages of life, have been sent there, exploited or ripped off after paying to go there

Treessimontrees
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Best I can describe Dubai is, it's like the Venetian Casino in Las Vegas, it's quite impressive in some ways, but gaudy and doesn't require a second glance.

Jo Choto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dubai was kinda weird. I think what I learned most was talking to all the people who are low paid imported contract workers. So many men willing to sacrifice so much to help their families back home.

Bacony Cakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, they didn't know they were gonna have their passports stolen from them.

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Mazer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m so thankful I was born with an internal magnet acutely attuned to repelling me from malls and over development

Devil's Advocate
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't forget almost all of the overpriced cars around are financed and then get repossessed and left to rot in the desert so it SUPER wasteful and TERRIBLE for the environment.

chi-wei shen
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Dubai is somehow soulless like any modern city with a skyline, but if you're interested in modern architecture it's worth a trip. However, it has not been built with slave labor. The workers don't get salaries like in the Western world but earn well compared to their home countries in south and south-east Asia.

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Cory and G Varga, the wife and husband duo behind the blog You Could Travel, have also been to a few tourist attractions they could've probably passed on. "The most disappointing was by far the Manneken Pis in Brussels," they told Bored Panda. "Then we have La Rambla and Mercado de La Boqueria in Barcelona: overcrowded and overpriced. The famed Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin is a bit of a tourist trap and Camargue in the South of France because of factories and pollution."

The couple is warier of the industry than A Lady in London and said that at the end of the day, people are here to make money. "Naturally, travel industry players invest heavily in marketing and as we know, marketing can sometimes be deceiving. Travel agents operate on commission so their goal is to sell you a dream: more expensive hotel, upgrades on flights, more experiences to visit. Luckily, travelers are also savvier and can see right through the ads."

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"Modern travelers rely mostly on recommendations of friends and relatives, online recommendations, social media, and travel blogs. Commercial information is not so relevant to them anymore. We do appeal to all industry key players to change some of their practices ... and adopt a more ethical stance."

Cory and G Varga think the best way to learn about unbeaten paths is by simply exploring. "Ditch the hop-on-hop-off options and grab a city map (or just use digital maps on your phone) and go on an adventure. It's perfectly okay to want to see popular attractions but travel between them on foot if possible. It's the curious sights in-between that are so much more interesting and unusual. A cute family-run bistro, an obscure century-old shop, a friendly local with a story to tell," the wife and husband explained.

#4

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Taj Mahal (Agra). It's surrounded by 10-meter-high walls, and the entrance fee is ludicrously expensive compared to any other attraction in India. If you're in Agra and want to see the Taj Mahal, go across the river. There are some gardens almost directly across from it, and there's a great spot by the river with a brilliant view of the Taj Mahal, particularly at sunset. This experience is totally free, and you won't have to deal with crowds.

Nevermind04 , wikimedia.commons Report

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#5

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) While the Louvre is wonderful, the Mona Lisa was a huge disappointment.

The painting itself is tiny and there are always hordes of people around it.

There are a million better things to see at the Louvre.

lenachristina , wikimedia.commons Report

In 2020, global international tourism arrivals fell by 73%, according to the World Tourism Organization, and recovery hopes for 2021 have been dented by waves of new infections. But as vaccination programs advance around the world, opportunities are arising for restrictions to be gradually eased.

Destination and tourism businesses are trying to rebound while also being sufficiently nimble to manage the abrupt tightening of restrictions that could be imposed in response to future infection waves and the emergence of new variants of the virus. Let's hope this brings more transparency to the industry and more chances to travelers!

#6

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) If you go to the Great Wall of China, I'd suggest not going to the section right there in Beijing. Very rebuilt and touristy.

Take a van ride a ways out of the city, to the Simitai section. Now there's some uncrowded, old-school Great Wall.

DownUpOverAndBack , wikimedia.commons Report

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#7

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Disney Parks. Want to eat? Be ready to Shell out $50 a person per day. Oh, you came for the rides? Enjoy the four or five you make it on unless it's a busy day, those days enjoy the two or three.

flipamadiggermadoo , wikimedia.commons Report

#8

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Machu Picchu. I respect the Incas for building it, the real issue I have with it is the current management. It’s flooded with people (they let in over 3x the cap sto make money) being annoying and it’s very expensive, they bus people up a huge hill all day and we are required to have a tour guide and only spend 3 mins at certain areas. It’s misrepresenting the history of the Incas to people with selfie sticks. Not my fave

You are WAY better off seeing the Inca capitol, Cusco because it’s where they actually lived and thrived. See Sasqsyhuaman and the Qoricancha sun temple. Go on a backpacking trip and you will find Inca and pre Inca stuff Everywhere. With no idiotic tourists families. I highly recommend it.

¡Viva Perú!

ccut , wikimedia.commons Report

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#9

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Sydney Opera House. The tours are expensive and the inside is kind of underwhelming. The outside is free and is also the best part. ALTERNATIVE: Just walk around Sydney harbor. It's free and gorgeous.

CaligulaAndHisHorse , wikimedia.commons Report

#10

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Liberty Bell. Wait in a long line to look at... a bell. That looks exactly like it does in all the Philly souvenirs. They don't even let you lick it.

burgundyotter , wikimedia.commons Report

#11

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Every Hard Rock Cafe. Seriously, the pricing is similar to a nice chain restaurant, but the food is right on par with Applebee’s.

Jummatron , wikimedia.commons Report

#12

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Madame Tussauds in London. You're in a city filled to the brim with history and culture and free museums, but you'd rather wait in line for hours and pay a fortune to go see a mannequin of Justin Bieber?

[deleted] , wikimedia.commons Report

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#13

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The London Eye

What you expect

Whisked into your futuristic pod by smiling flight attendants, you gently rise above the ancient city of London. The crowds fall away as the panorama of the city is laid out before you - truly an experience for the ages

What happens

A snotty customer services assistant rips your d**k out through your wallet as you are shuffled into a stiflingly hot glass pod with dozens of other people. Sweaty tourists barge you out of the way to get to the windows before you have even left the ground. There are children, and they are screaming. The ride is 45 minutes long.

JamJarre , wikimedia.commons Report

#14

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Times Square and Piccadilly Circus, same damn chain restaurants and tourist traps

shiftdnb , wikimedia.commons Report

#15

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Mount Rushmore. It looks exactly like any picture you've ever seen. It's not easy to get up close to it. If you're in that area, I recommend prioritizing Devil's Tower. It's well worth it.

JBleezy1979 , wikimedia.commons Report

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#16

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Waikiki Beach. It's a horrible, crowded concrete beach surrounded by traffic and overpriced stores.

Go to literally any other beach in Oahu. But the coolest thing to do is drive up to north shore, and pick a spot on any one of the many relatively isolated beaches there and enjoy the scenery.

rachelgraychel , wikimedia.commons Report

#17

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Pyramids of Giza; might be being too harsh, but the swarm of aggressive market vendors surrounding them makes the place a bit of a nightmare. One woman from our group asked a guard to take her photo standing next to the pyramids, and the guard refused to give it back without recieving payment (I cant recall the amount but being extorted by a man with an AK-47 isn't an ideal situation). Inside the tombs themselves it reeked of piss and was a claustrophobes complete nightmare. A ~ 5 foot tall, very steep ramp with f**k all to prevent a fall wide enough to fit 1.5 men at best with a steady stream of people coming up from the opposite direction. Being literally yelled at to buy headscarves and assorted plastic s*** by the truly horrible merchants outside completely ruined my experience of the place, which I'm so, so sad about because I spent months looking forward to the trip.

TheTrustyCrumpet , wikimedia.commons Report

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#18

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Branson. The Simpsons weren't really joking when they described it as Las Vegas ran by Ned Flanders.

earlymusicaficionado , wikimedia.commons Report

#19

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Leaning Tower of Pisa - five minutes, that photo, and you're done.

[deleted] , wikimedia.commons Report

#20

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Bourbon Street, New Orleans

Now don’t get me wrong, the food is smash so I’d recommend hitting it anyways (Pat O’Brien’s and NOLA Poboys were my favorites). But the whole street itself is dirty, smells like sewage, and is overloaded with mostly ear rapingly loud rap music and maybe a couple jazz bands.

ProfessorSucc , wikimedia.commons Report

#21

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Plymouth Rock

Put bluntly, this attraction is massively lame, no one even knows if this is the right rock or even if there was a rock.

Beobee1 , wikimedia.commons Report

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#22

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Hitlers typewriter. It's a typewriter, I'm not sure what I expected.

girlthatfelltoearth , Birmingham365 Report

#23

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Roswell, New Mexico. You’d think it would be a hotspot for conventions and space geeks, but it was an incredibly tiny town with dozens of alien shops and barely any people. It was creepy as hell.

properrocky , wikimedia.commons Report

#24

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Oktoberfest. Way too crowded for my liking. I had a much better time at fests in the smaller villages.

aircraftwhisperer , wikimedia.commons Report

#25

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Romeo and Juliet's balcony in Verona. Like, 10,000 people all crammed into this tiny alleyway just to see a balcony that I found out was built after the play was written.

I understand Romeo and Juliet is a work of fiction, but the story of the balcony is it inspired the play. I now know that isn't true but as someone knowing very little about Shakespeare, I thought it was true when I went to the wonderful city of Verona.

Jay_1327 , wikimedia.commons Report

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#26

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) M&M World in London. Every single tourist has a bag from there, they don't even sell the unusual flavours of M&M, just the usual UK packets of peanut and solid chocolate. I just don't understand it...

WraithCadmus , wikimedia.commons Report

#27

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Hollywood Blvd

CaliPalDude , wikimedia.commons Report

#28

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Any instagram gimmick where you need to spend money on tickets and wait in line for a photo op

Specifically thinking of Museum of Ice Cream

yeelee__sin_ Report

#29

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Takeshita Street in Harajuku (Tokyo). I couldn't move my elbows an inch without bumping into someone, and pretty much every shop had a 30-minute line. I went to see the Harajuku-style fashion associated Takeshita Street, but hardly saw any of that. So essentially I was packed like a sardine for hours while waiting in long lines to shop for overpriced clothes. I love Tokyo, but I definitely won't be going back to Harajuku anytime soon.

danganranger , wikimedia.commons Report

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#30

The Fyre Festival

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#31

Mackinac Island. I’m a Michigan native, and I can tell you right now that it’s a complete tourist trap. The fudge is okay... and the entire island smells like fudge and horse poop. If you want to get fudge, but with less horse poop, and less tourists, go to Frankenmuth, MI. The whole town is Bavarian in style, plus it’s home to Bronners, the largest Christmas store in the world! The fudge is honestly so much better there, there aren’t a ton of tourists, and it’s so much cleaner. Plus there’s an ice fest in the winter. My family goes every year!

Tl;dr: don’t go to Mackinac Island, you’ll regret it. Instead, go to Frankenmuth, you won’t regret it!

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#32

Kuta beach, Bali. It's nothing but a dirty beach and drunk bogans. If you're visiting Bali, head down south to Canggu or Uluwatu area and enjoy the view of the ocean from top of the hill.

PM_ME_YOUR_INDOMIE Report

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#33

Not ridiculously hyped up, but got to say the Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 thing at Kings Cross station, it's not even on a platform anymore it's been moved to some random part inside the station (I suppose for people to use it without having to buy a ticket/ go through a barrier) but there are sometimes the most ridiculous queues just to get a photo with it.

Ellend821 Report

#34

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Temple Bar (Dublin). There are better pubs a block away, but all the tourists go to Temple Bar to pay twice the price for a Guinness.

mcampo84 , wikimedia.commons Report

#35

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Little Mermaid (Copenhagen). Most tourists know that it's just a small statue on a rock, yet still they come here and swarm around it like a flock of seagulls. I don't understand why.

maniaccheese , wikimedia.commons Report

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#36

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Mall of America. It’s just like any mall in the US. All the same stores just more of them. Edit: struck a nerve with this one. If you like malls in general you will probably like this one. Yes, there is more to do then your standard mall but I still found it pretty underwhelming. The one thing I forgot about that many have pointed out is Legoland. That is legitimately cool.

Mr_Saturn1 , wikimedia.commons Report

#37

Cadbury world. Offensively bad.

twofin Report

#38

The Sugar Factory (in Orlando and elsewhere).

My SO was hyped about it, and it seemed popular (there was a 3+ hour wait for tables). But it's only popular because it's owned by the Kardashians...and even if you didn't know that fact before going in (I didn't), you could figure it out from the restaurant itself. The ambiance was gaudy and loud, and the dining area felt dirty. The food was terrible and overpriced. The "hook" was big sugary alcoholic drinks and desserts (the "sugar" part), but even those sucked. Their headline drinks were big goblets with candy and dry ice vapor coming out, but they were $40+ each, so we passed. We got a couple of cheaper dessert-themed drinks, but even though we got different ones they all had the same taste of cheap vodka with lots of sugar. We got some actual desserts too, but you could tell they were pre-made over-processed garbage with no flavor. It probably came out of a package.

The worst part was their birthday cheer. If someone had a birthday, they would blare really loud and obnoxious club music, and all the wait staff would start dancing around on the tables while they brought out some dessert with road flares sticking out of it for candles. This wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't done it FOUR TIMES during our meal.

I pity those poor employees.

seanrm92 Report

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#39

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Khao San Road. I love Thailand but I absolutely hated Khao San Road. It's entirely fabricated for tourists to make tour groups feel like they're doing something exotic and adventurous. Signs for "We don't check ID!" "Take a picture eating a scorpion for $5!" "Fake passports sold here!" and then it's just t-shirts and bars. Compared to the rest of the country it's gross, fake, and douchey.

BeastModePwn· , wikimedia.commons Report

#40

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Top of the Empire State Building. You spend all that time in line for the elevators, in what is a very nice Art Deco piece of architecture, for the opportunity to struggle taking pictures through a caged roof and squint at what would otherwise be an excellent view of New York City.

Totally not worth it.

dasoberirishman , wikimedia.commons Report

#41

Rockefeller Christmas Tree. There was so many people we couldn’t even get that close. And once we were somewhat near I realized the only real reason we were there was to take pictures/“make memories”. The only memories I have from that night was the stress of that damn city!

ArcticPugs Report

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#42

There’s plenty of incredible things to do and see in Amsterdam. However, the sex museum is not one of them.

MuscleMuseum Report

#43

Daytona beach. It’s like a Permanent carnival plus some street preachers, people of Walmart, and homeless teens. It also smells like diesel fuel, feet, beer, and cigarettes.

therealsunshinem81 Report

#44

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Pier 39 in San Francisco. I'm from the East Coast...I'd never been to SF before. Everyone said "skip Pier 39....it's a tourist trap". However...since I'd never been before...I figured I'd go and see for myself.

It's a tourist trap. Nothing of value save for the sea lions, and Musee Mechanique....other than that....chains & ripoffs.

ElBomberoLoco , wikimedia.commons Report

#45

The pawn shop from Pawn Stars. A guy who was with us in Vegas insisted on going, and the rest of us got dragged along. We got corralled through the store and there was literally nothing worth a second look there. Waste of time.

I was particularly annoyed at the prices of used musical instruments there. I’ve been selling drums for 10 years, and I’m not about to buy a kit for higher than the new price just for the honour of having bought it there.

PBaz1337 Report

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#46

Atlantic City is a row of dingy casino hotels against a gross beach with a strip of disgusting shops in between. At least Vegas is clean.

jaycatt7 Report

#47

The infield at the Kentucky Derby. You won’t see a horse all day and will be surrounded by the drunkest rednecks north of the Daytona 500.

581977 Report

#48

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Manneken Pis in Brussels. Don't get me wrong, Brussels is BEAUTIFUL and I absolutely loved visiting. There's so much interesting folklore and a lot of souvenirs and what not around Manneken Pis, and you expect it to be this really amazing statue... Until you see it. It's down a tiny little street with hundreds of people stuffed into the corner where he sits. I know he's very respected and loved in Belgium, but he's just so tiny and the street was so crowded... I found it very hard to be excited once I actually saw him. Brussels is amazing though and I'll definitely be back one day!

findvision , wikimedia.commons Report

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#49

The Blue Lagoon (Iceland). I was shocked by how pricey it was for the experience, especially considering most of the public hot baths are free and there are geothermic springs everywhere in Iceland. I felt like I had to check it out, but in the end it felt like a rip-off.

goldikova14 Report

#50

This may not be known to everyone but Magnolia Silos in Waco, TX as made famous by the TV show "Fixer Upper". 100% waste of time and money. Everything in the store can be bought at Target or it's just show merchandise.

People come from across the country for this little store. Go somewhere else man.

occasional_user Report

#51

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The corn palace and wall-drug. The Dakota's love to make s*** up to get people to stop.

Pickled_Ramaker , wikimedia.commons Report

#52

Centralia, Pennsylvania. A town that has had a coal mine fire underneath it still burning since 1962. It sounds super cool to go see it but its just a few roads with graffiti on them and a bunch of ATV trails

bkarst5 Report

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#53

The Fountain of Youth down here in St. Augustine, Florida. The actual fountain is just a fake cave with a pipe that you fill a cup from. There were way cooler things there than that like a dude who fired a cannon, a bunch of crazy peacocks, and these guys who built replica ships using the techniques from the 16th/17th century.

BeefMcGeef Report

#54

The Alamo. I picture it being the stoic little fort on a lonesome Texas prairie but instead it's a little building in the middle of the City with all this touristy stuff around it like the Guinness Book of World Records

[deleted] Report

#55

That famous philly cheese steak place in philly. Awful service plus the food downright sucked.

hickeyspoorface Report

#56

If you ever come to a Chicago, stay away from Navy Pier. Everything is way overpriced (rides, games, food) and the tourists that visit are rude and annoying.

NS172002 Report

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#57

Four Corners. For those not from America/don’t know, it’s a spot where the corners of four different state borders touch. None of them were states I had any real fondness for (Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico) and once you get over the “zany” fun of being in 4 states at once it’s just a bunch of s**tty food carts. It was the classic tourist trap on a family vacation you try to talk your parents out of and fail at.

Sonic10122 Report

#58

Astronomical Clock in Prague. Everyone makes it seem like this crazy wild event when the clock hits the hour and throngs of people gather in the square to watch it every hour and are disappointed when it hardly does anything.

VERY cool considering the time period in which it was made, very very interesting, but not an extravagant display by any means.

I found it more fun to go and watch the the people get disappointed every hour after I had seen it the first time.

GiraffeDoodle Report

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#59

Will probably get downvoted in to oblivion for this, but the Sistine chapel left me wanting. The art is absolutely incredible but it's let down by the room itself. I was expecting it to be held with a bit more prestige. Instead it's just a big chapel absolutely crammed with tourists aiming their cameras at the ceiling.

It's a shame because the rest of the Vatican is amazing. So many beautiful rooms and corridors to walk through before you get to the chapel.

amathysteightyseven Report

#60

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Palace of Versailles. It’s become so crowded that you have to push your way around people to make it through the castle. It’s also developed a huge pickpocketing problem. A lot of people go just to take a photo in the hall of mirrors..

firstghostsnstuff , wikimedia.commons Report

#61

Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan in Amarillo, TX. I Iove to travel and almost always have a great time experiencing new things, even if it's just to say I've been there. But I could have done without stopping in Amarillo and not missed much.

riotpunchphanatic Report

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#62

Casa Bonita. Everything about it is horrible.

chronburgandy922 Report

#63

Cinque Terre (Italy). This one may be controversial, but I found this handful of villages in coastal Liguria to be very boring and overly touristy. All the hiking trails were closed. Either way, it's a day trip at best, and I would recommend visiting the Amalfi Coast over Cinque Terre.

CaligulaAndHisHorse Report

#64

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) Stonehenge. It’s a 2hr drive from London, and after you get there and get your picture, there’s really to much else.

GenXer1977 , wikimedia.commons Report

#65

People Are Sharing The Most Disappointing Tourist Traps Around The World (30 Pics) The Duomo (Florence). The outside of the Duomo is magnificent, but the interior is bland and underwhelming and not worth waiting in line for. If you've seen the outside, that's all you need to see. If you're thinking of going inside the view, you can get a much better view of Florence from across the river

CaligulaAndHisHorse , wikimedia.commons Report

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