Historic Sights That Are Nothing But Hype
When you get to a place you’ve fantasized about your whole life, the experience might occasionally be underwhelming.
The unending swarms of other tourists might sometimes mar the trip, or the cheesy souvenir shops and nearby restaurants can interrupt the mood.
When treated as the main attraction, these tourist traps proved hardly worth the price of admission (or parking fees, 10-hour road trips, or plane tickets).
Plymouth Rock
I lived in the area and went to downtown Plymouth a few years ago with some friends. Parking in the summer is a nightmare, so I parked near this weird thing. I wondered what it was and went to check it out, and it was Plymouth Rock.
It’s the saddest little rock, glued together and surrounded by trash and half in the tide.
The worst part is that there is no real “Plymouth Rock.” It was a legend; eventually, locals decided to pick a rock near the original Plymouth colony settlement to play the part. And that rock is the one they chose!
Story Credit: Reddit/Witty-Message-2852
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame is full of scammers and random people trying to sell you their mixtapes and other random stuff in the streets. And these mixtape/CD people shove the CD in your face as you walk. It’s so annoying.
And it’s very crowded, so you’re getting yelled at for ruining other people’s pictures. And you can’t take your own photos without getting bumped around.
Story Credit: Reddit/BambolaXII
Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone in Ireland is crowded. It’s a piece of stone at the top of a castle that you’re supposed to lay on your back, stretch backward, and then kiss it.
My family went, but I wandered the grounds, ate at the cafe, read a book, and watched the crows steal food off tourists’ plates for two hours while said family stood in line.
And that line is on a tight, steep staircase that is a few hundred years old. I discovered the day before at another castle that steep, tight staircases trigger my latent claustrophobia, so I’m glad I skipped it.
Story Credit: Reddit/Jacross
Bourbon Street
I’m from New Orleans but don’t live there anymore. Bourbon Street was always the place not to go. On my last visit back, I went to the French Quarter with my dad.
On the walk back to the car, he took us on a shortcut through Bourbon Street, and the garbage smell was so bad it made me gag. We made it one block before I asked him if we could take Royal instead.
Story Credit: Reddit/DazzlingBullfrog9