01-04-2025
Locals Are Sharing The Number One Tourist Mistake They See People Making In Their Home Cities
It's not hard to spot a tourist in your home city, especially when there are a handful of faux pas that visitors frequently fall prey to. Well, Redditor Shishkaboo asked, "Redditors of the world, What would you advise tourists NOT to do where you are from?" Here are some classic mistakes tourists make when visiting places around the world.
1. "In the Canadian Rockies and nearby areas, stay at least 40 feet away from bears, elk, bison, and moose. They are dangerous wild animals, and they aren't there for you. You are in their home. If they charge you, you won't be able to outrun them. If a bear seriously hurts a human, the bear will be killed. Stay in your car and watch respectfully."
2. "If you come to Nashville, wear cowboy hats and boots because you want to, not to 'fit in.' I've lived here five years and have yet to see a local wearing a cowboy hat or boots unless they were going to a bar with that vibe. That look is the industry, not necessarily the lifestyle."
3. "In London, don't mess with the King's Guards, especially the ones with horses. It's a myth that they're not allowed to move."
4. "In the Turks and Caicos, respect the coral reefs. There are sections of coral roped off with signs everywhere telling people not to snorkel there for conservation purposes. I cannot tell you how many times I see hotel employees having to get on a bullhorn to tell snorkelers to get away from the coral, they just kept moving the ropes out of the way to swim over it."
— Katiekinssw
5. "Regarding the US Pacific Northwest, do not ignore the beach/surf warnings! Sneaker waves (one random wave with significantly more water volume and much higher up the beach) are common here. Every year people die by getting dragged out to sea or by a heavy floating log coming to lie on top of them once the wave recedes. Seriously, be careful around the ocean. And for the love of god, stay on the correct side of the safety fence at the cliffs!!"
6. "I'm from the Bahamas. To all the tourists coming on the cruises to Nassau, you may be tempted to go to the first beach you see that's right downtown. That's where most go, and it is hands down the worst beach on the island. The telltale sign is you won't see any locals going there. The others are all prettier, but they won't have things like a bar and lounge chairs. They're all pretty natural."
7. "I'm from Denver. If you're not used to high altitudes, let me tell you altitude sickness is no joke and sneaks up on you. Walk and climb more slowly than usual, take frequent breaks even if you're not tired, and sip water very frequently."
— aditson
8. "Don't touch the Hawaiian sea turtles, please! They're endangered and protected by law in Hawaii. It's so sad seeing the turtles with crap growing on their shells. Our fingers carry bacteria, and the turtles can't reach back to clean off their shells, so please stop touching them."
9. "Floridian here. Key West doesn't have great beaches. It's a small island with several overcrowded beaches with imported sand. If you want a beach day, go to the Northern Keys. Watch the sunset in Key West, eat key lime pie, run with feral chickens, stand in line to take your pic at the southernmost point, but IMO, plan your beach day elsewhere."
— Britt S
10. "I'm from Norway. Don't go trekking in the mountains without real clothes (jacket, layers, wool), a tour guide, and food. For example, going to the pulpit rock in sandals, heels, or something like that is a bad idea. Also, come visit the bigger cities off-season. In the summer, Bergen, Stavanger, and Oslo are cramped with tourists, and you basically stand in line during the sightseeing. And finally, visit the villages. There's not much northern lights on the west coast of Norway, but there's a lot of beautiful scenery, beaches, and nature."
11. "In San Francisco, we have fog in the summer (cold Arctic current + warm land mass = cold fog every morning and evening). Please bring a sweater, or you'll end up having to buy an overpriced tourist fleece!"
12. "I live in Maine and one big pet peeve among locals is when tourists drive under the speed limit so they can look at the scenery. People who live here still have to go to work and have appointments. We aren't all taking a leisurely drive on vacation."
— Shelby Odegard-Richards
13. "Not recognizing that Italy is made up of many regional cuisines. Many tourists don't know the regional differences in cuisine, so they eat the same famous 'Italian' dishes everywhere, even where they are not typical. It's the easiest way to find tourist traps and miss the best food a place has to offer. For example, I once saw a German couple in an amazing winehouse in Tuscany asking for a spritz with the meat dinner."
14. "I live in Paris too and the whole placing locks on our bridges thing has to stop. The weight of all those locks is endangering our bridges, and they have to be removed regularly."
— Sarah
15. "I am from San Diego, CA. For the love of all that is holy, stay away from any sea life on the beaches. The seals will attack if they feel threatened."
— Sixthtryatadamnusername
16. "In Amsterdam, you can rent bikes, but many tourists ride side by side on their bikes and block the entire bike road for other cyclists. I wish tourists would ride more on the side behind each other because many of us use our bikes to go to work or do other importing things and often in a hurry."
17. "Atlantic Canadian here. Do not walk on the shiny black rocks near the water's edge. They're extremely slippery, and if it's a rocky section of the coast, you will get wrecked if you slip and fall in. This is particularly relevant at Peggy's Cove. Also if you are anywhere on the Bay of Fundy and the tour guide says to be back by a certain time or you will get trapped by the tide, don't take that casually. You will literally get trapped by the tide. The water level will rise by 30-45 feet depending on where you are on the bay."
18. "I'm from Colombia. Do not talk about Pablo Escobar, narcos, cocaine, etc... Believe it or not, cocaine is not a popular drug in Colombia, and we don't like being connected to narcotraffic at all. Colombians have a great sense of humor, but this is the one thing we don't joke about."
— lux414
19. "In Dublin, don't go to Temple Bar and buy the most expensive pint in the city in the first bar you find. If you come to Ireland, don't drink in an 'Irish' pub; find a regular pub, and you'll have a real experience, not a touristy one."
20. "If visiting Scandinavia, please plan something in addition to just seeing the northern lights. Those things don't come every day, and a few cloudy days could ruin your whole trip. There are other things to do."
21. "In Italy, I see many tourists freaking out about the coperto (cover charge) in restaurants. No, it's not a scam. No, it's not a tip. Yes, everyone pays it. Yes, even you."
