Nobody plans to jump from tourist trap to tourist trap when visiting a new place. Yet nearly 9 out of 10 Americans admit to visiting a tourist trap in the past year, according to a recent PhotoAiD study. What defines a tourist trap? Typically, it’s unnecessarily high prices, long lines, lack of cultural authenticity, and a gift shop full of things you definitely don’t need but suddenly must have.
While almost 70 percent of travelers felt their visit to a tourist trap diminished their overall trip experience, there can be beauty in accepting that something may be popular for a reason. Among the top reasons the survey respondents gave for visiting a tourist trap were that friends and family wanted to go; the place was highly recommended in guides, reviews, and on social media; curiosity and personal interest; and because the so-called tourist trap is considered a landmark. After all, is it even a trip to Paris if you don’t go to the Eiffel Tower? Advertisement The key might be picking wisely.
In that spirit, we’re embracing the “tourist trap” label. When visiting Boston, accept the inevitable, and put these five “tourist traps” at the top of your list. America’s oldest continually-operating restaurant and oyster bar sits on the Freedom Trail, plating up almost 200 years of history.
The food has been loved by generations of guests, not to mention the Kennedys. History runs through the veins of the Union Oyster House, and it’s worth grabbing a bite. The North .