Have you ever traveled to an insanely popular destination but found it extremely underwhelming, Pandas? For me, the Eiffel Tower seemed pretty overhyped. Perhaps I should've visited it at night? Still, nothing beats the disappointment one feels after a long flight and many months of expectations. Luckily, this time, we're talking about the opposite – the travel destinations and tourist attractions that are actually worth the hype.
Recently, one netizen went on to ask others: "What tourist attractions are NOT overrated?" Fellow travelers came through with answers from almost every continent. I personally have to agree with one commenter: pictures don't really do Yellowstone justice. It's considered the No. 1 National Park in the U.S. for a reason!
As summer is almost already here, dear Pandas, scroll down to see where you can plan your next vacation and not be disappointed.
Bored Panda also reached out to Kristin Addis, travel blogger, the CEO of Be My Travel Muse, and founder of Parenthood Adventures. We asked her what destination she would deem totally worth a traveler's time and the psychology behind why we sometimes get disappointed by tourist attractions. Read her insights below!
Professional traveler Kristin Addis shares some unique destinations that are, according to her, definitely worth the hype. Her first pick might surprise some people. "For me, Utah is not at all overrated," she says. "It's so beautiful, and those canyons are unique in the world. The American southwest, in general, has a natural beauty that's unlike anything else I've ever seen after visiting 65 countries."
Then she goes for a more international tourist attraction. "The rice terraces in China's YuanYang are just as extensive and impressive as they look in photos. No Photoshop there!" After Googling it, I can confidently say: wow! Definitely agree! However, Kristin has one more pick: "Norway was just as pristine and beautiful as it appeared in the photos," she tells us.
Unfortunately, not all places can be as fascinating. Not all destinations and tourist attractions can look like they do in pictures. That's why lowering your expectations sometimes might do you some good. "I think it's easy to get disappointed when your expectations are high," Kristin agrees with that sentiment.
"I try not to have expectations when visiting a place, but it can be tough when we see such perfect pictures on social media. Some of the 'Instagram vs. Reality' trend has helped to uncover that, but when it comes down to it, if you want things all to yourself, you've got to wake up super early, go in the off-season, or make peace with sharing it."
If we're talking about what's underrated, maybe let's cover a few overrated places? I already confessed mine, so it's natural I was curious to know what Kristin Addis, a professional traveler, had to say.
"For me, it was the Romblon sand bar in the Philippines," she confesses. "I'd seen so many pictures of it with just a single person walking out on the sand bar and thought it looked beyond dreamy, but when I arrived, it was positively crawling with people. I should have expected that since I was going midday, but it sort of ruined the magic for me," Kristin admits.
Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France. It looks like the home of a particularly prosperous wizard.The Duomo in Florence is freaking amazing. We went right before sunset when the crowd was basically gone, and it was incredible.Angkor Wat.Pompeii.La sagrada familia--especially the interior.Machu Picchu. It’s truly breathtaking. Most of Peru is absolutely stunning.Kyoto. All of it.Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is a serene haven of cascading lakes and waterfalls that look spectacular no matter the season.I fight with who ever says The Colosseum is overrated.I was worried I'd be let down by Venice, but it absolutely was everything it was made out to be. Actually, everywhere I've been in Italy has exceeded expectations - Lake Como and Milan as well.The British Museum in London is worth every bit of hype for history buffs, with artifacts that span the breadth of human civilization.The Grand Teton, Yellowstone and The Redwoods.The Louvre in Paris has a well deserved reputation. There is SO MUCH in there that nobody ever talks about. When I visited, I spent hours just looking at sculptures and barely even got to any of the paintings.
The nearby Musée d'Orsay is also pretty dope. The museum itself was originally built as a train station in the late 19th century and I had a great time just admiring its architecture in addition to the art on display there.The terracotta soldiers in xian. Very unimpressive low key entrance and then you come around a corner and it’s just jaw dropping. Dunno if they’ve changed the entry but it’s very much “under promise, over deliver”. Quite awesome.The Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s basilica are all definitely worth it. The art is incredible, plus the scale of St. Peter’s is unreal .Arches National Park in Utah. Seems like a different planet.Yosemite.Petra, Jordan. It’s insane. I’ve been all over Europe, but this was the only country I’ve been in the Middle East and it was nuts.
As a side note, safari in Tanzania was a scooch overrated. Still awesome, 100% would do again, but a little overrated.Mt Fuji.Milford Sound and the drive to it from Queenstown New Zealand.Schloss Neuschwanstein and the castles around it too, like the one from his family. Its a little bit expensive but damn that dude built coloured lights into the backgrounds that he built in his castle of his favorite operas and theaters. COLOURED LIGHTS. That was 1869. If you're into gold and glamour, expensive s**t, history and a little bit architecture then its truly amazing.
Bavaria for the win.The Alhambra in Granada, Spain ... especially at night.Grand canyon.Catacombs in Paris.Alcatraz, was just there.Since I mainly see US and Europe here I'm going to add some of my favourite places from my travels to Asia.
1) the peace memorial museum in Hiroshima is one of the most intense, emotional but beautiful experiences I have ever had. I personally think it is even better than the 9/11 museum in New York.
2) Ubud in Bali is an incredibly beautiful town surrounded by forest and rivers. It is a nature escape at its best. A stay there will definitely leave you feeling more relaxed.
3) Fo Guang Shan buddha museum near koashiung in Taiwan is the biggest and most beautiful temple I have ever seen. Just the scale of it is jawdropping and all of it is immaculate and stunning.
4) Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul, South Korea is absolutely spectacular, it can get crowded, but the crowds are well deserved, I cannot possibly overstate how gorgeous it is.
5) Shiratani Unsui gorge on Yakushima island in Japan is an amazing place to go for a hike, there are several connected loops and you just pick the distance you are comfortable with.
The gorge, the mountains and the forest are all breathtaking. For those who have seen the Ghibli anime movie "Princess Mononoke" this place is the inspiration for the forest in that movie.All those museums in DC by the capitol. They’re free and range from pretty good to world class amazing.
Edit: The Smithsonians, can't believe I forgot the name.I don't care what anyone says, the sheer power of niagara falls is worth visiting. It is incredible even if the town sucks.Santorini was somehow more impressive to me in person than the social media/Instagram pictures made it seem. Something about being able to see the remnants of an absolutely huge natural disaster was really appreciable.
The part I shouldn't say is that other islands in the area that are less popular are equally, if not more beautiful and cheaper to stay on.
Everyone keep going to Santorini though. I'ma take my next vacation on another island for less money while I pull up pictures of the caldera.Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Went for the first time last year and barely had time to see everything in a day. It’s like the Smithsonian crossed with Disney World, with creative exhibitions of actual spacecraft. We even got to speak with actual astronauts.The Path of the Gods hike in the Amalfi coast. It's absolutely incredible, the views you get from there are some of the best in the world, also, the Road to Hana on Maui. Highly recommend the Shaka guide app to play on your trip it tells you when to pull off and go look at waterfalls.Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York. Even if you're not at all interested in museums, or you find it's always crowded.The French Quarter in New Orleans. Too many people associate the French Quarter with Bourbon St, and it’s unfortunate. The French quarter has amazing architecture, history, restaurants, and people. It’s not just one street with titty bars and drunks, and it’s also not a representation of New Orleans as a whole. There are so many amazing parts to the city that even a week won’t allow you to explore them all. However as a main tourist grab, I’ve gotta say my answer is The French Quarter.
A lesser known tourist attraction in that area is Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. It’s absolutely beautiful. American wetlands are a rapidly decreasing ecosystem, and Bayou Sauvage is one of a few protected areas in Louisiana. With its proximity to the French Quarter, any trip to New Orleans should absolutely include a walk through the bayou’s boardwalks.I think that the underground tour in Seattle is worth the money, and I am a native of WA State. At least the last time that I went it was worth the price of the ticket. It is so unique and the guides do a good job. Also, Pike Place Market is a place that I as a local genuinely enjoy and visit for my own purposes. I go there to eat at the Sound View Cafe and buy incense at Tenzing Momo. There are some things that are overpriced but there are some things that locals love.The Architecture Boat Tour in Chicago. Such a great time and something a little different from typical tourist activities.
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