The 'World's Worst Tourist Trap' Is A Wildly Popular California Destination Full Of Shops And Attractions

There are lots of worthy options for "the world's worst tourist trap." Are we talking about an alien-themed head shop in Roswell, New Mexico, full of candy-colored bongs? Or a groan-worthy and now-permanently-closed Ninja Shinjuku themed restaurant in Tokyo, Japan? Or maybe about a completely scam-laden landscape of fake safaris across South Africa? Nope. According to the vacation rental website Casago, we're talking about a walkable waterfront full of shops and attractions right in the U.S.A. that isn't Pike Place in Seattle. Rather, the "the world's biggest tourist trap." is actually San Francisco's own Fisherman's Wharf — a tourist hotspot reputedly stuffed full of fake, overpriced, overcrowded, and overhyped dross. 

And if you're wondering, "Surely, Fisherman's Wharf isn't that big of a draw," well, as it turns out, a shocking 12 million people pack into it every year (as do a large number of rats). That's nearly 33,000 per day on average, which is frankly enough to ruin almost anything. Going from the city's center of fishing industry in the early 1900s to San Francisco's biggest tourist attraction, Fisherman's Wharf now occupies a singular — and singularly disappointing — place in California history. 

There are about a quadrillion things to do at Fisherman's Wharf, like leisurely poking around the shops and eateries of Pier 39, which includes multiple escape rooms and Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze. There are also boats to Alcatraz Island, rides on the SkyStar Ferris wheel, strolls through the historic Ghirardelli Square, multiple museums, art galleries, and even fresh-caught fish and crab for sale. But, in what is possibly a case of success yielding ultimate failure, none of these offerings are apparently enough to offset Fisherman's Wharf's cons.

To identify the world's worst tourist trap, Casago sorted tourist sites on TripAdvisor according to the phrase "tourist trap." Out of 19,692 reviews (at the time of writing), 1,049 people use the phrase to describe Fisherman's Wharf. Barcelona's La Rambla shopping street — notorious for high prices, pickpockets, and even a not-too-secret red light section — snagged spot No. 2, with 793 mentions. That's not to say that everyone detests Fisherman's Wharf — sea lions certainly love lounging on the wharf's docks. Along with that, Fisherman's Wharf does have five-star review defenders on TripAdvisor who say things like "Great vibes, nice view and scenery," and refer to it as "hyper friendly." However, even lots of positive reviews also admit that it's touristy.

Peering into TripAdvisor's negative reviews, visitors lambast Fisherman's Wharf as "disappointing," "more commercial each time," "washed up," "overrated," and of course, "just another tourist trap." Reviews on Yelp by and large echo these sentiments. A native San Franciscan told SF Gate that locals hate Fisherman's Wharf, describing it as "overcrowded with tourists, tacky souvenirs and overpriced food that isn't good." After an attempt to enjoy the place, they very savagely concluded that it's a "hellscape." 

As always, those planning to visit Fisherman's Wharf should follow one simple rule: Temper your expectations. Know what you're getting into and you can try to make the most of it. Just don't forget that San Francisco has loads more to offer — including overlooked and hip neighborhoods like Outer Sunset. And, to be fair, local eateries in places like Outer Sunset need your support a lot more than the Hard Rock Cafe.