Canadians Got Real About Canada's Most Overrated Tourist Spots & Niagara Falls Got Slammed
For those who are interested in travelling within Canada, there are locations across the country that are really, REALLY, hyped up.
But, do these famous spots live up to their reputation?
Well, according to some Canadians, a lot of the nation's most popular tourist attractions left them feeling more than a little cold.
Over on Narcity Canada's Facebook page, we asked our readers, "What's the most overrated spot to visit in Canada that ruined your entire vacation?"
And the replies did not disappoint.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one place that got a whole lot of mentions was Niagara Falls... and Canucks did not hold back.
"Tacky as hell, awful value for money hotel and food, the town is possibly the worst place I’ve ever been to and I have travelled far and wide," said one disappointed commenter.
However, they did also note that "as a geographical sight, Niagara Falls is amazing."
And they weren't alone. In fact, a bunch of Facebook users went as far as calling the Falls a "tourist trap."
This hot take is backed up by a recent report that listed Niagara Falls as the "biggest tourist trap" in Canada — and even the wider world!
However, this doesn't seem to be dissuading visitors, as the city apparently sees over ten million visitors each year.
Despite its clear popularity with visitors, over a dozen Canadians named the famous landmark as one of the most overrated spots in Canada, with one person even saying that they disliked it so much they "left after staying only one night in what was to be a three-night stay."
However, it's worth noting that others came out in defence of the falls.
"At this point, half the charm of Niagara Falls is its over-the-top kitschiness," said one Facebook user, while another added "Niagara Falls is amazing."
"Every tourist destination is 'touristy,' but the falls themselves were even more amazing than we expected," a third said.
The iconic falls weren't the only iconic Canadian landmark getting roasted, either. A bunch of responses came for none other than one of western Canada's most famous natural tourist locations — Banff.
"Love the area. But the hoards of people and lack of any respect for others ruined it," said one commenter.
Another Facebook user described the national park as "over-commercialized and bursting with tourists."
But, like Niagara, the park had its defenders. One Facebook user pointed out that while Banff can be overcrowded, there are fewer people in the outskirts.
"If you don’t stray far from the parking lot, you’ll be one of thousands. Walk just 30 minutes and you’ll have a bit less company. Walk three hours and it’ll be all the solitude you could want," they said.
Along with that, anyone who's been to Banff knows the park itself is actually huge! So, while you're likely to experience lots of people in the actual town, if you venture out you're bound to get a bit of solitude and more of a peaceful experience.
Commenters also came for Prince Edward Island, a region which had over a million visitors in 2022, per Saltwire. This is a lot of tourists considering the island population is only just under 175,000.
"Specifically the area around Cavendish, [has] a lot of cheap motels and classic tourist trap spots," one person said.
Another shared a similar statement, adding that "P.E.I. was a bit of a letdown for me."
Other spots that got an honorary mention for being disappointing were Magnetic Hill in New Brunswick, Marineland in Ontario and Mont-Tremblant in Quebec.
Whole cities were also name-dropped for a variety of reasons. For example, one person said Vancouver was "underwhelming" and "dirty."
Another simply called Edmonton "Deadmonton," and others said they were specifically disappointed by its main attraction — West Edmonton Mall.
Ottawa also got a shout-out for being "boring."
"I can find fun anywhere but Ottawa makes it challenging," somebody said.
Another more quirky response came from Shawn about the UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul Alberta.
The reasons they were disappointed? "It had: A) No UFOs; B ) No aliens; and C) A poor exchange rate for my Space Money,"
"Totally overrated," they said.
I guess it's not the place for your next Canadian trip, whether you travel domestic or interstellar.
Of course, nowhere is perfect and it's always worthy trying something at least once, right?
