Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore on Same List with Niagara Falls, Graceland

When it comes to some of the most famous landmarks in America, they don't get much bigger than New York City's Empire State Building, Bourbon Street in New Orleans, or Seattle's Space Needle.

Now a pair of South Dakota's best-known attractions find themselves right alongside those icons, as well as some pretty significant other places.

But it's not a list to be celebrated.

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24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from ten different travel blogs and websites to compile a rundown of the Worst Tourist Traps in America; places that are considered overhyped, overpriced, or overcrowded.

On the roster of the 'Awful 18' are South Dakota's own Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore.

Their take on Wall Drug:

'By the time drivers reach the Wall Drug exit, they simply have to stop to see what the hype is all about. And what these tourists find is a bizarre mashup of themes and décor, including the famous jackalope (pictured above). There are kids’ attractions, a restaurant, and even a chapel inside the establishment. This short description doesn’t come close to summing up the Wall Drug experience, though.'

As for the 'Federally-protected tourist trap' that is Mount Rushmore:

'The drive to Mount Rushmore is long and the payoff is not what many visitors hope for. In reality, if you’ve seen a picture of Mount Rushmore, then you’ve basically seen everything that it has to offer. It is four presidential faces on a mountain. Quite a feat of engineering and artistry, to be sure, but still not worth the hassle. Oh, and there’s also the very controversial history of this monument that can throw a damper on the whole thing. 

WORST TOURIST TRAPS IN AMERICA (24/7 Wall St.)

• Four Corners Monument - Teec Nos Pos, Arizona
• Hollywood Walk of Fame - Los Angeles
• Fisherman’s Wharf - San Francisco
• Lombard Street - San Francisco
• Dole Plantation - Wahiawa, Hawaii
• Bourbon Street - New Orleans
• Café Du Monde - New Orleans
• Plymouth Rock - Plymouth, Massachusetts
• International UFO Museum and Research Center - Roswell, New Mexico
• Empire State Building - New York City
• Rockefeller Center - New York City
• Times Square - New York City
• Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls, New York
• Mount Rushmore - Keystone, South Dakota
• Wall Drug - Wall, South Dakota
• Graceland - Memphis
• Gum Wall - Seattle
• Space Needle - Seattle