Tourist Traps attract tourists for a reason

I know some will roll their eyes at this, but I love so-called tourist traps. You know the places - at times overrun with tourists, all running about snapping pictures with their smartphones and tablets. The only people who are local are working in stores and restaurants, and half of them seem to be new to the area!

Here is a radical thought - maybe thousands of people flock to a spot because it’s awesome! I will never forget my first trip to Cancun. It couldn’t be a more stereotypical beach destination. Hotels down strip as far as the eye can see. People walking up and down the beach selling trinkets, supposedly locally crafted but more likely brought in from China.

You know what else I remember about that trip? I loved it. Every minute of it. It was immediately obvious why so many people go there every year.

The same thing when I visited Petra. Old ruins in the desert. Almost impossible to photograph without tourists in the way. And worth every minute it took to get there.

You may have seen pictures online, or in an Indiana Jones movie. Standing here is way better!

Next time you are thinking of a destination, don’t be afraid of popular places. Maybe they are popular for a reason.