Anti-Bucket List: 35 People Share The Most Disappointing Touristy Places They've Been To

To learn more about which popular travel destinations might leave you feeling a little disappointed, we reached out to travel expert King Siu, of Solo Traveler. King shared that the first time he visited Paris and Niagara Falls, neither location lived up to his expectations.

"I had imagined that the Falls would be enormous. And, while it is big for a waterfall, it did not live up to the crazy image I had formed in my mind before I got there," he told Bored Panda. "Combine that disappointment with big crowds and a sea of touristy shops selling overpriced merch, and basically all my excitement about seeing Niagara Falls was drained out of me."

"I hated Paris the first time I visited," the travel expert continued. "I was turned off by the crowds, the clouds of cigarette smoke that seemed to follow me everywhere, how people seemed quite rude, dog poop on every sidewalk, and to top it off, I was there in the winter so the weather sucked."

But King still believes it's worth it to visit these locations, even if they may not be all they're cracked up to be. "As much as I didn't enjoy my first visit to Niagara Falls or Paris, it's important as a traveler to experience many different kinds of destinations," he shared. "I had made those trips early in my travel life, and they've taught me so much about what I should look for in a destination, how to prepare for a visit to a new place, and how to make the most of any destination once I'm there."

King was also kind enough to share his tips for how travelers can make the most of these crowded tourist destinations. "I highly recommend doing some research before you go for your visit," he noted. "Whether it's a city or a painting, the more you know, the more you'll be able to enjoy it on your terms. To clarify, I'm not just talking about the general facts, such as the history of the painting. But, find out about the conditions around it that could affect your enjoyment so you can plan or prepare for them."

"Such as, if you want to see the Mona Lisa at The Louvre, be prepared to be in a big room with giant crowds all trying to run you over for the best spot," King explained. "This way, you're not surprised when you arrive to see this circus, or you can become a ninja before you arrive so you can stealthily slip into the prime spots in the room. Also, try to find something that's interesting to you about the place or thing so that you can arrive with a connection to it already and it'll be like you're going to visit an old friend."

While King understands that the reasons for avoiding popular attractions are usually quite personal, he urges travelers to at least see the most iconic spots in a city if they're feeling up to it. Who knows when you'll be able to come back?

"Cost is often an important consideration, so I can understand not wanting to spend $50 just to ride an elevator to the top of some building or tower just for a view of the city," King says. "So, instead find other tall buildings in the city that you can access for free or at a lower cost. Often there will be restaurants or bars located at the top of buildings that you can go to where for the price of a drink you will often be treated to similar views."

"I wouldn't say there's a right way to see popular attractions, but I would say try not to complain about them while you're trying to experience them, as that will just put you in a bad mood while you're there," King told Bored Panda. "I realize now that a big part of my bad experience with my first visit to Paris was because I was staying with a friend there who had just moved to the city and was not having an easy adjustment. I realized after the fact that her frustrations with Paris also influenced my impression of the city. I have since gone back multiple times, and while all the things that upset me the first time are still there, me and Paris are now good friends because I'm mentally prepared for them."

"Finally, don't let anyone tell you where you should and should not go," the travel expert says. "Everyone is different and we all experience the world in our own unique way. I have a friend who loves trains, and so he spends most of his travels going to places where he's likely to see different types of trains. I would probably be tempted to throw myself in front of a train if that was my holiday, but the man is passionate about trains and it makes him happy. So, keep exploring and go find your train."

If you'd like to read more travel tips from King and his colleagues, be sure to visit Solo Traveler!