Overrated Tourist Sites And What To Replace Them With

When visiting another country or city there's always the obvious famous sites to visit, but some of these are overrated and there are often much better, less crowded places to go to get a more authentic experience.

The Champs-Élysées

Via meetup.com

The Arche de Triomphe is often on people's must-see list when visiting Paris. But the avenue is often crowded with tourists taking photos and not many locals. The shopping is also limited to generic global brands like H&M and up-market designer stores like Louis Vuitton. It's also seriously expensive. A better option would be to visit the Marais, a quaint district with ambling laneways with boutique shopping and offering a real taste of Paris. Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Saint-Michel in the Latin Quarter are other gorgeous areas that are stunning to stroll in.

The Upper East Side New York

Via onthesetofnewyork.com

Many a Gossip Girl and Sex and the City fan gravitate to the Upper East Side of New York for what they feel is the true New York experience. While it does have it's benefits like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and easy access to Central Park, for a more authentic New York experience and unique shopping head downtown. SoHo, East Village, West Village, Little Italy, Chelsea, Nolita, Greenwich Village and into Brooklyn are great areas that attract a younger, funkier demographic. Packed with bars, boutiques, galleries, markets and parks it's an amazing area that has secret gems around every corner!

The White House

Via niacouncil.org

People going to D.C. often focus their visit around all the political monuments and The White House. While these are must sees, there is plenty more to this city. Start by visiting the lesser known monuments on the National Mall like the Vietnam Memorial and go around the basin to the Jefferson Memorial. But to get an authentic feel for the city, visit U St area for a bit of history, jazz bars and chilli dog at Ben's Chilli Bowl. Head to Adams Morgan for lunch and to stroll the leafy streets. Georgetown is great for shopping, and if you want to head out of the city Rock Creek Park is a gorgeous escape.

Melbourne CBD

Via en.wikipedia.org

Don't get stuck in the city centre of Melbourne. First, start deviating off the main roads to get a sense of Melbourne's rich laneway culture where you'll find hidden coffee shops, boutiques, bars and galleries. Then, get out of the city centre by visiting areas like Brunswick, St Kilda and Fitzroy for more unique shopping, markets, parks, galleries, bars and where many locals choose to go.

Hollywood

Via huffingtonpost.com

Hollywood is one of the main attractions and reasons people visit LA, but the city has so much to offer outside of this. West Hollywood is a city in it's own right and has some great gems. LA's multicultural Westside is a treasure trove of cultural gems with never-ending restaurants to eat at, galleries to see and places to shop. These areas offer a different side to the flashy LA of Santa Monica, and the tourist haven of Hollywood.

Big Ben London

Via myriam-laffont.fr

The typical London tourist sites are all visible from one spot on the River Thames. You can see London Bridge, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster and the London Eye without barely moving. But there's so much more to this amazing city. Camden Markets are one of the better known gems but is definitely worth a visit. Shoreditch is a hipster haven with quirky bars, coffee shops and boutiques and shows a different side of London. Little Venice is a pretty area interspersed with waterways as its name suggests. It also has plenty of great bars and restaurants.

Las Ramblas Barcelona

Via tripadvisor.com

I do love Las Ramblas, especially the La Boqueria market with all its goodies. But this sprawling city has a lot to offer beyond that. The Gaudi architecture is a simple must see with The Sagrada Familia. Venture just off Las Ramblas into the winding streets of the Gothic Quarter. Sit in the charming Plaza del Pi to watch the world go by and experience authentic daily life in Barcelona. For a beach visit, avoid the city itself and go a bit further out for a bit more tranquility and clear blue water at Cala Sant Francesc beach.