12 Popular Tourist Spots That Locals Find Completely Boring
Tourist locations sometimes hype up adventure, excitement, and unforgettable memories. Most likely, you’ve planned your trip around these must-see landmarks so you can take that perfect selfie.
These places are packed with visitors taking pictures and crossing items off their bucket lists, but locals tend to look at them differently. To tourists, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime moment, but for those living nearby, it’s their daily commute.
The Eiffel Tower, Paris
The Eiffel Tower is perhaps the world’s most famous landmark. Tourists line up for hours to get to the top, while locals are probably rolling their eyes and heading to a quieter café. The tower is a tourist trap full of selfie sticks and overpriced souvenirs. From a distance it’s pretty, but for many locals, that’s all that’s needed.
Times Square, New York City
Times Square is a place New Yorkers will tell you straight up, they avoid like the plague. The lights are bright, it’s a must see for visitors, but for locals it’s a chaotic overcrowded mess. There’s the constant noise, the crowds of tourists, and sensory overload. If you ask a local, they’ll likely suggest a hidden rooftop bar, or a quiet neighborhood to really get a taste of the city.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a marvel to outsiders. To Italians, especially those in Pisa, it’s just a tower that tips a little too much. It’s surrounded by tourists trying to take that cliché “holding up the tower” photo, and locals just walk past it, as if it doesn’t exist. It’s an iconic sight, no doubt, but after the novelty wears off, it’s just another building.
Los Angeles – Hollywood Walk of Fame
Tourists are looking for their favorite celebrity star, and Los Angeles residents are cursing the traffic and dodging costumed characters. The Hollywood Walk of Fame looks glamorous, but for those who have to walk by it every day, it’s just another crowded stretch of sidewalk. The less touristy neighborhoods are full of hidden cafés and great hiking spots and locals often prefer to spend their time there.
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a must-see for people traveling around the world, rich in history and full of grandeur. For many locals, especially those who live near Beijing, it’s another heavily touristed spot that quickly tires after your first few visits. So they’re more likely to skip the busy parts of the wall and if they do go at all, they’ll head to less well-known places where they can take in the views without the crowds.
Sydney Opera House, Australia
The Sydney Opera House has iconic architecture and is a tourist magnet, but ask a local and they’ll probably shrug. It’s impressive, sure, but it’s also a part of their everyday skyline. Sydneysiders would much rather catch a ferry across the harbor or lounge on one of the city’s beaches than brave the crowds around this famous building.
The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Tourists will marvel at the Pyramids of Giza, but the locals in Cairo avoid the tourist heavy area. For those who live there, the experience is less than ideal — the sweltering heat, pushy vendors, and busloads of tourists. The pyramids are admired for their historical significance by locals, but they usually know better, quieter places to explore the country’s rich culture.
Niagara Falls, Canada
Niagara Falls attracts tourists with the mighty roar of the water and the refreshing mist. For locals, it’s more like a place where you can take visiting relatives. The area is very commercialized and after a while, the novelty of the waterfalls wears off. Instead, lots of people choose to hike the trails and visit the nearby wineries.
The Colosseum, Rome
While the Colosseum may be one of the most visited attractions in the world, for Romans it’s just a massive ruin, surrounded by traffic jams and tour groups. A million times, locals have seen it on their way to work or school and for them, the real Rome is in its quiet side streets, off the beaten path.
Santorini, Greece
No doubt those picture-perfect sunsets over Santorini’s whitewashed buildings are stunning, but locals have had a bit of a headache in recent years. The island has become so popular that it has become overcrowded with tourists, prices have skyrocketed and local culture has been lost. Most Greeks like a quieter island and choose less popular areas, where they can live a more authentic and relaxed life.
New York City: The Statue of Liberty
For New Yorkers, the Statue of Liberty is just a statue you see on the ferry, but for tourists, it’s the symbol of freedom and a bucket list item. Locals would much rather spend their time in the city’s parks or museums, and the long lines, security checks, and crowded tours make it less appealing. It’s the kind of attraction they’ll visit once and never revisit.
Stonehenge, England
Among the world’s best-known prehistoric sites, Stonehenge is a favorite among curious tourists from near and far. To locals, it’s a pile of rocks swarming with tourists. Yes, it’s a fascinating historical landmark, but after you’ve seen it once, there’s not much reason to return. People often choose to spend the day out in the local countryside, as it’s a much more peaceful option.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.
But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.
10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
