Americans Discuss What to Avoid When Visiting the United States

Americans, if someone was planning to travel abroad to the United States, what advice would you give them? If it were me, I'd recommend that they avoid tourist traps completely. If they were planning to stay in New York, they should avoid Times Square at all costs. It's expensive, overcrowded, and interesting for all of two minutes. Also, don't go to Ohio. That being said, I'm not a tour guide. I can speak for where I've lived and that's only three states. I don't know the first thing about Florida. Stay away from alligators, I guess?

/u/AMGBOI69420 asked this question in an Askreddit thread, "Americans of Reddit, what places in America should foreigners avoid at all costs?" It seems like a pretty useful thread for anyone interested in visiting America. Answers varied. Individuals warned travelers of everything from the potential danger of many famous natural locations to the terror of a Greyhound coach bus ride. Here's a collection of the best responses! Check it out! 

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  • 01
    Font - eyjafjallajokul_ • 1d Don't hike into the wilderness of Colorado (especially 14ers) without knowing wilderness survival and responsibilities. Tourists die on our mountains and in Rocky Mountain National Park all the time. Do your research! Altitude is no joke Reply 5.1k ...
    via www.reddit.com/user/eyjafallajokul_
  • 02
    Font - FabFrench 1d Death Valley in the summer especially if you consider yourself a strong hiker, and live in a cooler climate. It has that name for a reason.
    via www.reddit.com/user/FabFrench
  • 03
    Rectangle - needs_grammarly . 1d the hot springs in yellowstone are not hot tubs do not swim in them ... Reply 8.9k ↓
    via www.reddit.com/user/needs_grammarly
  • 04
    Rectangle - toadkarter1993 - 1d 1 Award Not American but as a visitor trying to travel on the cheap, I made the mistake of booking a greyhound bus ride. There's a reason why it was cheap lol
    via www.reddit.com/user/toadkarter1993
  • 05
    Font - Jebediah_Vorbeck. 1d Avoid going to one location thinking another location across the country is a short trip. Reply ... SatanMeekAndMild • 1d 24.4k ↓ I used to work at a hotel, and tourists would tell me all the time about their 1 week vacation plans that involved a road trip from NYC to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and LA.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Jebediah_Vorbeck
  • 06
    Font - Klytus_Im-Bored. 1d 2 Awards Anywhere with a Rainforest Cafe and a Wax Museum on the same street is a tourist trap. Edit: i love how many people keep guessing what city im talking about and no guess has been the same.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Klytus_Im-Bored
  • 07
    Rectangle - SuvenPan 1d Whilis ● 3 Awards Steaming Acidic hot springs in Yellowstone. Reply FortuitousMushroom • 1d ● 30k ↓ And all the wildlife. DON'T PET THE BISON!
    via www.reddit.com/user/SuvenPan, www.reddit.com/user/FortuitousMushroom
  • 08
    Font - Yawheyy. 1d 1 Award If you're in a National park, listen to what the caution signs say and don't venture off of paths. One is because of wildlife and the other is because humans don't need to ruin everything in nature, just to get a photo. Also, don't fall into the Grand Canyon. You will die.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Yawheyy
  • 09
    Font - Mr_Fahrenheit-451 - 1d 2 Awards The thing that struck me about the Grand Canyon (and other such wilderness areas/national parks) is how unregulated it is, in the sense that you can just wander off into the wild at any time 24/7 and get yourself in serious trouble if you're unprepared. You're strolling down South Kaibab Trail surrounded by tourists and all of a sudden you realize that it's 100 degrees F, you don't have enough water, and it's a 2000 ft climb back up to the rim. Or that you
    via www.reddit.com/user/Mr_Farenheit-451
  • 10
    Font - amhildreth • 1d The Kensington area of North Philadelphia. Don't. Just don't ... Reply 4.7k ↓ CorgisArelmportant. 1d Moved just outside of NW Philadelphia a couple months ago. Every single person that finds out I just moved says "stay out of Kensington." I looked it up. I will in fact-- stay out of Kensington.
    via www.reddit.com/user/amhildreth, reddit.com/user/CorgisAreImportant
  • 11
    Font - Xanza • 21h If you go to a national park and you disregard the signs you're going to die. It's not a joke. Treat buffalo like field puppies? You're going to die. Try to pet the brown bear? You're going to die. See that moose and want to feed it? You're probably already dead. Oh look, a rattlesnake! *dead* Want to swim in Old Faithful? You're going to die painfully and completely dissolve into a soup. Shit is dangerous here and if you don't respect it you'll be lucky to die quick.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Xanza
  • 12
    Font - External-Traffic-916 • 1d 1 Award Pueblo Colorado paustulio. 1d Reply 5.2k ↓ 2 Awards I appreciate how high this comment is. Fuck Peublo and its mass Tarantula Migration.
    via www.reddit.com/user/External-Traffic-916, www.reddit.com/user/paustulio
  • 13
    Organism - Anneisabitch • 1d We should really have a thread asking Americans where non-Americans should visit. Americans generally travel within the US so we know the best places to go. YesWhatHello • 1d National parks Reply 6.6k ↓
    via www.reddit.com/user/Anniesabitch, www.reddit.com/user/YesWhatHello
  • 14
    Font - BudgetBot MakinTots • 1d Anywhere south in the summer time. Its too fuckin hot. MeesterCHRIS • 1d Reply 4.6k *too fucking humid Look I can deal with 95+ It's the swamp ass and thick heat that gets me.
    via www.reddit.com/user/BudgetBotMakinTots, www.reddit.com/user/MeesterCHRIS
  • 15
    Font - plushautopsy • 1d 1 Award The deserts of the southwest, unless you're prepared for it and understand the dangers of that environment. It isn't uncommon for us to get folks from Europe--typically Germany for some reason-- who decide to go hiking at the worst times of the day without enough water. Some of them die. It's really easy to get dehydrated and possibly die even in "safe" areas, and the danger can sneak up on you.
    via www.reddit.com/user/plushautopsy
  • 16
    Font - muststayawaketonod. 1d Most of Downtown Los Angeles at night. When the streets get quiet and the locals go home, that's your cue to go back to your hotel or a more popular hotspot. Edit-I should have said "populated"
    via www.reddit.com/user/mustayawaketonod
  • 17
    Font - Insert_creative . 1d 2 Awards Avoid large chain restaurants. The best food in America comes from small owner operated businesses.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Insert_creative
  • 18
    Font - terrariox • 1d Gary, Indiana. Americans should avoid it as well Reply 16.3k psu256. 1d ... Don't believe the lies from The Music Man, no matter how cute lil' Ronnie Howard was back then.
    via www.reddit.com/user/terrariox, www.reddit.com/user/psu256
  • 19
    Rectangle - colomommy. 1d Trenton NJ. It's the state capital, there is a good museum. But it looks like a bombed out looted shithole and I won't even stop at red lights while in Trenton.
    via www.reddit.com/user/colomommy
  • 20
    Rectangle - MaxwellsGoldenGun • 1d Area 51 seems the obvious answer ... Reply I_UPVOTE_PUN_THREADS. 1d 1.2k ↓ You can just Naruto run past their defenses.
    via www.reddit.com/user/MaxwellsGoldenGun, www.reddit.com/user/I_UPVOTE_PUN_THREADS
  • 21
    Font - BitBucket404 • 1d Gary, Indiana Makes East St. Louis look like a resort. And just to be clear, don't go to East St. Louis, either.
    via www.reddit.com/user/BitBucket404
  • 22
    Human body - Danipagne 1d ● Pine Hills, Florida. It's in the Orlando area. Just stick to the tourist areas. I used to live there and it's a shit show.
    via www.reddit.com/user/Danipagne
  • 23
    Organism - Reddictators EaTD1cks 1d 2 Awards Northern WI. Because that's where I live and I don't like people. Reply ✩ 17k ↓ ... hobgoblinreacharound • 1d ● Likewise. Even tho tourists are how we survive the winter. We eat em.
    via www.reddit.com/user/ReddictatorsEaTD1cks, www.reddit.com/user/hobgoblinreacharound
  • 24
    Font - dearlysacred herosoul • 1d San Bernardino California at night with no money walking and waving/screaming obscenities at police officers YouGetABan • 1d ... Reply 1.6k ↓ You coulda just stopped at "San Bernardino".
    via www.reddit.com/user/dearlysacredherosoul, www.reddit.com/user/YouGetABan
  • 25
    Font - AlwaysSortOf Hungry. 1d Respect all wildlife, take pictures without flash. If an animal changes any sort of behavior or demeanor with you in its presence, then you are absolutely too close. Also, leave no trace, pack everything up when you leave, don't litter.
    via www.reddit.com/user/AlwaysSortOfHungry
  • 26
    Font - jayhitter. 1d Any tourist place will be a money trap, crowded and underwhelming. Unfortunately lots of cool stuff in the US just gets turns into a business with bizarre gift shops with unrelated gifts ... Reply 1.6k ↓
    via www.reddit.com/user/jayhitter
  • 27
    Mammal - woodyshag 1d ● New Orleans during Mardi Gras and Manhattan, NY during New Years. If you like the smell of p*ss, sh*t and vomit, ignore my advice.
    via www.reddit.com/user/woodyshag
  • 28
    Font - ALiteralSentientTank • 1d If you wouldn't go there in your home country, don't go there in a foreign country. What I mean is, every city has a 'bad neighborhood'. Either research before you go, or ask around while you're there. Every country has a backwoods rural area known for being a bad place for foreigners. Learn where it is and avoid it. Every tourist destination has tourist traps. Learn what kind of traps to look out for in your destination.
    via www.reddit.com/user/ALIteralSentientTank

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nature usa transportation united states desert Indiana national park country tourists visit florida tourism america Travel new york traveling states the south vacation
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