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If You Don’t Want To Visit Places That Are Simply Overrated, Here Are 25 To Steer Clear Of
Interview With Expert
When we travel to different places, some simply latch on to us and refuse to ever leave our memories. However, there are also some spots that actually leave you questioning why you ever even visited them in the first place, right?
Well, there are many people who feel such disappointment, so when Reddit user TurbulentAir asked, “What is the most overrated travel destination?” folks were quick to name a lot of places. We have compiled a list of these spots for you, so if you are planning your next trip, make sure you take a look at this first!
More info: Reddit
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#2
Dubai. It sucks so bad, there is nothing to do, and no culture. Unless you like gaudy designer b******t or laying by the pool.
Edgar Rops 7 months ago
It so completely fake... To me , symbol of Dubai will forever be an old, dirty man desperately trying to offer his services (fixing shoes with some super glue and pieces of leather salvaged froma dumpster), while seated between Dior and Boss boutiques. Tasteless opulence on the back of obscene poverty.
#3
Plymouth Rock.
It's a rock.
Jrog 7 months ago (edited)
It's also fake. The association of Plymouth Rock with the Pilgrims began only in 1741, when Thomas Faunce, a 94-year-old church elder, claimed that his father and other early settlers had identified it as the landing site. Faunce’s testimony was accepted by the townspeople despite the absence of documentation from the Pilgrims themselves. Since 1774 it was moved, broken, split to pieces to sell souvenirs.
The thing about traveling is that it needs prior planning and bookings and reservations and all that jazz. However, after so much effort, when the destination itself disappoints you, you might wonder what's even the point of it all.
Well, to understand more about such overrated places, Bored Panda interviewed Saee and Nikhil—avid travelers who document their travel stories on their Instagram account, apparentlytrippy. While they have traveled to over 22 countries, the number of destinations is too many to count, as every country has multiple wonderful spots.
They told us that Luxembourg City was one such place they had visited and had been quite excited to go to. However, they felt disappointed after reaching it because it was way too expensive, lacked landmarks to explore, and the weather was very gray.
#4
I live in Nashville and I think that’s my answer. Tourists only go on Broadway and watch the same lame cover bands at the same lame overpriced bars. Go outside the Broadway strip ffs. Nashville has so much else to offer.
#5
Cancun, it's a shady town. Everybody is out to rip you a new one, from the taxi drivers to the waiters, you go to a fancy steak house order a bottle of wine they bring you a more expensiveone, you go to a taco stand the price on the board don't match the one on the ticket.
DeoManus Argentem 7 months ago
It has merits. I stayed at a "luxury" all-inclusive that was very inexpensive and had amazing food and drinks, amenities. Also day trips to places like Chichen Itza (the whole complex is amazing, not just the famous pyramid), Tulum, Isla de Mujeres, etc. Yeah, it's touristy af, but its proximity to cultural sites is convenient (I don't care about the beaches - I live in South Florida about a 30minute walk from a beautiful beach) and it's so inexpensive.
#6
Not sure if it's a huge destination. But the '4 corners ' in the southwestern US sucks.
There's nothing culturally, geologically, or environmentally interesting or significant there.
Is just an area where a cartographer drew two intersecting lines in a map years ago. And due to a surveying error, it isn't even in the right place.
Anonymouse 7 months ago
Stop by Winslow, Arizona - they actually have a blonde manekin in a flat bed ford at the center of town, lol.
One important point that we discussed with them was the impact of social media on travel destinations. Saee stressed that social media plays a huge role in overhyping certain travel spots as influencers always tend to show idealized versions of these places, like the picture-perfect sunsets, empty beaches, dreamy cafes, and dramatic drone shots.
"What you don't see are the crowds, long lines, entry fees, trash, or how small that 'epic' spot actually is in real life. As people only see the aesthetic version of the place on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest, it leads to overcrowding, and Venice and Rome are probably the best examples of this," Nikhil explained.
#7
Can't believe no one has said Mount Rushmore. It's hours away from any sort of other entertainment or lodging. You have to enter through the gift shop. Then you finally get to the viewing spot and it's underwhelming to say the least. Then the kicker is that it is on Religious Holy Land seized from the Sioux is the big middle finger of it all.
Carney 7 months ago
Agreed. A hint: if you want to see the monument free of crowds and knock-offs, go visit Custer State Park which is about half an hour away. Drive the circuit and head up into the hills. Follow the signs (sorry, been awhile and I cannot remember the exact directions, but it is well marked) to the top. Leave your car and walk about 100 yards and there it is - Rushmore without the cheap. Custer itself is well worth the visit. Great wildlife (watch the wild burros they love to stick their heads into the car window for treats :) ) and nice hiking trails.
#8
Branson. I do not get it. It's about 4 hrs from me and literally everyone I know goes there on vacation. It is the go-to vacation destination for like 75% of people I know. They go there at least once a year. If they only can take one vacation, they go to Branson. I do not get the appeal at all. Everything there just feels incredibly fake.
#9
Mykonos, there are better and more affordable alternatives.
Remi (He/Him) 7 months ago
My fave so far is probably Crete as it's so large with such a rich history that you have things to do and see for ages
Speaking about how tourists throng to places they see on social media, the couple also narrated how over-tourism simply damages the charm of a place. Nikhil said, "Just like every tourist, we were looking forward to visiting the Trevi fountain in Rome, and making a wish by throwing in a coin. We wouldn't deny how breathtakingly beautiful it was to stand there and just gaze at it wholeheartedly."
"But then, we snapped out of the charm when people kept moving past us, so much so that we couldn't even stand in one place. In fact, it was difficult to even get a decent picture there!" Saee added. They also expressed that while over-tourism is an issue, some people just don't know how to act like 'tourists,' and they go about littering and ruining places.
#10
Santorini, Greece. Go to one of the smaller islands. Paros, Naxos. Anything not touristy. Paros was beautiful, wonderfully clean and everyone was so nice. Santorini was a tourist trap. Dingy, lots of harassing peddlers. Crowded. Nah.
Lady Eowyn 7 months ago
My parents were on Santorini in the 80s, before it devolved into a tourist trap.
#11
The whole Pigeon Forge area in Tennessee
I hope you like sitting in traffic for hours on end. If it was up to me, I'd save my money and go literally anywhere else.
The Q 7 months ago
Why were you sitting in traffic for hours on end? I have a season pass to Dollywood. I stay in Pigeon Forge about 4 times a year. They have a lot of tourist traffic but you can drive from one end of the strip to the other in just a few minutes, even during the busiest times of year. I park at the hotel and walk everywhere. There is a lot to see and do. it's a tourist place so expect a lot of people, but no where did I wait for hours on end.
#12
Niagara Falls, NY is NOT a nice place.
Dan Holden 8 months ago (edited)
The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is just bunch of tourist traps. The falls are pretty impressive for sure. But the town, not so much.
Out of all the hyped-up places that they have visited, the couple felt that Cologne was the most overrated. "Apart from the Cathedral, which was quite impressive by the way, there was nothing picturesque about it. We honestly couldn't figure out why people are so fascinated by it, as there was nothing much to do over there," Saee narrated.
"Moreover, it might be a decent place to live in, but it is definitely not a touristy spot as it lacks the things we expect from a place when we travel," Nikhil added. They also strongly believe that there are a lot of underrated places out there worthy of a once-in-a-lifetime visit, like the High Tatra Mountains or Banská Štiavnica in Slovakia or the whole of Slovenia in general, which is like a fairytale.
#14
I'm gonna say it, Amarillo. That d**n horse museum is so darn alluring, but it isn't all it's chalked up to be! To think, I said I'd be there by morning!
#15
Morocco. Very cool city and shops but every time we stepped outside there’s like 30 grown men just staring at the women in the group and following us around. Also tons of kids everywhere trying to sell you stuff aggressively.
Edgar Rops 7 months ago
Best way to avoid such men (and they are everywhere in the near east), is to make patriarchy work for you: if you have a reliable male friend, ask him to pretend to be your partner (if you have one, so much easier). Holding hands will be more than enough. "Someone else's woman" is an absolute no-no.
Well, that was definitely enlightening, wasn't it? Next time I plan a vacation, I would definitely love to visit a place that actually looks just as appealing in reality as it looks on social media. Wouldn't you want to visit such a place, too? Let us know your dream spots in the comments below. Also, if our list has missed any overrated places, feel free to share them with us!
#16
Honestly, Los Angeles. But not because it sucks - I love LA. I just think you need to live here to truly get what the city has to offer. If you come as a tourist you squeeze in a bunch of random touristy things and don’t get to really experience the city for what it is.
#17
Lake Havasu, AZ. It's a s****y lake in a s**t town that everyone has convinced themselves is a nice place to be because they live in the desert and it sucks there.
OpheliaPoe 7 months ago
I try to to find the beauty in all places but the appeal of the Mojave alludes me.
#18
Scottsdale - my hometown, will always be home but I can’t believe people go there as a destination.
#19
Egypt in general.
Rose the Cook 8 months ago
Don't go unless you are interested in ancient history. You won't enjoy it if you are looking for a typical holiday experience.
#20
Australia (am Australian).
If you want gob-smacking scenery go to New Zealand.
Rose the Cook 8 months ago
Avoid the East Coast, be adventurous try South Australia, Western Australia or Tasmania. Most visitors do Queensland, Sydney etc because that's what travel agents push. The vast distances between places add to the cost though. Hence most organised tours stick to places fairly close together.
#21
Atlanta. Don't get me wrong. I live here and I love this city. But Atlanta is, as many say, a great place to live but you wouldn't want to visit. As a tourist, it sucks. There are few interesting things to do and see as tourist that you couldn't get elsewhere, apart from some more niche interests. Living here is great, and there's so much the city has to offer to its locals in terms of quality of life, but I always tell my friends in other states/countries to skip Atlanta and just go to NYC or Chicago for the big city tourism experience.
Mel in Georgia 7 months ago
Live outside of Atlanta and agree. Unless you are very interested in the Civil Rights Movement and the Carter Center (RIP Jimmy!) there are not a lot of extraordinary attractions.
#24
I have a bone to pick with Bali. F**k that place.
persephone134 7 months ago
In Europe, it's marketed as a luxury destination full of exotic, meditative beauty. For people in Australia, Japan, and other nations in the Pacific, it's a cheap vacation island known for the partying crowds. Sort of like Mallorca, Ibiza etc in Europe.
What do you think ?
OpheliaPoe 7 months ago
Same. I went once with a group for the whole Bachelor/Bachelorette Party experience and realized very quickly that city is not for me. Not at all. I don't regret going once but I won't waste my money going back.
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OpheliaPoe 7 months ago
Same. I went once with a group for the whole Bachelor/Bachelorette Party experience and realized very quickly that city is not for me. Not at all. I don't regret going once but I won't waste my money going back.
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