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Top ten overrated U.S. travel destinations/attractions
Whether or not you're an American, there are certain places that are on almost everyone's must-visit list. Some tourist traps, like the Grand Canyon or Disneyland, are worth joining the masses and ponying up the entrance fee (although I just checked the Magic Kingdom's website, and Mickey and friends are bilking the parents of children under nine for $68 a pop).Other much-lauded, highly anticipated hot-spots are simply not worth the time and expense. This is, of course, highly subjective: one man's Las Vegas dream vacation is another's Third Circle of Hell. It can also be fun to visit certain craptacular or iconic landmarks.
The below list is a compilation of my picks, as well as those of other Gadling contributors, in no particular order. You may be offended, but don't say you weren't warned.
1. Hollywood
Unless you love freaks, junkies, hookers, crappy chain restaurants and stores, and stepping over human feces on the star-inlaid sidewalks, give it a miss.
2. Las Vegas
I understand the appeal of a lost weekend in Sin City, really. And I will not dispute the utter coolness of the Rat Pack, Vegas of yore. But in the name of all that is sacred and holy, why does the current incarnation of glorified excess and wasted natural resources exist, especially as a so-called family destination?
[Photo credit: Flickr user Douglas Carter Cole]
3. Times SquareA dash of Hollywood Boulevard with a splash of Vegas and Orlando.
4. South Beach, Miami
At what point does silicone become redundant?
5. Atlantic City, New Jersey
The poor man's Vegas
6. Orlando
Toll roads, herds of tourists, shrieking children, an abundance of nursing homes, and tacky corporate America, all in one tidy package.
7. Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
It's hard to hate on San Francisco, but the once-glorious Wharf is a shadow of its former self. Hooter's, Pier 39, seafood stands hawking overpriced, previously-frozen Dungeness crab cocktail, aggressive panhandling, and vulgar souvenir shops kill the mood.
8. The Washington Monument
The nation's preeminent phallic symbol is admittedly an impressive piece of architecture. It's also possible to get a great view from the car en route to other, more interesting historic sites and tourist attractions.
9. Waikiki
There is so much more to Hawaii, including beaches that aren't man-made.
10. Mt. Rushmore
Faces carved into rock. Moving on...
[Photo credits: Times Square, Flickr user Falling Heavens; Waikiki, Flickr user DiazWerks]
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Surfing, Food and Drink, North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Shawn Oct 14th 2010 5:00PM
I have to admit, this list pretty much nails it. None of the listed places are worth the money or effort that people dump into them year after year.
sally Oct 17th 2010 10:58AM
What are the top ten underrated vacations? You know the ones people NEVER talk about as much as these, but are worth every penny going? Before it closed, Sea World in Ohio would be one......it had a waterpark, amusement park, and Sea World all in one......and you only heard about it if you lived in the NorthEast....and possibly legoland, never been there, but I heard it was cool.....
I was to Hollywood twice.....the first time I went, It scared me......we walked from our hotel room to the stars (about 15 blocks), then back at night....Second time we were there, was during the day on a quick sightseeing bus trip......it was better the second time........Times Square bores me, Atlantic City bores me. I've been to Miami, i've been to orlando, not impressed. California beaches, and people are alot nicer...
Kathy Oct 17th 2010 11:42AM
I have to say we've given the San Francisco tour so many times to out of state relatives, and they absolutely love it! But it's a quick tour: Through town, past City Hall preferably and down Van Ness (101) to the Golden Gate Bridge, where we get out and show them the piece of cable on display. Then it's Lombard Street, a must, and Fisherman's Wharf, parking near the Cable Car Turntable. They love it, honestly, and I do know one or two good restaurants there if we could get them to sit down... but we usually walk them past the fishing boats and take the cable car to Chinatown, where they go into one store after another and it's hard to get them back on that cable car. We eat wherever they want, and it's always Fisherman's Wharf or Chinatown. We always manage to drive down that hill Steve McQueen flew down in Bullitt too. You know, it's what they've seen on tv and in the media they want to see.
I still remember when my aunt and uncle from New York came out though. We did go to Chinatown, and my uncle saw a small place with three ducks hanging in the window. We went inside and everyone was Chinese, sitting in partitioned rooms / booths. They sat us all down, and since they spoke no English my uncle just showed them a hundred dollar bill and they understood they had carte blanche to make a meal for us all. It was a wonderful meal of course, and they were as pleased as we were!
fred Oct 17th 2010 3:23PM
Very messed up list...Vegas is a dream vacation. Everything you could ever desire is there. Some other places are subjective. nothing on the list is a rotten location. Sounds like a spoiled uppie authored this drivel of a story.
Mike Zachaczewski Oct 14th 2010 5:04PM
No way Times Square and Vegas are overrated!
Chris G Oct 14th 2010 5:05PM
Well I can't believe I'm going to say this but, Times Square is getting better.
The closure of Broadway through TS has given it a full on pedestrian feel to the point that it can now be looked to as a way to do many other areas of the city.
Zoe Oct 14th 2010 5:49PM
Vegas is overrated for the reasons listed here (also I haven't found their 'gourmet food' to be as good as they think it is). However, it is fun as hell for people watching and a decent base for going to various other interesting places, such as the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, and Death Valley.
Akuin Oct 17th 2010 12:59PM
I live outside Death Valley, why do people find hell so fascinating. There is a reason it's name is Death Valley. You couldn't pay me enough to go there and I live just outside it...
Slappy Oct 14th 2010 9:38PM
Vegas for me is an excuse to go to a controlled environment and be drunk for 3 days, gorge on food and gamble in a relatively sane way, like a safety valve
Ron Oct 14th 2010 9:50PM
Disney world is awesome and it's cheaper than any of the other craptacular destinations if you factor int the annual pass.
And these are destinations for a reason. There are lots of people that do like them. I'd have to say that the #1 crappy destination is Wrigley Field in Chicago.
It's an old crappy ball park with a crappy team that has "fans" that aren't watching the game and don't really care about baseball. It's just a trendy hang out.
Ooops these remarks will probably offend just as many people as the above story offended. My bad...
Mary Oct 17th 2010 8:43AM
Buck,
Try reading the article before you sound off. You sound like a dumb ass.
SHE SAID:
"Some tourist traps, like the Grand Canyon or Disneyland, are worth joining the masses and ponying up the entrance fee"
Karen Robbins Oct 15th 2010 8:08AM
I think your take on places to avoid depends a lot upon how traveled you are. Those of us who travel a lot are looking for a different kind of experience than someone who doesn't get around as much. They may be looking for the "landmark" destinations if for no other reason than to say, "been there, done that."
And our kids are taking their kids to Disney World just because of the memories it evokes for them. To others, it's just "stroller hell."
GIC Insurance Oct 15th 2010 9:24AM
I enjoyed this article. When I was first married we went to Las Vegas for a cheap get away (it was cheap back in early 90s). Since then I have three kids and find myself wanting more family oriented vacations. I have always wanted to go close to Christmas to New York and ride a carriage ride in central park with my family (just like in the movies). I will say that if people are looking for a nice get away with family Branson Missouri is a wonderful place. I am also a big believer in family time and just taking the family different places and don't really have a planed out route or destination. Vacations are what you make of it, be creative and just enjoy the time away from the normal routine.
Jeff Wood
www.gicinsurance.com
Daniel Oct 15th 2010 10:48AM
South of the Border in SC makes the list for me :)
Engrid Oct 17th 2010 9:09AM
LOL.....what a junk fest that place is! I've lived in SC my entire life and I even hate the SIGNS for South of the Boarder. It's so tacky! So fair warning to anyone traveling...DON'T GO THERE! All they sell is overpriced junk made in China and horrible food.
Msmike Oct 17th 2010 9:11AM
LOL!!! This place is the biggest tourist ripoff in the UNIVERSE!! If they spent some of that billboard money on the place they might have something worth seeing...says Pedro.
Melissa Oct 17th 2010 1:36PM
I was driving from Georgia to NC and saw those Perdro signs every quarter mile or so, almost the entire drive through SC.... When I finally saw it I thought "is THAT all it is?" After the build up I expected a lot more... I had never heard of it before then but now I see that it has been in movies (Forces of Nature, for one), and has featured prominantly in quite a few pictures at the Awkward Family Photos website. I would suppose it has become famous for being so horrible.
Kelly Oct 15th 2010 11:36AM
On Vegas... I am not sure you understand the appeal of Las Vegas. Who said it was a family destination? Las Vegas is an adult playground! Natural Resources... did you know the water attractions etc... use recycled water?
Jill Oct 17th 2010 6:33AM
So what if Orlando has nursing homes - what does this have to do with visiting Disney World? People go for the attractions, not to spend a night at a local nursing home!
John Oct 17th 2010 7:10AM
I can agree on most of the places on the list, but the author definitely got it wrong about Las Vegas. He's making the same mistake that a lot of people make when it comes to Las Vegas. They think it's just about gambling and the casinos. There is so so much more to Las Vegas than just gambling. In additon to great food, and top name restaurants and entertainment, there are many scenic areas like Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Lake Mead Recreation area, Mt. Charleston, Boulder Dam, Death Valley, and many old mining towns and ghost towns. I suggest the writer of this article get out of the casino, and open his eyes, because there's a whole another world out there.