Travel Tips: Avoiding Tourist Traps

By Bryan Kittman | August 21, 2019

The adventure of traveling and going to experience different cultures and parts of the world is what makes it exciting. Unfortunately, not all of us are savvy travelers right from the get-go, and mistakes are bound to be made. One annoying thing is falling into tourist traps, overcrowded areas that are far too overrated and not worth your time. Here our advice for avoiding them. 

Do your research 

Doing your research is absolutely essential before embarking on any type of vacation. Going with the flow may sound thrilling and adventurous, but having a plan will allow you to get the most out of your travels. Some of the best resources for getting first-hand accounts of destinations is checking out community forums like Reddit or TripAdvisor. Travel blogs can also be a good resource, along with friends and family that have actually been. One thing you’ll want to look out for is seeing mentions of things like “Fast Passes” or VIP tickets to destinations. These will usually signify this place is an overcrowded tourist trap that you’ll probably want to stay away from. 

Vet the tours 

While tours can be a great way to have an in-depth experience of the area you’re visiting, sometimes group tours can be filled with visiting tourist-ridden attractions. Sometimes, you miss out on the authenticity and culture of the area. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all though, so it’s best to thoroughly vet tours to ensure that you’ll be getting the best bang for your buck. 

Avoid Staying in Bustling Areas

One of the easiest ways to avoid tourist traps is avoiding booking your hotel in bustling areas. It’s typically cost-efficient to avoid popular hotel chains, and the upside is that it opens up a variety of more boutique options that make for a much more authentic experience. Going with an Airbnb is another good option, as it will most likely put you in an area with considerably less tourist traffic.

Ask locals for recommendations

Experiencing different cuisines when traveling is one of the best parts of exploring new places, but if you want to get the best of the best according to the locals, ask them! Don’t be shy to ask where the best spots are around the area you’re staying. This will often result in getting to try out places you likely would never have thought of checking out.