Travel Destinations to Avoid This Autumn

They are called “tourist traps,” for a reason; those travel destinations that give you more stress than enjoyment. Queues, inflated costs for admission, crowds, and astronomical prices for hotels and rentals quell the anticipation of enjoyment for the attractions in the brochures. Forget all the advertising hype that you were told, you are now faced with everything but relaxation.

Here is a quick run on travel destinations you should avoid because they can add unnecessary stress and restlessness to your trip:

1. Times Square, New York: overpriced and congested, Times Square may be a landmark that most people automatically have in mind with the mention of Manhattan, but there is certainly more of the City of New York than the Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Get the authentic feel of the Big Apple with the city’s West Village, Eataly, Central Park, NoHo, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the High Line, and Chelsea Market.

2. Central Tokyo: another stressful travel destination is one of the largest cities in the world. Navigation is exceedingly difficult in Tokyo, but that is not the only thing that can give you a headache, there are the crowds and the language barrier. Did we mention eit’s xtremely expensive? If you must take a vacation in Japan, settle for Osaka, Kyoto or the rest of Japan’s countryside.

3. Pisa, Italy: the highlight of this destination is the Leaning Tower. If you can withstand waiting in queues and then walking up a tower that is slanted and subsequently taking photographs that gives the illusion that you are holding up the tower with your hand, by all means, go there. For €15, more or less, you can drag yourself up to the tower and fight for strategic photo spots with a horde of tourists who want the same thing you do.

4. Disneyland, California: forget about getting up early and rushing to Anaheim to be the first one in line for admission to Disneyland. The rest of your day will nevertheless be spent in queues for rides, shows, food, and souvenirs. Try Knott’s Berry Farm, Disney California Adventure or Magic Mountain if you are determined to enjoy Disneyland, make the trip in early December or late April when there are less crowds.

5. Cancun, Mexico: the white sand beaches and poolside bars in this Mexican resort are always crowded with people. With so many crowds of people, wouldn’t you prefer a smaller but equally enjoyable city like Playa del Carmen for similar beaches, fishing villages, artists’ colonies, and unique Mayan culture attractions like Tulum and Coba.

Avoiding stress while you are on holiday includes having peace of mind against accidents, missed flights, lost luggage, illness, theft, and cancelled tours. Get that peace of mind by getting a comprehensive travel insurance to cover and protect you. Your holiday is supposed to relax and revitalise you, not give you a headache!