Reddit Users Reveal The 30 Embarrassing Blunders That Tourists Commit When They Visit Major Cities

Traveling is among the most rewarding experiences that people can have in this world. Appreciating various sights and the nature of another land, discovering its culture, and enjoying the local dishes are truly exciting activities for both the young and the old.

However, since you're in unfamiliar territory, the logistics may hamper the experience. When you're a foreigner who doesn't know much about the country, there is a tendency to fall for tourist traps or commit blunders that can upset the locals.

The thing about tourists is that they want to blend naturally into the environment. That's why they refrain from dressing like tourists or heading to touristy places.

Tourists are often perceived as people holding tons of cash, which is why they are regular targets of criminals and scams in the country.

If you want to prevent yourself from making these mistakes, some Reddit users have shared tips for fellow travelers. We compiled a list of 30 posts from concerned citizens so that people can be well-informed tourists.

You want to enjoy the country while maximizing what it can offer within your current budget. The tips below feature a range of situations in which you can save money, avoid being rude to the locals, and much more.

Be in your best behavior.

If you're visiting somewhere like Auschwitz, where a degree of solemnity is required, don't be a total jerk. Don't be like the school kids who decide to practice a gymnastics routine. Don't be the glitzy women taking pouty-faced selfies in front of the glass cases filled with deceased people's belongings. Don't be the person who claims to the Polish guide that she'd be speaking German if it weren't for his country. Learn a little about history and a lot about decorum before going to a place like this.tsoert

Do your assignment. Learn about the country first before visiting it.

The worst mistake is not learning a little bit about the culture ahead of time, so you are not accidentally rude.culturetraveler, pexels

When in Europe, don't leave stuff unattended.

Asians leaving their bags unattended in Europe is the BIGGEST, MOST FREQUENT MISTAKE EVER. Not just because their belongings get stolen, but also because in France, every unattended bag is considered a potential bomb threat, which can block transportation, sightseeing, or frankly any kind of activities for anyone else there.I know for a fact that in Korea, if you leave your bag at a metro station corner and come back three hours later, it's still going to be there, just like leaving them at cafes unattended. But I swear to God, if you do that in France, five minutes later, poof, your stuff is gone, or you're brought to the police station for questioning because you become a suspect terrorist. I cannot stress this enough: DON'T LEAVE YOUR STUFF ALONE IN EUROPE!asutt_Angelface, unsplash

A great tip for traveling families.

For families traveling, spread out your packing.If you are a family of four bringing two suitcases, spread the clothing for each person between both cases. (i.e., half of each person's clothing should be in one case and half in the other.) That way, if one suitcase gets lost, everyone still has at least half the clothing they need.asutt_Angelface, unsplash

It wouldn't hurt to have a phrasebook.

People who don't speak English also don't speak slower and louder English.And the insane mime work isn't really helping.Beeftech67, unsplash

Never be this arrogant.

Assuming the U.S. dollar is accepted everywhere.satamusic, unsplash

A couple of states don't represent the entirety of America.

U.S. tourists only visiting New York and/or Florida and then believing they've seen "America."Obviously, you're not going to be able to visit every state and eat in every rural diner, but don't just come to Times Square and then believe you've formed an opinion about life in the U.S.scottevil110, pexels

Sunscreen is your friend when you snorkel.

In Australia, not putting sunscreen on the back of your knees while snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, or just not wearing sunscreen at all, is a mistake.[deleted], pexels

Politeness goes a long way.

Make sure when addressing someone in France to start with a greeting. Not saying "Bonjour" could be considered very rude.GrandsBoulevards, pexels

The only problem is entitled people don't know they have a sense of entitlement.

Bringing their 'bad manners' with them and insisting on doing it because it's what they normally do back home.For example, shitting in public, acting like they own the place, having no idea how to form a line, causing a disturbance by talking loudly, and destroying public property due to ignorance.When I see these signs in a person, I immediately walk in the opposite direction.Black_Rum, unsplash

What's customary in your country isn't customary in others.

Not so much a mistake, but something I thought was just obnoxious. At a pub in Ireland, a bunch of guys whipped out instruments and just started jamming, which is the type of spontaneous session that perfectly captures the experience of a true Irish pub.This very American couple, at the close of a song, got up to leave. The woman reached over to give one of the musicians some money. He declined, as if to say, "We aren't buskers looking for handouts; this is just us having fun." She insisted, left the money in front of him, and said, "It's customary."My buddy and I, also Americans, were so embarrassed. While her intentions were obviously good, her gesture struck us as arrogant. It was as if she was saying her customs were superior to the locals. It has stuck with both my buddy and me for almost 20 years. To this day, saying "it's customary" is a way to indicate someone is being obnoxious.AmigoDelDiabla, mediaphotos

Keep your phone secured.

Putting phones in your back pocket is just asking to be pickpocketed.rovinja, pexels

This could cause small accidents.

Walking slowly and stopping in the middle of a busy street to take pictures is a mistake.iftair, pexels

Preparing for an Orlando trip

Florida's kind of an unfamiliar country, right? Pro tip: It rains in Orlando. A lot. Bring rain gear and don't scream at your kids at Disney World because they're tired and/or wet due to poor planning.donuthazard, pexels

Poor big fella.

Throwing a piece of fruit at a giant tortoise is a mistake.I was vacationing in the Galapagos years ago and hanging out with a friend and her study-abroad host family. For most of us, since we were kids, we've been building up internal strength to resist the urge to throw things at wild animals. But this family hadn't spent much time in zoos or around wild animals, so that internal strength was a bit lacking.Soon after we arrived in the Galapagos, we encountered a few wild giant tortoises on a guided hike. As I was marveling at their glacial pace and truthfully hilarious stature, I saw something moving in the corner of my eye. I looked up, and... is that a passionfruit flying across the sky? Right towards that tortoise?It splashed about a foot in front of the tortoise, who forgot all about his relaxed, leisurely demeanor and sprinted away from us. My friend was mortified. The tour guide was too shocked to deliver the tirade he clearly wanted to. And it took a solid 10-15 seconds for the mom who had tossed the fruit to realize that throwing passionfruit at tortoises is frowned upon in the Galapagos Islands.scottkeyes, AlanDearing

It's better to research the prices to avoid getting scammed.

Not doing their research properly, such as average cab fares and average food costs, is a mistake. I’ve seen Caucasian tourists come to my country (Malaysia) and get out of a cab paying RM280 for a ride in the city; that’s, I don't know, $70 or more USD? The average one-hour cab ride from my suburb to the airport only costs RM80, maybe 20-30 USD. Tourists get scammed so badly, and they don’t even know it.fluffymofo69, pexels

Just buy food elsewhere.

It saddens me to see tourists eat in Times Square.[deleted], unsplash

Never use data roaming carelessly.

I was flying to Switzerland. Within EU countries, there's a flat data roaming rate, so I'm not paying more if I use my phone in Portugal, Finland, or the Czech Republic. However, as Switzerland is not a part of the EU (even though they have border regulations connected to the Schengen Agreement), their data plan rate is crazy high. I knew about it and remembered to switch off data roaming, but behind me on the plane, there was this obnoxious kid wearing Supreme, swearing like hell to his mom that they would miss their connection. I didn't pay much attention, but the shriek he let out when he turned off airplane mode after landing (while still seated) and received a text message from his provider that he exceeded his spending limit by more than 70 EUR was truly one that only a really tortured soul could make. Remember to check your roaming fees, guys._citizenzero, RudyBalasko

A quick search on Google will give you an idea of tourist traps to avoid in certain areas.

Walking into tourist trap restaurants is a mistake.Do a bit of research first.It's especially bad in London; stop walking into Angus Steakhouse and Bella Italia, people.ab00, pexels

Tipping is a thing in the States.

Europeans coming to America and not leaving a tip for the servers, just because it's not the custom in Europe, is a mistake.Top_Wop, unsplash

Respect a country's dressing customs.

Women wearing shorts or showing a lot of skin in a Muslim country... please, people, do your due diligence and be respectful of other people's religions and cultures, especially if you are in their country.whatacyat, unsplash

Before visiting a country, check its national holidays. You can't maximize the enjoyment otherwise.

Not being aware of things like public holidays and trying to research what will be open or planning ahead is a mistake. I'm from New Zealand and used to work in the tourism industry—no one seemed to be aware that although the Christmas/New Year period is over summer, the entire country shuts down for around two weeks.That said, one thing I came across a lot was that because New Zealand is a small country, you could get through it easily and quickly by road. It's small, yes, but very rugged terrain means that distances can be long, especially in the South Island.Taylor_face21, Ali Saadat

When in doubt, it's better to ask.

I wouldn't say it was a bad mistake or anything, but I was in O'Hare (the worst airport ever, in my opinion), in the ladies' room when an Indian woman in a beautiful sari was trying all of the closed stall doors (ignoring the open ones). She had a coin in her hand and was trying to insert it into the locks because, as I had learned while in Europe, they often have pay toilets there. So I gently redirected her.koookoookachoo, ez_thug

Avoid joking about history.

Cracking a Nazi joke with Germans you aren't familiar with is a mistake.Germans do, however, love cracking Nazi jokes, but only with people they know and trust.Priamosish, Wavebreakmedia

A drinking custom in Sweden

In Sweden, drinking from your wine or beer glass before your host has made a toast is a mistake. No matter how thirsty you are, always wait until you hear “Skål!” then you’re good to go.elevenblade, pexels

Airport money exchange is still the best.

Using the money exchange at the airport is a mistake.I had a picture somewhere of the rates at Stansted: 20% spread each way. Selling pounds for 4 PLN, buying for 6 PLN.swistak84, flickr

Apparently, a lot of tourists complain about something similar.

Confusing the small Catholic parish church in Canterbury for the Cathedral and complaining it wasn't as impressive as expected, and that it didn't 'look old enough' is a mistake.mronion82, Brett Sayles

Automatic ones are always an option.

Not knowing how to use a stick shift in Europe is a mistake.MemeDeli, dtimiraos

Doing this will make you a target for criminals.

My friend told locals in a poor part of the Dominican Republic that he has a Mercedes-Benz S550 back in New York, on top of showing all the most luxurious pictures of what he does in America, which then led people to believe that we were super-rich Americans. This may not be the worst, but telling people you have a car like that when you're in a poor country is never a good idea, as some of these folks will look at you like a walking ATM.mikeyboy371, unsplash

We wonder why.

Wearing mariachi hats is a mistake.Just don't.unlimitedanna, pxhere

A quick Google of the country should be enough to avoid the biggest mistakes as a tourist.

While knowing the customs of all countries is a huge task, it is extremely easy to do some research before visiting a country to avoid awkward blunders.

We hope these tips will help you blend in a little more during your upcoming trip overseas.