7 Overrated Tourist Traps That, “Psst”… Locals Secretly Love!

Locals Call It a Tourist Trap… Right Before You Catch Them There on the Weekends Ordering Their Usual

They told you to avoid these places. I’ve told you to avoid these places! But here’s what locals know that you don’t….

I am one of those people. The ones who smugly scoff at the crowds gathered around the Eiffel Tower, or who proudly declare they’ve never set foot in Times Square (even if they’ve never actually been to New York).

When I first moved abroad, I made it my mission to “travel like a local,” which, for some reason, meant avoiding anything remotely popular.

If it had a souvenir stand or showed up in a Rick Steves guidebook, I treated it like radioactive waste.

That was, until I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with actual locals, my French host sister clutching her rosé and snapping Eiffel Tower selfies at golden hour.

I had a former colleague in Kyiv who used to tell me about the long, romantic walks he’d take with his Ukrainian wife.

They’d start at St. Andrew’s Church and stroll downhill into the Podil neighborhood like it was their own private movie set.

At the bottom, they had two choices: grab a taxi from the unofficial lineup of drivers waiting nearby, or duck into one of the tucked-away cafés for a suspiciously strong espresso.

Sometimes they’d follow the music instead, slipping into one of Podil’s hidden underground bars, where live jazz and dim lights made it feel like the city’s best-kept secret.

And then there was Jorge, a fellow traveler I met in Spain, who swore he’d never go near Barcelona’s La Rambla, until his Catalan roommates dragged him there for late-night churros and people-watching.

Turns out, not all tourist traps are created equal.

Some of them? Locals actually love.

And not just love them, they return again and again, sometimes with a little nostalgia, sometimes with pride, and sometimes just for the killer view or cheap beer.

So before you write off that bustling plaza or overcrowded beach, read on.

You might just be skipping the very places that make a city feel alive.

1. Times Square, New York City 

Let’s get one thing straight: Times Square is not for the faint of heart, or introverts, or anyone who’s eaten a burrito the size of their head and now needs a bathroom.

I used to roll my eyes at tourists who gawked at flashing billboards like they’d just discovered electricity.

One night, I was down in the city visiting my brother. He’d landed a production gig at MTV, right smack dab in the heart of the Broadway theater district.

While waiting for him to finish up some work, I decided to walk around to check out the lights of Times Square and somehow found myself down there post-show, right as the crowds started to thin.

But there I was, standing right in the middle of it all.

Me, and quite a few locals who were “in the know”.

The crowds might have left, but the action was far from over.

The lights were still blazing, the street performers were still hustling… it was all kind of magical.

Many locals may say to avoid it like it’s a telemarketing call during dinner, but those who know do show up.

For late-night food, spontaneous street shows, or just the buzz.

Local trick: Skip the madness of midday.

Go after 10 p.m. when the tourists are digesting their Olive Garden dinners and the city feels more electric than chaotic.

2. Oktoberfest, Munich

I haven’t checked Oktoberfest off my bucket list yet, but a former expat drinking buddy of mine, Patrick, did and he never shut up about it.

He’d planned to hate it, the expat snob that he was.

But by day three, he’d bought lederhosen and was leading chants on top of beer benches with a group of middle-aged Bavarian schoolteachers.

Yes, it’s commercial. 

Yes, it smells vaguely of sauerkraut and spilled beer.

But for locals, Oktoberfest isn’t just a party, it’s a pilgrimage.

Many grew up with it.

It’s where their parents met.

Where they had their first beer legally.

Insider tip: Don’t go during the opening weekend. Mid-week is your best bet.

And if you find yourself in a tent that smells too much like regret, move on.

The locals already have.

3. Santorini, Greece

I spent two weeks island-hopping in Greece, and yes, Santorini is the queen of the Instagram crowd.

And yes, Santorini is a symbol of everything that’s wrong with what mass tourism has become: The endless cruise ships, forests of selfie sticks, the huge tourist taxes…. 

But let me tell you, once you get past the influencer photo shoots on every staircase, the island still earns its crown.

Locals in Pyrgos have told me they avoid Oia at sunset like the plague, unless they’re working.

But they do soak in the views, the caldera breezes, and the quiet tavernas that still serve grilled octopus like it’s no big deal.

Because for them, it’s not.

Local hack: Stay in Pyrgos or Megalochori.

You’ll dodge the crowds, eat better, and get to watch the chaos from a peaceful hilltop, ouzo in hand.

4. The Eiffel Tower, Paris 

When I lived in France, I was the guy muttering, “Ugh, tourists,” while secretly sneaking in all the tourist trap cliche’s on the sly.

And then one summer night, my French host’s sister dragged me to a picnic on the Champs de Mars with her Parisian friends.

They brought wine, baguettes, pâté, cheese and an actual tablecloth. I brought a bottle of Bordeaux and my cynicism.

By the time the tower lit up, I was sold.

Local move: Book lunch at Le Jules Verne or the café inside the tower.

Pricey? Yes.

Worth it for skipping lines and eating with that view? Also yes.

5. La Rambla, Barcelona 

I had a friend in Spain who warned me, “La Rambla is just a conveyor belt for wallets.” Fair enough.

But then he took me there anyway.

Not for the shops or street vendors, but for the atmosphere, the energy, the history.

Locals still walk it. Just not the whole thing. 

They duck into La Boqueria for fresh fruit, grab tapas on a side street, and sit at back-alley cafés no guidebook ever lists.

Local tactic: Walk halfway, then turn off into the Gothic Quarter.

That’s where the good stuff hides, especially the tapas bars with one-word names and no English menu.

6. Temple Street Night Market, Hong Kong

I haven’t made it to Hong Kong, but a fellow traveler I met in a guesthouse in Bangkok swore by the Temple Street Night Market.

He lived in Hong Kong for a year teaching business English, and despite what every blog told him, he kept going back.

Not for the plastic trinkets or knockoff watches, but for the food, oyster omelets, chili crab, noodle soups that made your eyes water and your soul sing.

Insider tip: Don’t shop. Don’t even bother.

Just follow your nose, hit the seafood stalls, and eat like you’ve got something to prove.

7. The Colosseum, Rome

A British friend of mine from a language school in Ukraine did a year in Rome and described the Colosseum as “the world’s oldest queue.”

But even he admitted, after living there for just a few months, he could see that locals still loved it.

Not necessarily the monument itself, but what it represents.

Pride. Identity. Childhood field trips and family stories.

And if you happen to stroll by at sunset, when the light hits those ancient stones just right… you get it.

Local tip: Go in the late afternoon. Don’t even go inside unless you’re a history buff.

Just walk through Monti afterwards, grab a negroni, and soak in 2,000 years of echo.

See It Like a Local, Not a Snob

Look, I get it. We’ve all been taught to chase “authentic” experiences, the hidden gems, the undiscovered cafés, the backstreets with no GPS signal.

But authenticity isn’t always hiding. 

Sometimes it’s right in front of your face, surrounded by selfie sticks and overpriced souvenirs.

The trick isn’t to avoid tourist traps, it’s to outsmart them.

• Go at the right time.
• Know where to stand.
• Follow a local, not a blog.

So go ahead, eat the overpriced gelato in Rome.

Snap that Eiffel Tower selfie.

You’re not failing at travel. You’re just finally doing it right.

Your Turn 

What’s one so-called tourist trap that you secretly love?

Or maybe one you swore off, only to fall head over heels once you saw it through a local’s eyes?