If you’ve ever walked away from a popular attraction wondering if it was worth the hype (or the price), you’re not alone. New research from Nomad eSIM has crunched the numbers on TripAdvisor reviews to uncover the worst tourist traps in every U.S. state based on how many times visitors actually used the phrase “tourist trap.”
Topping the national list with 1,000 mentions each are Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, California, and Wall Drug in South Dakota, two iconic stops that draw millions but leave many feeling duped. Despite their popularity, both are now officially ranked the most disappointing tourist traps in America (and the world).
Wall Drug, a roadside attraction that began as a humble pharmacy in 1931, has built a reputation on free ice water, 5-cent coffee, and over-the-top Western kitsch, including an 80-foot dinosaur and a giant jackalope. Meanwhile, Fisherman’s Wharf lures visitors with sea lions, seafood, and souvenir shops, but some reviewers call it “dirty, run down and overcrowded.”
The study also looked at the priciest tourist traps globally, and Tennessee’s Graceland took the crown, charging $84 for entry, with 206 reviewers branding it a tourist trap. Biltmore Estate in North Carolina wasn’t far behind, with 99 mentions and a steep $130 ticket.
The worst tourist trap in every state
- Alabama: Point Mallard Water Park
- Alaska: Goldbelt Tram
- Arizona: Grand Canyon Skywalk
- Arkansas: Ka Do Ha Indian Village
- California: Fisherman’s Wharf
- Colorado: Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
- Connecticut: Olde Mistick Village
- Delaware: Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk
- Florida: Duval Street
- Georgia: Historic River Street
- Hawaii: Dole Plantation
- Idaho: Yellowstone Bear World
- Illinois: Navy Pier
- Indiana: Motor Speedway Museum
- Iowa: Antique Archeology
- Kansas: Boot Hill Museum
- Kentucky: Louisville Mega Cavern
- Louisiana: Bourbon Street
- Maine: Perkins Cove
- Maryland: Ocean City Boardwalk
- Massachusetts: Salem Witch Museum
- Michigan: Mystery Spot
- Minnesota: Mall of America
- Mississippi: Elvis Presley Birthplace
- Missouri: Titanic Museum
- Montana: Montana Vortex and House of Mystery
- Nebraska: Fort Cody Trading Post
- Nevada: Fremont Street
- New Hampshire: America’s Stonehenge
- New Jersey: Atlantic City Boardwalk
- New Mexico: McGinn’s PistachioLand
- New York: Times Square
- North Carolina: Biltmore Estate
- North Dakota: Enchanted Highway
- Ohio: House From a Christmas Story
- Oklahoma: National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
- Oregon: The Oregon Vortex House of Mystery
- Pennsylvania: Pat’s King of Steaks
- Rhode Island: Thames Street
- South Carolina: Hyman’s Seafood
- South Dakota: Wall Drug
- Tennessee: Graceland
- Texas: The Alamo
- Utah: Four Corners Monument
- Vermont: Ben and Jerry’s Factory
- Virginia: Virginia Beach Boardwalk
- Washington: Pike Place Market
- West Virginia: Tamarack Marketplace
- Wisconsin: Mars Cheese Castle
- Wyoming: Devils Tower National Monument
