Places to avoid,places to see.

[drron]

It is a new year so out come the lists.Smarter travel comes out with a few.First the bad-
Stonehenge, England : 10 Most Overrated Tourist Traps (and What to See Instead) - SmarterTravel.com

Then the good-
10 Natural Places You Won't Believe Are Real - SmarterTravel.com

And even the SMH in on the act for those on a budget-
Best places for cheap holidays in 2013 | The Backpacker

I have been to 2 of the tourist traps but really because that's where I was staying.The stars are at the door of the W Hollywood and it's a bit hard to avoid Times Square when you are staying at the DT there.
Have to put a few of the natural wonders on my list.
Sorry Ben but I dont pick places because they are cheap.

 

[UP4014]

I think when on holidays at least one rip off tourist trap with rip off gift shop is in order. I'm always amazed at what kitch they can sell in those shops.

A gift shop in West Virginia had a chip off the Berlin Wall in a Perspex block for $5 and I bought a postcard in a country town in South Australia which was a photo of a street garbage bin.

Matt

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Agree, Stonehenge overrated unless...

a) you take part in the solstice celebrations
b) you're flying over the stones at 250 feet in a Lynx helicopter

(done b not a)

 

[tgh]

Some stuff is famous for a reason and one shouldn't let the crowds kill the wonder.
In this category , I have enjoyed the Parthenon , the Colosseum , the Vatican , St Pete and many others.
Natural,remote and as wild as possible will always ring my bell , as the popular wonders mostly reflect the desecration the Imperial Animal has wrought on his domain.

 

[smit0847]

Avoid Times Square in NYC?!? Okay you only need to see it once but its the epicentre of the city!

 

[TonyHancock]

My top 10 list of places/things to avoid is*:

Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame Cathedral
Champs-Elysees
Musee du Louvre
Montmartre
Versailles
Le Val de Loire
Moulin Rouge
Lourdes


*This post is sponsored by The Society for The Prevention of all things French, in conjunction with the Organising Committee for the Agincourt 600th Anniversary Celebration Party.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Places to see Places to Avoid :

Leadville CO in the USA (Old Mining town) in a snowstorm at night with pass to Aspen (20 k's) closed and the resident GPS screaming.

 

[samh004]

Was a shame there weren't more Australian things to see on the list... but glad at least one did make the list. Will have to visit Hutt Lagoon one day.

I have seen the Prague Astronomical Clock, but admittedly it was by accident, and we didn't stand around for very long.

Taking a page from above, Queenstown, Tasmania shouldn't be visited by anyone. Really awful place!

 

[codash1099]

*This post is sponsored by The Society for The Prevention of all things French, in conjunction with the Organising Committee for the Agincourt 600th Anniversary Celebration Party.

Is it really 600 years? Seems like it was only yesterday.

 

[TonyHancock]

Is it really 600 years? Seems like it was only yesterday.

Time just flies. 200 year anniversary of The Battle of Vittoria this year...and of course France will be preparing for the 28th anniversary of their [-]greatest[/-]* only Naval victory this year.

I know it has become a bit of a cliche, but as natural wonders go Niagara with its twin falls is an astonishing site in mid winter.

*edit: Thank you simongr for the correction!

 

[UP4014]

Places to see Places to Avoid :

Leadville CO in the USA (Old Mining town) in a snowstorm at night with pass to Aspen (20 k's) closed and the resident GPS screaming.

Leadville is a great place, lots of frontier history there.

matt

 

[simongr]

Time just flies. 200 year anniversary of The Battle of Vittoria this year...and of course France will be preparing for the 28th anniversary of their greatest Naval victory this year.

Greatest? That would imply more than one victory...

 

[alieninperth]

TonyHancock, I have to issue with Lourdes. I've been there a few times and each time it was brilliant. Granted you have to avoid all the touristy cough but as soon as the locals realise you're not English then its free beer all round .

 

[anat0l]

Greatest? That would imply more than one victory...

I don't know about Naval victories, but I think they'd always be reminding their Channel rivals of the Hundred Years War.


Well of the places to avoid, I've only seen four of them. The other six I haven't see aren't exactly on the top of my list of things to see.

Interestingly enough, a handful of these places are attractions you can either just pass by or be done with quickly. You don't need to spend ages there, and can usually pass them on the way to another attraction. You wouldn't ordinarily spend more than thirty minutes or so at Stonehenge; we stopped there briefly on our way to Bath (day coach tour). And Mannekin Pis needs not much more than a glance and a photo; you're not a museum critic or a school student who has to write a 500 word report on it.


Interesting that with the Hollywood Walk of Fame that the article recommends instead you go to Madame Tussauds (I haven't been to either). I'm actually not too sure which one is a bigger trap than the other, though I do know which one would be cheaper.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Leadville is a great place, lots of frontier history there.

matt

I am going back there in Feb for decent look around - without the resident GPS !

 

[TonyHancock]

One place that does stand out for me, and isn't in that dreadful place that begins with F, is Graceland. I have had the misfortune to go there twice! Far from being a "mansion" in the Tennessee countryside it is a relatively small, by US standards, house in what is now a less than salubrious suburb. I suppose for the peeps here there is the opportunity to walk through Elvis' private jet, but overall not the best place I have ever been to.

 

[UP4014]

I am going back there in Feb for decent look around - without the resident GPS !

Head down to Silverton and Durango, take a ride on the San Juan Express if you ge the chance.

matt

 

[arraitch]

TonyHancock, I have to issue with Lourdes. I've been there a few times and each time it was brilliant. Granted you have to avoid all the touristy cough but as soon as the locals realise you're not English then its free beer all round .

Well, we missed the free beer, but "as soon as the locals realise you're not English" has worked everywhere we've been in France. Can't imagine why ...

 

[tuapekastar]

My top 10 list of places/things to avoid is*:

Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame Cathedral
Champs-Elysees
Musee du Louvre
Montmartre
Versailles
Le Val de Loire
Moulin Rouge
Lourdes


*This post is sponsored by The Society for The Prevention of all things French, in conjunction with the Organising Committee for the Agincourt 600th Anniversary Celebration Party.

Methinks you would quite enjoy this 'appreciation' of all things French, delivered at the time of the Pacific nuclear testing.

 

[The Rok]

My favourite part of France was catching the Euro Star out of it!