Tourist Traps

I remember! San Francisco! I used to love visiting San Francisco, however, the last time we visited in July 2021, we at stayed at The Nikko. The surrounding area, not the hotel, has taken a serious dive. The open air drug use, fights and just general disorder, made me never want to return.

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Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan’s upper peninsula. I think it’s kind of meh. There are so many other places in the UP that are worth spending time instead.

We liked Pisa but only because we went on the first tour of the day. It was beautiful and deserted at 7.30am. By the time we left at 10am it was heaving with cruise ship passengers.

We’re definitely trying to stick to off peak times for these sorts of places. Rome and Vienna on icy January weekends come to mind. We love Yosemite in December and Death Valley in January.

Hopefully when S23 heads off to college this fall and we are empty nesters, we’ll be able to do a big trip to the desert southwest. But I suspect October 14 will be busy with eclipse tourists.

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Wisconsin Dells.
Ugh … the Poconos of the Midwest.
And I know from the Poconos.

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Horseshoe Bend in Page Arizona. It is nothing but Instagramers and so many people taking photos near the edge we thought we might see someone fall over and die!

All of New York, the Grand Canyon, Vegas, and just about every museum my artist FIL has dragged us to.

And just stay out of Maine. Nothing to see there. You’ll hate it. :wink:

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Solvang CA, Fisherman’s Wharf in SF

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Bourbon Street. Smelled liked beer and vomit.

The rest of New Orleans was lovely, the food was amazing.

Trevi Fountain was only nice at 7am. I was underwhelmed at the Spanish Steps, I guess it’s just a photo op?

Any casino.

Love Disney World, it’s fake as all get it. But I know what I’m getting into. Probably won’t go again but it was very nice.

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It’s regional, but I think if you like this kind of thing, people in other areas know it - Cedar Point the amusement park. I took our two oldest once when they were like 5 and 8 for a partial day and then to be “fair” I took my youngest on her own when she was 10. I remember walking out to our car and her saying, “mom, I love doing things with you but we don’t need to ever come here again”. The lines, gimmicks, crowds, yucky bathrooms, overpriced not so good food… and rides - definitely a “one and done” for us.

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Haha - different strokes for different folks. Cedar Point has been a family favorite since I was young. I don’t ride on rides anymore, but H & S still love going and riding the coasters.

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We loved Cedar Point. I do love amusement parks :joy:. I thought Dollywood was great. All the shows!

Americas Roller Coast!

My husband has some medical issues and he can’t ride roller coasters anymore but so many great memories!

I’m really not that picky as long as it doesn’t involve lots of drinking. Not a fan.

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My high school senior trip was busses to Cedar Point, off in exotic Ohio and full of wonders for kids from a one-light town. Also not much actual fun once there-- the crowds, the heat, the prices.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has long been one of our “well, that wasn’t tons of fun” trips. We did like Niagara Falls, but we were there off season and were familiar with the incredible kitsch. If you go to the less populated upper parking lots you can avoid some of the crowds; we stayed outside Buffalo where there were better choices.

Blarney Castle----we did not stand in line to kiss the stone, etc., but had a great time wandering the grounds, as the gardens are gorgeous! Castle is interesting from the outside, and that was good enough for us.

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We were recently SO disappointed in old town St. Augustine. We went for the history. Yeah the old buildings are great. The t-shirt shops and cotton candy stores occupying every 300 year old building there? Not ao much.

Ditto Deadwood. What isn’t a souvenier shop is a casino now.

Vegas. Grew up in a big city. Have lived in a town of 15K for 30 years. Let’s just say I was overstimulated. And nervous. :sweat_smile:

I like Disney but Epcot > Disney.

All of the FL keys. Went for several weeks every summer in the 70 and 80s. Last time I was there it was sad. Very sad.

The WORST tourist trap I’ve ever been to: Gatlinburg. Luckily we arrived late and left early the next morning.

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I have never been to Vegas but have always thought I should go. Just once for the pure spectacle of it. Just for a day…and spend the rest of the time at nearby national parks and Hoover Dam.

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Castello di Amorosa winery in Napa. It is a fake European castle parts of which apparently were collected in Europe and transported to Napa Valley. So.
Many. People. Wanting. To. See. This!! We bailed. There are plenty other wineries with less pretentiousness. :laughing:

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I have to agree with Mt. Rushmore. I was incredibly underwhelmed. I was there in 1976 bicentennial year…and they were blasting patriotic music. It was really awful.

I was also very underwhelmed with The Alamo. I don’t know what I was expecting…but really…it was meh. But I loved San Antonio so that made up for it.

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Oh, I guess my tastes run touristy. Love NYC (in small doses), Balboa Park, Disneyworld, Carribean cruiseship ports, etc. Williamsburg too. If they were more affordable, we’d be frequent visitors.

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Sorry to hear this - the zoo is great but there are so many lovely and relaxing gardens in Balboa Park: Rose Garden, Cactus Garden, Japanese Garden to start, and numerous other ones tucked away. There’s also the charming Spanish Village Art Center filled with artisan run shops, often with demonstrations. And of course all the architecture and colonnades.

I agree the museums are generally underwhelming if you’ve been to major metro area ones.

I’m happy to give a tour next time you’re in town :grin:.

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Bronner’s Christmas Store in Frankenmuth, MI! I’m pretty sure the billboards start showing up on either coast and get (much more frequent as you approach Michigan. Our then returning to school after Christmas break college student selves still loved it! We were weird like that.