Locals telling it like it is

I saw this the other day, or one just like it. It's all pretty obvious stuff. Don't eat near major tourist destinations at restaurants with pictures, touts outside and menus in many languages.

To which I say, WTH not? If you're hungry and you are in that area, so what if you eat in a "tourist trap" restaurant. It's just one meal, your life will continue.

Let me say that the Space Needle in Seattle has to be one of the biggest tourist traps ever...
I think every destination has at least one.

Lengthy, opiniated, and informative. Too bad it is only European centric.

Umm...Couple comments,

First, you are linking a Reddit subReddit called "Ask Europe" about tourist traps, and saying "too bad it is Europe Centric", bit like saying Rick Steves Europe is only about Europe.

Second, I frequently contribute to Reddit, so take it as you want, but the typical contributor is younger (14 to 25) not restricted to the sub title (so "ask Europe" is really ask anyone) and get upvotes, points, and prestige for making funny, outrageous, or popular comments for posting...as opposed to factual.

Basically, take what you see with a huge block of salt, much like a Tripadvisor review. Might be interesting, but it is what it is.

But to answer the question...I doubt any Parisian ever ventures to the Eiffel tower very often or even many of the museums, a Roman to the Colosseum, the Vatican Museum, or any of the other major sights. Basically, a local might be proud of what is there, but often will note that those things are there for the tourists.

Tourist trap maybe denotes a different category...torture and wax museums as an example I suppose...but still, not obviously denoted by locals.

I love the notion of the term "tourist trap". Maybe the better question is "What is your definition of a tourist trap?"

Tourist trap is a snobby term. Have you paid money to go up to Schilthorn in the Berner Oberland? Would you call it a tourist trap? Extremely expensive and all it really is in the end is a view. Most traveler's to Switzerland would never call it a tourist trap, but it does fit the definition.

How about Christmas Markets? Are those not markets to sell souvenirs wrapped around the Holidays? If those markets were set up in July selling products we would most likely say they are tourist traps.

In my opinion there are no such things as tourist traps. People are free to spend money on what they enjoy. I am confident Disney would agree!!!

Tourist traps and things tourist pay to do in a location are two different things. I have an example for Philly. Everyone knows the Philly Cheesesteak. In Philly there are two places in south Philly called Pats and Genos. They are two cheesesteak places, right next to each other, open 24 hours a day. They have bright glitzy lights on them and basically only tourist eat there. The sandwiches aren’t any more expensive but they aren’t that good, and you will never see locals eating there. We call that a tourist trap because it’s designed to lure tourist in but it delivers a sub prime product.

I can think of two examples of tourist traps I saw in Croatia. I think the walking of the wall in Dubrovnik is a huge tourist trap as the cost of 250 hrk is ridiculously high to just gain a slightly elevated viewpoint and when the ancient walls of basically any other city are free to roam. Another was Carpe Diam, a club on its own island off of Hvar that has a whopping €40 cover to get in. There is really nothing special about the club, it’s just the exclusivity and mystic of a club on an island and I’m sure the high price tag makes tourist think it must be amazing.

To me, a tourist trap is either an inauthentic experience sold just to tourist or an overpriced attraction that delivers a mediocre product that locals can often find better elsewhere.

OK a bit closer to home for some of you. I lived less than half an hour away from New York when I was (much) younger.

I went to the 86th floor once (maybe twice) and the 102nd floor once. I went to the Statue of Liberty once (saw it from onboard a ship many times). So pretty much tourists go to the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty - at least in the people I knew.

So are the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building tourist traps? Staten Island Ferry? (by the way, probably things change, can you still ride the Staten Island Ferry for a nickel?)

Don't eat the Paella on Las Ramblas.

Reading the reddit thread, it seems a lot of people are condemning whole cities based on how much they were charged for something that they thought wasn't worth it. Thats pretty a pretty narrow definition of tourist trap. There's a difference between "only tourists go there" and "there's nothing worth seeing there". The Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and many of those other things, are still worth visiting (at least once), even if its not something locals are attracted to.

I've read several times in this forum that Banff, Alberta is a tourist trap. But when I read that, I get the sense those people never left the 2 block tourist zone on Banff Ave. The best definition I've read is that a tourist trap is a low-quality attraction that has little or nothing to do with where it has been placed. Rome, Paris, London, Cairo; everywhere has them, and the best precaution to avoiding them is to have a plan. Tourist Traps are there because there is also something there worth seeing.

Nigel, the Staten Island ferry is free. Both ways.

bargain - that's even better than a nickel

Thanks Barbara

The perspective of Locals is certainly worth investigating; but it isnt the end-all. There is a reason that the Eiffel Tower is a tourist trap. Because it is iconic. What a local might be burned out on might just be fresh and amazing to a tourist. I live in one of the more popular tourist destination cities in the US, and I am totally pooped out on the main attractions, but I always send guests to the "traps" and and they (almost) always come back happy for the advice.

There is a reason that the Eiffel Tower is a tourist trap.

I've only spent 2 half days in Paris and only walked by the Tower and got the obligatory selfie, but I never got the sense it was a tourist trap. Maybe I was so enamored with seeing it for the first time that I completely missed the carnival of touristy stuff that surrounds iconic sites.

Hollywood.

Tourist Trap: all of downtown Nashville.
Not a tourist trap: Cheekwood House & Botanical Gardens, located in a posh neighborhood, far away from downtown.

I've only spent 2 half days in Paris and only walked by the Tower and
got the obligatory selfie, but I never got the sense it was a tourist
trap. Maybe I was so enamored with seeing it for the first time that I
completely missed the carnival of touristy stuff that surrounds iconic
sites.

Allan, my point exactly. Now if you lived in Paris, I bet you would have a different perspective.

Tourist trap: Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Loud rock music. Often bad, over-priced food, lots of trinket shops selling t-shirts and shot glasses. Local folks never go there unless 1) they work there in one of the clubs or 2) they have out-of-town visitors who insist that they want to go to Bourbon Street. Once the visitors (at least my visitors) get there and walk a couple of blocks, they then turn to their local friend (me) and say: okay. Done that. Now where should we really go? Note: Good live music is generally better at the clubs on Frenchmen Street, just outside of the French Quarter, and at certain clubs elsewhere in the Quarter and also at other places in town.

Reminds me of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco when I lived there...

Well, this local is taking his Ukrainian tourist guests to Buc-ee's for Beaver Nuggets. (after the San Jac. monument, before the Alamo then the Dude Ranch in Bandera, shooting and eating something in Tarpley and dropping them at the the bus station in Marfa.)

IMO often times locals get hardened. Tourist traps are often places that are popular for a reason. Not always, but many times, IME.

I love the Space Needle here, and whenever family visits, we take them there. We do not tire of it, and my husband was raised in Seattle.

The only place off the top of my head that is a true tourist trap is the Sea Lion Caves on the OR coast. I say that only because there is a cost to it, and it is smelly. You can see the seals for free, with fresh air, in many areas of the coast.

Well, Buc-ees is a "must see" attraction, as my hat and t-shirt will attest..