Ever visited a place and felt ripped off or disappointed by what you found?
Well, a stream of disgruntled travelers have shared what they believe to be the world’s biggest tourist traps, in a bid to prevent others from making the same mistake.
A Reddit thread titled ‘What place is the biggest tourist trap?’ has garnered more than 4,500 comments to date, with a mix of places across the globe making the list.
One traveler advised against going to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum in Paris, with the Leonardo da Vinci painting being underwhelming and ‘tiny,’ while another said that Stonehenge in Wiltshire would leave you ‘bitterly disappointed.’
Take a trip down to see which spots on the map are best to avoid, according to this band of unhappy campers.
The Pyramids, Egypt
One traveler said the street vendors around the Pyramids in Egypt made visiting the historic site a ‘very uncomfortable experience’
Many Redditors outed the Egyptian pyramids as the biggest tourist trap, with the main complaint being the ‘number of hawkers and touts’ in the area.
One traveler said the street vendors made visiting the historic site a ‘very uncomfortable experience.’
Another disgruntled commenter wrote: ‘I’ve been to nearly 50 countries and Egypt was hands down the worst place I’ve ever been.
‘The canals had rotting donkey corpses every few miles. Everything was a scam or a bribe.’
Giving perspective visitors a more precise idea around what they can expect, another Redditor wrote: ‘Don’t get me wrong, the Pyramids themselves are awesome. Seeing them up close is really cool.
‘The problem is, well, everyone that is involved with the Pyramids and everything surrounding it. The Pyramids aren’t like what you’d expect.
‘You’d think they are out in the middle of some desert far away from civilization, right? They are right up against Cairo.
‘The city is like less than a 1/4th of a mile away. And it is such a eyesore. And on top of that, they are surrounded by people who scam, harass and steal from tourists.’
Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts
Many Redditors described Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts as a tourist trap, and disappointingly small
Plymouth Rock, which is displayed on the shore of Plymouth Bay in Massachusetts, has come to symbolize the spot where William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims disembarked before founding Plymouth Colony in December 1620.
The tourism website notes that the ‘simple glacial erratic boulder has become a world famous symbol representing something different to each person who looks at it.’
It also notes that ‘although no historical evidence exists to confirm Plymouth Rock as the Pilgrims’ actual steppingstone to the New World, the boulder was identified as this spot in 1741, 121 years after the arrival of the Mayflower.’
Many Redditors described the rock as a tourist trap, and disappointingly small.
One commenter joked: ‘The bar across the street has a great view of the disappointed tourists.’
Another Redditor said the rock was only worth visiting ‘so you can make a funny social media post about it.’
To make the trip worthwhile, they advised exploring downtown Plymouth which was ‘full of good restaurants, cafes, shops, etc’ and there were ‘some nice beaches around too.’
Pier 39, San Francisco
One Redditor advised others to stay away from iconic Pier 39 in San Francisco.
While the website markets it as an ideal place to see views ‘of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz and the city skyline at almost every turn,’ one unenthused traveler simply described it as a ‘long outdoor mall filled with useless tchotchkes (bric-à-brac).’
They advised visiting the ‘Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, or one of our various arts and science museums’ instead.
Another Redditor disagreed, exclaiming in response: ‘I actually really enjoyed Pier 39!’
Stonehenge, England
One Redditor described Stonehenge as ‘bitterly disappointing’
‘Don’t go to England just to see Stonehenge,’ one Redditor said, highlighting that anyone who did would be ‘bitterly disappointed.’
For those who really want to visit the prehistoric monument, they advise spending time in Salisbury as well, and ‘enjoying the scenery on the way there and back’ from London.
Another of their tips includes ‘exploring the area around Waterloo train station in London.’
Mount Everest, Nepal
While thousands of tourists flock to the Mount Everest region each year, one Redditor said it was at the top of their list when it comes tourist traps.
They explained that the mountainous area is filled with ‘garbage and dead people’ and to top it off, tours are ‘extremely expensive.’
In a bid to help the trash problem on Mount Everest, various initiatives have been launched.
Clean Everest, which was founded by French mountain guide Marion Chaygneaud-Dupuy in 2013, helped to collect more than 10 tons of waste in four years and it continues to this day.
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
Just over two million people visit Mount Rushmore in South Dakota each year, but a few Redditors warned against going.
One commenter wrote: ‘There is nothing to do there except look at the government-sanctioned vandalism on the mountain. Not worth the cost of admission or the drive to get there.’
Another said the massive sculpture that depicts U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln was ‘honestly not as grand or impressive as it’s made out to be.’
They added: ‘Plus, I think it’s tacky that somebody decided it’d be cool to carve the faces of four white presidents into a mountain sacred to and stolen from the Native Americans. It just doesn’t feel right.
‘Save your time and visit other places in the area, including Custer State Park, Spearfish, Crazy Horse and Wind Cave.’
Disney Parks, Worldwide
One Redditor described the Disney parks as a ‘GIANT waste of time and money’
The Disney theme parks attract more than 100 million visitors worldwide and one Redditor described them as a ‘giant tourist trap,’ which they ‘do expensively and well.’
They noted that if people were looking for this kind of thing, then ‘it’s probably worth it… but if not, it’s a GIANT waste of time and money.’
Another Redditor added that the parks ‘used to be fun places but now are nothing but money suckers and horrible food.’
Other commenters complained about the long wait times for rides, with one noting that ‘we now just call it DisneyLine.’
The Bean, Chicago
The famous Cloud Gate sculpture by artist Sir Anish Kapoor, which is affectionally nicknamed The Bean, is found in the AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop area of Chicago.
Thanks to its mirrored surface, the art installation makes for a top photo opportunity, and it attracts hundreds and thousands of visitors a year.
Despite its popularity, one Redditor said they didn’t understand the fascination.
They said of The Bean: ‘I’ve lived here 18 years and have never felt compelled to go anywhere near it.
‘People who come here insist on going there for a picture, never fails. Especially people from overseas. It’s like one of their top three things to do.’
Mona Lisa, Paris
Many Redditors slammed Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa for being a tourist trap and described it as ‘underwhelming’
About 30,000 tourists visit the Louvre museum in Paris each day, with Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa being the star attraction.
However, many Redditors outed the masterpiece as a tourist trap and described it as ‘underwhelming.’
One disappointed museum-goer wrote: ‘Hands down the most underwhelming thing I have seen… but it receives so much hype, people barely notice the Greek sculptures on their way to see a small painting of a sad looking lady.’
Another commenter said that along with the painting being ‘tiny,’ it was impossible to get close to it because the area was ‘roped off and extremely crowded.’
Great Wall of China
One Redditor entered the Great Wall of China, ‘specifically the location north of Beijing,’ into the tourist trap thread.
Explaining their nomination, they wrote: ‘[The] wall has been torn apart, rebuilt so many times you may as well just visit Disneyworld.
‘On the way to the wall people are hawking all kinds of tourist junk.
‘Finally, you get to walk on the wall. The problem is some parts… they’re built for… I don’t know… horses to gallop on?
‘You’re scrambling up and down smooth stone floors of 30 degree angles with only metal handrails to give you anything to steady yourself with.
‘When I went it was busy as hell so you’re just butting heads with the locals, as if someone let the dogs out, and they’re clambering all over the place then plopping down to lay out a lunch in the middle of the crowd.’
Times Square, New York
Times Square in New York sees more than 300,000 pedestrians a day
Times Square in New York got quite a few votes from Redditors as one of the world’s biggest tourist traps.
One commenter said of the bustling spot, which sees more than 300,000 pedestrians a day: ‘Not only is it always crowded and full of people in the worst costumes you’ve ever seen trying to scam you, but the amount of money everything costs there is insane.
‘I mean everything – even if you go to a chain restaurant (like Applebees), the prices are doubled for the literal same dish at a location in a different area of New York.’
Another Redditor said that despite it being a tourist trap, Times Square was ‘still worth seeing at least once just because of how iconic it is.’
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
Many beer lovers from around the world flock to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin for a taste of the black stuff and to learn about its history.
However, one Redditor has deemed the attraction an overpriced tourist trap.
They wrote in the thread: ‘$20 for a multi-story ‘beer-brewing for dummies’ walk-through tour. The penultimate floor has a bunch of Guinness advertising media, which was cool, I guess.
‘This floor also had “Guinness University,” where you could learn the proper way to pour a pint of the titular beverage. The top floor is an observation deck, with little blurbs printed on the windows, describing prominent features of the view. You can have a pint at the “University,” or at the bar on the observation deck floor.
‘And that’s it. You get ONE pint, with the price of admission. You can’t buy another. Get your beer, take in the view, then leave. I was so mad. It’s not that I was looking to get wasted… But a couple of pints, enjoying the view a while, maybe shooting the shit with some other patrons. But no… One beer, and goodbye.
‘That was the one blight on an otherwise spectacular week in Dublin.’
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa
One Redditor said of the Leaning Tower of Pisa: ‘It’s not even leaning very much. It’s one of those attractions that’s better in pictures than in person’
One Redditor who entered it into the thread, said they were surprised they didn’t see the Leaning Tower of Pisa higher on the list.
Explaining why the wonky bell tower should be considered a tourist trap, they wrote: ‘It’s not near the airport and is the middle of a sh**ty city, surrounded by trashy shops and aggressive merchants. It’s not even leaning very much. It’s one of those attractions that’s better in pictures than in person.’
Another Redditor agreed with these sentiments and simply described the attraction as ‘pretty disappointing.’
They added: ‘There is only really one parking lot closer to it. Immediately as you leave your car the first street sellers approach you. Then you have to walk through a street market with more sellers on foot getting in your face.
‘Then you finally get through the gates where sellers aren’t allowed. It’s basically just a huge lawn with the tower at one side. Tower is pretty cool but ruined by the packs of people taking the same picture.
‘There isn’t anything else to do in the city so you just walk back through the market and the pestering street sellers. At this point you end up buying something as to not feel like you wasted the day.’
Salem Witch Museum, Massachusetts
The Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, failed to impress one Redditor, who nominated it in the thread.
They wrote as a warning to others: ‘You sit in a darkened auditorium and from time to time a spotlight appears on various areas above your head to show tableaux featuring mannequins dressed in 17th-century clothing, each scene depicting an event during the witch trials.
‘A recording tells the story.
‘The backdrops and props look very old and dated. Very underwhelming, especially at $17.50 per ticket.’
Maya Bay, Phi Phi, Thailand
Maya Bay in Thailand was made famous after appearing in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach
Maya Bay in Thailand, made famous after appearing in the Leonardo DiCaprio 1999 movie The Beach, was branded a tourist trap by one Redditor.
They complained that because of its film outing, the white sand cove on Phi Phi Leh Island in the Andaman Sea, is now ‘nasty’ and littered with ‘too many tourists.’
In 2018, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation announced that it was banning visitors to let the coral reefs and vegetation recover.
There have also been several closures since, but the Redditor says that these will not help in the long term.
They concluded: ‘It will never be the place that everyone thinks they’re going to see ever again. Sad.’
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver
In Canada, a pool of Redditors elected the Capilano Suspension Bridge as the country’s worst tourist trap.
One commenter said of the attraction: ‘Private park in North Vancouver with a swaying drooping pedestrian bridge across a small canyon. $80 admission.
‘There is a similar bridge for free on a public park nearby. For that price I’d rather visit the peak-to-peak gondola ride between mountain tops in Whistler.’
Another contributor also suggested visiting the Lynn Valley Conservation Area as a cheaper alternative to Capilano and with ‘just as nice views.’
However, one Redditor disagreed with the naysayers, writing in the bridge’s defense: ‘I love the Capilano Bridge!!! How dare you????’
Las Vegas Strip, Nevada
Las Vegas caused a stir among Redditors, with many upvoting it as one of the world’s biggest tourist traps.
One commenter reminisced about how ‘many years ago, there were great, cheap buffets.’
However, nowadays hotels prey on tourists and ‘put you in a room where you lose track of time and lose your money.’
‘Also, people do stupid things when they go there for bachelor/bachelorette parties, sometimes ruining friendships and marriages,’ they added.
Another Redditor said how the city was ‘literally designed to get your money while giving you the illusion you actually have a chance.’
‘And if you do hit big they do everything in their power to keep you there so you can give it back,’ they added.
THE WORLD’S WORST TOURIST TRAPS, ACCORDING TO REDDIT The Pyramids, EgyptPlymouth Rock, MassachusettsPier 39, San FranciscoStonehenge, EnglandMount Everest, NepalSalem Witch Museum, MassachusettsMount Rushmore, South DakotaDisney Parks, WorldwideThe Bean, ChicagoMona Lisa, ParisGreat Wall of ChinaTimes Square, New YorkGuinness Storehouse, DublinLeaning Tower of Pisa, PisaMaya Bay, Phi Phi, ThailandCapilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver Las Vegas Strip, Nevada
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