When you decide upon a location for an overseas vacation, you likely have envisioned some of the major attractions that you want to visit. That is understandable, and there are some places in the world that everybody should try to visit at least once. But there are many other ways that you can explore a country that goes beyond the most obvious destinations. You can go a little off the beaten path and often discover much more of what makes a country tick than if you stay on the main strip with all of the bright lights, fancy restaurants, and tourist attractions. Perhaps the best vacation is a balance of both the must-see locations and the places that are out of the way but in many ways just as fascinating and alluring.
Again, the point isn’t that tourist traps aren’t completely without value. It’s just that a vacation spent sticking closely to the places where everybody else visits can mean that you are missing out on the country’s flavor and uniqueness. When you are booking a trip, you should be trying to cut costs wherever you can, which is why, for example, finding cheap flights to Dubai will leave you with more money to spend in that thrilling location. Then, when considering where to visit, consider at least these three arguments against sticking to the same old places that tourists have trod for many years.
1. They’re Expensive
Many countries benefit greatly from the income that comes in from tourists visiting throughout the year. That means that you can generally expect prices to be pretty hefty for many of the most-visited locations. It also means that restaurants and other amenities nearby these locations will be pricey beyond reason as well. You will end up taking up a large chunk of your vacation budget if you stick only to the most well-worn destinations. If you try somewhere else, you might find that your money goes a lot further.
2. They’re Crowded
If your idea of a great vacation is standing amidst a wall of people all jockeying to get to the same exact spot, then, by all means, you should stick with the tourist traps. But that likely isn’t the case. If you do insist on visiting these places, consider doing it at a time when fewer visitors are likely to show up, perhaps off-season or early in the morning.
3. They’ll Take Up Your Whole Day
When you only have a week or so to spend in a foreign destination, you’ll likely want to make the most of your time there. If you spend hours per day in lines just to see something for a moment, there is no way that you can possibly maximize your experience. Perhaps save one day out of the trip for the obvious choices and consider other destinations for the rest of your stay.
Popular tourist destinations are known as traps for a reason. Stay out of these traps as much as possible to enjoy your best possible location.
All of these are good reasons. I do try to avoid tourist traps.
Definitely reconsider visiting the tourist traps. All of what you say is true yet sometimes you just have to see Times Square!
It is fun to visit some out of the way places when going on vacation. Sometimes talking to someone that has lived there or reading travel ideas on a blog is a good way to get some ideas beyond the usual crowded touristy activities.
I like the bath mat from Karen Tarlton – Poetry of a Tree
These are good points. We avoid them now too.
I fully agree with all your points. It’s much more fun to explore beyond the big cities.
This is all true! I try to avoid them myself!