cloudeleven

1) Freeport, Bahamas. Maybe this is just the bad part of the Bahamas, but I didn't like it (went there in 1999). Beaches were OK I guess, but everywhere you go locals are pestering you to do timeshare tours. And other than the beach, there's really not much to do. The handful of hotels I saw were rather old and run down. There's virtually nowhere good to eat (maybe a couple of decent restaurants). And Freeport was full of trashy rednecks (sorry if I offended any rednecks, I am from the South so maybe I shouldn't say that ).

I liked the Maui beaches a LOT more than Freeport's.

Maybe Nassau is a lot better?

2) Downtown Las Vegas. Maybe the Strip is overrated, but at least you've got the lights, the shows/restaurants, and the Bellagio fountain (which I found somewhat impressive the first couple of times I watched it). Downtown Vegas is just a run down dump, basically. Bail bond shops on every corner outside of the hotel area. In the hotel area, tacky tourist shops all over the place selling Nascar gear. The laser show at night is worth seeing once, maybe. I guess you could stick your head in the door of the generic casinos of the Golden Nugget and 4 Queens and Horseshoe because they're historic casinos/hotels, but otherwise there's not much reason to be in downtown Vegas (unless you're there strictly to gamble, and in that case I would recommend downtown over the Strip ).

WNLuvr

Top tourist trap honors for me would go to anything surrounding Walt Disney World within a 10-mile radius. Particularly the "attractions" (and I use that term lightly) on International Drive and Irlo Bronson Hwy. Wonderworks (designed to look like an upside-down Greek building with what appear to be cast-off displays that other science museums have thrown away); Orange World off U.S. 192 that will ship as much over-priced citrus as you'd like; and all of the tacky outlet store malls with tour buses pulling up in front, unloading the (mainly geriatric) crowds clamoring for clothing bargains that most likely were manufactured specifically for the outlet centers.

I agree that World of Coca-Cola was nothing more than a paid, walk-through advertisement for Coke products. And although the free samples of Coke products from around the world was rather cool, the sounds (and smells) of a tourist or two vomiting in the nearby restrooms after overloading on syrupy, sugary beverages negated any wow factor.

Although it's actually a hotel, I would submit that the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo would qualify as an overrated tourist trap. A critical eye can look beyond the Caveman Room, the Pony Room and the Golfer's Room to see it's just a bunch of tacky 1960s throwback accommodations.

Outside of the U.S., my tourist trap vote goes to the Covent Garden Piazza, although specifically excluding the London Transport Museum. The market facility itself seems to simply house a bunch of tacky trinket sellers. The LTM though is a wonderful museum where one can easily spend 3 to 4 hours per visit.

rmiller774

The South Rim is dull. The North Rim is interesting. You really have to hike below the rim across the Colorado to Phantom Ranch at least to "feel the bang". WOW chollie! 24 miles. You're #1.

RBH58

The key to Stonehenge is to go there when the weather matches the mood. It just isn't as haunting when you go there in the middle of a hot bright sunny day with 30 busloads of other tourists. Kinda destroys the vibe.

DownTheRappitHole

This is a travel site. When people state:

One wonders what they are speaking of. Hawaii, Thailand, Bahamas, the same thing? Incredibly different in history, culture, and geography though yes they do have beaches with sand and warm weather. Now if, as if upthread, you are arguing that Hawaii isn't as nice as some of the other Polynesian islands that have fewer tourists that's different, and I'd agree. Note: not arguing about the relative merits of various luxo-resorts, golf courses, or imported restaraunts.

I enjoy Hawaii but don't at all understand the appeal of Hawaii when there are other much cheaper tropical destinations or destinations of quasi comparable price that offer much more these days.

Having spent several months on Bali I found the people there exceptionally friendly and often unconcerned with money outside of the tourist trade. The interesting thing about Bali is how few people working in the tourist trade there are Balinese - you have a good cross section of Indonesia working there.

Jazzop

I'm amazed that it took 28 posts before someone stated this a priori truth.

Also:

Atlantic City
Orlando
Key West
Grand Cayman
Bourbon Street
Any and all coffee shops in Amsterdam

planemechanic

I think it helped that there were maybe a grand total of 10-12 other people there the whole time we were there. No tour buses, no hordes of summer tourists, just me and the family and a small spattering of other hardy soles. It was cold and started to rain half way through our visit, but we all enjoyed out time there.

crabbing

wow, that is insane. i used to drive between LA and albuquerque regularly, always passing by, and finally stopped in once, maybe 15 years ago. for some reason i recall admission to the museum and the crater rim to have been about $2. maybe they've finally given up on trying to find the meteorite (once rumored to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars of iron).

emma69

Erm, not in my experience!

SFflyer123

I was going to plan a trip to stonehenge, but after all the negative press, perhaps it's not worth it. I think when you were able to walk up to the stones and touch them, it would have been great, but my understanding is that you have to see them from afar now.

I used to live in manhattan. There was no reason for me ever to go to times square except to change subway lines...

dchristiva

Well said. ^

dchristiva

+2

rjw242

How did these not live up to your expectations? Did you try to order coffee?

Ancien Maestro

DTD.. nuff said.

Mr. Vker

We toured last year and hired a private guide. She showed us around inside St. Peter's....the "paintings" the artwork....THEN she let us in on the biggest secret of my entire time there. There are NO paintings inside St. Peter's. EVERYTHING is stone or metal. They are all mosaics of real paintings. AMAZING. I was floored.

(This is true for the main cathedral only. The Sistine Chapel etc are certainly painted.)