30 Non-Americans Reveal The Secret To Spotting An American Tourist From Miles Away
It's great to be able to spot someone, but this is actually scary. It's like a cult of its own.
Spotting a tourist is usually easy, but in this Reddit thread, the clues are all about Americans abroad. From loud habits to awkward customs and the little things locals notice right away, the comments turn into a funny, blunt checklist of what stands out most.
The original post asks non-Americans to share the fastest way to identify an American tourist from a distance, and the replies cover everything from clothing and behavior to food preferences and social habits. Some of the observations are playful, some are sharp, and a few are surprisingly specific. Read on.
1. This is actually quite stressful.
Americans are very loud; I swear you have loudhailers hidden in your clothes somewhere.Over 40, tourists tend to be more on the very overweight side, but the women still wear yoga pants, and the men always have a combination of button-up shirts and loose-fitting cargo shorts.And both men and women wear baseball caps and Oakleys or sunglasses similar to that style, with white trainers.Under 40, you're very friendly, in a way that's both endearing and creepy. When we chat, I feel like I'm being indoctrinated into a cult.Sco0bySnax
Unsplash2. Ah yes, the thrilling concrete jungle of a busy metropolis.
The way they dress. For some reason, Americans abroad dress like they're doing some hardcore exploring in the Amazon... even when they're just visiting a European city.jackofharts94
Pexels3. And the ancestors are introduced too.
"Hey, oh, you're [Irish/Scottish/Italian/etc]! I'm [same] too!""Oh really? Whereabouts are you from?""California. My great-great-great-grandpappy was from here, though!"
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4. The question is, do they expect an answer after the formal greetings? Hmm.
Saying “hi, how are you?” to the barista, servers, and retail workers. My country doesn’t quite have that culture, so I find it really sweet.tomayto_tomaahto
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5. That's cool.
Amazed by things that are more than 200 years old, presumably because they don't have many things that old in the USA.Dusepo
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6. Oh. Wait, you should wait until it's safe to cross the road.
When they cross the street, they expect cars to stop for them. In my country, the cars will run you down without thinking twice.ToeRagger
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7. Sweet.
I remember I was a small kid in Tijuana. They were typically a lot more good-looking than the local population.The girls were hot as hell. The Marines that would come around from San Diego looked like superheroes and made these other guys look like sh*t.We'd get European tourists as well, but the American ones looked bigger and kind of stronger. Especially the military guys, like something out of these Marvel comics, at least the ones in their twenties.All buff, tall, etc.The military tourists were always very friendly to me and made me want to be like them when I grew up, which is why I'm going to enlist in the USMC a few years after college, haha.Very friendly, generous people, very funny too.JFMX1996
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8. The USA is huge, so can't really blame them.
When they introduce themselves, they never say they're from America; mostly the state/city they're from.hazily
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9. How pleasant.
In my experience, any combination of the following:white sockswearing a sun visortalking incredibly loudtheir phone will be on a belt loopAmerican teenagers are usually better at blending in, however, so the trick with these guys is to wait until you're in a restaurant, at which point they'll make their presence known by complaining about the local food.In terms of positives, however, I find most American tourists are incredibly friendly and sociable; they usually have no problem talking to strangers and striking up a pleasant conversation—something we Europeans never do with each other (this is also another "tell," but it's one we should adopt).the_drew
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10. It's a culture thing, I guess.
They complain that the portions at restaurants are too small.TheBenji300
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11. Um. I think Chinese tourists are louder.
You can hear them in museums when everyone else is extra silent.
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12. They assume everyone's friendly, so that's nice.
The absolute fearlessness of asking anyone on the street about anything.AthleticallyLazy
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And if you’re dealing with luxury add-ons on a budget, a girlfriend asks her boyfriend to pay his own expensive travel expenses.
13. ROFL.
Expecting everyone to speak English and/or not wanting to learn the local language.Dusepo
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14. Wonder how people can travel and still be unhappy.
They always look cheerful and are constantly smiling and seeming happy. Tourists from other places look more neutral or even unhappy.
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15. That's actually a trait we should all have.
They get over-excited about very ordinary events and say things like “OMG, look at that grass; how green it is!tajmer
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16. Oh boy.
They wear white socks pulled all the way up.grittypokes
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17. That's an easy one to spot.
I always felt embarrassingly underdressed when traveling in Europe.On the flip side, as a native Arizonan, I can always spot the European/English tourist because they will be bright red.DeadSharkEyes
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18. ROFL.
Many of the things we say loudly include many irrelevant details. In Israel, no one gives a f*ck about irrelevant details.“Yes” or “no” answers are of high value in Middle Eastern culture, but in American culture, we like to tell you all about why something is or that our daughter got married last year or that our cat has diabetes.spaghatta111
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19. So you can't buy a microwave at 3 AM? That's sad.
They’re looking for a store open at like 11 PM, even if in most European countries stores close at like 7-8 PM.millennium-popsicle
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20. Well, some people do. But who cares.
Americans think the world is impressed by their city. No one cares that you’re from Las Vegas.spaghatta111
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21. Well, that's a sensitive topic.
Tipping. Americans will try to tip everyone, even in countries where tipping isn't a thing or is considered a serious insult.
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22. Wonder why.
They're always asking for extra ice in their drinks.
23. Well, that's not a clue.
Quite often on the heavy side weight-wise (sorry!).Dusepo
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24. Well, that's a good thing.
They have impeccable facial hair. Maybe Americans get a trim before they go on holiday, but I'm always impressed by the tidy beards and mustaches.todayiswedn
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25. Coz ketchup rules, dude.
They ask for ketchup no matter what they're eating.sirZofSwagger
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26.
Dollars. God damn it, people—hit a money exchange before you hit the market.Especially in a country where hard currency was still illegal.chiaspod
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27. Because let's not ruin a 900-year-old building with air conditioners.
They’re the first to kick off when it’s a hot day and the Grade II listed hotel I work in doesn’t have air-conditioning.Then they leave a bad review :( believe me, I would LOVE air con, but we’re not allowed to change the building.mailroomgirl
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28. Well...
Their college T-shirt, sweater, or cap.
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29. You can't escape them, honestly.
We are morons about diet. Another American moved to where I lived.He preached about high-protein diets, b*tched about how he couldn’t find fat-free milk or pasteurized egg whites in a country that specializes in high-fat cuisine.spaghatta111
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30. Yep, those are a must-have.
Fanny pack.
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We're obviously proud of being Americans because who wouldn't?! But the risk of being identified as a tourist outweighs the pride, honestly.
I know someone who toured somewhere I've been. Normally, the transportation from Stop A to Stop B is about $7.
The moment the taxi driver found out the guy sitting behind was an American tourist, he charged him $93 for the same trip!
It's insane! So I get it; you're proud, and you should be, but when you're vacationing, blend in with the locals to save some cash!
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Think your “American tourist” stress is bad, read how one person hid travel plans from a criticizing friend.
