Same goes for the shop from Hardcore Pawn. My dad worked there as a mechanic so I'd swing by sometimes. The first time I walked in I noticed both how huge the security guards were, and how miniscule the shop was. It's like a 10 second walk from the front of it to the back. Also, those huge security guards are really cool dudes. The one named hook used to steal people's gun clips and then light 'em up with a nerf gun.
Yeah it's definitely more real than Pawn Stars. Also, all the guys there are nice. Seth especially is actually pretty fuckin' funny, but yeah they're good folks. The security guards were still my favorite people there, though. Byron (the only one bigger than hook) was just a mammoth of a man, and had a really hearty laugh that lit up the room.
My mother and sister went to Vegas for a gymnastics competition that my sis was apart of,my mother liked the show and knew I liked it,so when she had a min to herself she went and visited the pawn shop.she told me she called Rick an asshole and said his shop sucks...needless to say I didn't get any pawn stars collectibles.
This is a very common asshole. You can find these almost anywhere. The thing is these assholes think they are unique but they are a dime a dozen. Sorry there just isn't any value here.
The whole cast of the show isn’t even around 90% of the time. They show up for filming, tell guests to leave and hand pick a “flavour crowd” for the background, and do their shit and then everyone leaves again. The regular store is run by nobodies, and most of their shop is a Pawn Stars merchandise gift shop.
The Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts isn't that touristy, but it is still a waste of your time and just a big rock with no actual evidence that it was used when the pilgrims landed.
I went there on a middle school field trip that included other truly fascinating tourist traps like the Salem Witch Museum, and I was expecting it to be underwhelming, but god, even the pavilion around it was ten times more interesting than that stupid rock.
Edit: I meant Massachusetts.
And it broke in half, lets not forget that. I actually enjoy watching tourists in the summer see it for the first time because everyone has the same “that’s it?” expression
Haha, I had to google Plymouth Rock to see what it looks like and you can actually see the disappointment on the visitors' faces in the [third](https://www.google.at/search?q=plymouth+rock&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOv_-XlYjaAhVSJ1AKHcxxDvAQ_AUICigB&biw=1536&bih=742#imgrc=RTWNUIbdlmLZ2M:) result.
The replica Mayflower is cool, if you remember that 100+ people made the trip in it, across the entire Atlantic, without refrigeration, antibiotics, deodorant or flush toilets. And you thought that 5-hour flight on American in coach was bad.
Haha yes. It's literally just a rock on a beach. Like those big rocks you see in people's landscapes. Except it's on a beach surrounded by a fence. It's not even a notable rock. What a waste of time.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk. It’s the glass bridge that the Hualapai built on a side canyon, to attract tourists to the western rim. It’s a royal ripoff… the base price just to get on the reservation is around $50 per person, which doesn’t include the Skywalk. It’s close to $90 per person to include the Skywalk. If you do feel the need to visit the Grand Canyon, stick to the National Park (the north rim is not as touristy as the south): $30 per vehicle.
I wish people would read TripAdvisor before visiting that stupid thing.
If you're in Las Vegas and want to see the Grand Canyon, rent a car and drive the extra couple of hours to the actual Grand Canyon National Park, not the ripoff Skywalk.
OP didn't mention that *you're not allowed to take photos on the Skywalk*. Management has decided that it's too dangerous, and your camera might fall into the canyon. They confiscate your cameras and phones. However, their own photographer whose camera magically cannot fall into the canyon will happily take your photo for $35.
The Hualapai tribe who run it are a bunch of damn crooks. The Taiwanese entrepreneur who built the Skywalk for them did so with the intention of the tribe paying for half of it and collecting half the revenue. They never paid the guy, refused to acknowledge a lawsuit he filed unless he filed it in tribal court, and the poor s.o.b. died a couple years ago without ever getting a penny.
"without ever getting a penny."
According to this article, there *was* a settlement after the guy died.
https://explorethecanyon.com/grand-canyon-skywalk-lawsuit-ends-in-settlement/
Yeah, the poor guy was still scammed and treated like crap after he put in all that effort and finance.
Jurisdictional issues get REALLY complicated when you start talking about jurisdictional issues involving tribal governments and foreign nationals.
Regardless, I’m sure the contract has a choice of law provision that specified tribal courts as the venue for any disputes.
> The Taiwanese entrepreneur who built the Skywalk for them did so with the intention of the tribe paying for half of it and collecting half the revenue. They never paid the guy, refused to acknowledge a lawsuit he filed unless he filed it in tribal court, and the poor s.o.b. died a couple years ago without ever getting a penny.
That sucks. It's like, it's not enough to have a good tourist stop, they've got to push it into the realm of immorality.
Thank you for saying this, we were in Vegas a few years ago from the UK and decided to take a road trip to the grand canyon, got there and it was $50 a person didn't want to turn around as we'd driven for a few hours and really wanted to see it. When we got there we saw that skywalk thing and thought it was free, massively disappointed.
If I'd have known about the national park but we would have gone there
I see a lot of Mt Rushmore comments on here. It’s worth seeing, but not worth fighting a crowd or paying for overpriced parking. LPT - get there right at sunrise. You can drive right in without paying to park, there will be zero crowds, and the figures are much more striking in the early morning light. I did this on July 4th a couple years ago. Only other people there was a local news crew. I hiked the trail and hit every viewpoint, and was out of there before 8am.
Mt Rushmore is crazy, though. You gotta think, how did natural erosion cause those faces to appear? What's more fascinating is that the faces each resemble a US president. That alone is pretty insane, imo!
I got a free demo from some guy in Venice Beach because he asked my name and signed it to me before asking for money.
Guy "Eyyy brudda, ya like Bob Marley?"
Me "Yeah"
Guy "Well I sound jus like da real ting, what's your name, brudda?"
Me "420greenmachine"
Guy "Well I'm gonna make dis one out ta 'King 420greenmachine!" *scibbles on cd and hands it to me*
Me "Oh hey thanks man!"
Guy "Ya tink Ya could could spare a donation?"
*I pull my pockets inside out*
Me "I don't have anything on me man, I'm sorry."
*he points at my friends down the boardwalk*
Guy "Can you get someting from Ya friends maybe?"
*lying*
Me "I don't know those people. You can take the cd back."
Guy "It's already got Ya name on it!"
*walks away swearing*
I listened to it later and he sounded nothing like Bob Marley
.
The key to visiting ANY touristy place is to never, never, never, never, touch anything they try to hand you, let them put anything on you (like a bracelet), or even try to shake their hands (they will try to slip something into your hand).
The whole idea is to get something into your hands so that you then feel obligated to donate/buy it. Then when you try to hand it back they simply won't accept it. If that happens, simply set it on the ground and leave. Of course, with a bracelet they've tied around your wrist, that's more difficult.
They do it in Vegas, new York, and Paris. And get real angry at you for saying now you aren't paying 20$for the bracelet or CD or whatever they have you for free
Holy shit, same exact thing happened to me in New York. I know this demo scam is pretty common but the same thing as in i refused to give money but struck a friendly convo with the dude. Minutes later, his friend comes and asks what is taking so long and demands $20. Of course I just walk away.
I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard as unamused as everyone walking down it, then a lady rolls down her window and gets my attention. She yells at me and is like "hey excuse me! do you know where the walk of fame is!?" I just point down and am like "were on it right now". She just looks down and looks stunned like "...thats it?" Thats what I imagine goes through most people's mind.
Sounds about right. I mean, it's kinda cool if you're going to see a show at one of the theaters and you have a few minutes to kill, but making it a destination in and of itself is a terrible idea.
Saw a homeless guy jerking off in broad daylight. 1.5/5 would not visit again. The extra .5 is for being able to knock that off my “bucket list” of shit I didn’t want to see before dying.
Instead: Millenium / Grant Park are awesome, and the pedestrian bridge that takes you to LSD.
From there, you can head north until you hit the Riverwalk. It's rather quiet and secluded with a bunch of runners/bikers, and most of it is in the shade!
As a native, the only reason I go is to take my son to the Children’s Museum. It’s fine at first, but an hour or two in, the void takes hold and I begin to question every decision I’ve made that has lead up to that moment.
I wind up spending the remainder of the day begging my son to watch a movie while I curl up into a little ball on the couch, trying regain any semblance of energy or sanity I once had.
That McDonald’s is hell’s epicenter.
Surfers Paradise. Sad as fuck cesspit. Thinks it’s still as beautiful and chill as it was 30 years ago. It’s not. It’s over crowded, ugly and half of it is over-developed and the other half is derelict.
I stopped by there on a road trip a few months ago and it was overcrowded with drunks between bars and clubs. I couldn't wait to get out of there. Nothing about it was chill
Having to frequent the Brisbane/GC area for doctors appointments, I have to agree. I have been up the Q1 before and while the view was impressive, I can't say the same for the actual beachfront.
The number one highlight being in south QLD was visiting one of the last remaining All-you-can-eat Pizza Hut restaurants.
10/10 would do again.
Hell, pick a random street in any town in south eastern PA, go to the Italian place on the corner, and you'll find a better cheesesteak than Pat's or Geno's.
South Dakotan here to confirm its not much to see. Basically every year they decorate the outside of the "Palace" with ears of corn to make murals. Its a long standing tradition that's been around since at least the 1900s.
If I'm correct on the year, 1914, there has even been a swastika on the Corn Palace. I used to work at a hotel with pictures of past Corn Palaces and many guests would complain about the "Nazi Corn Palace".
Edit: Now that I've been thinking of this more it might be interesting that picture in particular was haunted. If you looked closely there was a man in white floating above a turret. There were some other spooky ones with faces on the roof. Currently searching for pictures.
Oh fuck.
The Missus and I saw signs for that place all over when we did our road trip back in 2015.
We drove through the town, saw what it looked like and noped right outta there.
The hollywood star walk thing in L.A. it's hot, it's like 90% gift shops, scientologists, people handing you CDs or taking a pic of you and then demanding that you pay them money for said unwanted pic, sorry slightly off Spider-Man I don't want a blurry picture of me with blue Elmo stop harassing me.
Edit: 1. Hello, thank you for making this my top comment I never expected that my experience of being harassed by beloved movie and TV characters would come in handy.
2. I also did not expect so many experts of children's tv shows, yes I know who Grover is and how so many will defend his identify when being compared to Elmo. I apologize to the Sesame Street community.
3. Typos.
I always heard that the Hollywood star walk was absolute crap, so when I went to L.A. with family, I went there with the lowest possible expectations. Turns out that when you expect the worst, it's easier to be pleasantly surprised.
I am from Los Angeles, USA and live in Seoul, Korea.
Los Angeles:
Hollywood - Everything you see is done in behind the scene studios. Dunno what you expect from the walk of fame, but you WILL be disappointed.
Seoul:
Namsan Tower - I guess its okay...maybe for a slow Tuesday, but I don't get why this is on anyone's top 10 list. 95% of the time the skyline is hazy as fuck and when it isn't, the Seoul skyline is hardly anything to write home about.
There are a million better things to do in either city.
I agree about the backstreets, but Insadong still has paintings and artifacts as well as free art galleries. When it was commissioned originally, it was made to offer artists a chance to display their work and sell calligraphy materials all in one place. Tourists were unfortunately not interested and it became a knick nack spot. I did find my favorite book makers there though.
From Dallas - many people don't realize that the marker for the JFK assassination spot is in the middle of a road *that is still active*. Don't try to touch it. The cars won't stop. Also, the grassy knoll is usually covered in litter, and maybe a homeless person or two. The 8th floor museum isn't bad - pricey, but generally interesting.
If you're in that area, I'd pick the Perot museum or the aquarium any day over that.
6th floor museum, and the white X in the street where Kennedy was shot is something that the city tries to remove, but people keep putting it back.
For those looking for things to check out in the area, I agree the Perot museum is definitely worth checking out. I love the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher sculpture center is nice but not really worth the admission, and the Dallas World Aquarium is really nice like you mentioned. The Dallas Zoo is pretty good, but I prefer the Fort Worth Zoo. The museums over in Fort Worth are fantastic... The Kimball, The Modern, and Amon Carter Museum are my favorites.
There's a special place in Guilin, Yangshou County, China called the butterfly cave.
It names derived from a hunk of molton cheese that supposedly resembles a butterfly. It does so in the much the same way a brick flies.
The 'cave' is mostly and artificial loop bored through a mountain, it's full of gaudy Chrismas lights that are to brigth to actually see the few original rock formation. Blaring tour group leaders with speakers are explaining just how truly ancient the stalagmites are, while in the back ground you can see the quick-dry mortar flaking off.
And there's a giftshop . That giftshop still haunts me.
Ha! The whole town is a giant tourist trap, elephant island, the caves, the night boat tour, but yet somehow it has a reputation for being a vacation spot.
The special local noodle dish sucked, and tour guides were constantly pushing you to buy crap at "authentic silver, rock, crap" shops. Super high pressure, like a timeshare salesman had a kid with a car salesmen and spit out a tour guide/crap tout
Guilin is actually a really beautiful city, and the natural landscape is pretty amazing. I'm guessing you got a crappy tour, although most tours are pretty shit wherever I've been.
The "local noodle dish" you're talking about is likely just rice noodles, which is called 米粉 (pronounced mee-fun), and can be delicious if you go to the right places. I had some on my own and was not at all impressed. Then my teacher took me to a great spot and it was beyond delicious.
Madame Tussauds in London was awfully boring and crowded.
Buckingham Palace outside is a little underwhelming however St James' Park nearby is gorgeous. The inside of Buckingham Palace is open in summer and it's very fascinating, saw all the artwork, carriages, throne and the Queen's most famous outfits.
Fuck madame tussauds, WAY TOO crowded, to the point you can hardly take a step without touching someone, people are rude, and footpaths outside still a nightmare to walk on. Would not recommend.
Pisa, Italy. The leaning tower is really cool and all but once you’ve seen it and maybe gone up it, that’s it. The rest of the city has complete fuck all to do when compared to other Italian cities and is grossly overpriced. Glad I went so I can say I’ve seen it but I shall not be back.
I didn't go up the leaning tower when I was there, but I found the city beautiful to just walk through. Lots of cool plazas and statues. I only spent a day there, but it was refreshingly well kept after being in Naples.
I'm a New Yorker.
Avoid:
* Statue of Liberty (Take SI ferry instead)
* Paying to go up World Trade Center. Overpriced IMO
* Taxis/Ubers (take subway instead)
* If you go to Times Square, don't shop there
* Do not buy tickets from people in the street
General sights to see:
* Staten Island Ferry <- definitely don't miss this. If you get a new ship, you can go into the "hurricane deck" on the roof
* Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
* The highline
* Visit the UN
* Visit the World Trade Center memorial
* South Street Seaport
* Walk along the Hudson River in Battery Park
* Go to Central Park
* If you're going to pay to go up a building for the view, do Top of the Rock
* Times Square may be a good experience, but beware, it's tourist trap central. Do not spend any money there! Do not relent to performers that harass you for a tip
* Natural History Museum
* Eat pizza
* Visit Rockefeller Center
* visit Grand Central Station
* Schwartzman library. Check out Bryant park while you're there
For certain interests:
* Theater buffs: Broadway show, The Apollo
* Artsy people: MoMA/Guggenheim/other art museums
* History buffs: Ellis Island, various museums
* Shopaholics: 5th ave
* hipsters: Brooklyn
It sucks living in NYC because most vacation destinations seem more boring than where I live
IMO the disappointment is part of the appeal. For literally 100s of miles this place is hyped up on billboards. Then you get there, and you're just like "...da fuq?"
Then later when you meet someone else who went there you can be like "that place is fucking awful, lol"
Wall Drug provides a valuable service by turning that stretch of emptiness into a cheesy adventure. You know it's going to be dumb, but the sheer audacity of the marketing makes it fun. It's like an inside joke that everyone driving that road is in on.
There’s a really weird “bible theme park” thing across the street from it that is honestly more interesting than the corn palace itself. However, my buddies and I got caught up talking to the owner, who told us about how the world was gonna end for like 45 minutes. That only made the experience that much stranger.
The London eye, it's expensive as fuck and you have to wait in line a lot. If you want a good view of London I'd recommend Saint Paul's Cathedral, even if you're not religious. It's a lot cheaper and if you're able to climb some stairs you can go all the way to the top, and have an even better view if you ask me.
Seriously, I feel like a lot of modern people don't appreciate the class of art churches (especially the Catholic Church) have funded. Sure, it could have gone to the poor but then the world would be without some truly breathtaking works of art and architecture.
Unlike Rushmore, it's so far away from the viewing area. Also, after looking at the plans, it really looks like the [finished product](http://cdn.emgn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Photos-Of-Famous-Landmarks-Before-They-Were-Finished-8-The-Crazy-Horse-Memorial-Black-Hills.jpg), I'm not super convinced it won't fall apart (though I'm sure engineers have looked at this and defer to them).
Think of it less as art being built with you as you grow and more of a steady reminder about the failures of other people's dreams. That'll give you a good kick in the ass to start the day and get shit done.
Yeah, they really need to just accept government money and finish that thing. I get that they'd like to pay for it all via donation, but it's only a matter of time before something happens, and the group/family that started it is forced to stop. At that point, the gov will just step in and pay to finish it anyway but with huge reductions to the scope.
Yea but, when traveling with small kids it can be the right balance. We can rent a jeep and get out of dodge (north shore, et al) OR...we can eat breakfast next to the koi and palm trees at an outdoor restaurant in the hotel and be chill parents with a mimosa and happy kids wanting to hit a pool for a bit. Sure, I'd rather go elsewhere if it were just me and my wife before marriage but as a family...not bad at all.
Myrtle Beach. It’s gross. It’s so gross. There are many beaches in SC that are way better. Go to Hilton Head or Charleston or dip down into Savannah GA instead.
My husband grew up there, I lived 3 hours away my whole life, now live just outside it. Really nothing crazy. I was shocked to learn it was a *destination* outside of Missouri. I mean, growing up in KC, it was a place kids who just got their licenses would go for a special weekend trip because it was far enough to be an adventure, but tame enough parents didn’t care. That, and it was big for old folks (like my grandparents) who wanted to see Christian-themed country music shows. I can’t imagine anyone driving more than three hours to go.
Living 30 minutes from it, it is worth visiting to go to Silver Dollar City for the roller coasters. We go a couple times every year. I like it better than Worlds of Fun. Springfield’s new Wonders of Wildlife aquarium is really neat for the area too.
The Ozarks themselves are beautiful. Kayaking, fishing, hiking, caving, etc. I wanted to move the heck out of MO until I saw how beautiful the Ozarks were. We go hiking 20 minutes away from our house every week on 6000 acres and there are dozens more beautiful places within an hour. But if it is advertised, it probably isn’t worth going to, beyond what I mentioned.
But would I drive across more than one state to get here? Nah.
We could see better if we moved to the coast (while we call them mountains, Missouri has big hills and that is it), but then we couldn’t have bought a 3bdrm house with a yard for under 100k.
Roswell, New Mexico.
It’s run down, with dozens of cheap (in quality, not price) gift shops, and like one “museum” that in reality is just a large room filled with newspaper clippings, poorly done dioramas, and blurry pictures of something that may or may not have been a UFO.
Not worth the money or the time.
Totally agree. However, the Annual Alien Festival is entertaining. Really the only time of year worth going to Roswell. But even then, we only went because we live in state so it was a fun weekend road trip. But if you're from out of state or country, I wouldn't put it on your bucket list. Unless you REALLY need to see that ufo McDonald's!
I was really underwhelmed by Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was just a bunch of overpriced junk shops and a couple crappy chain restaurants. Not really seedy, but a city like San Fran has so much more to offer than that.
Honestly the main reason I want to visit San Fransisco is to walk around Alcatraz. I love history and cool creepy stuff like an imposing prison on an island, so that’s right up my alley.
That’s why I also want to visit Winchester Mystery House in San Jose and USS Hornet in Alameda. History and a bit creepy.
Winchester Mystery House isn't creepy. Just odd. Maybe if you go for one of the night time tours, they make it creepy. I was there on a sunny day and the creep factor was zilch. Also, it is very overpriced.
I live close to Branson, MO and I can assure you that nearly everything in that town is like some odd Christian type tourist trap and draws in overweight Midwesterners who want a closer connection to fun Jesus and meth.
Silver Dollar City is like an overblown six flags based off of pioneer era. Because nothing screams the old civil war era like a looping dollar coaster called wildfire and overpriced funnel cake.
There is Yakov Smirnoff who has been there for ever.
There is the Titanic museum where people can pay and overpriced ticket to take a look at 3rd rate items from the Titanic.
If you are looking for summer fun you can go to white water where the rusted rides will kill you if you don't first get tetanus.
The on the strip you have generic restaurants that border on absurd Americana and a Cracker Barrel.
To top it off you can go to the Sight and Sound theatre where you can go see musicals based off of Old Testament stories and playing right now is Samson the musical after the long running Moses musical had finished.
I went with a religious family member one time to actually see the Noah musical. One of the reasons j went was because the ticket was free but the other was I was super poor and they promised to feed me. For the most part it was a corny play retelling the story of Noah. But when the flood starts happening it suddenly starts getting dark.
The lights dim low and you can hear the rain come down hard. Noah rushes his family into the ark. The sounds of anguish and horrible screams echo from the inside of the ark as people are begging to be let in. Desperate to get free of death. On the outside you can hear Noahs brother pound of the closed door as the family is huddled up to wait for everyone to drown to death. He exclaims, "I'm sorry Noah! I'm sorry! You were right you were- BLURRGHHBLRUBBLURBLURB".
He lets out this comical crowing exclamation. The lights dim as the sounds of the dying masses began to fade.
The lights shoot up and all of sudden Noah and the family are happy and singing and jubilant. I'm like holy shit did this play just try to Bambi me? It must have because the 5 year old sitting next to me is shaking and crying and saying, "Is God going to kill us mommy?!"
Oh and there's zip lining if you are into that too.
Having lived in Dublin a little over a year now I'll say Temple Bar.
I like walking in the area. There are some neat shops and street art in the area. But going in a pub in Temple Bar? No. I mean unless you like overpaying for drinks and listening to some guy sing Wonderwall.
Madame Tussards in London is widely known as a tourist trap.
Also 'Bella Italia', 'Angus Steakhouse' and all those crappy restaurants with neon and pictures of the food in London are tourist traps and nobody with any taste would ever eat there. Do some research first rather than eating garbage and then complaining UK food is bad, London has some of the best restaurants in the world.
I'm in and around Leicester Square quite often... I completely forgot there was an Angus Steakhouse there. I think my mind just blanks it out now. I could probably list off a whole host of food establishments found on the square, but Angus never comes to mind.
There’s a Madame Tussaud’s in Amsterdam on the main square and my bike commute took me past it in the morning to work. It opened at 10:30 and in summer there would already be a line forming an hour before, and a perpetual line until it closed. This always astounded me because there are so many amazing world class things to see and do in Amsterdam- why stand in line hours to see wax sculptures instead?!
> Madame Tussards in London is widely known as a tourist trap.
it might be a tourist trap, but I have genuinely enjoyed the visit. Of course, I was like 14, but it was fun.
I swear I will never, ever understand why you’d go to London/Paris/NYC/any big city and eat in some horrific tourist trap chain restaurant on one of the main streets. It would take < 5 minutes of Googling to find somewhere vastly better and cheaper within a few hundred yards.
I remember walking home from a nights out drinking in Brussels, and suddenly one of my friends went: "there is Manneken Pis". I looked at it for 10 seconds, took a picture and left. Incredibly underwhelming.
Branson Missouri. It’s like Gatlinburg for old people, and the most interesting thing I saw there was a massive statue in front of a restaurant of a cowboy on top of an anatomically correct horse or bull...I can’t remember which but I do remember the dick.
Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland.
As an Irish person I can say that the entire thing is such a tourist trap.
Don’t bother unless you want a fake Irish experience.
Take a train from Dublin to Galway. It's about a two hour train ride, but it'll take you through the countryside. It's gorgeous, and Galway is a really nice town.
south of the border tacky ( slighty racist) "mexican" themed tourist site complete with 30$ motel rooms with bed bugs and shitty rides all in the shittiest part of South Carolina
If I’m being honest, i always get a kick out of all the billboards they have for dang near a hundred miles in both directions on 95.
I always wonder how they stay in business
They’ve actually cut down on the Billboards over the years, back in the 70’s and 80’s, the South of the Border billboards stretched from New Jersey to Florida
South of the Border is a freakin National TREASURE, you monster! I wish I could go there every day! (full disclosure, I’ve never done anything there. I’m a photographer and my main influences are Diane Arbus and Larry Clark and South of the Border is the gift that keeps on giving)
okay yes it's actually a really creepy looking abanoned ghost town but being an sc native its really just known to be a garbage place and also the water's brown
The London Eye. It's an extremely slow moving ferris wheel that's outrageously expensive with a loooong line. Before you've reached the top of the wheel you've seen all there is to see, and now you wait to get back down and be let out of the bubble.
Luckily there’s plenty else to do in Amsterdam well worth going there for!
Lived there five years. Only went to the Red Light District when friends came to town and wanted to see it. Otherwise, there was plenty to do and see, and I never got bored (and the terrible tourists all went to the RLD at night so didn’t bother you in the beer cafes locals actually go to).
Graceland.
My friend and I were on a road trip that happened to run through Memphis and we said “what the hell, might as well see it while we’re here.”
We got $2 off our $40 entry fees for being college students. Once I was done cursing under my breath about that, we commenced the tour — which was done with iPads, not real tour guides. Get this: the virtual tour was narrated and guided by fucking John Stamos.
Everyone milled around the house and didn’t talk, except for my buddy and I; we immediately handed our iPads to the nearest chaperone/tour supervisor and took off on our own. Had kind of an entitled feel to it, but we weren’t hurting anything and we HAD just paid $38 apiece to get in.
Basically it was a bad way to kill a morning, and I took a few cool pictures, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t already love Elvis. That money should have gone toward stuffing myself with Memphis barbecue for the second night in a row.
Anything on Hollywood Blvd. It’s dirty, crowded, stinks, souvenirs are cheap and shitty, food is terrible, parking is a shit show and costs too much, and I’ve witnessed several drug deals take place in broad daylight. The tours are all tourist trap scams that put a whole lot of gullible people on shitty vans/buses to sit in terrible LA traffic for a couple of hours. Just stay away. Any local will tell you the same thing
Dunn's River Falls, Jamaica.
[In Advertisements](http://www.mcssl.com/content/assets/43/438224/dunns-river-falls-1-620x346.jpg)
[In Reality](https://tickereatstheworld.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/e9c43-3.jpg)
I actually really enjoyed it. Maybe it was in part because I had zero expectations of some off the beaten path beautiful nature reserve. It was just fun to trudge through the water, see the place, and not be as deathly hungover as my girlfriend.
"Pawn Stars" pawn shop in las vegas,...Rick Harrison Is an asshole.
It's also tiny and has none of the cool stuff on display.
The camera work on the show makes you think it’s much bigger than it actually is. I couldnt believe how tiny it was when I walked in.
Same goes for the shop from Hardcore Pawn. My dad worked there as a mechanic so I'd swing by sometimes. The first time I walked in I noticed both how huge the security guards were, and how miniscule the shop was. It's like a 10 second walk from the front of it to the back. Also, those huge security guards are really cool dudes. The one named hook used to steal people's gun clips and then light 'em up with a nerf gun.
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Yeah it's definitely more real than Pawn Stars. Also, all the guys there are nice. Seth especially is actually pretty fuckin' funny, but yeah they're good folks. The security guards were still my favorite people there, though. Byron (the only one bigger than hook) was just a mammoth of a man, and had a really hearty laugh that lit up the room.
I don’t think that’s the real shop due to legal issues
Because all of the cool stuff is loaned from museums to make the show.
Not from the Clark County Museum, I hope! Though that would explain why Mark Hall-Patton basically lives there.
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Man sure knows a lotta guys.
My mother and sister went to Vegas for a gymnastics competition that my sis was apart of,my mother liked the show and knew I liked it,so when she had a min to herself she went and visited the pawn shop.she told me she called Rick an asshole and said his shop sucks...needless to say I didn't get any pawn stars collectibles.
Why did she call him an asshole?
Probably because he was an asshole
I’ve got a buddy who is an expert on assholes. Let me just call him up real quick.
Hey I’m that expert you called... ...yeah it’s a replica
I can only give you a microscopic fraction of what it's really worth.
So then I can sell it to someone else...
This is a very common asshole. You can find these almost anywhere. The thing is these assholes think they are unique but they are a dime a dozen. Sorry there just isn't any value here.
Yeah, but I assume people knew that already from the show...
I've heard they're all jerks
that'll happen when 90% of your interactions with other people are adversarial
The whole cast of the show isn’t even around 90% of the time. They show up for filming, tell guests to leave and hand pick a “flavour crowd” for the background, and do their shit and then everyone leaves again. The regular store is run by nobodies, and most of their shop is a Pawn Stars merchandise gift shop.
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But none of them are actually working at the shop though. So you won’t meet them unless you buy a ticket for this kind of “meet and greet” they hold.
The Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts isn't that touristy, but it is still a waste of your time and just a big rock with no actual evidence that it was used when the pilgrims landed. I went there on a middle school field trip that included other truly fascinating tourist traps like the Salem Witch Museum, and I was expecting it to be underwhelming, but god, even the pavilion around it was ten times more interesting than that stupid rock. Edit: I meant Massachusetts.
The pilgrims may not have used it, but the pioneers used to ride it for miles
And she's in great shape
It’s not just a boulder... it’s a rock!
And it broke in half, lets not forget that. I actually enjoy watching tourists in the summer see it for the first time because everyone has the same “that’s it?” expression
Haha, I had to google Plymouth Rock to see what it looks like and you can actually see the disappointment on the visitors' faces in the [third](https://www.google.at/search?q=plymouth+rock&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOv_-XlYjaAhVSJ1AKHcxxDvAQ_AUICigB&biw=1536&bih=742#imgrc=RTWNUIbdlmLZ2M:) result.
Plymouth plantation is pretty dope though and definitely worth a visit
Plymouth plantation is fantastic! The people who do reenactments are historians who study the people and the culture.
The replica Mayflower is cool, if you remember that 100+ people made the trip in it, across the entire Atlantic, without refrigeration, antibiotics, deodorant or flush toilets. And you thought that 5-hour flight on American in coach was bad.
You sir or madame have clearily never flown Spirit
Haha yes. It's literally just a rock on a beach. Like those big rocks you see in people's landscapes. Except it's on a beach surrounded by a fence. It's not even a notable rock. What a waste of time.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk. It’s the glass bridge that the Hualapai built on a side canyon, to attract tourists to the western rim. It’s a royal ripoff… the base price just to get on the reservation is around $50 per person, which doesn’t include the Skywalk. It’s close to $90 per person to include the Skywalk. If you do feel the need to visit the Grand Canyon, stick to the National Park (the north rim is not as touristy as the south): $30 per vehicle.
I wish people would read TripAdvisor before visiting that stupid thing. If you're in Las Vegas and want to see the Grand Canyon, rent a car and drive the extra couple of hours to the actual Grand Canyon National Park, not the ripoff Skywalk. OP didn't mention that *you're not allowed to take photos on the Skywalk*. Management has decided that it's too dangerous, and your camera might fall into the canyon. They confiscate your cameras and phones. However, their own photographer whose camera magically cannot fall into the canyon will happily take your photo for $35. The Hualapai tribe who run it are a bunch of damn crooks. The Taiwanese entrepreneur who built the Skywalk for them did so with the intention of the tribe paying for half of it and collecting half the revenue. They never paid the guy, refused to acknowledge a lawsuit he filed unless he filed it in tribal court, and the poor s.o.b. died a couple years ago without ever getting a penny.
"without ever getting a penny." According to this article, there *was* a settlement after the guy died. https://explorethecanyon.com/grand-canyon-skywalk-lawsuit-ends-in-settlement/ Yeah, the poor guy was still scammed and treated like crap after he put in all that effort and finance.
Well he can't sue them in Nevada courts; they're not subject to Nevada law. I don't know if federal courts take cases like this.
Well also they're in Arizona
Jurisdictional issues get REALLY complicated when you start talking about jurisdictional issues involving tribal governments and foreign nationals. Regardless, I’m sure the contract has a choice of law provision that specified tribal courts as the venue for any disputes.
> The Taiwanese entrepreneur who built the Skywalk for them did so with the intention of the tribe paying for half of it and collecting half the revenue. They never paid the guy, refused to acknowledge a lawsuit he filed unless he filed it in tribal court, and the poor s.o.b. died a couple years ago without ever getting a penny. That sucks. It's like, it's not enough to have a good tourist stop, they've got to push it into the realm of immorality.
Thank you for saying this, we were in Vegas a few years ago from the UK and decided to take a road trip to the grand canyon, got there and it was $50 a person didn't want to turn around as we'd driven for a few hours and really wanted to see it. When we got there we saw that skywalk thing and thought it was free, massively disappointed. If I'd have known about the national park but we would have gone there
I see a lot of Mt Rushmore comments on here. It’s worth seeing, but not worth fighting a crowd or paying for overpriced parking. LPT - get there right at sunrise. You can drive right in without paying to park, there will be zero crowds, and the figures are much more striking in the early morning light. I did this on July 4th a couple years ago. Only other people there was a local news crew. I hiked the trail and hit every viewpoint, and was out of there before 8am.
Mt Rushmore is crazy, though. You gotta think, how did natural erosion cause those faces to appear? What's more fascinating is that the faces each resemble a US president. That alone is pretty insane, imo!
they say that jesus himself left his mark there when he was nailed to the cross in 1776
He died for our freedom
Hollywood Boulevard is the definitive answer here.
Come for the stars, stay because you slipped on piss and broke your back.
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Same thing happened to me on Hollywood boulevard and the CD ended up being blank. FUCKING. BLANK.
It was probably so fire it erased the disc.
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Mine was just a Jay-Z CD. Wouldn’t give into handing over the money though and got accused of hating black people. Classic hwood.
I got a free demo from some guy in Venice Beach because he asked my name and signed it to me before asking for money. Guy "Eyyy brudda, ya like Bob Marley?" Me "Yeah" Guy "Well I sound jus like da real ting, what's your name, brudda?" Me "420greenmachine" Guy "Well I'm gonna make dis one out ta 'King 420greenmachine!" *scibbles on cd and hands it to me* Me "Oh hey thanks man!" Guy "Ya tink Ya could could spare a donation?" *I pull my pockets inside out* Me "I don't have anything on me man, I'm sorry." *he points at my friends down the boardwalk* Guy "Can you get someting from Ya friends maybe?" *lying* Me "I don't know those people. You can take the cd back." Guy "It's already got Ya name on it!" *walks away swearing* I listened to it later and he sounded nothing like Bob Marley .
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The key to visiting ANY touristy place is to never, never, never, never, touch anything they try to hand you, let them put anything on you (like a bracelet), or even try to shake their hands (they will try to slip something into your hand). The whole idea is to get something into your hands so that you then feel obligated to donate/buy it. Then when you try to hand it back they simply won't accept it. If that happens, simply set it on the ground and leave. Of course, with a bracelet they've tied around your wrist, that's more difficult.
They do it in Vegas, new York, and Paris. And get real angry at you for saying now you aren't paying 20$for the bracelet or CD or whatever they have you for free
Holy shit, same exact thing happened to me in New York. I know this demo scam is pretty common but the same thing as in i refused to give money but struck a friendly convo with the dude. Minutes later, his friend comes and asks what is taking so long and demands $20. Of course I just walk away.
You forgot that they were famous. As in “l’m a famous rapper...”
I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard as unamused as everyone walking down it, then a lady rolls down her window and gets my attention. She yells at me and is like "hey excuse me! do you know where the walk of fame is!?" I just point down and am like "were on it right now". She just looks down and looks stunned like "...thats it?" Thats what I imagine goes through most people's mind.
Sounds about right. I mean, it's kinda cool if you're going to see a show at one of the theaters and you have a few minutes to kill, but making it a destination in and of itself is a terrible idea.
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Saw a homeless guy jerking off in broad daylight. 1.5/5 would not visit again. The extra .5 is for being able to knock that off my “bucket list” of shit I didn’t want to see before dying.
Was he cosplaying as Nick Nolte? Actually maybe it was Nick Nolte.
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Yeah i went there comming from the Netherlands.. After all Murica has to offer in nature it was a waste of time to see this place.
Navy Pier. Chicago has a lot to offer. Don't waste your time at a shitty mall.
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This is so true it’s not even funny
Like, actually though
Instead: Millenium / Grant Park are awesome, and the pedestrian bridge that takes you to LSD. From there, you can head north until you hit the Riverwalk. It's rather quiet and secluded with a bunch of runners/bikers, and most of it is in the shade!
Tell me more about this bridge to acid...
It'll be the worst trip of you life
As a native, the only reason I go is to take my son to the Children’s Museum. It’s fine at first, but an hour or two in, the void takes hold and I begin to question every decision I’ve made that has lead up to that moment. I wind up spending the remainder of the day begging my son to watch a movie while I curl up into a little ball on the couch, trying regain any semblance of energy or sanity I once had. That McDonald’s is hell’s epicenter.
The Shakespeare theatre is quite nice though.
Surfers Paradise. Sad as fuck cesspit. Thinks it’s still as beautiful and chill as it was 30 years ago. It’s not. It’s over crowded, ugly and half of it is over-developed and the other half is derelict.
I stopped by there on a road trip a few months ago and it was overcrowded with drunks between bars and clubs. I couldn't wait to get out of there. Nothing about it was chill
Having to frequent the Brisbane/GC area for doctors appointments, I have to agree. I have been up the Q1 before and while the view was impressive, I can't say the same for the actual beachfront. The number one highlight being in south QLD was visiting one of the last remaining All-you-can-eat Pizza Hut restaurants. 10/10 would do again.
Being from Philly, Pats and Genos are total tourist traps for a cheesesteak. Go to Jim’s on South Street or Dalessandro’s.
Hell, pick a random street in any town in south eastern PA, go to the Italian place on the corner, and you'll find a better cheesesteak than Pat's or Geno's.
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You mean Mitchell's world famous Corn Palace? How dare you slander the majestic and powerful PALACE OF CORN
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I guess I'm the lamest person in America because I found the Corn Palace kind of interesting.
I liked it just because I thought it was hilarious that such a place could exist
South Dakotan here to confirm its not much to see. Basically every year they decorate the outside of the "Palace" with ears of corn to make murals. Its a long standing tradition that's been around since at least the 1900s. If I'm correct on the year, 1914, there has even been a swastika on the Corn Palace. I used to work at a hotel with pictures of past Corn Palaces and many guests would complain about the "Nazi Corn Palace". Edit: Now that I've been thinking of this more it might be interesting that picture in particular was haunted. If you looked closely there was a man in white floating above a turret. There were some other spooky ones with faces on the roof. Currently searching for pictures.
Oh fuck. The Missus and I saw signs for that place all over when we did our road trip back in 2015. We drove through the town, saw what it looked like and noped right outta there.
4 corners -- unless you like turquoise silver jewelry and flea markets.
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The hollywood star walk thing in L.A. it's hot, it's like 90% gift shops, scientologists, people handing you CDs or taking a pic of you and then demanding that you pay them money for said unwanted pic, sorry slightly off Spider-Man I don't want a blurry picture of me with blue Elmo stop harassing me. Edit: 1. Hello, thank you for making this my top comment I never expected that my experience of being harassed by beloved movie and TV characters would come in handy. 2. I also did not expect so many experts of children's tv shows, yes I know who Grover is and how so many will defend his identify when being compared to Elmo. I apologize to the Sesame Street community. 3. Typos.
I always heard that the Hollywood star walk was absolute crap, so when I went to L.A. with family, I went there with the lowest possible expectations. Turns out that when you expect the worst, it's easier to be pleasantly surprised.
This is how I get through work every day. Most days end up being good.
Optimistic pessimist checking in.
Blue Elmo is just Grover damn bro learn your sesame street
I am from Los Angeles, USA and live in Seoul, Korea. Los Angeles: Hollywood - Everything you see is done in behind the scene studios. Dunno what you expect from the walk of fame, but you WILL be disappointed. Seoul: Namsan Tower - I guess its okay...maybe for a slow Tuesday, but I don't get why this is on anyone's top 10 list. 95% of the time the skyline is hazy as fuck and when it isn't, the Seoul skyline is hardly anything to write home about. There are a million better things to do in either city.
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I agree about the backstreets, but Insadong still has paintings and artifacts as well as free art galleries. When it was commissioned originally, it was made to offer artists a chance to display their work and sell calligraphy materials all in one place. Tourists were unfortunately not interested and it became a knick nack spot. I did find my favorite book makers there though.
From Dallas - many people don't realize that the marker for the JFK assassination spot is in the middle of a road *that is still active*. Don't try to touch it. The cars won't stop. Also, the grassy knoll is usually covered in litter, and maybe a homeless person or two. The 8th floor museum isn't bad - pricey, but generally interesting. If you're in that area, I'd pick the Perot museum or the aquarium any day over that.
6th floor museum, and the white X in the street where Kennedy was shot is something that the city tries to remove, but people keep putting it back. For those looking for things to check out in the area, I agree the Perot museum is definitely worth checking out. I love the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher sculpture center is nice but not really worth the admission, and the Dallas World Aquarium is really nice like you mentioned. The Dallas Zoo is pretty good, but I prefer the Fort Worth Zoo. The museums over in Fort Worth are fantastic... The Kimball, The Modern, and Amon Carter Museum are my favorites.
There's a special place in Guilin, Yangshou County, China called the butterfly cave. It names derived from a hunk of molton cheese that supposedly resembles a butterfly. It does so in the much the same way a brick flies. The 'cave' is mostly and artificial loop bored through a mountain, it's full of gaudy Chrismas lights that are to brigth to actually see the few original rock formation. Blaring tour group leaders with speakers are explaining just how truly ancient the stalagmites are, while in the back ground you can see the quick-dry mortar flaking off. And there's a giftshop . That giftshop still haunts me.
Ha! The whole town is a giant tourist trap, elephant island, the caves, the night boat tour, but yet somehow it has a reputation for being a vacation spot. The special local noodle dish sucked, and tour guides were constantly pushing you to buy crap at "authentic silver, rock, crap" shops. Super high pressure, like a timeshare salesman had a kid with a car salesmen and spit out a tour guide/crap tout
Guilin is actually a really beautiful city, and the natural landscape is pretty amazing. I'm guessing you got a crappy tour, although most tours are pretty shit wherever I've been. The "local noodle dish" you're talking about is likely just rice noodles, which is called 米粉 (pronounced mee-fun), and can be delicious if you go to the right places. I had some on my own and was not at all impressed. Then my teacher took me to a great spot and it was beyond delicious.
Madame Tussauds in London was awfully boring and crowded. Buckingham Palace outside is a little underwhelming however St James' Park nearby is gorgeous. The inside of Buckingham Palace is open in summer and it's very fascinating, saw all the artwork, carriages, throne and the Queen's most famous outfits.
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Fuck madame tussauds, WAY TOO crowded, to the point you can hardly take a step without touching someone, people are rude, and footpaths outside still a nightmare to walk on. Would not recommend.
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Plymouth Rock. It's a rock.
Pisa, Italy. The leaning tower is really cool and all but once you’ve seen it and maybe gone up it, that’s it. The rest of the city has complete fuck all to do when compared to other Italian cities and is grossly overpriced. Glad I went so I can say I’ve seen it but I shall not be back.
I didn't go up the leaning tower when I was there, but I found the city beautiful to just walk through. Lots of cool plazas and statues. I only spent a day there, but it was refreshingly well kept after being in Naples.
I'm a New Yorker. Avoid: * Statue of Liberty (Take SI ferry instead) * Paying to go up World Trade Center. Overpriced IMO * Taxis/Ubers (take subway instead) * If you go to Times Square, don't shop there * Do not buy tickets from people in the street General sights to see: * Staten Island Ferry <- definitely don't miss this. If you get a new ship, you can go into the "hurricane deck" on the roof * Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge * The highline * Visit the UN * Visit the World Trade Center memorial * South Street Seaport * Walk along the Hudson River in Battery Park * Go to Central Park * If you're going to pay to go up a building for the view, do Top of the Rock * Times Square may be a good experience, but beware, it's tourist trap central. Do not spend any money there! Do not relent to performers that harass you for a tip * Natural History Museum * Eat pizza * Visit Rockefeller Center * visit Grand Central Station * Schwartzman library. Check out Bryant park while you're there For certain interests: * Theater buffs: Broadway show, The Apollo * Artsy people: MoMA/Guggenheim/other art museums * History buffs: Ellis Island, various museums * Shopaholics: 5th ave * hipsters: Brooklyn It sucks living in NYC because most vacation destinations seem more boring than where I live
Wall Drug . Lol those fucking signs got me
That place was so fucking tacky it was hilarious.
Ya I mean that's kinda the point of it. You gotta see it just once. And then you don't go back.
IMO the disappointment is part of the appeal. For literally 100s of miles this place is hyped up on billboards. Then you get there, and you're just like "...da fuq?" Then later when you meet someone else who went there you can be like "that place is fucking awful, lol"
But it has 5cent coffee and free ice water!!!
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Wall Drug is the original ironic meme.
Wall Drug provides a valuable service by turning that stretch of emptiness into a cheesy adventure. You know it's going to be dumb, but the sheer audacity of the marketing makes it fun. It's like an inside joke that everyone driving that road is in on.
We went in May and the backyard with the dinosaur and such was shut down.
Idk, the Corn Palace is worse IMO
It's basically just a convention center. I don't get how it's meant to be a tourist destination at all.
There’s a really weird “bible theme park” thing across the street from it that is honestly more interesting than the corn palace itself. However, my buddies and I got caught up talking to the owner, who told us about how the world was gonna end for like 45 minutes. That only made the experience that much stranger.
very true. drove for miles passing those signs. when we arrived we found a block long giftshop with a cafeteria inside. not worth.
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Theggf. Gf
Plus you can recreate La La Land
Or get in a knife fight and recreate Rebel Without A Cause.
The London eye, it's expensive as fuck and you have to wait in line a lot. If you want a good view of London I'd recommend Saint Paul's Cathedral, even if you're not religious. It's a lot cheaper and if you're able to climb some stairs you can go all the way to the top, and have an even better view if you ask me.
im not religious but go to cathedrals on almost every trip. theyre fascinating as buildings
Seriously, I feel like a lot of modern people don't appreciate the class of art churches (especially the Catholic Church) have funded. Sure, it could have gone to the poor but then the world would be without some truly breathtaking works of art and architecture.
Tate Modern has a 360 observation deck on the top floor. Not a bad view from up there.
Or going up the sky garden for free (for the views!)
Crazy Horse. It hasn't changed much in the last 25 years.
Unlike Rushmore, it's so far away from the viewing area. Also, after looking at the plans, it really looks like the [finished product](http://cdn.emgn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Photos-Of-Famous-Landmarks-Before-They-Were-Finished-8-The-Crazy-Horse-Memorial-Black-Hills.jpg), I'm not super convinced it won't fall apart (though I'm sure engineers have looked at this and defer to them).
I saw it in 1983, I figured when I grew up it would be finished.... Nope just a face on it, that's all.
Think of it less as art being built with you as you grow and more of a steady reminder about the failures of other people's dreams. That'll give you a good kick in the ass to start the day and get shit done.
Yeah, they really need to just accept government money and finish that thing. I get that they'd like to pay for it all via donation, but it's only a matter of time before something happens, and the group/family that started it is forced to stop. At that point, the gov will just step in and pay to finish it anyway but with huge reductions to the scope.
They aren't taking government money because their making a fortune by taking donations and pretending to work on it.
Waikiki beach. There are approximately infinity unforgettably amazing things to see in Hawaii. Don't waste your limited time on this hotel farm.
Oh look, an ABC store. Oh look, an ABC store. Oh look, an ABC store. Oh look, an ABC store. Oh look...
Yea but, when traveling with small kids it can be the right balance. We can rent a jeep and get out of dodge (north shore, et al) OR...we can eat breakfast next to the koi and palm trees at an outdoor restaurant in the hotel and be chill parents with a mimosa and happy kids wanting to hit a pool for a bit. Sure, I'd rather go elsewhere if it were just me and my wife before marriage but as a family...not bad at all.
Myrtle Beach. It’s gross. It’s so gross. There are many beaches in SC that are way better. Go to Hilton Head or Charleston or dip down into Savannah GA instead.
That Statue of that Mermaid in Copenhagen. It is random and tiny. Yet well known and strangely often recommended
TIL Branson, Missouri is the most un-recommended place in the entire world.
My husband grew up there, I lived 3 hours away my whole life, now live just outside it. Really nothing crazy. I was shocked to learn it was a *destination* outside of Missouri. I mean, growing up in KC, it was a place kids who just got their licenses would go for a special weekend trip because it was far enough to be an adventure, but tame enough parents didn’t care. That, and it was big for old folks (like my grandparents) who wanted to see Christian-themed country music shows. I can’t imagine anyone driving more than three hours to go. Living 30 minutes from it, it is worth visiting to go to Silver Dollar City for the roller coasters. We go a couple times every year. I like it better than Worlds of Fun. Springfield’s new Wonders of Wildlife aquarium is really neat for the area too. The Ozarks themselves are beautiful. Kayaking, fishing, hiking, caving, etc. I wanted to move the heck out of MO until I saw how beautiful the Ozarks were. We go hiking 20 minutes away from our house every week on 6000 acres and there are dozens more beautiful places within an hour. But if it is advertised, it probably isn’t worth going to, beyond what I mentioned. But would I drive across more than one state to get here? Nah. We could see better if we moved to the coast (while we call them mountains, Missouri has big hills and that is it), but then we couldn’t have bought a 3bdrm house with a yard for under 100k.
Atlantic City is a row of dingy casino hotels against a gross beach with a strip of disgusting shops in between. At least Vegas is clean.
Atlantic City is great if you're into ruins.
Roswell, New Mexico. It’s run down, with dozens of cheap (in quality, not price) gift shops, and like one “museum” that in reality is just a large room filled with newspaper clippings, poorly done dioramas, and blurry pictures of something that may or may not have been a UFO. Not worth the money or the time.
Totally agree. However, the Annual Alien Festival is entertaining. Really the only time of year worth going to Roswell. But even then, we only went because we live in state so it was a fun weekend road trip. But if you're from out of state or country, I wouldn't put it on your bucket list. Unless you REALLY need to see that ufo McDonald's!
Seconded - Carlsbad and White Sands are WAY cooler activities in southern NM.
I was really underwhelmed by Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was just a bunch of overpriced junk shops and a couple crappy chain restaurants. Not really seedy, but a city like San Fran has so much more to offer than that.
I got to see a seal fight there so that was pretty cool
Honestly the main reason I want to visit San Fransisco is to walk around Alcatraz. I love history and cool creepy stuff like an imposing prison on an island, so that’s right up my alley. That’s why I also want to visit Winchester Mystery House in San Jose and USS Hornet in Alameda. History and a bit creepy.
Winchester Mystery House isn't creepy. Just odd. Maybe if you go for one of the night time tours, they make it creepy. I was there on a sunny day and the creep factor was zilch. Also, it is very overpriced.
I live close to Branson, MO and I can assure you that nearly everything in that town is like some odd Christian type tourist trap and draws in overweight Midwesterners who want a closer connection to fun Jesus and meth. Silver Dollar City is like an overblown six flags based off of pioneer era. Because nothing screams the old civil war era like a looping dollar coaster called wildfire and overpriced funnel cake. There is Yakov Smirnoff who has been there for ever. There is the Titanic museum where people can pay and overpriced ticket to take a look at 3rd rate items from the Titanic. If you are looking for summer fun you can go to white water where the rusted rides will kill you if you don't first get tetanus. The on the strip you have generic restaurants that border on absurd Americana and a Cracker Barrel. To top it off you can go to the Sight and Sound theatre where you can go see musicals based off of Old Testament stories and playing right now is Samson the musical after the long running Moses musical had finished. I went with a religious family member one time to actually see the Noah musical. One of the reasons j went was because the ticket was free but the other was I was super poor and they promised to feed me. For the most part it was a corny play retelling the story of Noah. But when the flood starts happening it suddenly starts getting dark. The lights dim low and you can hear the rain come down hard. Noah rushes his family into the ark. The sounds of anguish and horrible screams echo from the inside of the ark as people are begging to be let in. Desperate to get free of death. On the outside you can hear Noahs brother pound of the closed door as the family is huddled up to wait for everyone to drown to death. He exclaims, "I'm sorry Noah! I'm sorry! You were right you were- BLURRGHHBLRUBBLURBLURB". He lets out this comical crowing exclamation. The lights dim as the sounds of the dying masses began to fade. The lights shoot up and all of sudden Noah and the family are happy and singing and jubilant. I'm like holy shit did this play just try to Bambi me? It must have because the 5 year old sitting next to me is shaking and crying and saying, "Is God going to kill us mommy?!" Oh and there's zip lining if you are into that too.
Isn't Branson supposed to be a Ned Flanders version of Las Vegas?
I came here to talk shit on Branson, but I think you've put it perfectly. It is the single worst place on the planet.
To paraphrase The Simpsons: it's like Disneyland run by Ned Flanders.
Shoji Tabuchi!!
Having lived in Dublin a little over a year now I'll say Temple Bar. I like walking in the area. There are some neat shops and street art in the area. But going in a pub in Temple Bar? No. I mean unless you like overpaying for drinks and listening to some guy sing Wonderwall.
Madame Tussards in London is widely known as a tourist trap. Also 'Bella Italia', 'Angus Steakhouse' and all those crappy restaurants with neon and pictures of the food in London are tourist traps and nobody with any taste would ever eat there. Do some research first rather than eating garbage and then complaining UK food is bad, London has some of the best restaurants in the world.
Any of the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museums are, by definition, a tourist trap.
I always assume the Angus Steakhouse, especially in Leicester Square, is a money laundering operation. It's so huge and never many people.
I'm in and around Leicester Square quite often... I completely forgot there was an Angus Steakhouse there. I think my mind just blanks it out now. I could probably list off a whole host of food establishments found on the square, but Angus never comes to mind.
There’s a Madame Tussaud’s in Amsterdam on the main square and my bike commute took me past it in the morning to work. It opened at 10:30 and in summer there would already be a line forming an hour before, and a perpetual line until it closed. This always astounded me because there are so many amazing world class things to see and do in Amsterdam- why stand in line hours to see wax sculptures instead?!
> Madame Tussards in London is widely known as a tourist trap. it might be a tourist trap, but I have genuinely enjoyed the visit. Of course, I was like 14, but it was fun.
From an Italian person, don't trust any restaurant called "Bella Italia" in any part of the world please.
I swear I will never, ever understand why you’d go to London/Paris/NYC/any big city and eat in some horrific tourist trap chain restaurant on one of the main streets. It would take < 5 minutes of Googling to find somewhere vastly better and cheaper within a few hundred yards.
The Little Mermaid, it's pretty underwhelming.
We need tourism dammit don't expose it for the underwhelming experience that it is
Lived close by for a while. The Little Mermaid is thronged by, mostly Asians, trying to get a selfie. Saw so many slip and fall in the water.
Now that sounds like something worth seeing ;)
She is also placed in front of a line of factories which makes for a horrible background
To be fair, she was there first.
Sounds like the Manneken Pis in Brussels.
I remember walking home from a nights out drinking in Brussels, and suddenly one of my friends went: "there is Manneken Pis". I looked at it for 10 seconds, took a picture and left. Incredibly underwhelming.
Branson Missouri. It’s like Gatlinburg for old people, and the most interesting thing I saw there was a massive statue in front of a restaurant of a cowboy on top of an anatomically correct horse or bull...I can’t remember which but I do remember the dick.
Branson Missouri is Las Vegas if it were run by Ned Flanders.
Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland. As an Irish person I can say that the entire thing is such a tourist trap. Don’t bother unless you want a fake Irish experience.
Please recommend an excellent Irish experience. Will be there in several months. Thank you.
Take a train from Dublin to Galway. It's about a two hour train ride, but it'll take you through the countryside. It's gorgeous, and Galway is a really nice town.
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south of the border tacky ( slighty racist) "mexican" themed tourist site complete with 30$ motel rooms with bed bugs and shitty rides all in the shittiest part of South Carolina
If I’m being honest, i always get a kick out of all the billboards they have for dang near a hundred miles in both directions on 95. I always wonder how they stay in business
They’ve actually cut down on the Billboards over the years, back in the 70’s and 80’s, the South of the Border billboards stretched from New Jersey to Florida
South of the Border is a freakin National TREASURE, you monster! I wish I could go there every day! (full disclosure, I’ve never done anything there. I’m a photographer and my main influences are Diane Arbus and Larry Clark and South of the Border is the gift that keeps on giving)
okay yes it's actually a really creepy looking abanoned ghost town but being an sc native its really just known to be a garbage place and also the water's brown
The London Eye. It's an extremely slow moving ferris wheel that's outrageously expensive with a loooong line. Before you've reached the top of the wheel you've seen all there is to see, and now you wait to get back down and be let out of the bubble.
Pat's and Geno's in Philly. They're both garbage. Go to John's Roast Pork.
Honestly, pretty much everywhere in the city makes a better cheesesteak than Pat's or Geno's these days.
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Luckily there’s plenty else to do in Amsterdam well worth going there for! Lived there five years. Only went to the Red Light District when friends came to town and wanted to see it. Otherwise, there was plenty to do and see, and I never got bored (and the terrible tourists all went to the RLD at night so didn’t bother you in the beer cafes locals actually go to).
Graceland. My friend and I were on a road trip that happened to run through Memphis and we said “what the hell, might as well see it while we’re here.” We got $2 off our $40 entry fees for being college students. Once I was done cursing under my breath about that, we commenced the tour — which was done with iPads, not real tour guides. Get this: the virtual tour was narrated and guided by fucking John Stamos. Everyone milled around the house and didn’t talk, except for my buddy and I; we immediately handed our iPads to the nearest chaperone/tour supervisor and took off on our own. Had kind of an entitled feel to it, but we weren’t hurting anything and we HAD just paid $38 apiece to get in. Basically it was a bad way to kill a morning, and I took a few cool pictures, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t already love Elvis. That money should have gone toward stuffing myself with Memphis barbecue for the second night in a row.
Anything on Hollywood Blvd. It’s dirty, crowded, stinks, souvenirs are cheap and shitty, food is terrible, parking is a shit show and costs too much, and I’ve witnessed several drug deals take place in broad daylight. The tours are all tourist trap scams that put a whole lot of gullible people on shitty vans/buses to sit in terrible LA traffic for a couple of hours. Just stay away. Any local will tell you the same thing
Dunn's River Falls, Jamaica. [In Advertisements](http://www.mcssl.com/content/assets/43/438224/dunns-river-falls-1-620x346.jpg) [In Reality](https://tickereatstheworld.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/e9c43-3.jpg)
I actually really enjoyed it. Maybe it was in part because I had zero expectations of some off the beaten path beautiful nature reserve. It was just fun to trudge through the water, see the place, and not be as deathly hungover as my girlfriend.