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Ten Most Overrated US Tourist Traps
Chuck Thompson Day here at Gadling continues... Over at the website of his new book Smile When You're Lying, Thompson presents his Top 10 Most Overrated U.S. Tourist Attractions. He makes a number of interesting picks, and I can't say I disagree with them. Here are just a few:
Graceland: "Or any spot dedicated to Elvis kitsch. If the man wasn't over-marketed before, he is now. When did Presley go from American icon to white trash icon? Blame Graceland."
New York City's Ground Zero: "Six years later, the smoking hole in the ground is a national disgrace, a monument to American litigiousness, lack of national will, and craven political leadership."
Architecture in Las Vegas: "We went to the moon in 1969. Big fountains and replicas of pyramids built 4,500 years ago aren't that impressive. Nor is a city where you can't walk to the building next door without burning 600 calories."
More here.
In my opinion, as a general rule, any tourist attraction that is designed and built with the intent to be a tourist attraction is automatically suspect. My hometown's Gateway Arch certainly fits that bill, though its not without some appeal (to somebody, somewhere). What are your picks for most overrated tourist traps?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Mikey Sep 30th 2009 2:00AM
I'm from Memphis Tennessee. I agree with Graceland. Once it was a nice, clean place. But now it has kind of turned into a tourist trap mostly because of the the mayor we had for 19 years straight. Our city went from a white city to homey city. He ran most of the whites outta here. Willy Herrington was our mayor from 1990-2009. But Beale St. is always nice to see though. Many places to have a drink and you can always run into B.B. King. or John Daly at their bars along with other celebrities at other bars. Some hang out downtown sometimes. King and Daly are interesting to talk too. The food is great here. Speghetti Warehouse, Texas Day Brazil, etc. But the traffic can be pathetic on the interstate. Sometimes downtown too.
Mikey Sep 30th 2009 2:10AM
I forgot about the Bar B Q here in Memphis at The Rendezvous. Its not close to what it use to be.They have to cook around a hundred or more slabs of ribs per hour quickly, unlike they use to. So downtown here our ribs aren't what they use to be but they are decent. The best ribs in the country are still here in town but not down town. Go to Central Bar B-Q on Summer Street which isn't but about a 10 to 15 minute drive from downtown. They have the best ever. Therer's also a Central B-B-Q pretty much downtown on Central St. but I've never eaten at that one. But watch out, our city is one of the top five in many crime catagories. And act like the coin beggars aren't there, just walk past'em. From rich city too poor city all mostly because of one man and his self-centered, cheating self, its pitiful. I could go on and on of all the bad illegal things that he did to this city.
paul Jan 2nd 2008 5:34PM
Hollywood and Haight/Ashbury in San Francisco come to mind.
Laura Jan 4th 2008 10:54AM
I loved the Haight when I went!!! SF is a great vacation spot.
deya Jan 3rd 2008 6:42PM
My top 5 worst destinations:
Disney World (after the first time)
Myrtle Beach
Key West
New Orleans
Anywhere Kansas and Nebraska
My Top 5 BEST destinations (for families):
Niagara Falls
Sedona, Arizona
South Padre Island, Texas
Yellowstone National Park
A Carribean cruise..
try holding the hands of your husband and children in Grand Cayman over the Coral Reef as everyone, for the first time snorkeling, puts there face in the water to see this magnificent artwork of God.
kathty Jan 10th 2008 4:36AM
ELVIS...white trash??? Are you kidding me??? Wash your mouth out with soap! (and you call yourself an American?) Yes, his place (the community) he called home has certainly been run down, but that has nothing to do with HIM! Graceland is an amazing place and I DO agree his heirs exploited him...but put the blame where it belongs and watch the name-calling. It's not an attractive asset you have! ELVIS, the American ICON is still fully in place!
phil Jan 4th 2008 1:46AM
A tourist trap is only a tourist trap if the only reason one goes there is because everyone else goes there. There are, however, many legitimate reasons for one to choose to go to so-called tourist traps, not the least of which are the experience itself, the history involved (Wall Drug being a prime example), and the beauty or magnitude of the location or object.
soflfriend Jan 4th 2008 5:38AM
Ground Zero isn't what you should be looking at anyway. it's the store across the street, you should be looking at. Century 21 dept store.
forget ground zero. go to the store and get some of the best bargains NYC has to offer!!!!!!!
tikiloungelizard Jan 3rd 2008 1:01AM
I've never been to Branson, Missouri, but it sounds like a positively awful place to go. Its attempts at a homey, family atmosphere would probably make me ill.
Pablo Jan 3rd 2008 3:06PM
Except for the horrific traffic, Branson is very nice, if you like CLEAN entertainment, Not FILTH. It does get a little carried away with its folksy advertisement and presentations
Martha Smith Jan 3rd 2008 4:06PM
I am from Branson,Mo. I was from northern Ill. I moved here 24 years ago. We are one of the most toured places in the US. You have it all wrong. You do not have a clue what you are missing out on. The Ozark Mountains are great. We have Silver Collar City,number 1. Shepard of the Hills. and so many attractions you would not believe. The Ozark Mountains ( Branson,Mo.) is many great large lakes for any kind of enjoyment you can think of .Such as boating ,fishing ,camping,caves scubadiving ,or what ever else you like to do in the waters. Our rivers and lakes are clear water and our waters do not freeze. I am sorry but you have the wrong picture of Branson. You never run out of things to see or do. You need to visit us before you judge us.
Sue Jan 3rd 2008 10:02PM
Think for yourself WITCH branson is a lovely place to visit/ The people there are friendly because they are for the most just down home type people
Rachel Jan 3rd 2008 11:28PM
Branson is a great place to visit if you have kids. Silver dollar city is a little overrated, but if you love minature golf and go carts...branson is the place to go
Laura Jan 4th 2008 2:59AM
You come across as a very bitter person. Shame.
Lazix888 Jan 3rd 2008 2:16PM
Two glaring, yet obvious offenders didn't make the list, Disney world and the entire state of Hawaii.
CKC Jan 3rd 2008 6:41PM
"The entire state of Hawaii"? Being a native Hawaiian, i absolutely HATE touristy kitch. But the entire state? Not only are you ignorant, Lazix888, you are not welcome. Unless we resume sacrifices to Pele. But then again, who would want to see an active volcano? IMAX has A/C and parking.
walter stiff Jan 3rd 2008 2:21PM
Good Lord, Gatlinburg, Tennessee is the king of crap shops. Its supposed to be homey and mountaineous beauty but turns out to be 4 miles of shops selling cedar ashtrays. Ditto for Pigeon Forge down the road
llinda w Jan 3rd 2008 5:35PM
IF YA DON'T LIKE THE SMOKIES STAY AWAY. THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND MOST VISITED AREA IN THE USA. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT.
Roadrunner Jan 6th 2008 5:31AM
I agree on Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. These places are not the Smokies, only their touristy periphery. I got stuck in Gatlinburg traffic once and couldn't wait to leave the place and never return.
And as a central Floridian, I have to also vote for Disney World. IMO Rodentville is largely responsible for the mess that Orlando has become. Whenever feasible, I avoid this sprawling, traffic-snarled blot on the landscape.
Duffy Jan 3rd 2008 2:35PM
ALL of Las Vegas is an over-rated tourist dump! I've been working in this hole for the past six months and I see this crap every day. It's over-hyped, over-priced, and tasteless.....a complete zero!