Question : What is/are the most touristy places you have been to. Most cities have some tourist areas and therefore one would expect tourist paraphenalia (spelling?) to be seen in those areas; but which are the MOST overall touristy cities/ places you've been to? Did you like them anyway? Why or why not?

Also, been anywhere you loved/liked and then went back a few years later and it had turned into tourist central?

TIjuana Mexico comes to mind immediatley.
Also, Solvang, California (close to Santa Barbara) comes to mind. But, it is such a cute little town that I love it! They have some delicious restaurants and some very unique stores. It is really a beautiful town.

Key West. My impression of Key West was lots of t shirt shops.

Wisconsin Dells

The Flintstone place outside of Grand Canyon - is it still there????!!!!

I totally agree with the Key West and Wisconsin Dells answers. I would also add Wall Drug and The Taste of Chicago.....

Taitai

Mt. Rushmore.

Gaitlinburg, TN, how many fudge shops and mini golf places need to be in one spot?

That's easy - Las Vegas!

Gatlinburg and vegas....two more votes. Gag, gag.

Another vote for Vegas. Not my style at all.

TJ, Las Vegas and no flames please but some parts of Santa Fe..

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

I like Gatlinburg in the off-season. And since we have Dollywood passes we're in Pigeon Forge a lot. It's just another town to me, albeit on with a LOT of go-kart tracks and outlet malls.

I would probably second the votes for Vegas and to a lesser degree Key West.

But what great fun each of them are!!!! Touristy doesn't necessarily mean bad. Touristy has a bad connotation when applied to a place where you expect and want to experience true local culture unaffected by an influx of non-locals. If you want a real New York experience you can get it in both Times Square and in Greenwich Village. One is very touristy and one much less so. But both are definitely New York experiences through and through.

I love Vegas for what it is - others may not. No one lives on the Vegas strip -- it is a vacation escape solely for tourists. No one goes to Vegas for local culture. Key West is also one of my favorite places in the US if not the world. It is a place that vacationers go to unwind and have a good time in good weather. It probably deserves a "touristy" label to some degree, but that's ok, it's fun.

No one mentioned Orlando and Disney World, the most touristy place on earth. I love Disney World, and judging by its success, so do a lot of people.

But when I go to Paris or Amsterdam, my favorite activity is to just go walking and get lost. Wander up and down the streets, in and out of places that you would never find listed in a guide book. See how people live and conduct their daily business. Feel for a little while like I live there. Does that mean I don't like the Eiffel Tower or the Red Light District and their "touristy" aspects. Not at all.

So, that's a long way of saying I agree that Vegas is very touristy, but that's not always a bad thing.

Previous posts mentioned Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and I agree. But, to me, Kissimee outside Orlando has them beat! yuk!

Niagara Falls, hands down.

Rome. 10 to 1 tourists to Italians. lol

Branson is a crowded, tourist town.
I don't think tourist equals tacky. I think there are SOME tourist towns that are very tacky, like the Wisconsin Dells, ick! but others like Niagara Falls are clean and wonderful and fun!

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the all time tackiest "touristy place" in the USA - South of the Border in Dillon South Carolina.

More votes for Gatlinburg and Las Vegas, and yes, in this case, touristy means bad. Gatlinburg, especially, is the baddest bad of all.

Key West has some residential areas that are away from the bustling (stumbling?) crowd and quite pretty, actually.