by: By Larry Olmsted  From: Forbes

THE word “tourist” has taken on a negative connotation, especially when used to deride an activity or place as a “tourist-trap”, or suggest that a restaurant or sight is only for tourists.

It’s true that there are many commercialised or stereotypical sights and activities in certain destinations that are contrived, artificial, or low quality and can easily be skipped.

Do you really need to pay to take a photo outside Rome’s Coliseum with someone dressed in cheesy gladiator garb? If it’s a cultural experience and understanding of native culture you are looking for, you can do far better than a luau at a Hawaiian mega-hotel.

But there are some downright touristy activities that have stood the test of time and are not only worth doing, they are absolute musts for first time travellers.

Not all tourist attractions are bad, and some remain popular for a good reason – because they are fun, memorable, and worth seeing. Ten years from now you will probably have forgotten the name of that authentic hole-in-wall local bistro you found, or the off-the-beaten path residential neighbourhood you strolled through, but you will remember that gondola ride.

Gondola in Venice, Italy
The entire appeal of Venice is its waterways and the fact that it is unlike any other city on earth, and a gondola ride is a celebration of everything that makes the place so magical. It’s also rooted in real historical tradition – gondolas are for tourists today but they used to be the chief means of transport and shipping, designed specifically for the shallow, narrow canals. Your gondolier knows the score and knows he is playing a part, with the traditional blue and white striped shirt and if you are lucky, some songs.

Free Shows, Las Vegas, US
No city is as touristy as Las Vegas: 40 million people are expected to visit this year, and in any given month there are nearly twice as many tourists as residents. More than $21.3 billion has been invested in tourism infrastructure in just the past four years. Fortunately for visitors to a city that can quickly exceed budgets, many of the best – and most touristy – attractions are absolutely free. These include the volcano in front of the Mirage, which erupts hourly from 6-11pm. The elaborately produced live pirate ship battle, Sirens of TI, is held in the lagoon in front of the TI casino every 90 minutes from 5:30-11:30pm, while the light and water fountain show in front of the Bellagio goes every half hour from 3-7pm, and from noon on weekends.

The best of the bunch is the Fall of Atlantis in Caesars Palace, where otherwise staid marble statues inspired by mythology come alive with animatronic motion, sound, water, fire, and fury every hour most of the day.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, Australia
This unique activity became so instantly popular other cities copied it, but there is only one port city like Sydney, with its iconic Opera House, dramatic views, and instantly recognisable bridge. Three options are offered, from 2 to 3 hours, and all are expertly guided and limited to groups of 14 or less. Climbers are clipped into a safety railing with harness at all times, and it is really walking, not climbing, using a combination of exposed stairways and catwalks along the outer span of the famed bridge. City dwellers drive or take trains across big bridges all the time, but rarely does anyone get to stand on top of one. Participants reach the top of the bridge’s arched spans, more than 122 metres above the water, with spectacular 360-degree views.

The London Eye, UK
The world’s tallest Ferris wheel when it debuted in 1999, the London Eye has been nothing if not popular – it is the single most visited paid attraction in the UK, receiving about 3.5 million riders each year, a staggering sum. One reason is because it is the highest public view point in the city at more than 40-stories, and the 25-passenger glass enclosed capsules are set on the outside of the massive wheel for maximum panoramic effect. Perfectly located in the heart of the city on the banks of the Thames, it makes one revolution in 30 minutes, during which visitors can see just about every notable sight in London. The architecturally impressive Eye got considerable air time during the telecast of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Stingray City, Grand Cayman Island

Stingrays gather every day in large numbers at this series of sandbars in a shallow channel just off the coast of Grand Cayman – and so do tourists. They come because the creatures are graceful, docile and amazingly soft and silky to the touch, and can be hand fed and petted and will actually slither across the bodies of divers and snorkelers for a wildlife encounter like no other. Deeper parts of the reef complex (still quite shallow) are visited by certified scuba divers, as the Cayman Islands are a world renowned dive destination, while its shallowest sections, just 1-1.5 metres, welcome snorkelers, who may in fact be waders.

Bateau Mouche, Paris, France
Few first-time visitors to Paris pass up the ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower or a brief glimpse at the Mona Lisa, but many conclude that the tourist boats on the Seine, packed in season in a seemingly endless procession, are worth skipping. Big mistake. Like many European capitals, Pairs is all about the river, hence its famous Left and Right Banks, and you get a perspective from the tour boats that you cannot get from land, a never ending display of intricate buildings, bridges, sculptures, facades, artful iron and stone work, all best seen from the water. The boats pass most of the city’s top sights: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Pont Neuf, the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay. They feature huge open decks as well as enclosed sections, hold hundreds and have audio tours in different languages. There is no better way to shake off your jet lag and get an instant orientation to the City of Light – do it your first day.

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan
Just the fact that every single travel guidebook to Tokyo lists this as the city’s must-see sight might be enough to scare away the tourist-phobic traveler. You also have to get up in the wee hours of the morning to really make the most of it, and you might not even care about fish. But don’t let any of that stop you – the world’s largest and busiest fish market is a sight unlike any other, and well worth the effort. Much more than a market, it’s in an entire neighborhood filled with restaurant supply shops, knife shops, and countless mom and pop sushi restaurants. If you have not eaten sushi for breakfast, this is the place – after all, the many traders and retailers who work the market adjourn to these places for the freshest sushi on earth every morning and there is nothing like it. Inside the market is the famous daily tuna auction, and stalls selling far more types of seafood than most people imagine exist.

Great Wall, Beijing, China

Most leisure visitors to China never get closer to the 8851+ kilometre-long wall then when they visit Beijing, but even here it is easy to pass it up: Beijing has the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace, all well within city limits, while the Great Wall is a 90-minute trip each way that requires signing up for a tour or hiring a driver.

When you get there you’ll have to make your way through a bazaar of souvenir junk stands, and many access the Wall by ski lift and come down on an alpine slide, while even on the wall itself peddlers sell trinkets and drinks. Touristy? Without a doubt. Go anyway. To say this is one of the engineering wonders of the world is a gross understatement, and there is simply no way you can appreciate the magnitude of the Wall without walking on it. Leave plenty of time, especially if you are fit, because you could walk for hours from tower to tower admiring the amazing and always changing work that took centuries.

Graceland, Memphis, US
It does not matter whether you are an Elvis fan or not – no visit to Memphis is complete without a stop at Graceland, The King’s former home. While the estate and mini-mansion is now part of a much larger attraction that includes shops, additional museums, restaurants, and even a hotel and RV park, with a decidedly Disneyesque feel, the house itself is still a wonderful and charming attraction, the tours very well run and surprisingly intimate. You will learn a lot about the history of American music and see a softer side of the Elvis Presley superstar image you probably are not familiar with. The other big hit is the tour of Elvis’ two private jets, especially the huge Lisa Marie, decked out with gold fixtures and a private bedroom befitting a Saudi prince.
For more on this story go to:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/the-most-touristy-things-you-should-do/story-e6frg8ro-1226494305031