Hear Me Out: Overrated Destinations
There are few things on this earth I hate more than the dreaded “the most overrated destinations around the world,” lazy-ass clickbait “articles” that seem to pop up just before the height of tourist season.
OK, I hate racists and nazis and fascists and misogynists and murderers and stuff a lot more but still. You know what I’m saying.
Shit like this and this and this and this utter bullshit just chap my hide. If you go to a beloved tourist destination like, say, Pisa, which is well-known for its crowds only there to see one site, and you think it’s overrated… well now, hear me out.
How can you try to avoid diving headfirst into a destination you’ll think is overrated? Two ways:
Set your expectations.
Plan your trip wisely.
If a destination has become overrun with tourists, there’s a reason for that. It’s because it’s cool. And if you go to, oh let’s say, London with a head full of clouds expecting Paul McCartney to wander up and invite you to tea time with the King at the Globe Theater, your expectations have been set in exactly the wrong direction.
And if you don’t have a plan beyond the most hilarious way to pose with the Leaning Tower, you may fall into the overrated trap. (Don’t even try to come up with a better Leaning Tower pose because literally nothing tops this.)
Wooof the Louvre is crowded. But if your dream is to see the Mona Lisa, then this is not an overrated destination. Good planning can help you figure out when to go so you have a better chance of avoiding situations like this.
(credit: Clarion Photography)
You may be the World’s Biggest Art Snob™ and think that the Mona Lisa itself is overrated, but for non-art snobs, it’s a pretty big deal. So going to the Louvre to see it? Absolutely not overrated if you’re into that kind of thing. You just have to know what you’re getting into, and have a good plan for when to go to manage the crowds.
Rome, Paris, London, Madrid, Munich, Athens, etc. are not the most overrated cities in the world. Trust me. I firmly believe that no destination is overrated if you know what to expect. And the key to enjoying these cities is knowing when to visit, having real-world expectations, and having an expert travel plan.
Florence, Italy being super overrated during the height of tourist season. That’s sarcasm, btw… because I knew what to expect and communicated that to this little creature, this was one of the best experiences of my kid’s life.
Here at OAA we’re not going to suggest anyone visit Rome for the first time in July unless it is absolutely unavoidable, and we’re not going to suggest they go to the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Forum all in one day. If we did that, the best case scenario is that they find Rome to be overrated. The worst case is that we put them in the hospital with heat stroke and exhaustion and quite possibly a nervous breakdown.
People sometimes whine that Paris is dirty and busy and that the people are not as warm and friendly as they would like and that going up the Eiffel Tower was not magical and romanic and perfect so therefore, this absolute jewel of Europe is overrated. They think that because the Paris in their dreams (and the Paris of their Instagram) doesn’t match the reality that Paris is a major international city where people live and work. You’re not going to find me warm and friendly here in Seattle if I’ve been working my butt off all day serving food to a gajillion tourists, either.
Speaking of Instagram…
Don’t rely on Instagram to plan your travels. Insta is a great place for inspiration and gorgeous photos and all, but if you rely solely on Instagram travel photos to plan your vacation, you are going to be the saddest sad to ever sad around in Sadtown… and you’re going to end up telling all your friends that Madrid is just soooo overrated. Say it with me, loud and clear: INSTAGRAM IS NOT REALITY. One of my favorite travel content producers, Oneika Raymond, periodically has Insta vs reality posts and they are spot on and worth absorbing into your cerebral cortex. She is a genius with the gorgeous travel content, but she’ll be the first person to tell you how she goes about getting those perfect travel photos in areas that are absolutely jam-packed with tourists.
So what I’m saying is…
Stay away from those dumb “most overrated destinations,” lists. There are no overrated destinations, only under-prepared travelers. At OAA, we’ll do our absolute best to realistically set your expectations and craft a trip that helps you get the most out of the so-called “tourist traps.”
