It’s totally normal and exhilarating to get excited to visit somewhere you’ve never been to before, but thanks to social media it’s also very easy to feel like you’ve been misled or cheated regarding how awesome this place really is. Sometimes Google can be your best friend while planning a trip, but sometimes you can stumble across suggestions that are not really worth your time and money. Sometimes these tourist attractions don’t live up to what we wish they’d be.
Ave Maria Grotto- Alabama
The Ave Maria Grotto is just four acres filled with tiny holy places and statues of religious figures. It’s basically a miniature city meant to attract those dedicated to religion, and it might be a bit too much for young kids or those who aren’t so into learning about religious history. After taking a few photos and walking around, you won’t find much else to do except to stay and pray.
Ave Maria Grotto- Alabama
The North Pole- Alaska
Don’t worry, the real North Pole is definitely not an overrated tourist attraction, but this fake Christmas town in Alaska is. The North Pole is definitely a tourist trap; you won’t find any native Alaska residents coming here on their weekends. There isn’t much to do or see here, and in the winter it’s absolutely freezing in Alaska anyway.
The North Pole- Alaska
The Four Corners- Arizona
What exactly are the four corners? It’s where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona all meet in the same corner. The cool part is that you can be standing in four different states at once, but other than snapping a quick photo, there’s not much else to it. On top of the fact that you’re standing in the desert heat to see nothing, the actual intersection is about 1800 feet away from where they placed the plaque!
The Four Corners- Arizona
Crater Of Diamonds State Park- Arkansas
Even though this is the only open-to-the-public place in the United States where you can find natural diamonds, it’s been open since the early 1900s, so without some really great professional-level mining equipment, you’re unlike to find anything special. This is basically a field of dirt, there’s really not much more to it than that, unfortunately.
Crater Of Diamonds State Park- Arkansas
Hollywood Walk Of Fame- California
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is something that tourists automatically associate with California, especially with Los Angeles, but locals try to do anything they can to avoid this part of the city. The street is always jam-packed with tourists who don’t know where they’re going, which means that actually getting a cool photo of yourself with a star is highly unlikely. There are street performers everywhere, but not the cool kind. Stay away from here if possible.
Hollywood Walk Of Fame- California
Buffalo Bill Grave And Museum- Colorado
If you’re not into learning about cowboys, this place probably isn’t for you. Buffalo Bill was one of the most famous cowboys to ever live, but nonetheless, you’re still just looking at a gravesite. There is a museum as well, but it has not been updated since it was built in 1921, so take that as you wish.
Buffalo Bill Grave And Museum- Colorado
Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Store- Connecticut
If by nostalgia store you really mean overpromoted flea market, then that is exactly what Wild Bill’s is. Who’s Wild Bill? Great question. Wild Bill is the giant head that is absolutely terrifying, not only to small children but to some (okay, most) adults, as well! We don’t think you should take any special detour to come to this place.
Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Store- Connecticut
Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk- Delaware
It’s actually getting more difficult to find this place overrated because many tourists have started voicing their complaints and fits of anger about how expensive everything on the boardwalk is. Finding a parking space at the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk is next to impossible, and it’s definitely not worth the stress for the quality of fun you’ll have here, anyway.
Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk- Delaware
Epcot- Florida
Many visitors claim that Epcot is actually the most overrated park in all of Disney World. Kids don’t tend to enjoy the rides at Epcot, and the countries represented here seem to be extremely stereotypical, not a real claim to their cultural representation. The point is to make you feel like you’re traveling the world, but it misses the mark here. On the bright side, adults can enjoy “adult beverages”… for an extremely overpriced rate.
Epcot- Florida
World Of Coca-Cola- Georgia
Okay, so this place itself is pretty cool, and with affordable tickets, it seems pretty tempting. You get to take a photo with the beloved Coca-Cola bear, taste different kinds of drinks, and learn about the history of Coca-Cola. Where the problem comes in, though, is with the insane crowds of lost tourists and long lines that seem to lead to nowhere. While the experience seems pretty awesome, it’s not worth it if you have some impatient kiddos with you who don’t want to stand in a line.
World Of Coca-Cola- Georgia
Waikiki Beach- Hawaii
Waikiki Beach, like any beach in Hawaii, is gorgeous. The issue is when every guest from all of the luxurious hotels that sit on the beach come and gather, and the beach gets super crowded with a whole bunch of tourists. In turn, the beach became filled with chain restaurants and super overpriced souvenir shops. You’re better off finding a beach down the road that won’t be so packed, where you’ll truly get to experience Hawaii’s real beauty.
Waikiki Beach- Hawaii
Craters Of The Moon- Idaho
In photos, this place looks awesome. In reality, this place is nothing more than an open space of rocks. It could be a unique place to do a photoshoot, but other than that, you will likely be pretty bored after a few minutes. If you’re planning on staying here for a while, be prepared to entertain yourself. If you were expecting something super cool and outrageous, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Craters Of The Moon- Idaho
Chicago’s Magnificent Mile- Illinois
If you’re planning to go to the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, be prepared that it’s truly not that magnificent. It’s a super crowded street filled with trees, expensive stores, and fancy restaurants, just like any major tourist-attraction street in any major tourist-attraction city. Your dog may enjoy it, as there are always tons of dogs in this area, but as a human, you’ll likely just feel overwhelmed with the mass amount of people aimlessly window shopping and stopping to stare at the (admittedly, gorgeous) skyline.
Chicago’s Magnificent Mile- Illinois
NCAA Hall Of Champions- Indiana
The NCAA Hall of Champions hasn’t been redesigned or changed in quite some time, so it’s safe to say that it’s in desperate need of an update right now. Even if you’re a die-hard NCAA fan, it’s not super exciting, and you can get through the entire museum within 30 minutes. That sounds like a waste of money.
NCAA Hall Of Champions- Indiana
Captain James T. Kirk’s Future Birthplace- Iowa
There’s really nothing to this place, what you see is what you get. If you’re a fan of True Bloods, you’ll know that the mayor of Riverside, Iowa made this up. He read something about the show and saw that Captain Kirk was born in a small town in Iowa, and self-proclaimed that the small town is, in fact, Riverside.
Captain James T. Kirk’s Future Birthplace- Iowa
The World’s Largest Ball Of Twine- Kansas
This is literally just a giant ball of twine. That’s it. There’s nothing else to it. It’s 41 feet in circumference and weighs over 20,000 pounds. That’s pretty awesome, but still, it’s a ball of twine. It’s evergrowing, which is also cool, but still, it’s twine. The coolest part about this ball of twine is that Weird Al Yankovic sang about it.
The World’s Largest Ball Of Twine- Kansas
Ark Encounter- Kentucky
This attraction first opened in 2016 as a representation of Noah’s Ark, the famous Old Testament story. In general, a theme park based around a biblical story isn’t something to complain about, but the fact that it is so overpriced for a ticket is definitely a reason to complain about it. A ticket itself is $40 for adults and $28 for children, plus an extra $50 for ziplining tickets.
Ark Encounter- Kentucky
Bourbon Street- Louisiana
New Orleans can offer you much more than just the tourist attraction that is Bourbon Street. It can be fun at times, but it easily gets ruined by all of the tourists running around and tacky signs to attract said running around tourists. If you want to experience real New Orleans culture, go to a jazz club or go somewhere a bit off the beaten path. You won’t regret it.
Bourbon Street- Louisiana
The Desert Of Maine- Main
The desert of Maine sure racks in all of the tourists, about 300,000 per year, to be exact. Being in Maine, it is, of course, not a real desert, but it seems like it’s as close as you’ll get in the Northeastern United States. The “desert” is covered with fake camels and pine trees, but hey, they’re doing what they can.
The Desert Of Maine- Maine
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!- Maryland
We aren’t saying that the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museums aren’t super cool– they definitely are– but when you’re in a city filled with such cool culture and history like Baltimore, it seems like this kind of museum isn’t the best place to spend your day. If you only have a small amount of time to spend in Baltimore, spend it doing the unique things that you can’t do anywhere else, not going to a chain museum that you can see in other places.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!- Maryland
Faneuil Hall And Quincy Market- Massachusetts
You won’t feel much of a historic vibe anymore while visiting Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market as you used to. Nowadays, it’s so packed with tourists that you won’t be able to think about anything else except avoiding tacky souvenir vendors. The market is now just a small food court, and the meals are nothing to write home about. In a place like Boston, there’s so much rich history that you don’t need to waste your time here.
Faneuil Hall And Quincy Market- Massachusetts
Mystery Spot- Michigan
This mystery spot isn’t much of a mystery anymore, given how many tourists go there each day. There are billboards advertising it all over the place, and it’s not as exciting as they let you think it is. This spot is equipped with a zipline, mini-golf, and a maze; the “mystery” of the mystery spot is an area that is meant to trick guests (mainly children) into believing that they are defying gravity. It’s really not worth your time.
Mystery Spot- Michigan
Mall Of America- Minnesota
The Mall of America may be the coolest mall in the country, but at the end of the day, it’s still a shopping mall. If you’ve never been here, let us explain to you just how large this place is. It has a theme park, a zipline, a mini-golf course, and 520 stores inside. Can you imagine that? You can fit nine Yankee Stadiums inside this mall. That is insane! The crowds are never calm and there’s never a quiet minute here, but if you don’t mind that, give it a shot.
Mall Of America- Minnesota
Birthplace Of Elvis- Mississippi
Unless you’re doing some sort of Elvis-themed tour, this place can easily be skipped and not missed. This museum in Tupelo, Mississippi contains this two-room home, a chapel, and a church building where Elvis prayed with his family. There’s really nothing super cool to see here; don’t waste your time.
Birthplace Of Elvis- Mississippi
Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail And Museum- Missouri
The name of this place makes it sound about 100 times cooler than it really is. It’s just a giant mountain of rocks that hides TNT, asbestos, mercury, radium, and radioactive uranium. This place was formerly the biggest factory for explosives in the United States, and until 1966 it was also a uranium-ore processing plant. It was left abandoned for two decades before the U.S. Department of Energy decided to cover it up with a mountain of rocks and add a museum to the site. Truly, there’s nothing to see here.
Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail And Museum Missouri
50,000 Silver Dollar Bar- Montana
Don’t let the name “bar” fool you. This place is more of a giant gift shop than anything else. Yes, there’s a bar, but it’s in the back of the building and it’s quite small. The main thing this place has going for it is the fact that it has one of the largest coin collections in the country, with 50,000 silver dollars stuck onto the walls. To bring in more tourists, there is an inn with parking capable of holding an RV, a small casino, and a place to keep your horses. Welcome to Montana.
50,000 Silver Dollar Bar- Montana
Carhenge- Nebraska
Like Stonehenge, but truly not even close whatsoever. Carhenge is a compilation of 39 vintage cars, all painted gray, stacked in the same formation as the rocks at Stonehenge. It seems almost too bizarre to be real, but trust us, it is real. Cars featured here are all different, and some of their collection includes an old ambulance, a pick-up truck, and a Cadillac. Built in 1987, this tourist attraction was purposely meant to imitate the real Stonehenge.
Carhenge- Nebraska
The Venetian Gondolas- Nevada
It’s pretty well-known that the entire city of Las Vegas is one giant tourist attraction, between all of the flashy lights, casinos, and hotels, but there’s one tourist attraction in particular that you shouldn’t waste your time with. That attraction is the Venetian gondolas. It costs $116 for a ride, which, is directed through a mall, and the water absolutely reeks of chlorine. If you’re looking for a romantic gondola ride, go to the real Venice, and stay away from the gondolas in Las Vegas.
The Venetian Gondolas- Nevada
Clark’s Trading Post- New Hampshire
Okay, so this place is actually really awesome. All of the locals come here, and have been for generations, and love it so much. In this case, tourists actually aren’t as interested in a place as locals are. Tourists aren’t into paying to see a show of trained bears these days, and the steam trains, bumper boats, and Segways are a bit bland for a tourist. Locals, on the other hand, can’t get enough of this place.
Clark’s Trading Post- New Hampshire
Atlantic City Boardwalk- New Jersey
Most of the people who go to Atlantic City these days are of the older generation, and they go because it’s where they’ve been going forever. Atlantic City is basically a tackier, dirtier, not-Vegas version of Las Vegas. You won’t find much to do here other than be swarmed with souvenir vendors trying to sell you overpriced things.
Atlantic City Boardwalk- New Jersey
Roswell- New Mexico
Ever since there was a supposed alien crash landing in 1947, the whole city of Roswell decided that aliens would be their new reputation in order to attract tourists. The entire town, literally the whole thing, is based around UFOs and aliens, but in a super tacky way. There are shops and souvenirs everywhere you look- all based on aliens. It’s a bit much, and a bit creepy.
Roswell- New Mexico
Times Square- New York
Times Square is arguably one of the most stress-inducing places in the entire world. You can’t escape the blinding flashing lights or the deafening sounds all around you, and that’s really all there is to Times Square. You’ll find chain restaurants that are triple the price as they are anywhere else in the country and overpriced souvenirs that you’ll find for much cheaper if you leave Times Square. I’m not sure there’s a single New York local that enjoys being in, or even near, Times Square. There’s so much to do in New York, that you shouldn’t waste your time here.
Times Square- New York
The Blowing Rock- North Carolina
It’s not even arguable that the views here are stunning and any hike you’ll do in the Blue Ridge Mountains will take your breath away, but you have to pay $10 to get to The Blowing Rock, which seems a bit unreasonable when you can get the same views for free on the other trails. It’s a black and white tourist trap and not worth paying for something that you’ll get for no money elsewhere.
The Blowing Rock- North Carolina
The Enchanted Highway- North Dakota
Just the name of this place is a bit weird to think about, but the fact that this attraction is just a 32-mile stretch of a southern North Dakota highway that’s filled with sculptures made out of scrap metal. It’s a cool concept, but again, a bit weird to see giant birds, grasshoppers, fish, humans, and even eyes while you’re trying to drive along the highway. It’s a nice way to entertain yourself while you’re driving and a great way to reuse scrap metal, but I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see it.
The Enchanted Highway- North Dakota
“A Christmas Story” House- Ohio
Unless you’re a big fan of “A Christmas Story”, you probably won’t find this attraction even slightly cool. You’ll have to wait in long lines, pay a ticket fee, and walk through crowds just to see exhibits of the movie. There’s a gift shop at the end, but again, it’s filled with memorabilia from the movie. If you aren’t the world’s biggest fan of this movie, you don’t need to go here.
“A Christmas Story” House- Ohio
J.M. Davis Arms And Historical Museum- Oklahoma
This place is pretty much just a gun museum. If you like guns, you might like it here. If you don’t like guns, I’d highly, highly recommend not coming here. They have 50,000 things to see at this museum, most of which are firearms that date back to the 14th century. History in the western part of the U.S. is filled with so much more than guns and firearms, so if you’re looking for a truly historical experience, I’d go somewhere else.
J.M. Davis Arms And Historical Museum- Oklahoma
Undersea Gardens- Oregon
If you’re interested in paying a lot of money to go into an enclosed space for 30 minutes to watch divers swim in super dirty water, where you may or may not see some fish, this is the place for you. Once tourists realized that they can see some lions nearby, above water, for free, fewer and fewer people started coming to the Undersea Gardens.
Undersea Gardens- Oregon
The Liberty Bell- Pennsylvania
Almost everyone in the world knows what the Liberty Bell is, thanks to school and Nicholas Cage. Since it’s such an iconic and historic symbol of American history, everyone visiting Philadelphia now wants to go see it. In turn, there are always tourists around snapping photos of the bell, which means that in order to see it up close and personally, you’ll have to wait in a massive line. It’s not that special, and it’s certainly not worth waiting around to see up close.
The Liberty Bell- Pennsylvania
Mysterious Viking Tower- Rhode Island
Nobody is really sure what exactly the big mystery is about this tower, but it might be the question of who actually built it. Some people think the Vikings built it, but that hasn’t been proven or disproven. If the Vikings did build it, that would make it one of the oldest buildings in the country. At the end of the day, there’s not much to this tower, and it’s not worth your time to visit.
Mysterious Viking Tower- Rhode Island
South Of The Border- South Carolina
South of the Border is literally just a spot that is, in fact, south of the border between North and South Carolina. Unlike the Four Corners, this tourist attraction actually is in the correct spot, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still just a large area for restaurants and gift shops, made especially gaudy for tourists.
South Of The Border- South Carolina
Wall Drug- South Dakota
Let’s start with the fact that this is just a drugstore. The only thing that’s special about it is that they have a free snake pit inside and huge sculptures along the road. Other than that, it’s a normal drugstore. It became so famous because in 1931 they decided to give away free ice water to customers. In today’s world, it’s hard to tell why that’s so exciting, but in the 30’s it may have been a huge deal. They must be doing something right because they profit about $10 million each year, but truly, it’s just a drugstore.
Wall Drug- South Dakota
Graceland- Tennessee
If you are not a die-hard Elvis fan, Graceland likely won’t appeal to you. And even if it does, you’ll probably regret going after you’ve seen what you get for the cost of your ticket. While Elvis is definitely beloved by many people around the world, Graceland is nothing too special. If you’re going for the sake of seeing a cool mansion, there are plenty of better places to visit without such long lines and high ticket costs.
Graceland- Tennessee
The Big Texan Restaurant in Amarillo- Texas
It’s true, everything certainly is bigger in Texas, especially tacky tourist restaurants. You’ll see Texan decorations everywhere your eyes go inside of this restaurant, but that’s not all you’ll see. The walls are filled with taxidermy of everything that once lived in the Wild West but now resides inside of a roadside restaurant. The food is exactly what you’d expect from a place like this- nothing too special whatsoever- and the gift shop is probably just as overpriced as every touristy gift shop.
The Big Texan Restaurant In Amarillo- Texas
Moqui Cave- Utah
So for starters, this isn’t actually a cave at all. This landmark was caused by erosion. Not only is it not a cave, but it’s also marketed as something that was built and used by Native Americans, which is also a big fat lie. Even if you don’t mind the fact that everything they say about this place is false, it’s still not worth your time to go. Some visitors have said the attraction is nothing but a gift shop, and even that isn’t worth your effort.
Moqui Cave- Utah
Rock Of Ages- Vermont
By the name of this attraction, you’d expect something extraordinary. In reality, you are looking at an old granite quarry that’s filled with natural pools today. It is interesting, but only for about ten minutes. There’s really not much to do or see here, and the gift shop is said to be extremely overpriced and not worth the effort.
Rock Of Ages- Vermont
Foamhenge- Virginia
It seems like everyone in the world except for the British are beyond fascinated with Stonehenge. So much, in fact, that there are two replicas on this list! Instead of being made out of cars, this one is made of foam, hence the name Foamhenge. It opened in 2004 but was dismantled for relocation in 2016. Today you can find this attraction standing proudly in Centreville, Virginia.
Foamhenge- Virginia
Gum Wall- Washington
What started as someone’s littering in 2000 shortly became a Seattle tradition. People started sticking their sticky, chewed-up gum on the Market Theater wall under Pike Place Market. For 15 years people stuck with the tradition of sticking their gum onto this wall. The city decided to remove all of the gum in order to save the building’s brick, but that didn’t stop Seattle natives and tourists alike from re-sticking their bubble gum onto the wall again.
Gum Wall- Washington
The Congressional Bunker- West Virginia
Located in a luxury resort called the Greenbrier, the Congressional Bunker was supposed to be kept top secret, until someone decided otherwise. For a tour that costs $34, there’s nothing you’ll see here that you can’t see in online photos. The bunker is basically compromised of white walls, bunk beds, and nonperishable food. The tour is 90 minutes long, but trust us, you should save your money and do something better.
The Congressional Bunker- West Virginia
Mars Cheese Castle- Wisconsin
There shouldn’t even be a debate- cheese from Wisconsin is the best cheese in the United States. Still, Mars Cheese Castle is nothing special. It’s impossible to miss when you’re driving along the highway, but we don’t recommend stopping if you’re not an insane lover of cheese. Since transforming from a burnt-down gas station to the castle, it’s become the largest cheese store in Wisconsin. Even locals love this place, but it’s always packed.
Mars Cheese Castle- Wisconsin
Frontier Prison- Wyoming
This place is not for people who scare easily, that’s for sure. Walking through a prison that was used for 80 years is bound to bring creepy vibes, it’s simply unavoidable. Part of the tour is sitting in a gas chamber, which seems like it may be crossing a few boundaries. Walking the halls of the prison is eerie, and there are definitely dark and torturous vibes going on. If you don’t want your kids to join an interactive prison tour that may give them nightmares forever, we’d recommend steering clear of this place.
Frontier Prison- Wyoming