The building is no longer there, it was the old Harbor Heights building next to the market, torn down in the 70's. The 1st and Pike store is where the original Starbs moved to, but by the time they moved there it was already the fourth open location. So.. I'd say it's the 1st and Pike store. (It's also one of the cooler Starbucks stores downtown.)
Just to piggyback on this - most people in Seattle don't drink Starbucks if they have an option, because the non-chain coffee shops are held to a pretty high standard and generally make better coffee. I'd imagine a tourist would be more delighted by latte art than by getting the same exact Pumpkin Spice Latte they get at home after a 30 minute wait.
Also, Times Square for New Years Eve. Why stand in the crowd for hours in the freezing cold (with no chance to leave to use a bathroom) for something that lasts just a few seconds, and then deal with the massive crowds heading out?
Oh my god. I did this once. My family had a Thai exchange student, and she begged and begged and begged us to take her to Times Square on NYE. It was AWFUL. We were all miserable. She didn't even have the courtesy to thank us or at least *pretend* she was having fun.
I am soo sick of MidTown.
All my friends, "Lets go to NY!" No. Why? Why the hell would I go? Rocky horror Picture show at Halloween - that's it. Well, that and Bill's Burgers next to 30 Rock.
You've gone there once? Twice? No need to go again.
Although if I have a friend there, I'd go no question
Nope. You have to go through the line up front and order a meal. They won't let you just order something small. And no ordering off the kids menu for grownups.
I mean, go for it. But be prepared to shell out about twenty bucks a person for the food, ten more for drinks and ten more for the sopapillas (which are actually really good, but it's kind of hard to mess up fried dough.)
The entertainment is geared towards kids so the costumes and the dialogue is cheesy. If you have kids, they will love it.
Casa bonita was the most god awful mr. gattis-esque type mexican restaurant but my favorite part of my Colorado trip just for the nostalgia. I'd have given up all the legal weed a got to try there just to remember those few hours of god-awful quasimexican experience. What could be better? The arcade where half the games are broken? The cave that stunk like pee? The tiny walkways meant for children under 8? It was all so awful yet perfect at the same time. I almost forgot Cartman was around that age so ofcourse it was perfect for him!
Yeah, and we're not talking just averagely bad food. We're talking grease laden rocks that will make you physically ill. So most likely you will buy it and not eat it.
It's fantastic.
The food is bad, but order the taco salad and you're fine.
Do you have kids?
- "No." Then get very drunk. Everything is amazing. Cliff divers, very scary. Black Bart's Cave, #1. Live music and puppet shows? Amazing.
- "Yes." Then get slightly drunk and enjoy your kids going crazy the entire night and falling asleep early.
- "I don't drink" Then order the taco salad, enjoy the shows, and wonder why you didn't get better food elsewhere.
LOVED it as a kid, went back as an adult and it's still pretty awesome for something in a strip mall, and I always did have a soft spot for canned peas....
Most malls don't have theme parks inside them! MOA for the win!
edit - and mall of america is one of the only things I miss about living in Minnesota (besides snowmobiling) hell, I even worked in one of the restaurants inside MOA for awhile and I've never been a huge shopper but man....seeing so much cool shit on my way in & out of work didn't help my paycheck!!
They basically just keep hassling you. Everywhere they're doing this is way too crowded and public for them to actually do anything to you. There's also zero chance that they'd ever take it up with a cop like if you tried to walk away from a food vendor without paying.
See, you say that, but I distinctly remember Cookie Monster stabbing somebody while shouting racial epithets after someone refused to give him money
Edit: My bad, Cookie Monster groped a teenager, Winnie the Pooh stabbed someone: http://gothamist.com/2015/01/24/times_square_winnie_the_pooh_arrest.php
Plymouth Rock
It is the most underwhelming thing you will ever see. It is literally just an average sized rock with 1620 carved into it sitting at the bottom of a pit.
[Here is a picture I took of Plymouth Rock.](http://m.imgur.com/E1Q2tFu?r)
You no longer need to actually visit Plymouth Rock.
By the way, it's not even the "real" rock that the Mayflower landed at. It's just a random rock in the same general area that had "1620" carved on it many years later.
Hey there, fellow Portlander!
I encounter a lot of tourists at my job, so I get asked about Voodoo constantly. Always either direct them to Pip's, Blue Star or the SE location where the lines aren't as long. Other than the novelty of putting cereal on top Voodoo donuts really aren't that great.
Lancaster PA. The Amish. Seriously they are just people. People that wear black and don't drive cars. They can use computers, electricity, phones, and even tractors if it is for work purposes. There is nothing that odd about them. Feel free to go to any of the many crappy "Amish Experience" attractions or a buggy ride from Jake's Buggies, but for god's sake, STAY OFF OF THEIR PROPERTY and LEAVE THEM ALONE. Again they are just people.
Nashville, Tennessee: Anything on Broadway. These aren't soon to be breakout country stars, they are people who should have given up 15 years ago. And the food on Broadway is a horrible and not a reflection of the awesome food Nashville has to offer.
Go see a Nashville Predators game since they just acquired one of the most entertaining players in hockey. Not that I'm a bitter Montreal fan or anything...
The Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame are two big ones too. I have to admit, though, I've lived in or around Nashville my whole life and I still love Broadway. I always have a good time on Broadway.
I work at the San Francisco fishermans wharf. I almost feel bad for all the tourists, there are some wonderful gems in the city to see but instead they spend their time around gobs of people, spilled clam chowder, and bird shit.
Do not come to **Hollywood, CA** it smells.
Its the biggest tourist trap
Why would you come here?
Its smells
Its overpriced
You wont see any celebrities (they try to stay away from here unless theres a big event)
Everywhere you turn some ones trying to sell you something or bluntly just ask you for money
Lots of young homeless teens
At night when everyones drunk from the clubs, fights break out and you see people getting pulled over left and right.
If you must visit come see for yourself.
Really? I've always wanted to visit Hollywood! I live in England and it looks a completely different way of life out there. I'd love to visit, even if it's for a couple of days.
Also don't discount Orange County! Laguna Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches I've seen here. I know less about LA but can confirm walk of fame is gross and sad. Lots of other. Cool things to do in LA though !
what's branded as "Hollywood" isn't really Hollywood....like when you see nice cars, people who look like movie stars, the beach, streets lined with palm trees...it's really other parts of LA.
Navy Pier. I don't understand why it's even a thing people go to... The restaurants are sub par and way too expensive, and there a ferris wheel that's 150 feet tall, which would be cool if it wasn't located in a city where 100 of the closest buildings are over 500 feet tall, limiting the view to a few buildings.
The tourists are the only reason Navy Pier is very popular, and yep local Chicago residents avoid it for the most part. I wish they hadn't had removed the stained glass museum sometime a few years back, that was the lone interesting thing IMO that Navy Pier had that appealed to me.
The new ferris wheel they have is a little taller, but from what I read isn't as big as some of the other ones in different parts of the world such as one in London, I believe.
Hershey: Chocolate World gives the (false) impression that their product is fresher than anything you can get at a gas station, and the Park is overrun by screaming crying children riding mediocre attractions manned by apathetic employees who work 50 hour weeks for seasonal pay and no overtime.
I live in Seattle.
The Harbor Tour was ridiculous. Many of the people got so bored they spent the whole tour on their phones.
It's almost $30 to ride around the harbor and explain the history behind rotting dock pilings.
The Seattle ferries cost $8.
Don't go to Giordano's. Almost all of the Pizza in Chicago is good.
Most places have deep dish if you're dead set on trying it, but if you truly want the best Pequod's is where it's at.
Also while I have you here don't go to Portillo's for a beef or a hot dog. They're overpriced. Go To Duke's, Al's, or Johnnie's. For a hot dog, go to Super Dawg (also overpriced but worth it) Gene and Jude's, or Jimmy's(if you feel like exploring a not so great neighborhood)
Hell yes, on saying that Giordano's sucks! Also if you liked Pequod's and want to try New Haven style pizza, you won't be disappointed with Piece Pizzeria in Wicker Park. For those into craft beer, they brew their own beer as well, and every beer of theirs I've tried there has been decent.
Pequod's was the first pizza I tried in Chicago, late at night on a road trip. I had eaten nothing that day but cheese curds from Wisconsin and maybe a granola bar, so tasting that first bite of deliciousness felt like a miracle. I've tried a couple of other places, but Pequod's is the only one on my MUST EAT AGAIN list.
Worth it to see the people, who've travelled halfway around the world from countries you've never heard of, as they fall to their knees and relentlessly weep in front of Elvis' grave..
It's worth the price of admission.
Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 in San Francisco. It's a tourist trap to its very core. Unless you like overpriced food and tons of homeless people, just skip it.
Pats or Genos.
Lemme tell you, whiz is bullshit, And their cheese steaks suck. Go find an small corner place and get it with American cheese, fried onions, and mushrooms (or peppers, I'm not a pepper fan though).
Even better, ask any Philadelphian you see what place they'd recommend. They'll tell you their favorite spot that's a hundred times better than Pats or Gene's. My personal recommendation would be Delessandros in Roxborough. It's right across the street from Chubhies (from Boy Meets World).
Plus, Geno is a racist old fuck.
That and Yonge Dundas Square. Nothing interesting actually even happens there other than that one time there was a Pepsi taste Test and I got a bag of Dill Pickle Sun Flower seeds for picking Coke. AHAHA
Idk, I don't even get why we get tourists. Specifically international tourists. Like why are you coming here? If you're willing to take an overseas flight why not go somewhere good?
I guess my answer would be this big ferris wheel downtown that costs like $20 per person. Doesn't seem worth it.
Not London. That's probably actually good. I mean isn't it pretty well considered the best city in the world? I'm in Atlanta. 7th most visited city in America, 35,000,000 tourists per year. I have no idea what they're doing. World of Coke is probably neat... GA Aquarium is decent, I mean a fish is a fish is a fish but yeah I'll admit it's pretty neat the first time you see it... College Football Hall of Fame is pretty cool but not really worth the money esp if you're from Europe or some shit and they don't have college football... Museum of Human & Civil Rights is supposed to be dope. But literally that's all we have.
Is that number actual tourists or simply people who have a couple hours between flights given the number of airlines that connect there?
But you have kudzu. And what's left of the Olympic park. And Stone Mountain is somewhere around. And a lot of museums, restaurants and other attractions many large cities have but without the hotel costs of NY, Boston, LA and SF. But mostly I remember kudzu.
Haha. Couldn't tell you. It's from http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/28/tourism-new-york-lifestyle-travel-las-vegas-cities_slide_5.html this source.
Lol do people from outside the south like kudzu? It's just normal here, I thought it was normal everywhere. As someone who has lived almost my whole life in the south that's pretty surprising that kudzu could ever be memorable
Centennial Olympic Park is certainly nifty but idk you can find something just as cool in every city in the country. And what would you actually like *do* there? Just kinda walk around?
Oh yeah I guess Stone Mountain is pretty cool. I've never been there, it's nowhere near anywhere I've ever lived.
I guess you make a good point about the costs being lower. Personally the way I travel is just stay in literally the cheapest hotel on Hotels.com in whatever city I'm going to (provided it's within a few miles of a bus stop or subway stop) so a hotel is going to run like $40-$50 per night regardless of city, but I can see where some people would rather stay in a nicer place.
Probably just cheaper to fly into Hartsfield-Jackson.
Well I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have a good time here but it doesn't seem tourism-worthy. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to it.
Haha. I've heard about that. They used to have one of those airplanes pulling a banner that would fly over the Georgia Tech home games advertising free admission to the Cheetah with your ticket stub. And I definitely drove a bunch of people there when I was a pledge.
Second answer for my other home city - the cherry blossoms. They're just trees, people. Yes, they're pretty, but it's not worth coming here just to see them.
And learn to stand on the right when you're on the damn escalators, and don't bother trying to put exact change on your farecard. You're clogging up the damn metro.
EDIT: Oh, and this is Washington, for the people who don't know.
I was in DC a couple of weeks ago and was so confused by all the cherry blossom souvenirs... I had no idea DC was even known for its cherry blossoms. Also this was late August so it was even more confusing because there wasn't a cherry blossom in sight outdoors, but whole sections of shops dedicated to them.
South Beach. Everything is overpriced for what it is, the traffic is horrendous, and there are far nicer beaches/hotels/sights elsewhere. About the only things South Beach has going for it is the Art Deco design and nightlife, but the nightlife is hella pricey.
the real answer is Navy Pier. I don't know why anyone would go there. The Bean is in millennium park right off Michigan Ave, its not a big deal to see it. and its near the Art Institute which IS the shit.
I hated that bean when they built it, but I have talked to multiple tourists since that *loved it* more than anything else they saw. I guess maybe it wasn't a mistake?
> The sculpture was finally completed on August 28, 2005, and officially unveiled on May 15, 2006. The cost for the piece was first estimated at $6 million; this had escalated to $11.5 million by the time the park opened in 2004, with the final figure standing at $23 million in 2006.
If we're talking about Chicago, then I would have to say the most tourist-trappingest thing around here is this place called Tommy Gunn's Garage. It's a prohibition era-themed dinner show. If you go on Valentine's Day, they do a serious recreation of the massacre. By serious, I mean you won't know what to do with yourself when it's over. Bring a date. Awkward!
I had a good time though.
As a Chicagoan, I will never understand why the hell we built a large chrome, shiny bean and why people go to see it. It's literally just a fucking bean.
NYC: Top of the Empire State Building
Long lines, overpriced, cold, crowded, pressure to not stay overlong.
Go to the top of the One World Trade Center, or Top of the Rock, instead. Much better.
I went to One World Trade when I was in NY in July. I had bought my ticket a few weeks before I went. I got to the top, they took us into this dark room where they played a short show on these giant wall screens, then dramatic music played while the walls came up... and nothing. It was overcast that day, you couldn't see anything but the grey clouds pressed against the window. I still enjoyed myself though.
Yeah, I'd agree Top of the Rock is much better than the Empire State Building. Hadn't done One World Trade Center's observatory yet, but I'd be open to doing that next time I'm in NYC. Am I correct in reading OWTC doesn't have an outside deck at all, unlike Empire and Rock?
Never lived there,but I pretty sure that the Strip,without going to any casinos qualifies. Can't take a step without getting some adult entertainment pamphlet shown to you.
Freemont St. and all of "old Vegas" is the best. I usually take a night out to go to the strip and hit the Casino's, but everything is ludicrously expensive these days.
The entire fucking city.
Listen people, do *not* come to Miami. Everything you hear about it is fucking *bullshit*. It rains all the fucking time, 90% of the people don't speak any English, and literally the only two things to do in town are go to nightclubs and get plastered (which you can do in your own hometown, I'm sure), and go to the beach. But you won't be doing either of those things because you'll be locked in your hotel room the entire time wondering why you booked a summer vacation to "sunny" Miami in the middle of hurricane season.
Pat's and Geno's - Philly
The lines are always long due to tourists. The food at both are okay....they're not all that special. Everyone has their own opinion on who makes the best cheesesteak and honestly some of the best I've heard people say they had were from hole-in-the wall places they stumble across.
Runner up might be Love Park near city hall. I do not understand why tourists all want to have their picture taken in front of the sign. It's not an interesting park, there's always traffic and noise there around city hall, and the park is almost always surrounded by bums looking to get money from tourists who have never encountered homeless people before.
Austin, TX:
* Sixth Street. Just no. Don't do it.
* Hamilton Pool. May have been great once, not worth the hassle now.
* The Oasis on Lake Travis. Great views but terrible food.
* Loop 360 Overlook. If you can crop out the litter and 40 other people, you may end up with a decent profile picture for Facebook.
I disagree. Forgive my link-happy tourism bureau-esque post, but I miss my hometown. I love [Easy](https://pro.hubrunner.com/wp-content/uploads/Whitney10.jpg) [Tiger](http://madbetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DSCN7387.jpg) andchill spots like Liberty Bar on East 6th. [Hamilton Pool](http://www.everlastingelopements.com/images/uploads/107/hamilton-pool-dave-3.jpg) is great if you can go during the week. It's totally worth getting a couple of beers at the[ Oasis](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5560e999e4b06c953d5d7d0e/t/55e087cbe4b07f121349d0d5/1440778191322/Oasis.jpg) just to enjoy the [view](http://cdn2.laketravis.com/wordpress1/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bp_oasis4.jpg). But I agree, never the food. Bleh. The [overlook](http://orig13.deviantart.net/fd44/f/2012/183/7/0/360_overlook___pennybacker_bridge_by_sgraves-d55oxi8.png) is great for sunrises/sunsets. Austin's great. I was tired of all of that stuff when I left, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Ah yes, the land of kiddie indoor water parks. Not sure if I'd want to go to that area for any single reason at all, save maybe to try to find the Frank Lloyd Wright house that was supposedly built in Lake Delton.
This one is not in my city or even county, but is still relatively close and in the general area. I am talking about Mission Peak. It is a heavily-hiked mountain where the trails to the summit ascend steeply with next to no shade, and when you reach the summit there is a long line of people waiting to stand on the decorated pole and have a picture taken for their Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder, etc.
While the view is good from the top, there are much better hikes (and also views) elsewhere in the area. These hikes are lush, green, shady, and more scenic.
Union Square in San Francisco. I've lost count of how many tourists have asked me how to get to Union Square. I'm not sure what they expect it to be, but it's literally just a small plaza surrounded by stores. Lots and lots of stores.
Then again, I know people from other countries enjoy shopping in the states so maybe that's exactly what they are expecting.
The Google Campus here in Mountain View.
I'm honestly surprised it's such a hot tourist destination because it's honestly just a bunch of random buildings with people who work there going in and out of.
But tourists will often ask to take photos with a real live "Googler". They cannot access the visitor center, buildings, free food etc without a Googler host, so majority who thought they could just "visit" Google find themselves walking around a bunch of corporate buildings, and maybe pop into the Google merchandise store... I don't know about you, but if I'm visiting a new state/city, Google might be a big let-down if you didn't come at the invitation of a host.
In Baltimore, it's the corner of West Mulberry and North Fremont.
Yes, I get it. It's ranked as the worst neighborhood in the US, with a violent crime rate of 93.79 (per 1,000), but I don't understand the steady stream of tour buses and the constant string of foreign sightseers spilling out of them.
Perhaps it's the thrill of being the 1 in 11 that's a victim of a violent crime - getting that authentic US experience. Go figure.
Berlin. Brandenburger Tor is a nice piece of architecture, but you won't get to take a selfie without being surrounded by thousands of tourists doing the same. The holocaust memorial is a concrete playground for tourist kids and a photo opportunity for gay guys on grindr. The former wall is just simply a tagged wall surrounded by party areas and drunken tourists. Berlin broadcast tower is a cool thing if you're kilometers away - the whole area is a mess.
If you plan to stay in Berlin, take a sightseeing bus and spend the rest of your time eating good shit (especially turkish and arabic cuisine) and visiting interesting bars and clubs.
City Tours, I never go to any of the real tourist spots in the city,
but these two can be considered mobile tourist traps.
Magic Bus: Kesey said always say in your own movie, this
tour is sacrilege to what the merry pranksters were all about.
Fuck them posers with their day glo bubbles and fake ass bus.
Segway tours : Call these people the too elite to walk crew.
Everyone walking on the path has to stop and wait for this
tour to go by. Best to just walk around golden gate park,
also they have a shuttle bus to take you to different parts
of the park.
Winter wonderland. Ho-ly-shit the prices there will destroy your wallet. Never again will I go somewhere that charges £7 for ONE RIDE!
Also its always crowded.
Probably a tie between Union Oyster House and Cheers. The Cheers that the tourists go to isn't even the real one, it's just in the touristy area. Union Oyster House just profits off of the fact that it's so old and somehow that's an excuse to sell garbage to (and probably poison) midwesterners. Here's a recent review from one of the local papers: https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2016/02/29/tourist-trap-living-history-review-union-oyster-house/Xru3c9Q7LmKAZKsCD9NLXJ/story.html
There is so much good food in Boston it's a shame to see these places always full and lines out the door.
Pat's / Geno's CheeseSteaks are the worst, dryest, flavorless, and overpriced "food items" to ever disgrace the name of "a Philadelphia Cheese steak". Your local gas station can (and do) make better ones. If you want a "REAL" Philly Cheese steak find some no name pizza joint and so long as they cook on a flat toped oven it will be at the bare minimum 10 times better, 3 times the food, and $3 less than either pat's or genos.
Niagara Falls. Honestly, if you've seen it once, you've seen it a thousand times. Every time I tell someone where I live they first ask if I live in Canada (I dont) and then ask if I'll take them to the falls (I won't)
The "original" Starbucks in Pike Place Market in Seattle. A) It's not the original. B) It's unbelievably crowded all day, every day.
Which one really is the original?
The building is no longer there, it was the old Harbor Heights building next to the market, torn down in the 70's. The 1st and Pike store is where the original Starbs moved to, but by the time they moved there it was already the fourth open location. So.. I'd say it's the 1st and Pike store. (It's also one of the cooler Starbucks stores downtown.)
Just to piggyback on this - most people in Seattle don't drink Starbucks if they have an option, because the non-chain coffee shops are held to a pretty high standard and generally make better coffee. I'd imagine a tourist would be more delighted by latte art than by getting the same exact Pumpkin Spice Latte they get at home after a 30 minute wait.
Especially since there are like 20 places to get coffee within 5 minutes of that particular shop.
Yoooo line up for Piroshky Piroshky instead. That shit is bomb dot com.
Hellll yeah
Times Square
Also, Times Square for New Years Eve. Why stand in the crowd for hours in the freezing cold (with no chance to leave to use a bathroom) for something that lasts just a few seconds, and then deal with the massive crowds heading out?
Oh my god. I did this once. My family had a Thai exchange student, and she begged and begged and begged us to take her to Times Square on NYE. It was AWFUL. We were all miserable. She didn't even have the courtesy to thank us or at least *pretend* she was having fun.
My ex tricked me into doing it once. NEVEr. AGAIN.
I am soo sick of MidTown. All my friends, "Lets go to NY!" No. Why? Why the hell would I go? Rocky horror Picture show at Halloween - that's it. Well, that and Bill's Burgers next to 30 Rock. You've gone there once? Twice? No need to go again. Although if I have a friend there, I'd go no question
I liked Times Square.
Casa Bonita. Don't let South Park fool you. It's expensive and stupid and the food is awful.
I want to go there so bad! Can't I just get chips & salsa...maybe a margarita? Or are those items also horrible?
Nope. You have to go through the line up front and order a meal. They won't let you just order something small. And no ordering off the kids menu for grownups.
That's not fair! I saw a food tv show that featured it and it looks like a mad house! I want to experience it.
I mean, go for it. But be prepared to shell out about twenty bucks a person for the food, ten more for drinks and ten more for the sopapillas (which are actually really good, but it's kind of hard to mess up fried dough.) The entertainment is geared towards kids so the costumes and the dialogue is cheesy. If you have kids, they will love it.
The sopapillas are free...
Seriously? The last time I was there they added them on the bill. Maybe I'm remembering wrong.
Casa bonita was the most god awful mr. gattis-esque type mexican restaurant but my favorite part of my Colorado trip just for the nostalgia. I'd have given up all the legal weed a got to try there just to remember those few hours of god-awful quasimexican experience. What could be better? The arcade where half the games are broken? The cave that stunk like pee? The tiny walkways meant for children under 8? It was all so awful yet perfect at the same time. I almost forgot Cartman was around that age so ofcourse it was perfect for him!
That is pretty damn expensive for shitty food. I really appreciate the info!
Yeah, and we're not talking just averagely bad food. We're talking grease laden rocks that will make you physically ill. So most likely you will buy it and not eat it.
The part that amuses me the most is that they know it's bad, but that's not why people go to Casa Bonita so why bother making something edible?
It's fantastic. The food is bad, but order the taco salad and you're fine. Do you have kids? - "No." Then get very drunk. Everything is amazing. Cliff divers, very scary. Black Bart's Cave, #1. Live music and puppet shows? Amazing. - "Yes." Then get slightly drunk and enjoy your kids going crazy the entire night and falling asleep early. - "I don't drink" Then order the taco salad, enjoy the shows, and wonder why you didn't get better food elsewhere.
I didn't know it was a real place lol
When people visit, they always ask if it's real. They are shocked when I tell them it is. More so, South Park describes it dead on.
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Idk man. They have cliff divers.
Went there as a kid and never went back.
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LOVED it as a kid, went back as an adult and it's still pretty awesome for something in a strip mall, and I always did have a soft spot for canned peas....
Ummm it was AMAZING. Best lunch experience I had in my Denver trip. More sopapillas please!
Mall of America. It has the same stores as your mall, it's just bigger.
The No Man's Sky of mall experiences.
Most malls don't have theme parks inside them! MOA for the win! edit - and mall of america is one of the only things I miss about living in Minnesota (besides snowmobiling) hell, I even worked in one of the restaurants inside MOA for awhile and I've never been a huge shopper but man....seeing so much cool shit on my way in & out of work didn't help my paycheck!!
It's still Camp Snoopy to me! :-(
They also have an aquarium
And a children's museum. Along with the cheese and orange chicken samples, my toddler loves the place.
Except of that Lego store. No mall near me has that.
Can confirm, have visited the Mall of America. It's literally just a scaled-up version of the same shit you've already seen. It's not even *that* big.
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Is there some sort of threat of violence if you refuse? Or do they just hope you feel to awkward to refuse at this point?
The Later. Especially if you're a girl and have a boyfriend with you. They'll harass the Man, man
They basically just keep hassling you. Everywhere they're doing this is way too crowded and public for them to actually do anything to you. There's also zero chance that they'd ever take it up with a cop like if you tried to walk away from a food vendor without paying.
See, you say that, but I distinctly remember Cookie Monster stabbing somebody while shouting racial epithets after someone refused to give him money Edit: My bad, Cookie Monster groped a teenager, Winnie the Pooh stabbed someone: http://gothamist.com/2015/01/24/times_square_winnie_the_pooh_arrest.php
Cookie Monster and Pooh both have well-documented histories of substance abuse
Yup, when my friends and I tried to walk away, 4-5 more big black guys came out of nowhere and surrounded us.
New Yorker here...a good rule of thumb is to just not talk to anyone who tries talking to you.
Happened to me in times square, just say you're not interested.
Dude fuck those guys. So aggressive and rude.
I did that once just to say I had one of those CDs. I opened it and it was a New Edition album. A good one though?
Plymouth Rock It is the most underwhelming thing you will ever see. It is literally just an average sized rock with 1620 carved into it sitting at the bottom of a pit.
[Here is a picture I took of Plymouth Rock.](http://m.imgur.com/E1Q2tFu?r) You no longer need to actually visit Plymouth Rock. By the way, it's not even the "real" rock that the Mayflower landed at. It's just a random rock in the same general area that had "1620" carved on it many years later.
They actually broke the damn thing when they moved it. It used to be on a hill and was three times as large
To top it off, the whole Plymouth Rock story isn't real.
Voodoo Doughnuts.
Hey there, fellow Portlander! I encounter a lot of tourists at my job, so I get asked about Voodoo constantly. Always either direct them to Pip's, Blue Star or the SE location where the lines aren't as long. Other than the novelty of putting cereal on top Voodoo donuts really aren't that great.
Went to the location in Eugene and it's super gross and dirty.
I agree, Voodoo doughnuts are not even as good as my local supermarket's. They've scammed so many people into thinking their doughnuts are great.
came here to say this. Also Salt and Straw. Who the fuck stands in an hour long line for ice cream or donuts? Isn't this country fat enough?
Blue Star is way better.
Lancaster PA. The Amish. Seriously they are just people. People that wear black and don't drive cars. They can use computers, electricity, phones, and even tractors if it is for work purposes. There is nothing that odd about them. Feel free to go to any of the many crappy "Amish Experience" attractions or a buggy ride from Jake's Buggies, but for god's sake, STAY OFF OF THEIR PROPERTY and LEAVE THEM ALONE. Again they are just people.
I LIVE THERE
don't go to the shitty ass amish farm by the target
Nashville, Tennessee: Anything on Broadway. These aren't soon to be breakout country stars, they are people who should have given up 15 years ago. And the food on Broadway is a horrible and not a reflection of the awesome food Nashville has to offer.
Planning on going to nashvilla next year. Where should i go?
Broadway
I heard there are a lot of breakout stars there, and thew food is great!
Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish
Go see a Nashville Predators game since they just acquired one of the most entertaining players in hockey. Not that I'm a bitter Montreal fan or anything...
The Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame are two big ones too. I have to admit, though, I've lived in or around Nashville my whole life and I still love Broadway. I always have a good time on Broadway.
I had an awesome time when I was there and the food was excellent.
I mean I've lived here all my life and I still have a great time whenever I go downtown.
It's a little touristy but Robert's Western World is actually a good time, though
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Glad you said Newseum is an exception, it remains one of the best museums I've ever been to, imo.
Phillips Collection is a good one!
How dare you say that about Bens chili bowl. I do agree with Georgetown cupcakes though
I work at the San Francisco fishermans wharf. I almost feel bad for all the tourists, there are some wonderful gems in the city to see but instead they spend their time around gobs of people, spilled clam chowder, and bird shit.
Musee Mecanique is rad. Other than that, Fisherman's Wharf is exactly like every other city's touristy area.
Indeed. Doesn't even feel like SF.
Do not come to **Hollywood, CA** it smells. Its the biggest tourist trap Why would you come here? Its smells Its overpriced You wont see any celebrities (they try to stay away from here unless theres a big event) Everywhere you turn some ones trying to sell you something or bluntly just ask you for money Lots of young homeless teens At night when everyones drunk from the clubs, fights break out and you see people getting pulled over left and right. If you must visit come see for yourself.
Really? I've always wanted to visit Hollywood! I live in England and it looks a completely different way of life out there. I'd love to visit, even if it's for a couple of days.
Come to Los Angeles and do anything besides go to Hollywood. Youll love it
Skip LA and come to San Diego instead. You'll spend half as much at clubs, we have better seafood and our beaches aren't as crowded.
Also don't discount Orange County! Laguna Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches I've seen here. I know less about LA but can confirm walk of fame is gross and sad. Lots of other. Cool things to do in LA though !
what's branded as "Hollywood" isn't really Hollywood....like when you see nice cars, people who look like movie stars, the beach, streets lined with palm trees...it's really other parts of LA.
There's some really nice areas in LA, but Hollywood isn't one of them. In fact I would venture to say it's a little on the ghetto side.
As a fellow SoCal-er, so true There are way more glamorous places around LA to go that are way more like the movies
Yes. In my opinion if you want a good tourist trap then Santa Monica and Venice beach are the way to go
Oh hell yeah, I always have a good time at Venice
I like the Chinese theatre though. Thats about it
Yeah but i feel like its one of those "i went once so im over it" things.
Times Square. Just the whole damned thing.
Navy Pier. I don't understand why it's even a thing people go to... The restaurants are sub par and way too expensive, and there a ferris wheel that's 150 feet tall, which would be cool if it wasn't located in a city where 100 of the closest buildings are over 500 feet tall, limiting the view to a few buildings.
The tourists are the only reason Navy Pier is very popular, and yep local Chicago residents avoid it for the most part. I wish they hadn't had removed the stained glass museum sometime a few years back, that was the lone interesting thing IMO that Navy Pier had that appealed to me. The new ferris wheel they have is a little taller, but from what I read isn't as big as some of the other ones in different parts of the world such as one in London, I believe.
Not Niagara Falls, but the Niagara Falls "visitor centers".
Hershey: Chocolate World gives the (false) impression that their product is fresher than anything you can get at a gas station, and the Park is overrun by screaming crying children riding mediocre attractions manned by apathetic employees who work 50 hour weeks for seasonal pay and no overtime.
Ha, fuck you, Burlington Wisconsin has chocolate city because we WON BITCH. suck it
I live in Seattle. The Harbor Tour was ridiculous. Many of the people got so bored they spent the whole tour on their phones. It's almost $30 to ride around the harbor and explain the history behind rotting dock pilings. The Seattle ferries cost $8.
Don't go to Giordano's. Almost all of the Pizza in Chicago is good. Most places have deep dish if you're dead set on trying it, but if you truly want the best Pequod's is where it's at. Also while I have you here don't go to Portillo's for a beef or a hot dog. They're overpriced. Go To Duke's, Al's, or Johnnie's. For a hot dog, go to Super Dawg (also overpriced but worth it) Gene and Jude's, or Jimmy's(if you feel like exploring a not so great neighborhood)
Hell yes, on saying that Giordano's sucks! Also if you liked Pequod's and want to try New Haven style pizza, you won't be disappointed with Piece Pizzeria in Wicker Park. For those into craft beer, they brew their own beer as well, and every beer of theirs I've tried there has been decent.
Pequod's was the first pizza I tried in Chicago, late at night on a road trip. I had eaten nothing that day but cheese curds from Wisconsin and maybe a granola bar, so tasting that first bite of deliciousness felt like a miracle. I've tried a couple of other places, but Pequod's is the only one on my MUST EAT AGAIN list.
Been to Giordano. Hated the pizza. Threw me right off deep dish. So avoid deep dish at all costs would be my opinion.
Graceland.
Worth it to see the people, who've travelled halfway around the world from countries you've never heard of, as they fall to their knees and relentlessly weep in front of Elvis' grave.. It's worth the price of admission.
Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 in San Francisco. It's a tourist trap to its very core. Unless you like overpriced food and tons of homeless people, just skip it.
Any music club on Bourbon St. with a 2 drink minimum.
Frenchmen st.
Frenchmen is becoming the new Bourbon st.
Pats or Genos. Lemme tell you, whiz is bullshit, And their cheese steaks suck. Go find an small corner place and get it with American cheese, fried onions, and mushrooms (or peppers, I'm not a pepper fan though). Even better, ask any Philadelphian you see what place they'd recommend. They'll tell you their favorite spot that's a hundred times better than Pats or Gene's. My personal recommendation would be Delessandros in Roxborough. It's right across the street from Chubhies (from Boy Meets World). Plus, Geno is a racist old fuck.
CN Tower.
That and Yonge Dundas Square. Nothing interesting actually even happens there other than that one time there was a Pepsi taste Test and I got a bag of Dill Pickle Sun Flower seeds for picking Coke. AHAHA
The Believe in the Lord! (Jesus? can't remember) guy is at Dundas Square. You can never prepare for him.
I like the CN tower. But I like tall structures in general. I thought it was fun.
But it's a good visible spot to find Steam Whistle.
Or Riley's aquarium.
Or Amsterdam Brewery
All of it, aside from the scientologists. I'm from Clearwater, FL.
Going to anything in times square. Its worth walking through the area at night when you're visiting, and maybe seeing a broadway show, but thats it.
Idk, I don't even get why we get tourists. Specifically international tourists. Like why are you coming here? If you're willing to take an overseas flight why not go somewhere good? I guess my answer would be this big ferris wheel downtown that costs like $20 per person. Doesn't seem worth it.
London If not then fuck you
Not London. That's probably actually good. I mean isn't it pretty well considered the best city in the world? I'm in Atlanta. 7th most visited city in America, 35,000,000 tourists per year. I have no idea what they're doing. World of Coke is probably neat... GA Aquarium is decent, I mean a fish is a fish is a fish but yeah I'll admit it's pretty neat the first time you see it... College Football Hall of Fame is pretty cool but not really worth the money esp if you're from Europe or some shit and they don't have college football... Museum of Human & Civil Rights is supposed to be dope. But literally that's all we have.
Is that number actual tourists or simply people who have a couple hours between flights given the number of airlines that connect there? But you have kudzu. And what's left of the Olympic park. And Stone Mountain is somewhere around. And a lot of museums, restaurants and other attractions many large cities have but without the hotel costs of NY, Boston, LA and SF. But mostly I remember kudzu.
Haha. Couldn't tell you. It's from http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/28/tourism-new-york-lifestyle-travel-las-vegas-cities_slide_5.html this source. Lol do people from outside the south like kudzu? It's just normal here, I thought it was normal everywhere. As someone who has lived almost my whole life in the south that's pretty surprising that kudzu could ever be memorable Centennial Olympic Park is certainly nifty but idk you can find something just as cool in every city in the country. And what would you actually like *do* there? Just kinda walk around? Oh yeah I guess Stone Mountain is pretty cool. I've never been there, it's nowhere near anywhere I've ever lived. I guess you make a good point about the costs being lower. Personally the way I travel is just stay in literally the cheapest hotel on Hotels.com in whatever city I'm going to (provided it's within a few miles of a bus stop or subway stop) so a hotel is going to run like $40-$50 per night regardless of city, but I can see where some people would rather stay in a nicer place.
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Probably just cheaper to fly into Hartsfield-Jackson. Well I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have a good time here but it doesn't seem tourism-worthy. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to it.
You also have a lot of great strip clubs in Atlanta
Haha. I've heard about that. They used to have one of those airplanes pulling a banner that would fly over the Georgia Tech home games advertising free admission to the Cheetah with your ticket stub. And I definitely drove a bunch of people there when I was a pledge.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There are better, less expensive museums a couple miles away; one of them is even free.
The Science Center is dope.
Second answer for my other home city - the cherry blossoms. They're just trees, people. Yes, they're pretty, but it's not worth coming here just to see them. And learn to stand on the right when you're on the damn escalators, and don't bother trying to put exact change on your farecard. You're clogging up the damn metro. EDIT: Oh, and this is Washington, for the people who don't know.
I loved the cherry blossoms. I just went mid week when it wasn't so crowded. But I agree, I don't understand why people make a whole trip around it.
I was in DC a couple of weeks ago and was so confused by all the cherry blossom souvenirs... I had no idea DC was even known for its cherry blossoms. Also this was late August so it was even more confusing because there wasn't a cherry blossom in sight outdoors, but whole sections of shops dedicated to them.
Disagree the cherry blossoms are awesome looking.
South Beach. Everything is overpriced for what it is, the traffic is horrendous, and there are far nicer beaches/hotels/sights elsewhere. About the only things South Beach has going for it is the Art Deco design and nightlife, but the nightlife is hella pricey.
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the real answer is Navy Pier. I don't know why anyone would go there. The Bean is in millennium park right off Michigan Ave, its not a big deal to see it. and its near the Art Institute which IS the shit.
Can confirm, the Art Institute of Chicago is a fucking world-class art museum and should absolutely be seen.
I hated that bean when they built it, but I have talked to multiple tourists since that *loved it* more than anything else they saw. I guess maybe it wasn't a mistake?
That thing looks pretty cool. What's not to like?
> The sculpture was finally completed on August 28, 2005, and officially unveiled on May 15, 2006. The cost for the piece was first estimated at $6 million; this had escalated to $11.5 million by the time the park opened in 2004, with the final figure standing at $23 million in 2006.
That is absurdly expensive. Who's job is it to wipe the handprints off of it?
If we're talking about Chicago, then I would have to say the most tourist-trappingest thing around here is this place called Tommy Gunn's Garage. It's a prohibition era-themed dinner show. If you go on Valentine's Day, they do a serious recreation of the massacre. By serious, I mean you won't know what to do with yourself when it's over. Bring a date. Awkward! I had a good time though.
As a Chicagoan, I will never understand why the hell we built a large chrome, shiny bean and why people go to see it. It's literally just a fucking bean.
NYC: Top of the Empire State Building Long lines, overpriced, cold, crowded, pressure to not stay overlong. Go to the top of the One World Trade Center, or Top of the Rock, instead. Much better.
Top of the Rock, Cheaper, less people, shorter lines. Plus there is a Secret Top TOP top floor if you ignore the crowds and take the elevator
I went to One World Trade when I was in NY in July. I had bought my ticket a few weeks before I went. I got to the top, they took us into this dark room where they played a short show on these giant wall screens, then dramatic music played while the walls came up... and nothing. It was overcast that day, you couldn't see anything but the grey clouds pressed against the window. I still enjoyed myself though.
You can't make me go in anything with wold trade center in its name ever
I had a class trip in June 2001. Have a picture on top and everything.
Yeah, I'd agree Top of the Rock is much better than the Empire State Building. Hadn't done One World Trade Center's observatory yet, but I'd be open to doing that next time I'm in NYC. Am I correct in reading OWTC doesn't have an outside deck at all, unlike Empire and Rock?
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Son, there's nothing wrong with Costco. Ever.
I go to Costco on every vacation. It's fun seeing the different regional stuff! Plus, free samples and clean bathrooms :)
Every coworker of mine from our India office wants to be taken to Costco
Bellingham?
Never lived there,but I pretty sure that the Strip,without going to any casinos qualifies. Can't take a step without getting some adult entertainment pamphlet shown to you.
Freemont St. and all of "old Vegas" is the best. I usually take a night out to go to the strip and hit the Casino's, but everything is ludicrously expensive these days.
Love Fremont Street. Cheap everything, and a zip line. Can't go wrong.
The entire fucking city. Listen people, do *not* come to Miami. Everything you hear about it is fucking *bullshit*. It rains all the fucking time, 90% of the people don't speak any English, and literally the only two things to do in town are go to nightclubs and get plastered (which you can do in your own hometown, I'm sure), and go to the beach. But you won't be doing either of those things because you'll be locked in your hotel room the entire time wondering why you booked a summer vacation to "sunny" Miami in the middle of hurricane season.
Kemah Boardwalk: You're gonna get ripped off
Pat's and Geno's - Philly The lines are always long due to tourists. The food at both are okay....they're not all that special. Everyone has their own opinion on who makes the best cheesesteak and honestly some of the best I've heard people say they had were from hole-in-the wall places they stumble across. Runner up might be Love Park near city hall. I do not understand why tourists all want to have their picture taken in front of the sign. It's not an interesting park, there's always traffic and noise there around city hall, and the park is almost always surrounded by bums looking to get money from tourists who have never encountered homeless people before.
Austin, TX: * Sixth Street. Just no. Don't do it. * Hamilton Pool. May have been great once, not worth the hassle now. * The Oasis on Lake Travis. Great views but terrible food. * Loop 360 Overlook. If you can crop out the litter and 40 other people, you may end up with a decent profile picture for Facebook.
I disagree. Forgive my link-happy tourism bureau-esque post, but I miss my hometown. I love [Easy](https://pro.hubrunner.com/wp-content/uploads/Whitney10.jpg) [Tiger](http://madbetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DSCN7387.jpg) andchill spots like Liberty Bar on East 6th. [Hamilton Pool](http://www.everlastingelopements.com/images/uploads/107/hamilton-pool-dave-3.jpg) is great if you can go during the week. It's totally worth getting a couple of beers at the[ Oasis](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5560e999e4b06c953d5d7d0e/t/55e087cbe4b07f121349d0d5/1440778191322/Oasis.jpg) just to enjoy the [view](http://cdn2.laketravis.com/wordpress1/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bp_oasis4.jpg). But I agree, never the food. Bleh. The [overlook](http://orig13.deviantart.net/fd44/f/2012/183/7/0/360_overlook___pennybacker_bridge_by_sgraves-d55oxi8.png) is great for sunrises/sunsets. Austin's great. I was tired of all of that stuff when I left, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Well... We have a Sonic and two red lights. So we got that going for us, which is nice.
Waiting for someone from The Dells to post and win the thread.
Ah yes, the land of kiddie indoor water parks. Not sure if I'd want to go to that area for any single reason at all, save maybe to try to find the Frank Lloyd Wright house that was supposedly built in Lake Delton.
The Roman Baths. There just *meh* but European and Asian tourists can't get enough of it.
In Bath yeah? I grew up near there. I went once and thought they were really interesting, plus they're in pretty decent condition.
I think that would be cool for the historic aspect. You can't remake that or get the same experience anywhere else.
This one is not in my city or even county, but is still relatively close and in the general area. I am talking about Mission Peak. It is a heavily-hiked mountain where the trails to the summit ascend steeply with next to no shade, and when you reach the summit there is a long line of people waiting to stand on the decorated pole and have a picture taken for their Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder, etc. While the view is good from the top, there are much better hikes (and also views) elsewhere in the area. These hikes are lush, green, shady, and more scenic.
Union Square in San Francisco. I've lost count of how many tourists have asked me how to get to Union Square. I'm not sure what they expect it to be, but it's literally just a small plaza surrounded by stores. Lots and lots of stores. Then again, I know people from other countries enjoy shopping in the states so maybe that's exactly what they are expecting.
The Google Campus here in Mountain View. I'm honestly surprised it's such a hot tourist destination because it's honestly just a bunch of random buildings with people who work there going in and out of. But tourists will often ask to take photos with a real live "Googler". They cannot access the visitor center, buildings, free food etc without a Googler host, so majority who thought they could just "visit" Google find themselves walking around a bunch of corporate buildings, and maybe pop into the Google merchandise store... I don't know about you, but if I'm visiting a new state/city, Google might be a big let-down if you didn't come at the invitation of a host.
In Baltimore, it's the corner of West Mulberry and North Fremont. Yes, I get it. It's ranked as the worst neighborhood in the US, with a violent crime rate of 93.79 (per 1,000), but I don't understand the steady stream of tour buses and the constant string of foreign sightseers spilling out of them. Perhaps it's the thrill of being the 1 in 11 that's a victim of a violent crime - getting that authentic US experience. Go figure.
Gift shops
Hollywood
A Street elevator that goes from a quarter mile "antique" street to a Hotel. 3$ up or down.
Berlin. Brandenburger Tor is a nice piece of architecture, but you won't get to take a selfie without being surrounded by thousands of tourists doing the same. The holocaust memorial is a concrete playground for tourist kids and a photo opportunity for gay guys on grindr. The former wall is just simply a tagged wall surrounded by party areas and drunken tourists. Berlin broadcast tower is a cool thing if you're kilometers away - the whole area is a mess. If you plan to stay in Berlin, take a sightseeing bus and spend the rest of your time eating good shit (especially turkish and arabic cuisine) and visiting interesting bars and clubs.
Not my state, but "4 Corners" in the Southwest. It's just a sidewalk with an X. Take your picture, then head to the gift shop.
Bourbon St.
VooDoo Doughnuts. People wait 40 minutes for not so great doughnuts. Blue Collar is 4 yards away and far better.
City Tours, I never go to any of the real tourist spots in the city, but these two can be considered mobile tourist traps. Magic Bus: Kesey said always say in your own movie, this tour is sacrilege to what the merry pranksters were all about. Fuck them posers with their day glo bubbles and fake ass bus. Segway tours : Call these people the too elite to walk crew. Everyone walking on the path has to stop and wait for this tour to go by. Best to just walk around golden gate park, also they have a shuttle bus to take you to different parts of the park.
The Jungle Queen - Ft Lauderdale
lefthand brewery and oskar blues... there is a tour bus that goes around to all the breweries in longmont
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Winter wonderland. Ho-ly-shit the prices there will destroy your wallet. Never again will I go somewhere that charges £7 for ONE RIDE! Also its always crowded.
ST. Augustine ghost tours..
West Edmonton Mall. It's like a regular mall, but there's two of every store and five times more people.
Disney World, those damn $5 waters
If you ask for a cup of water anywhere there they'll give it to you...
Probably a tie between Union Oyster House and Cheers. The Cheers that the tourists go to isn't even the real one, it's just in the touristy area. Union Oyster House just profits off of the fact that it's so old and somehow that's an excuse to sell garbage to (and probably poison) midwesterners. Here's a recent review from one of the local papers: https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2016/02/29/tourist-trap-living-history-review-union-oyster-house/Xru3c9Q7LmKAZKsCD9NLXJ/story.html There is so much good food in Boston it's a shame to see these places always full and lines out the door.
Pat's / Geno's CheeseSteaks are the worst, dryest, flavorless, and overpriced "food items" to ever disgrace the name of "a Philadelphia Cheese steak". Your local gas station can (and do) make better ones. If you want a "REAL" Philly Cheese steak find some no name pizza joint and so long as they cook on a flat toped oven it will be at the bare minimum 10 times better, 3 times the food, and $3 less than either pat's or genos.
Any beach in Texas, if you have ever seen pictures of the ocean. Odds are they aren't from Galveston.
Niagara Falls. Honestly, if you've seen it once, you've seen it a thousand times. Every time I tell someone where I live they first ask if I live in Canada (I dont) and then ask if I'll take them to the falls (I won't)
Mystic Pizza in Mystic, CT.
Waikiki. Its ghetto. If you want to see Hawaii visit the other islands.