What's the worst tourist trap you've stopped at?
I've come across a few throughout the country, but South of the Border on I-95 is probably my number one
36-40, M
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JovialMoose · 51-55, M
ArishMell · 70-79, M
I'm not sure if it was the pseudo "olde-worlde" village in a warehouse-like building at Bigbury Bay (Devon) or the tacky eyesores around Land's End. I don't know if the former still exists.
The village of Cheddar Gorge (i.e. just down-hill from the caves) is up there in the list somewhere, though not too bad. It just becomes very crowded. Not to be confused with the unassuming town of Cheddar itself, half a mile or so away.
Town-planners sometimes call places like those, "honey pots".
I have always avoided the worst traps, but have no reason to visit them anyway, such as "theme parks" (Yes Walt, I do include yours).
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Anyway there is plenty of tacky even well away from the scenic places; and not just "vape" shops and amusement-arcades. The view from the M5 on Sandwell Viaduct is hardly elegant, a giant sprawl of factories, backed by ugly, 1960s, high-rise blocks of flats. Over the years though it slowly cleaned itself up, helped by a goodly number of big, mature trees. Than someone goes and gives permission for giant, digital advertising-hoardings on tall poles above the viaduct. One or two even obscure the motorist's view of the road-signs ahead, especially at night. Who the Hell thought these brightly-illuminated, electricity-hungry horrors even necessary? Crudely-made advertising hoardings on lorry trailers next to the M6 through the pleasant Cheshire countryside, are just as bad.
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An item on the radio recently reported the efforts to restore Oxford Street, the main shopping street through Central London. Once a vibrant (and expensive!) tourist spot with big-name shops like Harrods, it had apparently become rather down-at-heel with a lot of tacky, American-style "candy stores" moving in. These were real sweet shops, though very expensive, but their existence was found to have been exploiting the property tax laws. Now though, the Greater London and Borough Councils, and property owners, are making big efforts to restore the road, and most of the "candy" and similar shops have gone.
It seems a similar story applies to Edinburgh's equivalent, the Royal Mile.
The village of Cheddar Gorge (i.e. just down-hill from the caves) is up there in the list somewhere, though not too bad. It just becomes very crowded. Not to be confused with the unassuming town of Cheddar itself, half a mile or so away.
Town-planners sometimes call places like those, "honey pots".
I have always avoided the worst traps, but have no reason to visit them anyway, such as "theme parks" (Yes Walt, I do include yours).
.
Anyway there is plenty of tacky even well away from the scenic places; and not just "vape" shops and amusement-arcades. The view from the M5 on Sandwell Viaduct is hardly elegant, a giant sprawl of factories, backed by ugly, 1960s, high-rise blocks of flats. Over the years though it slowly cleaned itself up, helped by a goodly number of big, mature trees. Than someone goes and gives permission for giant, digital advertising-hoardings on tall poles above the viaduct. One or two even obscure the motorist's view of the road-signs ahead, especially at night. Who the Hell thought these brightly-illuminated, electricity-hungry horrors even necessary? Crudely-made advertising hoardings on lorry trailers next to the M6 through the pleasant Cheshire countryside, are just as bad.
.
An item on the radio recently reported the efforts to restore Oxford Street, the main shopping street through Central London. Once a vibrant (and expensive!) tourist spot with big-name shops like Harrods, it had apparently become rather down-at-heel with a lot of tacky, American-style "candy stores" moving in. These were real sweet shops, though very expensive, but their existence was found to have been exploiting the property tax laws. Now though, the Greater London and Borough Councils, and property owners, are making big efforts to restore the road, and most of the "candy" and similar shops have gone.
It seems a similar story applies to Edinburgh's equivalent, the Royal Mile.
turbineman40 · 80-89, M
TrashCat · M
@turbineman40 I remember that place. LOL
TrashCat · M
@turbineman40 How could it not be?
thepreposterouspanda · 36-40, M
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thepreposterouspanda · 36-40, M
@JovialMoose I did! I was only 10 but I remember it pretty well. It was all corn-related activities and stuff on the inside. XD
JovialMoose · 51-55, M
@thepreposterouspanda I’ve driven past it several times. Never had enough time…
thepreposterouspanda · 36-40, M
@JovialMoose It's worth stopping in at least once. :) Definitely better than Wall Drug which was good only because of the free water in the middle of the July heat. 😂
cherokeepatti · 61-69, F
@YourMomsSecretCrush Tijuana was the worst. Stayed there long enough to get our noses full of stink. Vendors hawking fish tacos being cooked over a barrel with burning coconut shells. Saw donkeys painted like zebras. Bought silver rings that turned green in two days. Etc Etc And on the trip back to L.A. we were arguing about who got to take their shower first. That smell attaches to clothing, hair etc.
FloorGenAdm · 51-55, M
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
Well, of course a lot depends upon what you are looking for -- what is rubbish to some (or even the majority) can be the kitsch others are looking for. But the two that come to mind for me are Niagara Falls (I guess there actually are some falls somewhere behind all the fast food joints, billboards, and other crap) and the Outer Banks. To illustrate my first point, we expected to spend a week in the Outer Banks because my wife enjoyed the descriptions in all the romance novels she had read. We got one gander at all the strip malls and fast food joints that we couldn't leave fast enough to just wander through North Carolina, where we stumbled upon Mt. Airy, the inspiration for Mt. Pilot in the Andy Griffith Show where everything is tourist oriented based on the TV sitcom. Definitely a tourist trap, but an enjoyable one, imho.
JoyfulSilence · 46-50, M
Is that Annapolis in your photo?
I live nearby.
Isn't South of the Border a Mexican Restaurant?
I live nearby.
Isn't South of the Border a Mexican Restaurant?
HappyDrifter · 36-40, M
@JoyfulSilence Yes - I liked the harbor photo. It's much more scenic than my drab apartment complex. South of the Border on I95 is a really old tourist trap with gift shops, a run down hotel, and a restaurant.
JoyfulSilence · 46-50, M
@HappyDrifter
I haven't been downtown in a while. It is hard to park now. The closed the parking garage and you need an app to park at the dock. I do use apps. I'm old fashioned.
I haven't been downtown in a while. It is hard to park now. The closed the parking garage and you need an app to park at the dock. I do use apps. I'm old fashioned.
The expensive ones that don't concession for carers. Yeah, I'm not enjoying your stately home... like you, I'm there WORKING, why make me pay to do my job???
meggie · F
Dominican Republic. As we walked down the street the shop assistants were grabbing our arms and trying to pull us into their rather dismal shops.
Wizardry · 46-50, M
Queenstown being a tourist trap. Haven’t been there since 03. Including everything there is expensive.
RileyLandS · 41-45, M
the Space Needle in Seattle was much smaller than it appears and the surrounding area is filthy dirty
ineedadrink · 51-55, M
Right. I've never been a place that was so less than expected.
JovialMoose · 51-55, M
What border?
HappyDrifter · 36-40, M
@JovialMoose It's located just past the North Carolina/South Carolina State border. It's really run down, although they are trying to fix it up a little.
HappyDrifter · 36-40, M
@BlueGreenGrey I think the billboards are just as bad as the place itself.
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Stillwaiting · M
Disney. No doubt.
cherokeepatti · 61-69, F
Tijuana….
JohnnyNoir · 56-60, M
Times Square
Starcrossed · 41-45, F
https://iowa80truckingmuseum.com/
pancakeslam · 41-45, M
@V00doo oh yeah
Monalisaa1986 · 36-40, F
Everyone thinks Australia has beautiful beaches the only beach they know is Bondi beach , and all other beaches are too far , or you have to go in another island to get to an actual beach, I reckon other countries have better beaches including USA and Europe
Azlotto · M
Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
turbineman40 · 80-89, M
@Azlotto Gatlinburg TN is a plastic town for tourist and has been from the early 1970's
ineedadrink · 51-55, M
@swirlie Then why do so many Canadians pile on down here every chance they get, year after year. 😅
swirlie · 31-35, F
@ineedadrink
Senility consumes them after eating only one batch of American fried chicken which is why they all end up wearing Tilley hats and why they all drive 10mph below the speed limit in the right hand lane with their left hand turn signal continuously flashing from Buffalo to Vero Beach.
Senility consumes them after eating only one batch of American fried chicken which is why they all end up wearing Tilley hats and why they all drive 10mph below the speed limit in the right hand lane with their left hand turn signal continuously flashing from Buffalo to Vero Beach.