Have you ever had great anticipation prior to visiting a certain place, only to be let down once you get there? It’s happened to me a couple times. Or the initial appeal fades more quickly than expected as the rose-colored glasses come off.
There are many lists of overrated travel destinations, most of which make the list since they are subject to ridiculous crowds during most, if not all, of the year. But just because a place is popular doesn’t mean it is an overrated travel destination. There are other reasons something might not be all it’s cracked up to be. Here are five places I think are overrated:
Times Square, New York
The first time we stayed in New York City, I specifically chose to stay in Midtown near Times Square. With plenty to do and see in the immediate area, easy subway access, and the hustle and bustle of the city all around, I figured it was the place to be. After all, I’d briefly passed through once (very briefly) while I was sixteen, and Times Square seemed quite cool.
A second Midtown stay later, and I’ve completely changed my mind. I think I’d far rather stay up near the park, or even down in the financial district. A nice hotel across the East River in Brooklyn or Queens might even be preferred. There are so many other places to potentially stay in New York City. Times Square is iconic, but it (and the surrounding area) is so busy. If I never walk through Times Square again, I think I’ll be just fine.
The Las Vegas Strip
I’ve written previously about how I’d be happy never visiting Las Vegas again. I’ve been through Las Vegas four times now, three times for work, and once on a road trip with my two older kids across the Southwest. None of those visits really connected me with the city. I don’t gamble. I don’t smoke (which is gross when you’re not used to it indoors). I should have known from the outset that there isn’t a whole lot to interest me in LV.
If you’re into glitz, glamour and gambling, Las Vegas may be for you. I found the strip so overhyped. Sure, there was a lot to see, and the Bellagio fountains were cool for a couple minutes. But I found that I’d much rather be hiking in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area with Las Vegas in the rear-view mirror.
The Alamo
Sometimes iconic pieces of history become larger than life in your mind. The Alamo was one of those cases for me. I was hoping to head downtown and see it while visiting friends who live in the suburbs of San Antonio
Our friends warned me that the Alamo might not meet my expectations. My daughter had to be filled in on all the history; they don’t exactly teach much U.S. history in Costa Rica. But I was well aware of the famed battle and last stand, and how pivotal the event was in the Texas Revolution. I had to see the famous building.
Turns out that the Alamo is far smaller than I ever imagined. It’s a simple, low-lying mission building and courtyard now completely surrounded by downtown San Antonio. Sure, it was cool to still see. But it wasn’t nearly the piece of history I had imagined it would be.
London, England
Granted, it’s been quite a while since I visited London. And I’ll freely admit that I had a fantastic time. I enjoyed over a week in the city with friends, sightseeing to our hearts content. It was a fantastic time, and I’d happily go back.
But what surprises me is just how popular London is, to the detriment of other cities. When I see photos of places like Krakow, Gdansk, Ghent, Helsinki, Andorra, and Vienna, it makes me wonder how London (and likewise Paris) get so much of the limelight. London had 19 million visitors in 2017. Contrast that with Rome, another popular city, which only welcomed 9 million. Crazy.
The Maldives
The Maldives might be the most aspirational vacation locale in the world, at least according to many points, miles and travel blogs. It could be a tossup between the Maldives and idyllic Bora Bora. Between the amazing Instagram shots and the serene beaches, it does look amazing. But is it that amazing, given how far you have to travel from the U.S. to get there? To be candid: this is a place I have yet to visit.
Maybe it’s because I’m not much into resorts. Or maybe it’s because I’m not keen on spending $1,000 for additional transit once I get close to my destination. Or maybe it’s because once you get to the resort, you really don’t have any option except to spend a bunch of money on resort food even if you do use points for all your hotel nights. I just don’t see the Maldives as significantly better than so many other places.
I could be proven wrong. But with so many other places to explore, I view the Maldives as overrated. I won’t say I’ll never go, but I don’t really expect to.
Conclusion
I could go on with a few more popular destinations that have little appeal to me that I also consider overrated (actually, I already covered the ones I don’t wish to visit). For some I would be very selective when we visit (e.g. Venice), to avoid the crowds.
It’s the unexpected gems that always stick with me the most, the off-the-beaten-path destinations. My favorite in this category is Newfoundland. Definitely want to make it back to Canada’s coolest province someday.
What are some places you have visited that you found completely overrated?
Well… I have to say. Everything is obviously subjective and thank goodness we are all different. And thank goodness again that everyone is entitled to an opinion. I’m from London… and I probably have to agree with you! 😉 However where I wholeheartedly disagree is the Maldives. I’m an ex pilot who’s been almost everywhere, and have a small family. The island nation is hands down my favorite place on this planet. It helps I love snorkeling/ sea life/ the ocean. I’ve had dinner underwater multiple times, seen massive manta rays (also without getting wet from a bridge and while… Read more »
Thanks for the comment, Andy! I love hearing all the reasons why you *do* love the Maldives. Hearing this side (more than the fancy resorts and luxury travel side) is honestly way more convincing to me!
London gets so many visitors because it’s arguably the greatest city in the world, and Paris and NYC are in the discussion as well. With all due respect, Helsinki, Krakow etc are nice but you can’t can’t reasonably compare to London or Paris or NYC.
For NYC, it’s really just Times and a few other super popular locations that I’m over. The city is great.
Like I said, I enjoyed London. And there is a ton to do, so if you’re gonna pick one European city to hit, it is a good choice. There are just so many *other* great choices, and it seems to overshadow them.
You should erase the Maldives from this list since you haven’t been there. Pointless to speculate.
It a cost analysis for me more than anything. One Maldives vacation would set us back the equivalent of 3-5 other overseas vacations. I’m sure it’s lovely. It looks lovely. But is it worth *that* much more, especially coming from the U.S.?
TBH, I did remove it. Then added it back. Wanted it as a talking point.
The Maldives are not even close to making a top 100 list. There are About 100 other places that have better beaches heck there are probably 100 in Hawaii alone. Why spend 2 days going halfway around the world to buy a grossly overpriced hotel room in a country run by Islamo fascists? No thanks. Will not bother me when they are 6 feet under due to global warming.
Hamoa Beach on Maui is amazing and deserted much of the day. Kapalua Bay Beach is our favorite. And you can book a pretty cheap room there…
Bali is in my opinion overrated. Neighboring Island of Lombok is less crowded and a lot cleaner.
Great tip! I’ve thought about heading to Bali, but would love something more off the beaten path.
I assume you’re writing this from a family travel perspective? With that said, for me, London is in the top 5 for family friendly destinations when it comes to big cities. And we’re not really into big cities either, as a general rule. London is incredibly kid friendly. There are parks and playgrounds everywhere. You can take the tube pretty much anywhere (which negates the need for car seats if traveling by car) and also most of the stations have lifts (huge if your kids are still in strollers). A quick Google search of “things to do in London with… Read more »
I try to write from a mix of family travel perspective and just my personal opinion. I can see London as a top family destination. It is certainly one I’m saving for a return trip when all five of us can go.
I’m just much more keen on off-the-beaten-path places, both for solo, dad-kid, and full family travel.
I would have added Disney World / Land in Orlando, FL and Anaheim, CA. Otherwise, its a great list.
Preach! I thought about leaving it on the list…already called it out in my other post, though. 🙂
[…] Places I Think Are Overrated: Ian discusses 5 places he thinks are overrated on Travel Update. I disagree with him about Times Square, Las Vegas strip and London. However, I totally agree with […]
Agreed with Time Square, Alamo and Maldives. When you compare Maldives with Tahiti, it makes no sense. Paris to me is way more overrated than London. And regarding London, there are a couple of things why many of us love it….the food scene is fantastic! It’s culturally way more diverse than the four or five cities you mentioned. It’s English speaking. And it’s way more easier to get to. You have direct flights from second tier cities like New Orleans and Pittsburgh. And BA is brilliant when it comes to allowing layovers. If I want to go to Europe, my… Read more »
So, Helsinki is effectively English-speaking since the Finns are such excellent polyglots. And I honestly enjoy this experience more. London is certainly nice (had *amazing* Indian food). But is it *that* nice?
I do agree that BA has an amazing route network, and the ability to fly nonstop from so many places in the U.S. (and often cheaply) adds to the tourism.
hit Stockholm too, great city
4 Corners….
You know, I haven’t been there. But I’m certainly not planning on it. I remember your post!
Now if I was driving by…
My brother used to live in Farmington NM so we cruised out to the Four Corners one day. Overpriced Navajo Tacos and the fact that where they’ve built up stuff isn’t correctly on the actual spot (thanks modern GPS). It’s certainly NOT worth a drive just to see it but, if you’re close, it’s fun to be in 4 states at once.
Spend your time at Mesa Verde or Hovenweep instead, very impressive stuff there.
I would add San Francisco to the overrated list. SF, a city of 850,000, had 25 million tourists in 2018. It’s overrun, over priced, and exists on its image.
Agreed. For me SF, is close to home. And it is vastly overpriced. I guess I overlook it, since it never feels like “vacation” when I’m there. Except SFO. I love SFO.
NYC is a must see, but Times Square can be avoided. My mother is from NYC so I’ve spent a lot of summers there. The best trip we had was taking our kids to Ellis Island (stay on the boat at the Liberty Island stop) to see my grandparents’ names on the wall, what a thrill. Then on to see a friend near Battery Park, up to Columbus Circle for lunch and time for the kids to play in Central Park. Had a quick trip up 30 Rock as well, great views and less crowded than Empire State. Next day… Read more »
I do love NYC, and wholeheartedly agree that you need to find the less-touristy spots for the best experience. I also preferred the Top of the Rock to the Empires State. Honestly much better views.