Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Things Foreigners Should Avoid At All Costs While Visiting America

Grand Canyon
brown rocky mountain under white clouds during daytime

Reddit user AMGBOI69420 asked: 'Americans of Reddit, what places in America should foreigners avoid at all cost?'

When people visit the United States of America for the first time, they often have a list of places to see and things to do (and eat!).

Get a hot dog in New York City before attending a Broadway show, take in the spectacular views of the Grand Canyon, or soak in the sunny beaches of Florida.

Of course, like anywhere on Earth, there are also some places and things which should be avoided at all costs.

Then too, not all guidebooks can give you all the information on things to be wary of in the most visited places in the country.

Some of which might save you a dollar or two, and some of which might actually save your life.


Redditor AMGBOI69420 was curious to hear all the advice the Reddit community had to offer to first-time visitors to the US, particularly regarding what to avoid, leading them to ask:
"Americans of Reddit, what places in America should foreigners avoid at all cost?"

Those Signs Are Not Just Decorations

"If you go to a national park and you disregard the signs, you're going to die."

"It's not a joke."

"Treat buffalo like field puppies?"

"You're going to die."

"Try to pet the brown bear?"

"You're going to die."

"See that moose and want to feed it?"

"You're probably already dead."

"Oh look, a rattlesnake! "

"*dead*"

"Want to swim in Old Faithful?"

"You're going to die painfully and completely dissolve into a soup."

"Sh*t is dangerous here and if you don't respect it you'll be lucky to die quick."- Xanza

"If you’re in a National park, listen to what the caution signs say and don’t venture off of paths."

"One is because of wildlife and the other is because humans don’t need to ruin everything in nature, just to get a photo."

"Also, don’t fall into the Grand Canyon." - Yawheyy

grand canyon arizona GIF by Go USA JpGiphy

Know Your Limits And Be Prepared

"Don’t hike into the wilderness of Colorado (especially 14ers) without knowing wilderness survival and responsibilities."

"Tourists die on our mountains and in Rocky Mountain National Park all the time."

"Do your research!"

"Altitude is no joke."- eyjafjallajokul_

Some Things Are Worth The Added Expense...

"Not American but as a visitor trying to travel on the cheap, I made the mistake of booking a greyhound bus ride."

"There's a reason why it was cheap lol."- toadkarter1993

The Name Should Be A Clue

"Death Valley in the summer especially if you consider yourself a strong hiker, and live in a cooler climate."

"It has that name for a reason."- FabFrench

death valley documentary GIFGiphy

Or Even Dip Your Toes...

"The hot springs in yellowstone are not hot tubs do not swim in them."- needs_grammarly

"Steaming Acidic hot springs in Yellowstone."- SuvenPan

Every City Has One...

"Anywhere with a Rainforest Cafe and a Wax Museum on the same street is a tourist trap."- Klytus_Im-Bored

homer simpson episode 13 GIFGiphy

Maps Exist For A Reason

"Avoid going to one location thinking another location across the country is a short trip."- Jebediah_Vorbeck

So Much For "Brotherly Love"

"The Kensington area of North Philadelphia."

"Don't."

"Just don't."- amhildreth

Even If You're A Night Owl

"Most of Downtown Los Angeles at night."

"When the streets get quiet and the locals go home, that's your cue to go back to your hotel or a more popular hotspot."- muststayawaketonod·

los angeles city GIF by The Broad MuseumGiphy

Aracnaphobia!

"Pueblo Colorado."- External-Traffic-916

"F*ck Peublo and its mass Tarantula Migration."- paustulio

Not The Where, But The What

"It's not 'places' as much as 'situations' that you should avoid."

"Depending on where you're from, you'll have some of these instincts, but not others."

"It's not all or nothing."

"But here's some situations I can see happening to a European, as an example."

"Getting stranded in the desert."

"Whether you're hiking without water, or driving too far on a single tank of gas, there's a real risk of being stranded without very immediate help, and no cell reception."

"Underestimating travel time."

"You're not going to see NYC and LA on the same trip."

"They're three time zones apart."

"They are exactly as far apart as London, England and Baku, Azerbaijan."

"You'll either be driving for a week, or flying."

"Even things that seem close, like NYC and DC, are not actually that close."

"It would be about 6 hours of driving or train to get from one to the other."

"Trespassing."

"It is taken VERY seriously here, and you could wind up shot if you are on the wrong person's land."

"We do not have the right to roam."

"And we do have the right to bear arms."

"Some states even have 'castle laws' which considers trespassing to be sufficient reason to shoot someone in 'self defense'."

"Any places people are mentioning are places that Americans wouldn't go to either if they could help it."

"But if I can say one place in particular, it would be Camden, NJ."

"It's just across the river from Philadelphia, and has a couple of tourist draws like the Aquarium or the concert venue, but anywhere that's not those specific places is incredibly unsafe."- pHScale

Season 9 Reaction GIF by The OfficeGiphy

Like any country, America has its fair share of underwhelming and unsafe destinations.

Thankfully, most of these places aren't written up in guidebooks, and won't be high on the list of any foreign visitors.

Sadly, guidebooks still might not stop them from shelling out loads of money for very mediocre food at a noisy theme restaurant...


More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Donald Trump holding photos of White House ballroom
Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images

CNN Just Used A Hilarious Poll To Show Just How Unpopular Trump's Ballroom Is—And We're Cackling

After President Donald Trump claimed that his new White House ballroom is "very popular" with the American public, CNN shared a hilariously shady poll that gets to the truth of the matter.

Last year, Trump ordered the demolition of the entire East Wing to make way for a 90,000 square-foot ballroom that will dwarf the size of the White House itself, sparking alarm from historical preservationists and the public alike.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @devynnehaddoxx's TikTok video
@devynnehaddoxx/TikTok

Woman In Labor Times How Long Her Husband Takes To Poop To See If She Can Push Their Baby Out Faster In Hilarious Viral Video

It's well-known across the internet that it takes forever for men to use the restroom. For dads especially, in the time it takes them to poop, when they return to the house, their kids will have aged seven years, and their baby will have learned to walk.

These are jokes, of course, but it's an internet consensus that men spend a really long time on the porcelain throne.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Letterman (left) has continued defending Stephen Colbert (right) as CBS faces backlash over canceling The Late Show.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images

David Letterman Rips 'Lying Weasels' At CBS For Claiming Colbert Was Canceled For Financial Reasons In Epic Takedown

David Letterman isn’t staying quiet about CBS canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. As Colbert’s run comes to an end later this month, the former late-night host is publicly challenging the network’s claim that the decision was purely financial.

Letterman, who hosted The Late Show from 1993 until stepping down in 2015, addressed the controversy during a new interview with New York Times journalist Jason Zinoman.

Keep ReadingShow less
Antonia Eastwood; Gemma Monk
Antonia Eastwood/MSN; Cover Images

Woman Speaks Out After Prison Sentence To Reveal What Led Her To Hurl Black Paint At Sister-In-Law On Her Wedding Day

In early 2024, 49-year-old Antonia Eastwood married Ashley Monk after about five months of dating. During the ceremony, Antonia tripped while walking down the aisle.

Antonia and Ashley were both suspicious that she did not trip accidentally and that Ashley's sister, Gemma, actually tripped her. Gemma and Antonia were not close, and the couple also believed that Gemma might be jealous that they were marrying after five months, though she'd been with her childhood sweetheart for 20 years without tying the knot.

Keep ReadingShow less
Billie Eilish on 'Good Hang'
Good Hang with Amy Poehler/YouTube

Billie Eilish's Refreshingly Blunt Take On Aging And 'Botched' Plastic Surgery Has Fans Nodding Hard

You know what they say: the grass is greener on the other side. Most people want something that they don't have.

While many people right now are fixated on appearing younger than their age, Billie Eilish—who already looks younger than her age—is looking forward to what comes next.

Keep ReadingShow less