I love visiting kitschy or unique tourist landmarks on a road trip or weekend getaway. In fact, after visiting all 50 states solo, I’ve enjoyed my short visits to nearly all the major tourist attractions in the United States.
However, in retrospect, I’ve found some to be overrated and not places I’d plan an entire trip around.
Here are the seven tourist attractions I think are overrated.
The Four Corners Monument doesn’t offer much beyond a photo opportunity.
For geography enthusiasts, the Four Corners Monument — where visitors can stand in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico simultaneously — is likely a bucket-list attraction.
However, although the quick stop makes for a fun photo opportunity, there’s not much more to do in this relatively remote area.
It’s worth visiting this unique attraction once, but I’d much rather stick to the nearby Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, known for its tall sandstone buttes.
In New Orleans, I’d recommend visiting Frenchmen Street over Bourbon Street.
New Orleans is one of my all-time favorite cities, and the iconic French Quarter neighborhood is always a must-see when visiting. Despite that, I don’t recommend a trip to the city just to see Bourbon Street.
While it can be interesting to walk along in the morning or pop in quickly at night, the overwhelming crowds of tourists do not, in my opinion, best represent the city or its culture.
If I want to escape the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter, I prefer the more low-key Frenchmen Street — which some tour guides call a “local’s Bourbon Street.”
Although Frenchmen Street has become more popular over the years, I still don’t find it as overwhelming as Bourbon Street.
South Dakota’s Black Hills region offers more than just Mount Rushmore.
Like most spots on this list, I’d revisit Mount Rushmore if I were in the Black Hills area of South Dakota, but I wouldn’t center an entire trip around it.
The monument is impressive, but in its immediate vicinity, there isn’t much more to do than hike a couple of very short trails.
I’d instead plan a trip around the entire Black Hills Region, with stops at Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, and Badlands National Park.
The Las Vegas Strip is near the top of my list of overrated destinations.
Although the Las Vegas Strip is a sight unlike any other, its artificiality puts it near the top of my list of overrated tourist destinations.
Despite that, I’ve enjoyed my time on the nearby Fremont Street and in the surrounding natural areas near the city, such as the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
I wouldn’t visit Times Square more than once on a New York City trip.
Similar to the Las Vegas Strip, Times Square is one of the most iconic US landmarks. Although I’d visit if I were nearby, there are so many other spots in New York City that I prefer.
In my opinion, spending time walking around smaller neighborhoods in Manhattan or Brooklyn gives visitors a much better understanding of the local culture.
For those looking for a more touristy experience, I recommend checking out The High Line, which offers great views of Manhattan, or Little Island, which is an artificial island within Hudson River Park.
The line for photos at the Southernmost Point of the US in Key West, Florida, is often extraordinarily long.
Key West, Florida, is one of my favorite cities in the US. Despite all the city has to offer, many visitors first make a beeline for the Southernmost Point.
As the title implies, it’s a simple monument that marks the southernmost point of the US, just 90 miles north of Cuba. Although I visited the point and thought it was a fun photo opportunity, the line for pictures was extraordinarily long.
There are many other places in the area where I’d rather spend that time, with Key West’s exciting culture, museums, history, food, and excellent outdoor-recreation opportunities.
I recommend avoiding Salem, Massachusetts, in October.
I first visited Salem, Massachusetts, on a whim while traveling nearby one October. However, I didn’t realize the city is inundated with visitors throughout the entire month — not just on Halloween.
Infamous for the Salem Witch Trials, the city has become a tourist destination for lovers of everything spooky, especially as Halloween approaches.
Most of my visit was spent finding a parking spot, with the hoards of crowds limiting the appeal for me.
I’d love to visit outside October and recommend only spooky-season fanatics plan a trip during that time frame.
This story was originally published on September 26, 2024, and most recently updated on November 24, 2025.
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