25 Strange Places Around The World People Visit Once (And Regret It Instantly)

No two people’s bucket lists are the same, and everyone wants to see and experience different things. Travel is something personal, and while some people love museums, others would rather spend their time outdoors. Each city is also unique for what it offers, some are known for their food and culture, others for their historical landmarks, which people feel they cannot possibly leave without seeing.

But some of the most visited tourist attractions are not necessarily the best, and often, people are left feeling underwhelmed rather than excited. Standing in a lengthy queue and forking out an unreasonable amount of cash just to see a mediocre site is not exactly a day well spent, and then there are those places that look amazing on social media, but in real life, without being enhanced, they are just disappointing.

No one wants to gaze at a natural landscape that’s dull, or visit a boring old rock and below are 25 places around the world that tourists visit once. Some are strange, others are just the typical tourist traps, but the thing they have in common is that sometimes tourists wish they hadn’t wasted their time or money because there are so many better places to explore.

25 Spend A Day Learning About The Loo At Sulabh International Museum Of Toilets

There are many weird and wonderful collections on display across the world, but is spending an afternoon having a look at toilets really worth it? According to Traveller, a tourist attraction that is better left off your bucket list is the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in New Delhi, India.

According to the museum’s website, visitors will be able to learn about the history of toilets, including social customs relating to them, and the historical evolution of the loo. Interesting to some, maybe, but hardly a thrilling way to spend time in such a vibrant city.

24 You Have To Really Like Pineapples To Visit The Giant Pineapple Building

If you can choose to visit anywhere in the world, the Giant Pineapple structure (the largest in the world, according to Atlas Obscura) is probably not going to be anyone’s first choice. For starters, it’s located just outside Bathurst, a small town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and there’s really not all that much to see and do here; you can marvel at the 56-foot building and learn about the history of the fruit or purchase a few pineapple products, which doesn't exactly sound like a fun day out.

23 Copenhagen's Most Famous Landmark, The Little Mermaid, May Also Be The City's Most Underwhelming

Copenhagen is a fantastic city, but one of it’s most famous structures is also one of the most disappointing. The Little Mermaid statue is bronze and was created by Edvard Eriksen and installed in 1913, and it really lives up to its name because it is definitely little, measuring just 1.25 meters.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this statue is its history, and according to Atlas Obscura, the head has been removed from the statue multiple times (the first time being in 1964) in protest.

22 Stonehenge Is A Mysterious And Historical Place But It's Also Really Overcrowded

Stonehenge is a mysterious site which is meant to offer a glimpse into the past and is considered to be one of the most important monuments in Britain, the Stonehenge website reports. The prehistoric monument was built in four stages, the oldest dating back to around 3100 BC, and can be found in Wiltshire, England. But according to Express, many visitors have found it to be...well, not quite what they expected. According to the publication, some reviews of Stonehenge on Tripadvisor have stated that it is “the definition of a tourist trap.”

21 The Blarney Stone Is Probably One Of The Most Germy Tourist Places Around

Would you pay good money to kiss a stone? Well, maybe if you were enticed by the thought of receiving “the gift of the gab” after doing so. This is what draws so many people to the Blarney Stone, located just outside of Cork, Ireland.

According to This Is Insider, it’s been named on a list of tourist traps in Europe, and visitors can expect a long wait. The worst part is you’ll be kissing the same spot where thousands of visitors have laid their lips, making it a seriously germy attraction.

20 The Sydney Harbour Bridge Is An Architectural Masterpiece, That Costs A Small Fortune To Climb

There is no denying that Sydney’s Harbour Bridge is an architectural feat, and according to the Sydney website, it is the largest steel arch bridge in the world. It has been open since 1932, and is a popular destination for people who want to climb to the top and take in the scenery (the top is 134 meters above the water). But taking in the scenery doesn’t come cheap and according to This Is Insider, the climb which takes 1.5 hours costs $124 (this stops at a halfway vantage point), while the 3.5-hour climb is a costly $224.

19 If You're Really Into Corn, Then A Visit To Corn Palace May Be Worth It, Otherwise Do Something Else

The Telegraph lists Corn Palace as one of the most overrated tourist attractions, but what exactly is Corn Palace?

Located in Mitchell, the venue is also referred to as The World's Only Corn Palace, and as the name suggests, it’s a destination that celebrates corn. According to Travel South Dakota, the building is covered in corn murals which change theme each year, and are created using corn, grain, and grass.

But what doesn't impress some people, does others, and the destination receives 500,000 tourists each year, the Corn Palace website.

18 A Massive Food Fight May Sound Fun, But Not Everyone Raves About La Tomatina

If you’ve ever wanted to take part in a food fight, that’s on a really large scale, then La Tomatina is the festival of your dreams. According to La Tomatina Tours, the festival takes place every year on the last Wednesday of August, in the Spanish town of Bunol.

But according to Reader’s Digest, traveler Kelly Kresin told them it’s not as fun as you may think because the crowds leave you with little space, resulting in you feeling squashed. Plus, the flying tomatoes can actually be painful, not to mention how the juice starts burning your skin.

17 You May Not Even Realize You're Sitting On Rome's Spanish Steps

I remember visiting Rome and going in search of the Spanish Steps, and when I found them, I didn’t even realize I had found them because they sort of just blended in with the rest of the city. Underwhelming to say the least.

Located in the center of the city, these steps were built in the 18th century and are one of the most famous landmarks of the city, Rome.net reports. But many people feel these steps don’t need to on your “places to see” list, and according to some reviews on TripAdvisor, they’re not quite as grand as you’d expect.

16 The Pyramids Of Giza Are Crowded And Anti-Climatic

This may be one of the more controversial entries on the list because the pyramids of Giza have great historical importance, but they are so incredibly crowded that they're not all that appealing. According to MSN, the Sphinx is smaller than it seems in photos, and there are too many people trying to sell their goods in the area.

Also, according to World Nomads, the pyramids are “anti-climatic” and despite the photos online showing these ancient monuments as being located in, what seems like the middle of the desert, they are located only a few miles from Cairo’s metropolis.

15 Seattle's Space Needle Serves As A Landmark In The City's Skyline; A Landmark Tourists Don't Need To Visit

The Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, is a building that is meant to offer stunning views of its surroundings. But This Is Insider listed Seattle’s Space Needle as overrated, commenting on how, despite it being a landmark for the city, it seems small and the view isn’t all that impressive.

Some things to consider when visiting here include the long queues and expensive price -- according to the building’s website, a regular ticket ranges in price from $32.50 - $37.50.

14 Are Wax Figures Fascinating Or Creepy? Decide For Yourself At Madame Tussauds

There are multiple locations for the wax museum, Madame Tussauds, across the world. People like to visit the expertly crafted wax figures of their favorite celebrities and public figures, which have been created true to size. However, unless you’re a child or a major fan of the celebrities who have their statue here, there are better places to visit.

According to MSN, Madame Tussauds is one of the most overrated tourist spots in the world, and states that a visit here is a “waste of time and money.”

Seeing a rainbow colored mountain sounds incredible, and with this in mind, it’s no wonder that the Peruvian location has attracted tourists from across the world. Except, according to Reader’s Digest this natural landscape is overrated and many of the images that individuals see online have been enhanced. The publication notes that if the weather conditions are cloudy then the colors of the mountains are quite muted, which is a disappointment to many who have seen the beautiful, vivid, photos of Rainbow Mountain online.

12 Why Travel To Ecuador To Stand On The Equator When It's Several Miles North Of The Monument

When heading to the location of the Equator in Ecuador you may expect to see something remarkable, and then be disappointed upon arrival, after all, the equator is not something that’s visible.

In the town of Quito, inside a park called Mitad del Mundo, there is a monument dedicated to the equator, which was first discovered by French explorer Charles-Marie de La Condamine in the year 1736, Amusing Planet reports. Except, according to The Telegraph, the exact spot where the Northern and Southern hemispheres meet is not at this monument but 800 feet to the north.

11 The Vegas Strip Is Costly And Considered By Some To Be A Tourist Trap

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is a saying we have all heard, and it seems to suggest that Las Vegas, Nevada, is a destination where people act without thinking of the consequences. The strip is also considered by some to be filled with tourist traps and more costly than other areas of the city. An article on The Travel offering harsh truths about Las Vegas notes that “Rooms on the Strip will typically cost you at least 50% more than a similar room elsewhere in Vegas.”

10 Liberty Bell Has Important Symbolism, But Perhaps It's Not Worth Seeing In Person

Liberty Bell is a historical landmark and one of great importance because it is a symbol of American Independence. There is no denying just how much this bell means to people, and what it represents for the American people is greater than the bell itself.

That said, according to The Telegraph, it was named on Reddit, in response to the question: “What is NOT worth seeing in person?” with a reviewer saying it was simply a bell with a crack in it. The majority of reviews on TripAdvisor are positive though, although a small percentage have stated that it’s “boring."

9 Plymouth Rock Is Literally Just A Rock

There are some places that are breathtakingly beautiful, there are others that are really fun and entertaining, and then there is Plymouth Rock. According to Far And Wide, the rock, which serves as a historical landmark in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is not that exciting because it is “just a rock, in a fancy canopy.”

The rock has importance though because it’s considered the place where the Pilgrims first arrived in 1620, in what would later become America. History also notes that few tourists are left in awe after viewing the rock.

8 Everyone Can Count On The Leaning Tower Of Pisa To Provide Them With Cheesy Pictures

In keeping with overhyped places that tourists visit, we bring you the Leaning Tower of Pisa, located in the Italian city of Pisa. The bell tower was listed on Ranker as being a disappointing tourist destination, yet the unusual structure draws a lot of people from across the world.

According to News.com.au, the tower is best avoided in part because of the crowds. Instead, an individual from a travel agency suggests driving 25 minutes north to visit the city of Lucca. That said, a visit here does make for a goofy photo opportunity.

7 The Tourist Experience Of The Cu Chi Tunnels Apparently Feels Gimmicky

The Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City are an impressive underground network of tunnels that were dug during the Vietnam War by communist guerrilla troops known as Viet Cong (VC), History reports.

The tunnels have been preserved, and visitors can visit certain areas, as well as practice their skills at the shooting range, but according to Reader’s Digest, it’s best to avoid the tourist experience of the Cu Chi Tunnels because the whole thing just feels “gimmicky.”

6 The Hollywood Walk Of Fame May Be Best Avoided Unless You Like Tourist Traps And Street Vendors

California’s Hollywood Walk of Fame is a place where celebrities have their names placed into the ground, and according to Mental Floss, around 10 million people visit each year. But is it really worth a visit? Well, not according to Vice, who consider the Los Angeles attraction to be kitschy, or, as the title of their article states: “The Hollywood Walk of Fame Is America's Most Surreal Tourist Trap.”

It’s also a destination that gets incredibly busy, and individuals should be ready to contend with crowds and street vendors.