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Often when people are exploring a new place, they’re happy to spend that little bit more to cross things off of their bucket list and experience something new.
From historical monuments and cultural landmarks, walled gardens to zoos and theme parks and galleries lined with paintings from famous artists, tourist attractions offer something for everyone.
But which attractions around the world can you afford to miss out on?
Whether because of the entrance fee, the cost of parking, or the food and drink onsite, SavingSpot analyzed TripAdvisor reviews of popular attractions in 134 countries and all 50 US States to reveal which ones visitors deemed ‘too expensive’…
Filtering by country and US state, SavingSpot analyzed the TripAdvisor reviews section of every attraction and recorded the number of mentions of the word “expensive”. The attraction with the most mentions of the word “expensive” in each state/country was deemed the worst value attraction.
The team split the attractions into different categories based on what they’re listed on TripAdvisor, creating nine final categories: Architectural Buildings, Art Galleries, Castles, Gardens, Historic Sites, Museums, Theme Parks and Water Parks, Sightseeing Tours and Zoos and Aquariums.
The data was collected in December 2021.
Here’s a preview of the world map, showing each country’s worst value attraction:
World map of every country’s worst value attraction
Tourist attractions are places of interest known for their cultural value, natural or built beauty, and historical significance for providing leisure and entertainment. But what about when a must-see attraction isn’t worth the money?
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is a behind-the-scenes museum tour that showcases costumes, props, and sets from the multi-billion dollar franchise. Despite receiving 5-star reviews, some 8,283 visitors were less than charmed with the price they paid for food and drink while on tour.
Top 20 of the world’s most overpriced tourist attractions
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
8283
Movie & TV Tours
England
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
5680
Amusement & Theme Parks
England
London Eye
5066
Observation Decks & Towers
England
Burj Khalifa
4839
Architectural Buildings
United Arab Emirates
The View from The Shard
3223
Architectural Buildings
England
Universal Studios Florida
3189
Amusement & Theme Parks
United States of America
Blue Lagoon
3139
Spas
Iceland
Magic Kingdom Park
3127
Amusement & Theme Parks
United States of America
Warwick Castle
3067
Castles
England
Empire State Building
3056
Architectural Buildings
United States of America
Alton Towers Theme Park
2828
Amusement & Theme Parks
England
Eden Project
2813
Gardens
England
Siam Park
2745
Amusement & Theme Parks
Spain
Edinburgh Castle
2693
Castles
Scotland
Discovery Cove
2526
Amusement & Theme Parks
United States of America
Piazza San Marco
2512
Historic Walking Areas
Italy
Tower of London
2394
Historic Sites
England
Chester Zoo
2251
Zoos
England
CN Tower
2241
Architectural Buildings
Canada
Tivoli Gardens
2156
Gardens
Denmark
The Worst Value Tourist Attractions by Continent
North America
According to Tripadvisor reviews, Universal Studios Florida is too expensive and some visitors expected better for what they paid. Although ticket prices are expected to be somewhat expensive in exchange for the experience, the main issue – outside of repetitive rides and the waiting lines to go on them – is the price of food and drink, and add-ons such as photo packages and parking.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in North America
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Universal Studios Florida
3189
Theme Parks and Water Parks
United States of America
CN Tower
2241
Architectural Buildings
Canada
Xcaret
1862
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Mexico
Aquaventure
951
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Bahamas
Dolphin Cove Ocho Rios
554
Swim with Dolphins
Jamaica
Tabacon Hot Springs
465
Hot Springs & Geysers
Costa Rica
Dolphin Explorer
442
Swim with Dolphins
Dominican Republic
Tropicana
285
Bars & Clubs
Cuba
Miraflores Visitor Center
192
Visitor Centers
Panama
St. Nicholas Abbey
175
Architectural Buildings
Barbados
Shirley Heights
156
Historic Sites
Antigua and Barbuda
Caye Caulker
124
Islands
Belize
Labadee
98
Historic Walking Areas
Haiti
Little French Key
97
Beaches
Honduras
ChocoMuseo
66
Museums
Guatemala
ChocoMuseo Granada
53
Museums
Nicaragua
Belmont Estate
20
Farms
Grenada
Asa Wright Nature Centre
11
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Trinidad and Tobago
The United States
From Chicago, with its influential architecture in Los Angeles’ Hollywood, the U.S. is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Its Historical and cultural landmarks, national parks, entertainment venues, and famous cities attract millions of tourists every year.
But which famous U.S. landmarks just aren’t worth paying a dollar for? According to 3,189 TripAdvisor reviews about the attraction, Universal Studios Florida – a theme park popular with movie buffs, thrill seekers and entertainment fans – is the worst value tourists attraction in the U.S. Like many theme parks and days out, the real cost adds up for buying food and drink.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in the United States
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
State
Universal Studios Florida
3189
Amusement & Theme Parks
Florida
Empire State Building
3056
Architectural Buildings
New York
Biltmore
1987
Historic Sites
North Carolina
Georgia Aquarium
1691
Aquariums
Georgia
San Diego Zoo
1674
Zoos
California
Space Needle
1552
Observation Decks & Towers
Washington
Dollywood
1251
Amusement & Theme Parks
Tennessee
High Roller
971
Observation Decks & Towers
Nevada
Cedar Point
929
Amusement & Theme Parks
Ohio
Fenway Park
796
Arenas & Stadiums
Massachusetts
Canada
Canada is a frequent travel bucket list contender, from its stunning landscapes and spectacular cities to its ancient and contemporary cultures. But with so much to see and do, how do we know which tourist attractions really aren’t worth the money?
The CN Tower, a communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, is the worst value attraction overall, with 2,241 mentions of the word “expensive.” Interestingly, three of the top 10 worst value attractions are animal attractions, including Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Vancouver Aquarium, and Toronto Zoo.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in Canada
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
City
CN Tower
2,241
Toronto
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
1,140
Toronto
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
956
North Vancouver
Banff Gondola
859
Banff
Canada’s Wonderland
692
Vaughan
The Butchart
579
Brentwood Bay
Rocky Mountaineer
510
Vancouver
Vancouver Aquarium
508
Vancouver
Rogers Centre
433
Toronto
Toronto Zoo
335
Toronto
South America
Known as the ‘Tourist Jewel’ of Rio de Janeiro, Sugarloaf Mountain is a historical landmark that boasts breathtaking views and an experience like no other. But many things which are popular with tourists have a hefty price tag. Visitors to Sugarloaf Mountain took to Tripadvisor to express that while they felt that the view was worth experiencing, the guided tour to the top was far too expensive.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in South America
Name
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Sugarloaf Mountain
466
Trams
Brazil
Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu
459
Ancient Ruins
Peru
Puerto Madero
334
Neighborhoods
Argentina
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
215
National Parks
Colombia
Gravity Bolivia
198
Adrenaline & Extreme Tours
Bolivia
Torres del Paine National Park
135
National Parks
Chile
TeleferiQo Teleferico Quito
99
Trams
Ecuador
Mercado del Puerto
37
Flea & Street Markets
Uruguay
Kaieteur Falls
10
Waterfalls
Guyana
Europe
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is ‘too expensive’, according to Tripadvisor reviews about the attraction. Although immensely popular with fans of the Harry Potter franchise, a single adult ticket to the tour is £49.95 in muggle money – which adds up if you’re taking the whole family. And that’s before you get to the gift shop.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in Europe
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
8283
Movie & TV Tours
England
Blue Lagoon
3139
Spas
Iceland
Siam Park
2745
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Spain
Edinburgh Castle
2693
Castles
Scotland
Piazza San Marco
2512
Historic Walking Areas
Italy
Tivoli Gardens
2156
Gardens
Denmark
Eiffel Tower
2101
Observation Decks & Towers
France
Dubrovnik Cable Car
1191
Trams
Croatia
Szechenyi Baths and Pool
969
Historic Sites
Hungary
Telefericos da Madeira
777
Trams
Portugal
The Middle East and Central Asia
One attraction some visitors would rather avoid, however, is the Burj Khalifa in the city of Dubai. The Burj has been recognized as the tallest building in the world since 2010. Although the skyscraper offers uncharted views of the city, Tripadvisor reviews about the attraction claim that it is too expensive – from the entrance fee to the cost of keepsake photos from the experience.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in the Middle East and Central Asia
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Burj Khalifa
4839
Architectural Buildings
United Arab Emirates
Petra
585
Ancient Ruins
Jordan
Topkapi Palace
546
Museums
Turkey
Dolphin Reef
148
Beaches
Israel
Kingdom Centre Tower
90
Architectural Buildings
Saudi Arabia
Museum of Islamic Art
86
Museums
Qatar
Big Bus Tours Muscat
81
Bus Tours
Oman
Milad Tower
63
Architectural Buildings
Iran
The Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park
51
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Bahrain
Kuwait Towers
42
Architectural Buildings
Kuwait
Africa
Designed by French artist Jacques Majorelle in 1923, Jardin Majorelle is a two-and-a-half acre botanical and artist’s landscape garden nestled in the heart of Marrakech, Morocco. It offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Medina. However, according to Tripadvisor reviews, the garden is ‘underwhelming’ in terms of size and variety for the price paid to get in.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in Africa
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Jardin Majorelle
1529
Gardens
Morocco
Casela Nature Parks
237
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Mauritius
Table Mountain
233
Mountains
South Africa
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls National Park
172
National Parks
Zimbabwe
Giraffe Centre
156
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Kenya
Dolphina Park
107
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Egypt
Volcanoes National Park
107
National Parks
Rwanda
Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve
93
Forests
Seychelles
Cultural Heritage Centre
91
Museums
Tanzania
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
85
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Uganda
The Rest of Asia and Oceania
Universal Studios Singapore is Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios theme park. The park offers 24 rides and attractions in seven themed zones, as well as a number of shows to watch and enjoy. According to Tripadvisor reviews about this attraction, visitors found the entrance ticket reasonably priced but the cost of food and drink was deemed too expensive.
Top 10 Worst Value Attractions in the rest of Asia and Oceania
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Category
Country
Universal Studios Singapore
1859
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Singapore
Waterbom Bali
1592
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Indonesia
Hong Kong Disneyland
1371
Theme Parks and Water Parks
China
The Grand Palace
1283
Historic Sites
Thailand
Petronas Twin Towers
1182
Architectural Buildings
Malaysia
BridgeClimb
812
Adrenaline & Extreme Tours
Australia
Skyline Queenstown
782
Game & Entertainment Centers
New Zealand
Bitexco Financial Tower
634
Observation Decks & Towers
Vietnam
Universal Studios Japan
607
Theme Parks and Water Parks
Japan
Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress
591
Ancient Ruins
Sri Lanka
The Worst Value Tourist Attractions by Category
Top 10 Worst Value Architectural Buildings
The Burj Khalifa, a skyscraper in Dubai that snakes 829.8 m (2,722 ft) into the sky, has been recognized as the tallest building in the world since 2010. Although the panoramic views from the top floor are highly recommended, according to Tripadvisor reviews about the attraction, 4,839 visitors claim the price of going all the way up is simply too expensive.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Burj Khalifa
4839
United Arab Emirates
The View from The Shard
3223
England
Empire State Building
3056
United States of America
CN Tower
2241
Canada
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia
1779
Spain
Casa Batllo
1755
Spain
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
1283
Italy
Petronas Twin Towers
1182
Malaysia
York Minster
1164
England
Burj Al Arab
1062
United Arab Emirates
Top 10 Worst Value Art Galleries
According to its Tripadvisor reviews, Chatsworth House is the worst value art attraction. Although renowned for the quality of its art and landscape, which continues to evolve to reflect current tastes, passions, and interests, 1,183 visitors found the stately home too expensive to visit. In addition to the cost of food and drink, visitors were irked at the cost of parking, which is £20 per car for any event.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Chatsworth House
1183
England
Chihuly Garden and Glass
802
United States of America
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
521
England
Lava Glass
146
New Zealand
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
120
United States of America
Fabrica La Aurora
72
Mexico
Vancouver Art Gallery
64
Canada
Museum of Anthropology
61
Canada
New Murano Gallery
60
Italy
Petworth House and Park
59
England
Top 10 Worst Value Castles
Warwick Castle, originally built by William the Conqueror during 1068 and situated on a meander of the River Avon in Warwickshire, England, is the worst value castle attraction according to TripAdvisor reviews. 3,067 visitors found that the entrance fee was too expensive.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Warwick Castle
3067
England
Edinburgh Castle
2693
Scotland
Leeds Castle
690
England
Alnwick Castle
686
England
The Alnwick Garden
641
England
Windsor Castle
604
England
Hampton Court Palace
451
England
Stirling Castle
428
Scotland
Cardiff Castle
394
Wales
Dover Castle
390
England
Top 10 Worst Value Gardens
The Eden Project in Cornwall, England is the worst value tourist garden in the world according to TripAdvisor reviews about the attraction. 2,813 visitors included ‘too expensive’ within their reviews post-visit.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Eden Project
2813
England
Tivoli Gardens
2156
Denmark
Jardin Majorelle
1529
Morocco
Gardens by the Bay
1191
Singapore
Palmitos Park
843
Spain
The Butchart Gardens
579
Canada
Gaylord Opryland Resort Gardens
415
United States of America
Trentham Gardens
376
England
Garden of Dreams
309
Nepal
RHS Garden Wisley
295
England
Top 10 Worst Value Historic Sites
The Tower of London is considered the historical site which is the worst value for money, according to Tripadvisor reviews about the attraction. 2,394 visitors felt that the cost of visiting the historic castle, royal palace, fortress, and infamous prison, was too expensive in exchange for the overall experience.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Tower of London
2394
England
Biltmore
1988
United States of America
Longleat
1394
England
The Grand Palace
1283
Thailand
The Roman Baths
1163
England
Walls of Dubrovnik
1036
Croatia
Szechenyi Baths and Pool
969
Hungary
Blenheim Palace
904
England
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
763
England
Harry’s Bar
528
Italy
Top 10 Worst Value Museums
The worst value museum in the world, according to TripAdvisor reviews about the attraction, is Madame Tussauds London. It features more than 250 lifelike wax figures, ranging from HRH Queen Elizabeth II to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. However, 2,046 visitors found the £34 on-the-day entrance fee too expensive.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Madame Tussauds London
2046
England
Cadbury World
1253
England
Graceland
1107
United States of America
Van Gogh Museum
714
Netherlands
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
677
Scotland
V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum
617
England
Jorvik Viking Centre
596
England
Rijksmuseum
574
Netherlands
Topkapi Palace
546
Turkey
California Academy of Sciences
470
United States of America
Top 10 Worst Value Theme Parks and Water Parks
5,680 reviews about the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort which, you guessed it, is popular with LEGO fans across the world, claim that the family theme park is too expensive. Another reason visitors may see a lack of value could be that parents often visit to take their children, rather than out of genuine interest in the park themselves.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
5680
England
Universal Studios Florida
3189
United States of America
Magic Kingdom Park
3127
United States of America
Alton Towers Theme Park
2828
England
Siam Park
2745
Spain
Discovery Cove
2526
United States of America
Xcaret
1862
Mexico
Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark
1860
United Arab Emirates
Universal Studios Singapore
1859
Singapore
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
1689
England
Top 10 Worst Value Sightseeing Tours
The worst value sightseeing tour, according to its Tripadvisor reviews, is the Les Rives Authentic River Experience in Vietnam. The scenic river boat tour is too expensive according to 290 visitors.
Title
“Expensive” Mentions
Country
Les Rives Authentic River Experience
290
Vietnam
Carreiros do Monte
275
Portugal
Voyages Ayers Rock Resort
234
Australia
SPB Tours
224
Russia
Bateaux Parisiens
218
France
Tootbus London
202
England
Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure
181
Canada
Phuket Sail Tours
165
Thailand
Paris City Vision
153
France
Desert Safari Dubai
153
United Arab Emirates
Top 10 Worst Value Zoos and Aquariums
Despite being the most-visited and one of the UK’s largest zoos, boasting 51 hectares, Chester Zoo is the worst value animal-related tourist attraction in the world. According to its TripAdvisor reviews, 2,251 visitors thought the zoo was ‘too expensive.
