15 Tourist Traps You Must Avoid

It's easy to be carried away and misled when you visit a place to which you have never been before. A quick run on an internet search engine usually suggests the most popular sites, but unfortunately, they are often the ones you want to avoid, but not everyone thinks the same. A vicious cycle begins. More people visit the recommended locations, resulting in overprices foods and services, and a general feeling of frustration for all.

This is not to say that you should avoid popular destinations such as Paris, Rome and London. Keep in mind that they have a lot more to offer than the unpleasantness that invariably comes with huge crowds. The following list, ranked in no particular order, consists of tourists traps in the U.S. and Europe that you should probably avoid if you can help it. Even though a few are technically free of charge, hapless visitors should still stay away.

Montmartre is one of the most fascinating neighborhoods in Paris. In many ways, it is the perfect French cliche, a charming district packed with delicious food, intriguing history, engaging attractions, and all the romance you could need.

One thing you don't need is a dinky train to cart you around. The white and gold express (sarcasm doesn't translate, unfortunately) charges unsuspecting visitors €12 for a 45-minute romp around the district, providing little in the way of information and only really wasting time. If you want to waste time and money in Montmartre, this is a surefire way to do so.

There was a time when wax museums were must-visit, but those days are long gone. The novelty has well and truly worn off to the point where the most enjoyable wax museums are arguably the ones with less professional work. By that, we mean the museums where you need to squint to guess who a particular statue is supposed to be.

That isn't the case at Madame Tussauds, the standard-bearer of wax museums worldwide. The work is excellent throughout, but there is a dated feeling to the experience that can only leave you underwhelmed. Throw in excessive crowds and high ticket prices, and you've got another spot to avoid.

It boggles the mind that this ceremony attracts any onlookers, let alone crowds of people. London's Changing of the Guard is a process in which soldiers on duty at Buckingham Palace are relieved, and new guards take their place. For most visitors, the only relief comes when the ceremony ends.

The whole thing seems to take forever, and all it involves is people in uniform going through the motions as a marching band do the same. It attracts huge crowds for some reason. The Changing of the Guard has long been touted as a must-do experience in the English capital, but that seems like folly. Change is coming, indeed.

Whether you think this is a tourist trap or not will depend on your opinion of Sherlock Holmes, obviously, However, even the most committed fans have to admit that the place leaves a lot to be desired. Visitors pay over the odds to pack into a small, cramped house with pretty much everything left to the imagination.

One former employee even took to Reddit and said that working there was the "strangest six months of my life," going on to call it the "genuinely the worst museum in the world." A case of sour grapes? That is always a possibility, but the commenter also said that barely anything in the house is authentic, and practically everything is poor quality. Sounds like an experience best avoided.

Your mileage on all things Disney may vary, and there is a lot to be said for experiencing the magic at one of Walt's world-famous theme parks. This is fine in Orlando or Anaheim, but Paris? Disneyland and Paris are strange bedfellows, an uneasy alliance that exists purely on name and name alone. Throw in a park that seems to be struggling, and you have a recipe for a bad time.

Folks on Tripadvisor seem to agree, with one reviewer going so far as to say that it is "probably one of the biggest tourist traps in France." They go on to say that they didn't even see Mickey Mouse during the time at the park, having to make do instead with "one measly Winny Pooh." While we don't appreciate any Winnie the Pooh slander, this doesn't sound like the dream experience for a Disney lover.

We're a little torn on this one for a variety of reasons. In many ways, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is kinda awesome, an iconic reminder that nature will always hold sway over human creations. Can you imagine being the first person to notice the lean? That would have been jarring, to say the least.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is fascinating, but those pictures must stop. You know the ones, where a visitor holds their hand out while being photographed, miraculously holding the tower up in the final shot. The tower attracts crowds of people doing the same thing, and it can get a bit unsettling from time to time. There isn't a whole lot in the vicinity of the tower, either. Make this a quick one.

Boston's center is packed with famous old buildings dripping in history, and there is no shortage of options if you are looking for a story with your structure. Unfortunately, the famous Faneuil Hall seems to have abandoned its traditions in favor of modernity, becoming something of a mall in a historic building. The place is entirely lacking in substance and is one of Boston's worst tourist traps.

As a result, local Bostonians don't go there unless they have a specific reason. The vendors inside cater to outsiders, hiking up prices and serving inconsistent products when better options are just a block or two away. By all means, take a photo from the outside, but don't expect the charm to continue once you enter.

The Four Corners Monument is where Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona collide, but this one sounds more interesting than it is. The quirk of geography is fun, but do you really need to pay to see a stone in the middle of nowhere reminding you of what you already know? The answer is "no," for the record.

Furthermore, it might not even be accurate. We won't claim to be intelligent enough to truly understand, but a debate raged on the r/mildlyinfuriating subReddit a few years back about whether the monument was centered correctly. It would be somewhat funny if it were incorrect, but it wouldn't be enough to move the Four Corners Monument out of tourist trap territory.

Rome's ancient Mamertine Prison once held the apostles Peter and Paul, but today, it struggles even to hold the attention of most visitors. The authenticity of the prison has been stripped back in favor of a questionable multimedia walkthrough, one void of charm, significance, or interest.

There isn't even any concrete proof that ol' Peter and Paul were incarcerated there, adding another layer of cynicism to an already disappointing experience. Rome is packed with incredible historical sights, and there is more than enough to keep history buffs occupied without heading here.

While there is much to be said for creature comforts, you haven't gone on holiday to replicate conditions at home. Despite this, every major tourist destination on the planet seems to come with a mass of tourist trap restaurants specifically tailored to people who aren't interested in even peeking out the letterbox of their comfort zone. If you like your food inauthentic and expensive, you'll have no problems finding a spot.

You know the places we're talking about. They more often than not have large boards outside announcing to passersby in English that they serve traditional food. The menu also usually comes with pictures, which is just about as "red flag" as restaurants go. Avoid these places at all costs. You don't necessarily need to dive into exotic eats one bite at a time, but have faith in local flavors. You won't regret it.

The most famous romantic tragedy of them all? That will be "The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," the Shakespeare classic that has won and broken hearts since its debut in 1597. The story is set in (fair) Verona, and Juliet's balcony has become a pilgrimage site for fans from all over the world.

That's all fine, except for one major issue: The story is, you know, fictional. Romeo and Juliet didn't exist, and this is just a balcony on a house. A nice balcony in a pleasant courtyard, for sure, but not some historic landmark imbued with romantic power. This one was literally built to be a tourist trap. Literally.

Even Rick Steves thinks Ireland's Blarney Stone is overrated, and when the travel guru is turning his nose up at a famous attraction, you best pay attention. Steves says that the stone ends up "slathered with spit and lipstick" after "a day of tour groups mindlessly climbing up here to perform this ritual." The ritual in question? That'll be kissing the stone.

While Blarney Castle and the surrounding views are definitely worth some attention, there's no reason to go the whole way and smooch the famous stone. This is another tourist trap that has taken on a life of its own, becoming one of Ireland's most popular experiences despite its obvious drawbacks. Don't do it.

Modern society has an unhealthy obsession with celebrities, and Hollywood's Walk of Fame is where people go to see famous names on the sidewalk. The promenade of stars is a nice idea, but it can be argued that its time has passed. There are almost 3,000 stars here(2,798 at the time of writing). Unless you have a specific interest in one name, it isn't worth the hype.

It also happens to be one of the most visited attractions in Los Angeles, so you get to share the experience of walking on concrete with masses of people, all gawping at the floor to remember James Nederlander, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If it all seems a little excessive, that is because it is.

Chicago's famous Navy Pier is fun if you are a child, but not quite as entertaining once you pass into double digits. Almost everything on the pier seems to come with an inflated price tag, with mediocre food to be "enjoyed" while surrounded by massive crowds. Not a great time, in short.

While the pier does have fantastic views of the city, there isn't a whole lot to do beyond enjoying a vista of Chicago. Despite this, Navy Pier is often passionately defended by Chicagoans, and they know the city better than anyone, so maybe we're wrong. Still, maybe it is a Chicago attraction worth skipping.

We're not entirely sure what people are expecting ahead of a visit to Times Square. The iconic plaza in New York (well, more of an intersection, really) is famous for its dizzying array of billboards, bright lights, traffic, and slow-moving crowds. On description alone, it sounds like the sort of place you should avoid, yet folks head here in droves on a daily basis.

To the shock of nobody, Times Square frequently tops lists of the world's worst tourist traps, and it is something of a tourist trap surrounded by and filled with even more of the things. Does that make it the Russian doll of tourist traps? Yes, it does. Unless you are into grimy, crowded areas, give Times Square a miss.