18 Worst Tourist Traps in America

Special Report

Published: February 1, 2024 9:10 am

According to a survey by IPX1031, 90% of Americans plan to travel this year. Domestic travel is expected to reach near pre-pandemic levels in 2024, and why not? The good ol’ U.S. of A. is filled with wonderful destinations. Americans can lose themselves in the beauty of a national park, engage with the past at a historical site, or get swept up in the vibe of a big city, all without ever applying for a passport. The urban and natural wonders of the U.S. also draw tens of millions of international tourists each year.

It’s hard to go wrong in a nation filled with so many amazing places, but some U.S. destinations have been ignominiously labeled as “tourist traps.” While there is no universal definition of the phrase, a tourist trap is essentially a place that is either overhyped, overpriced, or overcrowded with tourists. Many tourist traps hit the trifecta by delivering on all three. (And if this list isn’t enough for you, here are the strangest roadside attractions in every state. Two of them made this list below.)

Identifying America’s Tourist Traps

Wall Drug in South Dakota is one of 18 tourist traps that made our list.

24/7 consulted ten different travel blogs and websites to find the worst tourist traps in America. Since “tourist trap” is an inherently subjective classification, we only included locations that were mentioned by multiple outlets in our survey.

It should be noted that just because a location is labeled as a “tourist trap” doesn’t necessarily mean that you should steer clear of it altogether. A lot of travelers can tell some pretty great stories of their experiences at a tourist trap. These places can, indeed, be memory-makers.

Understanding that a destination is a tourist trap before you arrive can help you moderate your expectations. Is it going to be the greatest travel experience of your life? That is highly doubtful. But will you have a fun story or two to tell from your visit? Quite possibly.

Here are 18 of the biggest tourist traps in the U.S. We’ll let you decide if they are a worth a visit.

1. Four Corners Monument

Location: Teec Nos Pos, Arizona

The Four Corners Monument marks the spot where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona come together. It is the only place in the nation where four states meet.

This quadripoint is marked with a granite and bronze disc-shaped monument that highlights the boundaries of these four states. It is operated by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. There is an $8 entrance fee per person.

This monument is, by one reviewer’s account, “in the middle of nowhere.” The official website for the Four Corners Monument notes that the nearest gas station/convenience store is 30 miles away. There is no water or electricity at the monument. The lines are notoriously long at this tourist trap, too.

If you are looking to add states to your “been there” list, you can knock out four of them in this one stop and have the picture to prove it. Many people have found that one Instagram pic wasn’t worth all the hassle, though.

2. Hollywood Walk of Fame

Location: Los Angeles, California

L.A. is in the top five most-visited cities in the U.S. each year. There are incredible places and experiences that await you in the City of Angels. However, many visitors find the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a bit less angelic than many other places in the city.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is located on Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The Walk dates back to the 1960s. The sidewalk is lined with over 2,700 stars featuring the names of famous actors, producers, directors, musicians, and even fictional characters such as Mickey Mouse.

Movie buffs may get a kick out of taking a selfie alongside the star of their favorite celebrity. However, the street is often overcrowded. Well over ten million people visit this sidewalk every year. One travel expert noted that visiting the Walk of Fame is like, “playing bumper cars with other guests. Everyone is looking at the ground and trying to snap pictures.” Overly pushy buskers (street performers) also frequent the Walk of Fame, ready to separate you from your money.

The area around the Walk of Fame is not as glamorous as you might imagine. One reviewer noted that it is filled with “row after row of car dealerships and abandoned buildings.” Another remarked that, if you really want to experience the magic of Hollywood, skip the Walk of Fame and opt for a studio tour, instead.

3. Fisherman’s Wharf

Location: San Francisco, California

One website we referenced listed Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco as the biggest tourist trap in the entire world. That might be overstating it a bit, but it appeared in numerous travel blogs we referenced as one of the worst tourist traps in the U.S.

To be fair, there are some neat things to see in the northern waterfront area such as cable cars and sunbathing sea lions. There are also views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Beyond that, the area features Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, the Cannery Shopping Center, the Musée Mécanique, Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and the Wax Museum at Fishermans Wharf.

If that sounds like an area that is perpetually jammed with people, you’re exactly right. It is the biggest tourist attraction in San Francisco. It is filled with t-shirt vendors, souvenir shops, and plenty of other establishments where tourists can spend (or waste) their money.

If you are looking for an authentic San Francisco experience, most locals will tell you that Fisherman’s Wharf is not where you’re going to find it.

4. Lombard Street

Famous Lombard Street, San Francisco, California, USA — This winding street draws quite a disproportionate number of visitors.

Location: San Francisco, California

While this street cannot touch Fisherman’s Wharf in terms of visitors, it still draws quite a crowd. This street is definitely not designed to handle crowds, though.

Lombard Street is a San Francisco road that is famous for one very steep section that features eight hairpin turns. This one-block area has been described as “the crookedest street in the world.”

This short portion of Lombard Street is considered one of America’s biggest tourist traps because it is perpetually slammed with visitors. Some two million tourists visit this compact and congested area every year. Sometimes as many as 17,000 a day traverse Lombard Street in peak season. The congestion is so bad that locals have proposed charging a fee to travel the road in an attempt to cut down on the number of tourists.

In reality, this one-block section of Lombard Street is overhyped. Yes, the zigzagging road design is cool, but it is short. It does offer some good views, but there are much better spots in other parts of the city. You also won’t annoy the locals when you grab some pics in those places.

5. Dole Plantation

Location: Wahiawa, Hawaii

Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular tourist attractions. It celebrates all things pineapple, but in a way that many visitors find a bit expensive and over-the-top.

Dole Plantation began as a fruit stand in 1950. Today, it is the self-proclaimed “Pineapple Experience” in Hawaii. Visitors can ride the narrated Pineapple Express Train, tour the Pineapple Garden, wander through the Pineapple Maze, and more.

Dole Plantation is often crowded and many guests leave feeling underwhelmed. However, as with most tourist traps, there are some redeeming features. Specifically, the Dole Whip is a delicious treat. Get ready to fork over some cash for it, though. As of this writing, a regular-sized cup of Dole Whip costs $7.50.

6. Bourbon Street

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

The locals in New Orleans rarely visit Bourbon Street (unless they work there). This busy strip in New Orleans is filled with party-going tourists.

If you are determined to visit Bourbon Street, consider going during the day. After the sun sets, the street is often jam-packed with rowdy drunken tourists. One reviewer said Bourbon Street is, “filthy, smells like pee, there’s gross beer everywhere, and broken glass all over the ground.”

If you are seeking libations in the Big Easy, there are better places to go than Bourbon Street. Reviewers noted that Bourbon Street bars are often overpriced and deliver mid-level quality, at best. The jazz bars on Frenchman Street offer a much better experience according to numerous reviews.

However, if you’re heading to New Orleans and you want to see the city at its rowdiest and most debaucherous, then Bourbon Street is what you’re looking for.

7. Café Du Monde

New Orleans' Famous Cafe Du Monde — The beignets are lovely, but this historic (and often chaotic) location is not the only place where you can find them.

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

This is a perfect example of a tourist trap that you may still want to visit. It is an iconic New Orleans landmark that is, by some accounts, the world’s most famous coffee shop. The café has been serving cafés au lait and New Orleans-style beignets since 1862.

The coffee and beignets are delicious, but Café Du Monde’s history and reputation make it a must-stop destination for nearly every tourist in New Orleans. That means the lines are often very long. The atmosphere inside can be chaotic. One reviewer noted that they felt very rushed during the ordering process.

Numerous reviewers referred to Café Du Monde as a tourist trap. It may still be worth a stop, just to say you’ve been there. But if you are more concerned about scoring some delicious beignets instead of just checking a destination off of your list, there are plenty of less-crowded places in New Orleans that serve them.

8. Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock Massachusetts — Yes, this is Plymouth Rock. Impressed?

Location: Plymouth, Massachusetts

We all remember Plymouth Rock from history class. It is the legendary site where the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower in 1620. However, the lore of Plymouth Rock is a myth. The Pilgrims didn’t land at Plymouth Rock. They actually disembarked from their ship at Provincetown Harbor which lies on the opposite side of Cape Cod Bay.

Not only is the legend of Plymouth Rock untrue, but it might also surprise you to learn that Plymouth Rock is just that…a rock. And it is a fairly unimpressive rock, at that. This is one of the most overhyped tourist traps in the nation.

One reviewer noted that Plymouth Rock is “just a rock…in a hole…with ‘1620’ carved on it. But at least you don’t have to pay to see it.”

Plymouth Rock is totally overhyped, but at least it’s not overpriced.

9. International UFO Museum and Research Center

Gray aliens closeup at UFO museum in Roswell by Jirka Matousek — This tourist trap hides behind a museum name, but it is far from a scientific enterprise (and no, we don’t mean the Enterprise from Star Trek).

Location: Roswell, New Mexico

Roswell is famous for flying saucers and aliens. Legend has it that this town was the site of an alien crash landing in 1947. The object that crashed was actually a spy balloon belonging to the U.S. military, but conspiracy theories quickly spun out of control (and this was before social media even existed!). The balloon crash has come to be known as the “Roswell Incident.”

The town has embraced these myths and conspiracies and turned it all into one big tourist trap. The most gimmicky of all the town’s tourist traps is the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Don’t let the scientific name fool you, though. This is the most touristy of tourist traps.

Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for kids, so it’s not super expensive. But unless you just want to say that you’ve been there (or you are a dyed-in-the-wool conspiracy theorist), then you may want to consider spending your money somewhere else.

10. Empire State Building

Location: New York, New York

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers in New York City. It was the first building in the world to feature over 100 floors. At 1,250 feet (381 meters), the Empire State Building became the tallest building on Earth upon its completion in 1931. It retained that title for over 40 years.

If you have a checklist of iconic NYC landmarks, then the Empire State Building belongs on your list. However, if you want to head for the top of the building for some admittedly great views of the city, it is going to cost you. The current entrance fees for the 86th Floor Observatory are $44 for adults, $42 for seniors, and $38 for children. If you want to visit the Top Deck in addition to the Observatory, you’ll have to tack on an extra $35 per adult ticket.

Other packages are even pricier. You can receive an “express” pass to the Observatory and Top Deck for $119 per person. The “premium experience” is $175 and the “all access tour” is $500. You can even purchase a VIP proposal package for $1,000. (For that much money, we certainly hope your partner says, “Yes!”)

There are numerous places in the city where you can snap a great picture of this iconic building, such as Madison Square Park. However, if you visit the building itself, you may find yourself recalling it as an expensive tourist trap.

11. Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center at Christmas — Rockefeller Center is a beautiful Christmas scene, but the crowds are enough to make anyone feel rather grinchy.

Location: New York, New York

Rockefeller Center is about ten minutes from Times Square. It is a popular tourist destination in NYC, but never more so than during the Christmas season.

Each year, the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center is adorned with over 50,000 lights. You may remember it from the scene where Kevin is reunited with his mom in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”

Massive crowds flock to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and the ice skating rink each Christmas. One traveler noted that, with so many people in this space, “it’s easy to get pushed around and have a miserable time.”

12. Times Square

Location: New York, New York

We don’t mean to pick on New York City. However, as the nation’s largest city, it stands to reason that it is also home to some of the country’s biggest tourist traps.

Times Square is the renowned location of the New Year’s Eve ball drop. It is famous for its bright lights and digital billboards. Times Square has been featured in countless movies and TV shows.

Because of Times Square’s iconic reputation, it is a magnet for tourists. As such, it is also filled with overpriced restaurants and stores. Visiting Times Square itself is free, but good luck getting out of there without spending too much money on, well, everything.

Many NYC residents view Times Square as the biggest tourist trap in the city. In fact, a lot of locals avoid it at all costs. It is one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world, with an estimated 50 million visitors annually.

13. Niagara Falls

Location: Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls is a natural wonder. The sheer size and power of the falls can take your breath away. If only you didn’t have to navigate a labyrinth of souvenir stores, overpriced hotels, and casinos to get there.

The Falls themselves have been named a national heritage area. However, the area surrounding this federally protected area is a tourist trap of the first rank.

And, to add insult to injury, the Canadian side offers a better view of the Falls. However, it is also a massive tourist trap. Americans and Canadians alike have attempted to cash in on the incredible wonder that is Niagara Falls. In doing so, the area around the Falls in both countries is an endless barrage of touristy kitsch. What a shame.

14. Mount Rushmore

Location: Keystone, South Dakota

We’ve all seen pictures of Mount Rushmore like the one above. Gigantic sculptures of the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are carved into a granite mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

More than two million people visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial each year. It is especially crowded during the summer months.

The drive to Mount Rushmore is long and the payoff is not what many visitors hope for. In reality, if you’ve seen a picture of Mount Rushmore, then you’ve basically seen everything that it has to offer. It is four presidential faces on a mountain. Quite a feat of engineering and artistry, to be sure, but still not worth the hassle. Oh, and there’s also the very controversial history of this monument that can throw a damper on the whole thing.

South Dakota’s Black Hills are breathtaking, but Mount Rushmore can only be classified as a federally-protected tourist trap.

15. Wall Drug

Wall Drug, South Dakota — The huge jackalope is only the beginning of the strangeness of Wall Drug.

Location: Wall, South Dakota

Badlands National Park is one of America’s most beautiful natural wonders. A visit to the Badlands is one that you’ll never forget. However, just minutes from the entrance to the national park sits one of the most kitschy tourist traps you’ll find anywhere in the country.

Wall Drug got its start by offering free ice water to travelers, which it still does today. The business is built on the premise that repetitious advertising will force travelers to stop. It has been quite an effective marketing strategy, too. There are hundreds upon hundreds of signs for Wall Drug on highways leading to the Badlands. The furthest sign from the store is almost 400 miles away.

By the time drivers reach the Wall Drug exit, they simply have to stop to see what the hype is all about. And what these tourists find is a bizarre mashup of themes and décor, including the famous jackalope (pictured above). There are kids’ attractions, a restaurant, and even a chapel inside the establishment.This short description doesn’t come close to summing up the Wall Drug experience, though.

The next time you visit the Badlands, it might be worth a stop at Wall Drug. You can grab a buffalo burger, an ice cream cone, and an overdose of inexplicable corniness.

16. Graceland

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Elvis Presley once owned this mansion in Memphis. Presley is buried there, as are his parents, grandmother, grandson, and daughter.

The King of Rock and Roll was known for his flamboyant performance style, especially in his later years. However, the ostentatiousness of Graceland, complete with its endless supply of Elvis impersonators, is a bit much. It is also insanely expensive.

For the most diehard of Elvis fans, dropping hundreds of dollars on a tour of Graceland might be worth it. For most of us, though, the cost will leave us feeling, “All Shook Up.”

17. The Gum Wall

Location: Seattle, Washington

Where in the world could a wall covered in used chewing gum become a tourist attraction? In Seattle, that’s where.

The wall is located in an alley in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. It has become a colorful (and gross) mural made up of discarded gum. The city completely cleaned the wall in 2015, but the gum returned in no time at all. The wall has become a de facto Seattle landmark.

Tourists who visit the Gum Wall often note that it doesn’t smell all that pleasant. Neighboring businesses have complained about the unsanitary conditions, with some even claiming that it attracts rats. Others claim that the used gum is nothing more than litter. Proponents counter that this wall is an expression of art.

You can decide if a wall covered in discarded gum should be part of your itinerary when you visit the Emerald City.

18. Space Needle

Location: Seattle, Washington

If the Gum Wall isn’t your thing, the Space Needle might be. It has been a fixture of the Seattle skyline since 1962. It was designed with a futuristic feel during the international space race. Seven years after its completion, Neil Armstrong would become the first human to set foot on the moon.

While this observation tower is a well-established Seattle landmark, a ride to the top can cost upwards of $40 per person. It does provide a cool view of the surrounding landscape, but it’s hard to see it as anything but a tourist trap. Like the Empire State Building in New York, visitors to Seattle will certainly want to take a picture of the Space Needle. However, they may want to skip an actual visit to the tower.