I’ve been to 50+ countries. I’ve fallen for every tourist trap on this list. Save yourself the time and the regret.
1. Mount Rushmore
Four hours of driving for a 20-minute viewing of presidents’ faces at a distance. The visitors center is the only thing to do. You can do Mount Rushmore in 90 minutes total, no overnight.
2. Hollywood Walk of Fame
A dirty sidewalk with names. The neighborhood is sketchy at night, the costumed characters are aggressive, parking is $40. Drive past it once and move on.
3. The Tower Bridge experience (London)
The bridge is free to look at. The “experience” ($14) is a museum of bridge engineering. Walk across, take photos, save your time for actual experiences.
4. The Blue Lagoon (Iceland)
$80+ to swim with 400 other people in milky water. Go to Myvatn Nature Baths ($40) or the Secret Lagoon ($30) instead. Same experience, fewer humans.
5. Cinque Terre in summer
The five villages are stunning. In July they’re standing-room-only. Trains can’t fit everyone. Go in May or October, or visit just one village (Manarola or Riomaggiore).
6. Las Vegas Strip restaurants
$80 burgers, $30 cocktails, mediocre everything. Walk a block off-strip to eat. Or drive 15 minutes for actual Vegas food.
7. The Cancun hotel zone
It’s a strip of all-inclusive resorts that could be in Florida. You’re not in Mexico. Drive to Tulum or Puerto Morelos for actual Mexican experience.
8. Roman Catholic relics tours
“See the bones of Saint X!” Most are fake. Most aren’t even displayed. You’ll wait in line for an hour for a reliquary you can’t photograph.
9. The Pisa Tower 5-minute photo stop
Tour buses drop people off, they take the “holding it up” photo, they leave. Pisa itself is a nice town with great pasta. Spend a half day, not 20 minutes.
10. Times Square at New Year’s Eve
Standing in a metal pen for 12 hours, no bathrooms, freezing temperatures, watching a ball drop you could see on TV. Go anywhere else.
11. The Mona Lisa room at the Louvre
15 minutes of pushing through crowds to see a small painting behind glass at 30 feet away. The Louvre is amazing – skip this room and see the actual art people aren’t fighting over.
12. Half-day Bali shore excursions from cruise ships
You’ll get a temple stop, a coffee shop, and an overpriced lunch. You’ll see zero of Bali. Bali requires at minimum 7 days.
The pattern
Most tourist traps share characteristics: famous in pop culture, surrounded by gift shops, designed for one type of photo, and operated like an industrial process. The good travel experiences are usually one step removed from these and require slightly more effort.
How to spot them in advance
- If the Google Maps reviews are 3.7 stars or below with 50,000+ ratings – tourist trap.
- If TripAdvisor’s “Things to Do” page lists it at #1 – tourist trap.
- If there’s a gift shop right at the exit – tourist trap (almost always).
- If you have to take a shuttle bus from a parking lot to see it – tourist trap.
- If the locals don’t know what you’re talking about – hidden gem.