Most overrated tourist attractions in the world
Feb 14, 2011, 3:31 pm
#76
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Feb 14, 2011, 3:33 pm
#77
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I have a feeling we've chatted about this before, but I'll chime in anyway.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Alamo. Size of a two car garage, and in the hands of the Daughters of Texas (big hair and all).
I agree with Stonhenge - the Stonhenge rulers in the gift shop killed it for me. Also agree on Mannekin Pis.
Totally disagree with Ayers Rock, or as it is more appropriately called Uluru. Watching the sun go down over Uluru was one of the more spiritual experiences of my life.
How can anyone not be in love with the Tour Eiffel - breathtaking from a distance, muscular when close up.
Also disagree with all of Japan being overrated. I adored Kyoto and think about it every day. Now, Tokyo, yes.
The "most accurately described" attraction award goes to the diner on the highway somewhere between Michigan and Florida - likely Georgia - that used to advertise for miles "Worst pies in the south". Finally stopped one trip, and they were truly dreadful. LOL.
Oh - how can I forget the many "mystery spots" that used to line the highways.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned The Alamo. Size of a two car garage, and in the hands of the Daughters of Texas (big hair and all).
I agree with Stonhenge - the Stonhenge rulers in the gift shop killed it for me. Also agree on Mannekin Pis.
Totally disagree with Ayers Rock, or as it is more appropriately called Uluru. Watching the sun go down over Uluru was one of the more spiritual experiences of my life.
How can anyone not be in love with the Tour Eiffel - breathtaking from a distance, muscular when close up.
Also disagree with all of Japan being overrated. I adored Kyoto and think about it every day. Now, Tokyo, yes.
The "most accurately described" attraction award goes to the diner on the highway somewhere between Michigan and Florida - likely Georgia - that used to advertise for miles "Worst pies in the south". Finally stopped one trip, and they were truly dreadful. LOL.
Oh - how can I forget the many "mystery spots" that used to line the highways.
Feb 14, 2011, 3:37 pm
#78
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Guess you must not have been there one of those times when there were so many people you couldn't move and there were hundreds of Japanese snapping pictures while the guards screamed (in Italian) "no pictures". Likely a beautiful room, but who could tell?
Feb 14, 2011, 3:37 pm
#79
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Well, let's see.
First, I like Times Square, because if I'm there it means I'm going to see a Broadway show, which I love (if it's a good show, i.e. not Disney or Disneyesque). I also liked Stonehenge. I got a special charge looking at this construction that dates back so far. And finally, I liked the Mystery House for its architecture and odd construction. I also like Badaling, though only because it was impractical for us to go to another section of the Wall -- it is still impressive.
Oh, and I think the Vatican is worth multiple visits, particularly its Museum. And I'm Jewish. As another poster noted, faith has nothing to do with it. It's both art and history.
As for what I think is over-rated, absolutely anything that's intended to be artificial, e.g. theme parks, particularly Disneyland and anything else with roller-coasters (unless you're just going for the coasters). Anything in "Touristy America," with the sole exception of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Roadside museums, giant balls of twine and the rest of the 1950s Great Road Trip arcana are, at least in my opinion, pointless. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is silly, though I understand why some people like to gawk at the stars' footprints and handprints at the Chinese.
First, I like Times Square, because if I'm there it means I'm going to see a Broadway show, which I love (if it's a good show, i.e. not Disney or Disneyesque). I also liked Stonehenge. I got a special charge looking at this construction that dates back so far. And finally, I liked the Mystery House for its architecture and odd construction. I also like Badaling, though only because it was impractical for us to go to another section of the Wall -- it is still impressive.
Oh, and I think the Vatican is worth multiple visits, particularly its Museum. And I'm Jewish. As another poster noted, faith has nothing to do with it. It's both art and history.
As for what I think is over-rated, absolutely anything that's intended to be artificial, e.g. theme parks, particularly Disneyland and anything else with roller-coasters (unless you're just going for the coasters). Anything in "Touristy America," with the sole exception of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Roadside museums, giant balls of twine and the rest of the 1950s Great Road Trip arcana are, at least in my opinion, pointless. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is silly, though I understand why some people like to gawk at the stars' footprints and handprints at the Chinese.
Feb 14, 2011, 3:40 pm
#80
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Feb 14, 2011, 3:46 pm
#81
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Feb 14, 2011, 3:50 pm
#82
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Ahh, the legendary I-75/U.S. 27/U.S. 19 corridor...some of the most truly awful tourist attractions from the 1950s Great Road Trip catalogue at one time have lined this route
Feb 14, 2011, 3:53 pm
#83
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Late july, early August. It is SPECTACULAR. I have seen some good mountains but the scenary in the Lake Louise area beats them all hands down.
Feb 14, 2011, 3:55 pm
#85
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Feb 14, 2011, 3:58 pm
#86
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Stonehenge really blew me away as a 11 year old. The day I went was sort of a foggy, swirling mist. It really was quite spooky. I took my wife there in 2006. She'd wanted to go there all her life. On that day it was a hot, brilliantly sunny, not a cloud in the sky 38C (100F)...and full of tourist buses and she rated it a huge disappointment.
The Cistine Chapel was a bit disappointment for me. After many hours of walking around the excesses of the Vatican, it was smaller than I imagined and a bit ho-hum. Maybe if it was not at the tail end of the Vatican tour I may have been more impressed. By the time I got to the Cistine Chapel all I wanted was a drink and a lie down.
Hollywood Walk of Fame is pretty lame, but at least when you are looking at the ground you don't notice what a crappy neighbourhood you are in.
Sentosa Island...or Singapore in general. Lost count of how many times I've been there on business. Not the West, not Asia. Nothing at all really.
Phi Phi Island Thailand. Got talked into a day trip there (whilst staying in Phuket) for the fantastic beaches and snokelling. Trouble is I was living in Queensland Australia at the time and I could pick half-a-dozen beaches/reefs within an hour of where I lived that could have blown it away. Phang Nga Bay on the other hand...and Thailand in general (which I've visited 5 times) is wonderful.
Oh...Almost forgot...Aussie World, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Truly, truly awful. As are most Aussie tourist traps beginning with the "The Big ......".
The Cistine Chapel was a bit disappointment for me. After many hours of walking around the excesses of the Vatican, it was smaller than I imagined and a bit ho-hum. Maybe if it was not at the tail end of the Vatican tour I may have been more impressed. By the time I got to the Cistine Chapel all I wanted was a drink and a lie down.
Hollywood Walk of Fame is pretty lame, but at least when you are looking at the ground you don't notice what a crappy neighbourhood you are in.
Sentosa Island...or Singapore in general. Lost count of how many times I've been there on business. Not the West, not Asia. Nothing at all really.
Phi Phi Island Thailand. Got talked into a day trip there (whilst staying in Phuket) for the fantastic beaches and snokelling. Trouble is I was living in Queensland Australia at the time and I could pick half-a-dozen beaches/reefs within an hour of where I lived that could have blown it away. Phang Nga Bay on the other hand...and Thailand in general (which I've visited 5 times) is wonderful.
Oh...Almost forgot...Aussie World, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Truly, truly awful. As are most Aussie tourist traps beginning with the "The Big ......".
Last edited by RBH58; Feb 14, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Feb 14, 2011, 4:07 pm
#87
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Wow. I'm really surprised that Singapore and Japan were mentioned. I'm heading to Singapore for the 5th or 6th time next week and to Japan in April and have been there countless times.
I'm also surprised at Hawaii but I have family there and grew up eating Hawaiian food so I love the food there.
My votes would be for Tokyo Tower and Ginza in Japan. Tokyo Tower you go to, spend money to go up top for a decent view but not much else. Ginza is an upscale shopping area but unless you plan on shopping for high-end merchandise (which you can find many places in Japan), there's not much else to do. With the strong yen, everything is so much more expensive there also.
I have to agree with the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and worked 1 block from it for a few years. But, people who go to LA will want to see it and the Mann Chinese theater with the hand prints just to say they did and take pictures.
Many may not agree but I found the Grand Canyon to be a waste of time but something that I guess has to be done once. I went twice and the second time we went, looked at the canyon, took some pictures and left about 15 minutes later. Considering we drove about 8-10 hours to see it, it's not something we would do again.
I'm also surprised at Hawaii but I have family there and grew up eating Hawaiian food so I love the food there.
My votes would be for Tokyo Tower and Ginza in Japan. Tokyo Tower you go to, spend money to go up top for a decent view but not much else. Ginza is an upscale shopping area but unless you plan on shopping for high-end merchandise (which you can find many places in Japan), there's not much else to do. With the strong yen, everything is so much more expensive there also.
I have to agree with the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and worked 1 block from it for a few years. But, people who go to LA will want to see it and the Mann Chinese theater with the hand prints just to say they did and take pictures.
Many may not agree but I found the Grand Canyon to be a waste of time but something that I guess has to be done once. I went twice and the second time we went, looked at the canyon, took some pictures and left about 15 minutes later. Considering we drove about 8-10 hours to see it, it's not something we would do again.
Feb 14, 2011, 4:13 pm
#88
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Many may not agree but I found the Grand Canyon to be a waste of time but something that I guess has to be done once. I went twice and the second time we went, looked at the canyon, took some pictures and left about 15 minutes later. Considering we drove about 8-10 hours to see it, it's not something we would do again.
http://travelersvideo.com/grandcanyon.wmv
Feb 14, 2011, 4:23 pm
#90
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Waikiki Beach, after decades of mismanagement, is so eroded that a good amount of the famous white sand is actually imported from Papuhaku Beach on Molokai. There are nice hotels and shops, but I don't go all the way to Hawaii to spend the day in a hotel or a shopping mall. I'd say limit your visit to a half an hour.
You have to go to obscure and hotel beaches if you want a nice beach. I also have been to Hapuna Beach in Kona and it was great. Way better.