With the pandemic having put our lives on unprecedented hold, many are dreaming of returning to norm… Who are we lying to? The sole, okay, one of the little things, we truly miss badly is traveling. And I can bet that at any given opportunity, you’d be up and rolling with a fedora to any place in the world just to sip on a pina colada and forget the comfort-turned-hell of your four home walls.
And it’s no secret that many thirsty travelers have must-see travel bucket lists somewhere in the drawer waiting for the borders to open up. For some, it’s Times Square and Hollywood, for others, it’s all about dinner with a view at the Eiffel Tower, but as you’re about to plan your next big post-pandemic trip, you may as well take some good advice from people who have been to those places, but would likely travel back in time to not go there.
So below, ladies and gents, are the most overrated travel destinations shared in one r/AskReddit thread to help us reflect on our sightseeing must-dos before its too late.
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The Mona Lisa in Louvre in Paris. It's just a small painting hanging quite far away in a really crowded room full of tourists. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful, iconic painting, but it's not worth visiting the Louvre only for the Mona Lisa. The majority of the other artworks in that museum are more impressive than the Mona Lisa.
Dubai.
Unless you're really into spending all day in an air conditioned building, then going to the air conditioned basement to get in an air conditioned car to travel to the air conditioned basement of another air conditioned building in which case, do I have a city for you!
Yes! From a business travel point of view, it was great as everything was easy and you can get anything you might be missing from home, but anything to do for leisure or tourism just feels completely synthetic.
Hollywood. The most disappointing garbage and pee covered place on earth.
The peak of Mount Everest. People just pay sherpas to carry all their gear, and navigate the dangerous areas. Many have heated tents. The line to wait to get a picture at the top can be extremely long, and dangerous because people aren’t used to the altitude.
Plus, they leave tons and tons of waste, plastic bags and garbage everywhere, it's awful and sad.
Pisa.
Besides the small square with the tower where everyone is taking the same stupid joke pic. And guys tryna sell you toys.
The rest of the town is pretty lame. You're in Tuscany, go to ANY small town and you'll enjoy it far more.
This is true. Pisa is wierd and kinda cool but very much a tourist trap. That said, I had one of my best Italian meals in a tiny restaurant in Pisa. I asked my taxi driver where he takes his wife for thier anniversary. It was reasonably priced, really nice atmosphere and amazingly good food.
Japan has such a romanticized view of France that they actually have a term, "Paris Syndrome", for the sudden shock suffered by Japanese tourists when they see that France isn't how they imagined.
I didn’t get anything out of Las Vegas. It was cool to see the themed hotels but besides that it was just an overpriced cultureless soulless city designed to entertain you.
I have been there 23 years ago, and than you had at least HUGE pools in the morning for you all alone and delicious food for little money. Didn’t spend a single dollar at gambling.
Egypt, all the beauty and awe of the ancient civilisation is completely outshone by how absolutely horrible the modern civilisation is. Think of all the worst parts of India and then add sand to it.
So true! Cairo is horrifying. All the pics you see of the pyramids are taken from this side, if you’re standing on the other side, shithole Cairo is right there in all it’s dirty glory. Whatever you do don’t drink the water!! I forgot on my last day and rinsed my toothbrush under the tap. Never been so ill in my life. The museum is incredible, but full of people trying to scam you.
Bali. It was beautiful 10 years ago but now it's been ruined by influencers.
Same with most famous nature spots on earth. I recently saw a picture of a mountaintop where people stand in a line to get THAT one picture. It’s a pity.
Stonehenge. They don't let you get very close to it to help preserve it. Either way you get just about as good a view of it from the Highway going by it as you do by waiting in line and paying to go see it. I appreciate what it represents, but if you put on a youtube video of it you will get a more personal and close experience of it then if you actually go there.
I went there in the mid-90s and I was very disappointed (probably served me right as I should've known). It's a bunch of standing stones in a field. Don't get me wrong, it is incredibly important historically, but ... stones in a field. Plus, Britain is littered with stone circles. This one just happens to be more famous.
Oktoberfest
You can get the same brand and amount of beer for a third of the price literally anywhere else in Munich. The carnival rides are also overcrowded and overpriced, the food is decent but also overpriced... I could go on. Oktoberfest is over-everything.
I lived in Munich for a decade and haven’t ever been there. For a reason.
If you're in Dublin, stay away from the Temple Bar area, it's ridiculously overpriced and is not at all what a real Irish bar is like at all
I have been there, and I like it. As I like beers, Dublin, and Ireland, in general. Btw, I'm from Balkans
UAE, it's the most culturally deficient place you will ever see in your life!!
I agree completely. It was like they went out of their way to make everything as generic as possible.
That wing mural in Nashville.. there is literally a line that takes an hour to go take a picture with a pair of wings on a wall.
photoshop is quicker and easier. One I've put together in just 2 minutes- bean-60813...33d598.jpg 
The Taj Mahal. Yes, it's beautiful but it's also overcrowded which ruins any serenity and every thing that there's to see is visible on the pictures you've seen a thousand times before. The inside is dark, surprisingly small and you're rushed through. Agra Fort, overlooking the Taj Mahal, by contrast is equally gorgeous, vibrant and teeming with history. I enjoyed it much more.
Romeo & Juliet balcony & house in Verona, Italy. Pure tourism BS
This one has always baffled me as surely it's just a random balcony that just happens to be in the town where someone in England wrote a fictitious story that also had a balcony in it.
South Beach/Miami
Over priced bars and clubs, if youre a dude and you dont have a fine group of women with you, be ready to drop serious cash for a night out if youre there. There are better beaches up and down the coast, that wont force you into the terrible traffic and parking SB has.
definitely Mallorca - I'm German enough, I don't want to hear 90% German on holiday in Spain as well. The quieter, less central parts of Mallorca are gorgeous, especially for snorkeling and diving, but the Playa de Palma, or at least that part, is horrendously German lol
German here. The island itself is gorgeous and should not be confused with that one place on Mallorca called "Ballermann".
Disneyland. It's just a lot of waiting for bad rides.
I dunno if it's true or not but my mum says Six flags is heaps better than Disneyland.
Whatever expectation you have of Roswell, New Mexico- it’s worse
So “Paul” lied to us? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_53
Mount Rushmore. It's faces on a rock basically and smaller than you think.
Bourbon Street, New Orleans. It's really just the same as any other bar district in any other large city around the world. Same old cover bands playing the same old songs that you'd hear anywhere. You can experience all you need just by walking down the street for an hour and not going in anywhere.
To me the purpose of Bourbon Street, just like the Red Lights District in Amsterdam, is to host all the loud bachelor/birthday destination parties, letting the others chill in any other bar in the city.
This is correct. The locals here know that Bourbon is just strip clubs and dudebros. Go down Royal and Frenchman streets to get the traditional feel of Nola.
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I live here and dread having to go there when friends or family visit from out of town. Before COVID it was filthy and reeked of bodily fluids. Bars are overpriced as well as restaurants. Also, during the summer, the heat and humidity is miserable.
Can you recommend a good neighborhood to stay in New Orleans? My husband and I are planning a trip but wanted to avoid Bourbon Street and don’t know which is the best place to stay.
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Bourbon Street may be for drunk tourists but New Orleans has more culture than perhaps any other city in the country.
My first trip, and last.. I was grabbed walking down a sidewalk by a complete stranger... gun fire in the side streets with what looked like gangs running from police. Then everything smelled like urine. I literally felt like I was in a third world country.
I’d rather see the parts of the city with more beauty, history, and truly local vibe than the overly commercialized tourist trap spots. I prefer to be a traveler than a tourist.
Agreed, Bourbon Street was ruined decades ago, & I tell everyone to walk down it ONCE just to say they've been there, but Do Not wear sandals or step in any puddles, because there's no telling what's in them, lol! You have to get further on past Bourbon Street to really experience the French Quarter. Jackson Square, Pirates Alley, the Moon Walk along the Mississippi, so much history!
We went to New Orleans once, with my sister's travel volleyball team. I was in about 7th grade, so, '93ish. Of course we had to walk down Bourbon Street. Yeah, the parents, and a bunch of us kids lol-my sister is 3 years younger than I, and there were even younger siblings, too. We started out in the afternoon/evening, and it was dark by the time we got back. It was...an experience. I remember a peen necktie, complete with pubes (printed, not fuzzy lol), a Revenge of the Nerds "Who Farted?" tee shirt that I wanted SO badly (would be vintage now, and worth a lot, dammit lol), and a pair of mechanical legs going in and out of a bar (strip club) window. There was light and sound and music everywhere. It was also dirty, and crowded, and there were panhandlers everywhere, too. But it was fun. NO, and Bourbon Street have a culture and an atmosphere like no other, and I want to go there again, before I die-especially now that I'm old enough to drink lol!!
Some other good memories from N.O. are seeing the Superdome (this was WAY before Katrina), riding streetcars, going to the Hard Rock cafe there, seeing the amazing displays, & eating the best bacon cheeseburger I've ever had, & eating beignets at a little outdoor cafe, while a guy with a saxophone stood on the sidewalk & played the Sesame Street theme, & a hippie guy in an ankle length skirt playfully debated with him about how, in fact, to get to Sesame Street. They weren't sure if it ran parallel to Bourbon, or intersected with it. Oh, & my mom accidentally getting s**t-faced drunk off 2 hurricanes (bought on Bourbon Street, ofc), & loudly proclaiming, as we walked into our hotel, that she wanted pizza, & asking if anybody else wanted to order with her. I think my dad put her to bed, lol. Our hotel was gross, though. Nasty dirty. I remember smacking the back of an armchair, & seeing dust puff up. Oh, and random beads everywhere, b/c it was the week after Mardi Gras.
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Bourbon Street is loud, filled with drunks, smelly from urine, vomit, and stale beer, tacky, and expensive. If that's what you're looking for fine, otherwise go into other areas of the city and find good food that's not overpriced, lovely gardens and architecture, charming bars with good music, and great Cajun accents.
My mom once art a piece of pizza that she had dropped on bourbon street. It laded face down and she said, and I quote, "five-second rule!" and ate it.
Saw my first and only dead body in a street there. Cop was just standing over the body, smoking a cigarette. Dude had all kinds of blood seeping out of his mouth. Didn't even phase anyone in the crowd. They just moved around the body and the cop. Sad.
you're better off going to Frenchman St on the other side of the flea market.
disagree. The architecture is beautiful. I found it fun and charming. I don't even drink.
I loved Burbon street, and the French Market which is just past Burbon Street. We did travel down a lot of the back alleys people tell you not to go though, a lot of really cool restaurants and art galleries
I saw a little person giving a lap dance to a big black man on Bourbon Street. Crazy times
Might like to walk along Bourbon Street and then find somewhere quieter to have a few drinks...
Omg this is the worst street in the usa so loud and also that one in nashville is really bad forget what it's called. Broadway street! That's it.
Nothing but gay bars on Bourbon street (well back in the '80's anyway)
New Orleans was extremely pretty, but all you could do there with kids is eat bad Benyay(cannot spell it so I just went with how it sounds.)
Wow, you are so wrong! I've been visiting there every year since 2008, and there is so much more than Bourbon Street & beignets! There's a ton of things to do with the kids in NOLA - Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Audubon Insectarium, which are all operated by the Audubon Nature Institute. There's City Park, and the very awesome Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World. And just wandering around Jackson Square is amazing - one side is Pirate's Alley & you're walking on paving stones that actual pirates walked on 300 years ago! Plus there's all the street performers & artists, and tons of history. You need to educate yourself a bit more about New Orleans!
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Mall of America. It just a Mall with a lot of stuff in it. My opinion would’ve probably be different if I didn't live in Minnesota.
Blue lagoon in Iceland. Always super crowded and you have to book it super early. There are a lot of better lagoons in Iceland that are just as pretty (or even prettier), more isolated, definitely less crowded, and just as "blue".
Bondi beach in Sydney. Overcrowded, everything there is way overpriced
Seeing as Bondi Beach is the most famous beach in Australia, what do you expect. I wouldn't even bother to go there, especially when we have sooooo many amazing beaches that don't get anywhere as busy.
I did a Mount Fuji tour in Japan in March. It was hands down the worst part of the trip. No point to go up the actual mountain. It was like 12 hours on a bus. Then I saw it from a train like 3 days later, and that was a better view than anything I got on the tour.
I disagree, I climbed Fuji-san (in September) on a longer but less crowded track. We started at 20:00 to catch the sunrise at 05:30. The view was breathtaking and only the last part on top got crowded. I wouldn't do it twice, but wouldn't have missed out on the experience either. IMG_201909...f3697d.jpg 
Toyosu Fish Market. The one that replaced Tsukiji as the fish auction central of Tokyo in 2018. You get to watch the auction process, but only if you go early in the morning. And even then, only through small glass windows two stories above the auction block. If there are more than a couple dozen other visitors, you will not be able to see anything.
don't mind my question, but: Why would you want to go there?
Note: this post originally had 46 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
A lot of these people go to the most famous tourist destinations and complain that they're overcrowded by tourists. What were you expecting? You're one of those tourists overcrowding it!
And I went at peak times and in peak seasons when everyone else goes...
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Am I the only one who thinks that this post does not do justice to these places?
Yeah, it sounds like a lot of over-privileged and entitled people whining.
Load More Replies... Seems like most of these people didn't research before they went. Some of these are just like "Der, what did you expect".
Agree Foxxy. It seems like people just turned up to look at something just because it was on a list without any real understanding of what they were looking at and why it was on the list on the first place.
Load More Replies... Some people really miss the point of leisure travel. 99% of the time, particularly in a city with ancient roots, I just can't believe I'm there!!!
I can't understand those people. I think I like every new place I visit.
If the whole point of your travel, no matter where you go, is to see the famous stuff, then prepare to wait in line and be disappointed not by the quality of the place, but because of your ridiculous expectation of it. There's people who skip the tourist spots and explore the places they visit, and people who like the tourist traps. Whichever makes you happy, but if you're part of the latter, don't complain. You should know better. I've lived in 20+ cities in 8 different countries, and all of them had good and bad things.
Exactly there is always something awesome in every country
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Ooooo I went to a tourist spot as a tourist and it was full of tourists! OMG I must complain immediately! Maybe they expected a VIP pass just for them?
This entire list, and the comments under every entry, makes me hate tourists. Jesus, you have the good fortune to see some of the most wonderful places on earth, and you're disappointed that it's not like it is in Disney movies? Can you hear the grotesque entitlement in your comments? The problem with all of these places is not the places themselves - it's you. You went to another country as a guest and then were disappointed to learn that they were actual real places with real people living in them and not theme parks full of employees ready to make you feel like royalty. Gross.
People having the luxury of going to these amazing places and commenting how bad they are because they did not find the comfort they have at home... So sad.
I have been to Miami, but I would have been so happy to get to go to the rest of these places. These people just sound like the rich-bored.
Sounds like a bunch of snobby people who can afford to travel being ungrateful.
TLDR; I'm a tourist who got mad that other tourists did the same tourist things that I did!
Half of these sound like they're written by someone that dislikes traveling. I mean the Hollywood posts are accurate but it misses that point. Also, PLEASE ignore the Las Vegas review that places is awesome.....unless you don't drink then maybe try driving through.
I try to identify major tourist places and then avoid them when we travel. As a result, we travel off the beaten path. A few times, on "cow paths" and "goat tracks". Totally worth it every time. Tip: Ask the hotel desk clerk(s) and staff where they think it's cool in their area. We found great food, great views, amazing little nooks and crannies, just by being polite and asking politely what locals would find best, not what tourists would. Most of the time, hotel staff have been great about these things. That's why it's *fun*!
Perpetually unhappy people continuously complaining. No surprise here.
Don't let this post prevent you from seeing the tourist attraction, just be aware it is a tourist attraction, therefor it will be crowded and possibly dirty.
I wish I had the money to go to these places. I don't thinki would complain
I like to travel off-season to enjoy the culture of the places I visit... haven't been disappointed yet. I rarely, if ever, visit typical tourist attraction, saving my pennies to sample local cuisine. :)
Going to a tourist destination just to complain about the number of tourists is like going to a concert and then complaining that there’s music.
Well, you can say something like this about every more or less popular tourist destination. Just a building, just a picture, just a mountain. And who could have thought that a popular tourist destination is going to be packed with tourists?
Amsterdam. You can buy weed in every town if that's what floats your boat, Leiden and Utrecht have just the same kind of canals, and the people are nicer and more relaxed elsewhere. Go see Amsterdam to visit a few museums, but then grab a train and go south.
Amsterdam is more than just weed. There are some amazing art galleries, the history of the buildings and the Dutch culture is fascinating. It has a great music scene and all the benefits of a big city in a small package. I would highly recomend a walking tour of the Amsterdam city centre, but outside the city centre is where it gets good. Keukenhof gardens in spring, the molens, the veenpark, and some of the smaller villages like Giethorn are beautiful.
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Approaching travel with cynicism and expecting disappointment is just sad. The fact that there are too many other people or it is too touristy means you didn't do your homework and weren't prepared. If you are seeing destinations just to check things off your bucket list, then you are missing out on the wonders of travel. The best moments of travel are always unexpected experiences and usually involve meeting people and experiencing other cultures. Travel with your eyes wide open and don't miss out on bucket list /wish list places, just because someone complained about it not meeting their expectations.
That's true, Traveling is to enjoyed and be free to embrace all the new feelings it will bring...I love traveling and I have done a lot...So where are you from Jackie ? I must say you have beautiful smile too
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why are all the tourists here when I travel - I'm not a tourist but they all are
Honorable mention to the Great Wall of China. Not because of the crowds. But the number of people spitting. It was a weird phenomenon.
No one tried to visit the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona? It's really worth it, but the tickets must be bought one or two days before, they are rather expensive, you have to show up on time and it still is crowded.
A few years ago a family came here to visit me and my family. They were so keyed up and happy about going to see the Liberty Bell. When we got to Independence park I could see their enthusiasm draining away. It's just a cracked bell in a glass house with lines going on for infinity. And more trash than usual. And hot and sooo humid. When it was inside Independence Hall, it was much more impressive. I cheered the group up by feeding them cheese steaks.
I am surprised not to find Rome or any attraction in Rome on this list. Rome is beautiful, but so overcrowded that it is impossible to enjoy (at least before Covid). I was at the Sistine Chapel and felt like on a crowded market square.
You expected there to be NO crowd? At the Sistine Chapel?
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Now this post is a bit of mystery to me. Hype, banal ignorance and readiness to join the crowd in search of imaginary grandeur is a sure way to disappointment. I think it's the problem of social media presence. For some it's like the marriage hype when the festivities end.
I missed the times when traveling was not the in thing orr probably when influencers are not everyone. I travel around Asia and the best that you can do is rent a motorbike and just go around. Talk to locals they'll tell you the best spots or get lost and find them. How I miss travelling. Revenge travel after pandemic!
I dunno, I've never wanted to go to most of these places. Maybe like 10/30
My husband and I took loads of road trips (before COVID). We have no high expections, which is why we get plenty of great surprises. For us the Grand Canyon was so-so. OTOH Bryce knocked our socks off. Go off season...like May or Sept. We were the only ones at Old Faithful. Be willing to go off the beaten path. We drove an hour out of our way, to the middle of nowhere to stand at the marker of the exact geological center of the US on a farm in SD. Have an adventure and stay away from the tourist stuff. 03-Governm...54a035.jpg 
As a world traveller, a few tips: wherever you get to via bus/boat, wait and watch where the main group of tourists are going, and then head in the opposite direction - you're bound to see more of the actual culture and get to know locals and learn about their country and lives. Also, never eat at restaurants on the main drag. Head a few roads away (more roads the larger the city) and you'll find local eateries instead of tourist traps. Small and dingy restaurants often serve the best food. Also, *completely* ignore hawkers trying to sell you rubbish or show you 'best accommodation'. Just walk right past without a word or eye contact.
One of the best things I've ever done is ride one of those little tuk tuk thingies in India! Everybody finds it boring and ugly but I like it
Medellin, Colombia. Expectations: beautiful women, nice weather, great food. Reality: tasteless boob jobs, awful weather and robbers everywhere, plus the absurd cult to Pablo Escobar everywhere
My brother had the same expierence. The nature was beautiful but the people are not approachable. He liked Mexico much better.
Load More Replies... Now that I've finished this list, who wants to be the type of person to say, "nah it sounded lame on the internet so I've never been anywhere"
I have been to New Orleans twice. The first time was so magical I actually started looking for appartments. Hurricane Katrina hit shortly after and I dropped the appartment search. I went back 10 years later and was so disenchanted. There were a lot of very agressive beggars and the Quarter smelled horrible. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but it definitely lost some of its magic.
As a Canadian I'd say the CN Tower.... It's expensive to just go up a tower and get a view of the city. The view is amazing, but for the price it's insane, and there's not much else to do unless you want to pay even more money to go up higher
Quite a few of these locations I’ve already visited and agree, and a few were on my bucket list. Not anymore. Thank you for the advance warning.
The Super Bowl and most of the Olympics (even though their locations change) are destinations that are not worth the expense.
A place I'd recommend is Milan, Italy. Not as trash as Rome and has this amazing area called Tres Torres (Three towers) It's amazing and there is a mall and well kept park. Also Qt-8
Why didn't anyone mention the Great wall of China? Most disappoiting trip I ever did. Dirty, crowded, dangerous, no infrastructure for visitors at all. Any minimal fog and you won't see a thing.
I am not sure what part of the wall you visited or when? I was there about 10 years ago and there were toilets and a wonderful landscaped garden at our entrance point and toilets and restaurant at our end point (we walked along the wall and got picked up at the other end). There were handrailings up the stairs I loved the great wall of china. What an amazing construction feat it is, and impossible to appreciate just how huge until you are walking along it. I didnt find the wall to be at all dirty.
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I have one! Hypogeum in Malta!! I read everywhere that it was a must see but please don't spend your money for nothing!! It's 40 f*****g Euros per person to go in a cave which is impressive ok but the staff was too bored, there were no headphones so you had to hold the radio close to your ear for a 30 minute tour, and many languages were not available!!! I mean when your monument is called hypogeum (Greek word) i expect to hear the tour in a tape in Greek cause I'm paying 40 Euros for f**k's sake!! Other than that Malta is wonderful!
A lot of these people go to the most famous tourist destinations and complain that they're overcrowded by tourists. What were you expecting? You're one of those tourists overcrowding it!
And I went at peak times and in peak seasons when everyone else goes...
Load More Replies... Am I the only one who thinks that this post does not do justice to these places?
Yeah, it sounds like a lot of over-privileged and entitled people whining.
Load More Replies... Seems like most of these people didn't research before they went. Some of these are just like "Der, what did you expect".
Agree Foxxy. It seems like people just turned up to look at something just because it was on a list without any real understanding of what they were looking at and why it was on the list on the first place.
Load More Replies... Some people really miss the point of leisure travel. 99% of the time, particularly in a city with ancient roots, I just can't believe I'm there!!!
I can't understand those people. I think I like every new place I visit.
If the whole point of your travel, no matter where you go, is to see the famous stuff, then prepare to wait in line and be disappointed not by the quality of the place, but because of your ridiculous expectation of it. There's people who skip the tourist spots and explore the places they visit, and people who like the tourist traps. Whichever makes you happy, but if you're part of the latter, don't complain. You should know better. I've lived in 20+ cities in 8 different countries, and all of them had good and bad things.
Exactly there is always something awesome in every country
Load More Replies... Ooooo I went to a tourist spot as a tourist and it was full of tourists! OMG I must complain immediately! Maybe they expected a VIP pass just for them?
This entire list, and the comments under every entry, makes me hate tourists. Jesus, you have the good fortune to see some of the most wonderful places on earth, and you're disappointed that it's not like it is in Disney movies? Can you hear the grotesque entitlement in your comments? The problem with all of these places is not the places themselves - it's you. You went to another country as a guest and then were disappointed to learn that they were actual real places with real people living in them and not theme parks full of employees ready to make you feel like royalty. Gross.
People having the luxury of going to these amazing places and commenting how bad they are because they did not find the comfort they have at home... So sad.
I have been to Miami, but I would have been so happy to get to go to the rest of these places. These people just sound like the rich-bored.
Sounds like a bunch of snobby people who can afford to travel being ungrateful.
TLDR; I'm a tourist who got mad that other tourists did the same tourist things that I did!
Half of these sound like they're written by someone that dislikes traveling. I mean the Hollywood posts are accurate but it misses that point. Also, PLEASE ignore the Las Vegas review that places is awesome.....unless you don't drink then maybe try driving through.
I try to identify major tourist places and then avoid them when we travel. As a result, we travel off the beaten path. A few times, on "cow paths" and "goat tracks". Totally worth it every time. Tip: Ask the hotel desk clerk(s) and staff where they think it's cool in their area. We found great food, great views, amazing little nooks and crannies, just by being polite and asking politely what locals would find best, not what tourists would. Most of the time, hotel staff have been great about these things. That's why it's *fun*!
Perpetually unhappy people continuously complaining. No surprise here.
Don't let this post prevent you from seeing the tourist attraction, just be aware it is a tourist attraction, therefor it will be crowded and possibly dirty.
I wish I had the money to go to these places. I don't thinki would complain
I like to travel off-season to enjoy the culture of the places I visit... haven't been disappointed yet. I rarely, if ever, visit typical tourist attraction, saving my pennies to sample local cuisine. :)
Going to a tourist destination just to complain about the number of tourists is like going to a concert and then complaining that there’s music.
Well, you can say something like this about every more or less popular tourist destination. Just a building, just a picture, just a mountain. And who could have thought that a popular tourist destination is going to be packed with tourists?
Amsterdam. You can buy weed in every town if that's what floats your boat, Leiden and Utrecht have just the same kind of canals, and the people are nicer and more relaxed elsewhere. Go see Amsterdam to visit a few museums, but then grab a train and go south.
Amsterdam is more than just weed. There are some amazing art galleries, the history of the buildings and the Dutch culture is fascinating. It has a great music scene and all the benefits of a big city in a small package. I would highly recomend a walking tour of the Amsterdam city centre, but outside the city centre is where it gets good. Keukenhof gardens in spring, the molens, the veenpark, and some of the smaller villages like Giethorn are beautiful.
Load More Replies... Approaching travel with cynicism and expecting disappointment is just sad. The fact that there are too many other people or it is too touristy means you didn't do your homework and weren't prepared. If you are seeing destinations just to check things off your bucket list, then you are missing out on the wonders of travel. The best moments of travel are always unexpected experiences and usually involve meeting people and experiencing other cultures. Travel with your eyes wide open and don't miss out on bucket list /wish list places, just because someone complained about it not meeting their expectations.
That's true, Traveling is to enjoyed and be free to embrace all the new feelings it will bring...I love traveling and I have done a lot...So where are you from Jackie ? I must say you have beautiful smile too
Load More Replies... why are all the tourists here when I travel - I'm not a tourist but they all are
Honorable mention to the Great Wall of China. Not because of the crowds. But the number of people spitting. It was a weird phenomenon.
No one tried to visit the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona? It's really worth it, but the tickets must be bought one or two days before, they are rather expensive, you have to show up on time and it still is crowded.
A few years ago a family came here to visit me and my family. They were so keyed up and happy about going to see the Liberty Bell. When we got to Independence park I could see their enthusiasm draining away. It's just a cracked bell in a glass house with lines going on for infinity. And more trash than usual. And hot and sooo humid. When it was inside Independence Hall, it was much more impressive. I cheered the group up by feeding them cheese steaks.
I am surprised not to find Rome or any attraction in Rome on this list. Rome is beautiful, but so overcrowded that it is impossible to enjoy (at least before Covid). I was at the Sistine Chapel and felt like on a crowded market square.
You expected there to be NO crowd? At the Sistine Chapel?
Load More Replies... Now this post is a bit of mystery to me. Hype, banal ignorance and readiness to join the crowd in search of imaginary grandeur is a sure way to disappointment. I think it's the problem of social media presence. For some it's like the marriage hype when the festivities end.
I missed the times when traveling was not the in thing orr probably when influencers are not everyone. I travel around Asia and the best that you can do is rent a motorbike and just go around. Talk to locals they'll tell you the best spots or get lost and find them. How I miss travelling. Revenge travel after pandemic!
I dunno, I've never wanted to go to most of these places. Maybe like 10/30
My husband and I took loads of road trips (before COVID). We have no high expections, which is why we get plenty of great surprises. For us the Grand Canyon was so-so. OTOH Bryce knocked our socks off. Go off season...like May or Sept. We were the only ones at Old Faithful. Be willing to go off the beaten path. We drove an hour out of our way, to the middle of nowhere to stand at the marker of the exact geological center of the US on a farm in SD. Have an adventure and stay away from the tourist stuff. 03-Governm...54a035.jpg
As a world traveller, a few tips: wherever you get to via bus/boat, wait and watch where the main group of tourists are going, and then head in the opposite direction - you're bound to see more of the actual culture and get to know locals and learn about their country and lives. Also, never eat at restaurants on the main drag. Head a few roads away (more roads the larger the city) and you'll find local eateries instead of tourist traps. Small and dingy restaurants often serve the best food. Also, *completely* ignore hawkers trying to sell you rubbish or show you 'best accommodation'. Just walk right past without a word or eye contact.
One of the best things I've ever done is ride one of those little tuk tuk thingies in India! Everybody finds it boring and ugly but I like it
Medellin, Colombia. Expectations: beautiful women, nice weather, great food. Reality: tasteless boob jobs, awful weather and robbers everywhere, plus the absurd cult to Pablo Escobar everywhere
My brother had the same expierence. The nature was beautiful but the people are not approachable. He liked Mexico much better.
Load More Replies... Now that I've finished this list, who wants to be the type of person to say, "nah it sounded lame on the internet so I've never been anywhere"
I have been to New Orleans twice. The first time was so magical I actually started looking for appartments. Hurricane Katrina hit shortly after and I dropped the appartment search. I went back 10 years later and was so disenchanted. There were a lot of very agressive beggars and the Quarter smelled horrible. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but it definitely lost some of its magic.
As a Canadian I'd say the CN Tower.... It's expensive to just go up a tower and get a view of the city. The view is amazing, but for the price it's insane, and there's not much else to do unless you want to pay even more money to go up higher
Quite a few of these locations I’ve already visited and agree, and a few were on my bucket list. Not anymore. Thank you for the advance warning.
The Super Bowl and most of the Olympics (even though their locations change) are destinations that are not worth the expense.
A place I'd recommend is Milan, Italy. Not as trash as Rome and has this amazing area called Tres Torres (Three towers) It's amazing and there is a mall and well kept park. Also Qt-8
Why didn't anyone mention the Great wall of China? Most disappoiting trip I ever did. Dirty, crowded, dangerous, no infrastructure for visitors at all. Any minimal fog and you won't see a thing.
I am not sure what part of the wall you visited or when? I was there about 10 years ago and there were toilets and a wonderful landscaped garden at our entrance point and toilets and restaurant at our end point (we walked along the wall and got picked up at the other end). There were handrailings up the stairs I loved the great wall of china. What an amazing construction feat it is, and impossible to appreciate just how huge until you are walking along it. I didnt find the wall to be at all dirty.
Load More Replies... I have one! Hypogeum in Malta!! I read everywhere that it was a must see but please don't spend your money for nothing!! It's 40 f*****g Euros per person to go in a cave which is impressive ok but the staff was too bored, there were no headphones so you had to hold the radio close to your ear for a 30 minute tour, and many languages were not available!!! I mean when your monument is called hypogeum (Greek word) i expect to hear the tour in a tape in Greek cause I'm paying 40 Euros for f**k's sake!! Other than that Malta is wonderful!
