Don't Bother Visiting These Tourist Attractions
Andrew Harper at Yahoo!'s travel site has published a list of U.S. tourist destinations that aren't worth the time it would take to tromple* through them on your way to the gift shop. We're disappointed he left Seattle's Pike Place off the list, but the rest are pretty spot on.
Here are a few of them:
- Petrified Forest National Park in Holbrook, Arizona, which Harper describes as a dull detour with little to see: "Then you drive back up to Interstate 40 and continue on your way, an hour closer to the grave."
- The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, which is mostly no longer there, although he says they do have "an exceedingly well-provisioned gift shop."
- RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, which Harper describes as a Ramada Inn crossed with a rusty old ship.
To be fair, the Alamo's basement is pretty cool, but it's difficult to get in as it's not open to the public. As for the rest, save your tourist dollars and time and look for more interesting spots on your next trip.
"U.S.'s Most Over-Rated Tourist Attractions" [Yahoo! Travel]
(Photo: Andrew Currie)
Update: So now I'm curious: what are the tourist destinations that are worth visiting? The place where either it's worth the price of admission several times over, or it's cool because it's free and filled with awesomeness? My nerd vote for 2009 goes to the Central Library in Seattle (because I was just there). You can spend a couple of hours on a self-guided tour and just marvel at the architecture. Or complain about it, that's fun too.
* It is too a word! It's the type of mindless clomping tourists do as they move through a tourist trap.
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Comments:
Someone on the Radio was talking about Plymoth Rock being a terrible choice as well.
Kudos for the reference (The stars at night, are big and bright...).
The article shows disdain for Fisherman's Wharf in SFO. While parts of it (I'm looking at YOU, Pier 39) are extremely touristy and not worth the effort, parts of it are enjoyable, at least for the food and the atmosphere. Plus maybe you get to tromple a mime or two.
I do agree with the panning of Wall Street, there are far better things to see in NYC.
No matter where you go, make sure to tell 'em Large Marge sent you!
To that list I would add the Liberty Bell and all the other colonial crap in Philadelphia. It isn't that impressive and what makes it worse after you waste the hour or two looking at it you are in Philadelphia.
Oops, the editor edited out my claps:
The stars at night are big and bright.
"Clap" "Clap" "Clap" "Clap"
Deep in the heart of Texas.
@Overheal: Agreed. It's a rock and nothing more. I personally wouldn't cross the street to see it again. I wish I hadn't the first time.
@grossmont: I thought that was intentional to force my brain to provide the claps. Which it did. Despite my attempts to stop it.
Wall Street
I could see this, if it were pitched as a tourist attraction, but I don't think it has been since post-911.
It's kind of like saying "Don't bother visiting humphrmi's cubicle - he won't have any tasty coffee, and the view is horrible."
My response is, visit if you want - but expect to see people working for a living.
Wow, I love the Pike Place Market, and I've lived in Seattle for 25 years!
Yeah, have to agree with Plymouth Rock, real let down.
Not sure I agree with Bourbon Street. If you're in the French Quarter already, might as well see it too, its not that bad and the French Quarter isn't that big. Not like its out of your way, or costs any money.
Hollywood? Well, see Groman's Chinese Theater, that's kindof cool, and about it.
Why would anyone want to see Wall Street? What's so interesting about financial offices?
Agree with Petrified forest too. When my parents drove through it when I was kid, I thought they were nuts. Excuse me, these are just rocks, you know.
@doctor_cos: Pier 39 is an overpriced shopping mall, but if you can find a quiet spot near the left side by the sea lions, it's not bad.
Really, consumerist is bashing Pike Place Market? Seems odd that a website devoted to consumer's rights would trash one of the more consumer friendly "tourist traps." (I'd also point out that during my 3 months working in downtown Seattle I went to the market at least once a week.) Pike Clace was created by Seattle City Councilman Thomas Revelle in the early 1900's. It was designed to be "a public street market that would connect farmers directly with consumers. Customers would "Meet the Producer" directly, a philosophy that is still the foundation of all Pike Place Market businesses."
I find it strange that THREE of the EIGHT items on his list are in California.
Andrew Harper probably lives on the east coast, New York perhaps? ...where there is absolutely nothing boring or touristy there /sarcasm
I've been to Long Beach twice and never bothered to see the Queen Mary. it was right next to the Long Beach cruise Terminal but just seemed boring
When everyone here is finally forced to visit West Virginia to be able to say they've been in every state, go to a nasty little torist trap near Hawk's Nest, WV, called the MYSTERY HOLE! Or, just see if you can find the infamous bumper sticker on the internet that says "I Visited THE MYSTERY HOLE" (in big pink letters on a black background).
@natsirt: The outer Pike Place Market is still that, a market place where consumers meet the producers and chat about their goods and buy some fresh fish, produce, etc.
The inside is horrid, a bunch of overpriced candle and toy and t-shirt shops and who knows what else. So agreed, swing by PPM, buy some fresh food, but don't go inside.
ALL of Salem, Mass. I was dragged through there as a kid by two grinning parents who gleefully talked about all the 'history'. It was one big tourist trap with tons of cliche gift stores.
I remember waiting outsite the House of Seven Gables and not understanding why were there anyway.
The same trip, we went on a whale watching boat, and I loved that. Got to see a big humpback pull right up alongside the boat and take a huge whaledump. highlight to a 12 yr old boy, let me tell you!
I'm surprised that no one has made an Arrested Development reference, vis-a-vis the Queen Mary.
@humphrmi: There are some bad shots on the inside, but there are also some cool unique antique stores.
Either way it's way better than the Space Needle.
How could they put Fisherman's Wharf in SF as a Tourist Trap? As long as you stay away from the hilariously obvious tourist zones, it's a great place. Got some nice soups there.
I don't agree with the Wall Street choice.
If you are going to visit the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street isn't too far. You can also take your picture with the bull at Bowling Green. Century 21 and the World Trade Center site are nearby, as is the South Street Seaport.
My point is that while there isn't a heck of a lot to see at that destination, it's not out of the way and could just be a neat photo op on your way to something else.
I'm glad they didn't include Wall Drug on their list. An absolute must-see for anyone passing through South Dakota, as evidenced by all nine million of their billboards.
:)
I totally disagree about the Petrified National Forest. The Painted Desert there is absolutely stunning! Sounds like someone hates nature a little bit. I recommend it, but I wouldn't go out of my way.
Some pics from a Flickr search: [www.flickr.com]
@Clobberella: Well the post does say tourist traps that aren't worth the time to get to the gift shop. As Wall Drug is nothing more than a gift shop it doesn't really fall into that category.
Ha ha, I live in Hollywood, mere blocks away from the walk of fame and have always tried to picture all the tourists there, at home booking their vacation to LA.
Other than the beach and some amusement parks what reason do people have to take a vacation here again?
Its a great place to LIVE [well in some aspects], but I have never figured out why its a tourist destination. Its a nice place to start a vacation, and move on to prettier parts of the state...but whats the draw?
Besides "Hollywood" what does LA have that any other city doesn't?
@doctor_cos: To be fair, that's not just confined to the wharf. I have never seen so many homeless people as I did when we went to SF. And I'm from DC!
Fisherman's Wharf struck me as very much like a theme park. Pretend you are a seafarer! Here are some shops and seafood restaurants! It wasn't terrible, but there were other things we should definitely have seen first. It was also ruined because my brother hates fish, I'm also picky, and I think we wound up in a McDonald's. Which really pissed my dad off, and with good reason. If I were my parent back then, I would not have put up with me.
@humphrmi: quiet spot by the sea lions?!?
I think the fact that it is full of sea lions makes it no longer quiet.
@AppleAlex: I LIVED in Long Beach for a year and never bothered to visit the Queen Mary.
It was some politicians wet dream to save the LBC and bring tourists.
Way better idea than taking down the breakwall that prevents waves from hitting the shores or pollution from leaving them right?
My girlfriend and I checked out fishermans warf in SF a while back. Almost everything was closed, we had dinner in a really nice little seafood place, then walked around had some coffee in a nice italian place a bit later. It was like 40 degrees out but we had a nice evening.
@veronykah: I think it being there is okay and great for those historians but selling stays in it's room isn't worth it besides the view of LA and watching whatever Carnival ship is on port sail away
I hate it being there as it makes the port more confusing. there are 3 entrances: one goes to the parking lot of those staying on the Queen Mary. one goes to the port of Los Angeles (specifically for the big rigs to go pick up the containers) and of course one goes to the Long Beach Cruise Terminal.
Guess how many tries it took us to get down the right road and into the right area?
@veronykah: My company's HQ is based out of Taiwan. I don't know how many times I've been asked to play tour guide and go to Hollywood. We're based in Orange County, and I'm always like "Sure you don't want to go to the beach? Disneyland? Knotts? Anything else?" and they always insist on seeing Hollywood. They want to see the sign, the walk of fame, and Mann's.
And every time I get so sad when I see their dissapointed faces when I say "Here we are".
@natsirt: Wall Drug is so much more than a gift shop. It's like, 20 gift shops. And they have 5 cent coffee and free ice water, which elevates its status to that of an oasis for weary travelers. Plus you can pan for gold.
Parts of Bourbon Street are actually very quaint and nice, and since it's only a block off Jackson Square (and it's free) it isn't like you're making a HUGE effort to walk on it. If you're already in the French Quarter, it's something you should definitely see...once. Although, on a trip there a few years ago a group of us were lured into a back alley dive on Bourbon Street where one of the best female jazz singers and bands I've ever heard performed. It was magical, especially because it was so unexpected.
@AppleAlex: I attended a large corporate party on the QM back in the days before the bubble burst. I found it to be very very underwhelming.
@The Donut Pirate: I went to SF once. hated it. the subway system (I guess it's called BART. the longs train that has "ba" on it) is very confusing. it's very very cold. the tickets to Alcatraz sell out fast (it's like you need to book on a weekday one month in advanced). the only alternative was the bay tour (a spin under the Golden Gate and a nice trip around Alcatraz [staying 15 miles away of course]). everything is expensive and looks terribly made. the sea lions on the boards were nice tho. I don't see the point of going to a pier for fun. soups?, yes I'd love to spend my vacation on a wood pier over dirty water eating a soup
Sorry if I lack major culture recognition I just don't see why San Francisco is such a popular tourist destination besides Alcatraz (which is impossible to get on anyways without a months reservation) I met a woman who came from France and was also disappointed with her SF experience
I'd like to go to Delaware to visit a screen door factory.
@humphrmi: I love big tall buildings but I doubt any on Wall Street will just let me walk in and climb to the very top
But I NEED to see the basement -- my bike is there!!!
But the Alamo is a national historic landmark, is it not? And how is "most of it no longer there?"
@mamalicious: Okay, to be fair to PP, we showed up at closing time and spent the bulk of our time inside, where it is far less cool.
@Jevia: The only interesting thing about Hollywood would be meeting celebrities. Hollywood Sign: meh. Hollywood Studio tours: I've heard they're pretty lame and crazy expensive. Rodeo Drive: great place to go Window Shopping, if you get to see a celebrity you'll get about a 10 second glimpse before they're attacked by fans (unless it's someone unknown. Mairé Digby probably won't be noticed, Robert Pattinson will be mobbed)
I've been to Los Angeles many times but never bothered to actually hit Hollywood
The stars at night are big and bright.
Deep in the heart of Texas.