10 Tourist Traps You Visited as a Kid (That Still Exist Today)
These classic tourist traps still lure travelers, even decades after your childhood road trips.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
You might remember the bumper stickers, overpriced snow globes, and giant fiberglass statues from family vacations. These tourist traps were often the highlight of long drives and cross-country adventures. Surprisingly, many are still standing, pulling in curious travelers just like they did when you were a kid. This list revisits 10 spots you probably begged your parents to stop at that still exist today.
1. Cabazon Dinosaurs
Los Paseos on Wikimedia Commons
These giant concrete dinosaurs off Interstate 10 were once just a pit stop to stretch your legs. Now, they host a quirky gift shop and photo ops galore. If you climbed inside the brontosaurus belly as a kid, it is still there waiting.
2. Mount Rushmore - Keystone, South Dakota
Gs970 on Wikimedia Commons
As patriotic as it is packed with tourists, Mount Rushmore still draws huge crowds. The faces look the same, but the parking fees and photo ops have leveled up. You probably did not care about the history—just the ice cream afterward.
3. Niagara Falls - New York and Ontario
Saffron Blaze on Wikimedia Commons
Niagara Falls is still wet, loud, and jammed with souvenir stands. What started as a natural wonder somehow became a maze of wax museums and haunted houses. If you ever wore a rain poncho on the Maid of the Mist, you are not alone.
4. South of the Border - Dillon, South Carolina
Asilverstein on Wikimedia Commons
The billboards started hundreds of miles before you got there. This kitschy rest stop is still flashing neon and selling sombrero souvenirs. You might not remember the food, but the giant Pedro statue lives rent-free in your memory.
5. Las Vegas Strip - Las Vegas, Nevada
Dietmar Rabich on Wikimedia Commons
You may have gone for the lights, the fountains, or a free buffet if your parents were feeling generous. The Strip has changed, but it still feels like a theme park for adults. Odds are you were dragged to a magic show and fell asleep halfway through.
6. Paul Bunyan and Babe - Bemidji, Minnesota
Kubber333 on Wikimedia Commons
If your parents promised “something cool,” this lumberjack duo was probably it. These statues are photo magnets and still beloved by road-trippers. Your pose with Babe’s hoof might even be in a dusty photo album somewhere.
7. Hollywood Walk of Fame - Los Angeles, California
BenSherman on Wikimedia Commons
You may have scoured the sidewalk for your favorite celebrity star. It is still star-studded, crowded, and somehow both glamorous and grimy. Just like when you were a kid, the best part was spotting someone in a Batman costume.
8. The Mystery Spot - Santa Cruz, California
Sanjay ach on Wikimedia Commons
The laws of gravity “don’t apply” here—or so they say. This place had your whole family walking sideways and scratching their heads. It is just as weird now as it was then, and they are still selling those famous bumper stickers.
9. Wall Drug - Wall, South Dakota
1950sUnlimited on Wikimedia Commons
The billboards promise free ice water and homemade donuts—and they still do. Wall Drug has grown into a Western-themed mega-mall full of oddities. If you spent your allowance on a jackalope keychain, you are not alone.
10. The Corn Palace - Mitchell, South Dakota
Michael Barera on Wikimedia Commons
Yes, it is a palace made of corn. You probably laughed, rolled your eyes, and took a picture anyway. The corn murals change every year, and they are still delightfully bizarre.