Travel Crap: Places Worth the Gas Money (and Places That Aren’t)
Let’s be honest. Half of travel planning is scrolling through photos of beautiful places while convincing yourself that spending several hundred dollars to sleep somewhere other than your own bed is somehow a responsible financial decision.
The other half is discovering that the “must-see attraction” everyone raves about is actually a crowded parking lot, a gift shop, and a line long enough to make you question your life choices.
That’s where this section comes in.
Here at Should I Buy This Crap?, I visit destinations, hotels, resorts, attractions, national parks, scenic drives, and tourist traps so you can figure out whether they’re actually worth your vacation budget. No influencer nonsense. No pretending every destination is magical. No suspiciously enthusiastic reviews written five minutes after someone got a free stay.
Just honest opinions from someone who paid for the trip, stood in the lines, ate the overpriced food, and came home with an opinion.
Sometimes a place will absolutely blow me away.
Sometimes I’ll wonder why anyone thought charging admission for that was a good idea.
And sometimes it’ll land somewhere in the middle, which is where most reality tends to live.
What You’ll Find Here
National Parks & Outdoor Adventures
America has some incredible parks, and some are worth every penny, every mile driven, and every sore muscle afterward.
You’ll find reviews covering park experiences, lodging, tours, hiking opportunities, photography potential, crowd levels, and whether the experience justifies the cost and effort required to get there.
Because let’s face it, a four-hour drive to stare at a rock is only worth it if it’s a really cool rock.
Hotels, Lodges & Resorts
The internet says every hotel has luxury accommodations.
The internet lies.
I’ll cover what the rooms are actually like, whether the beds are comfortable, if the amenities work, if the staff are helpful, and whether the price matches the experience.
A fancy lobby means absolutely nothing if the shower sounds like it was installed during the Carter administration.
Tourist Attractions
Everybody has that attraction their friends swear they have to see.
Sometimes they’re right.
Sometimes it’s just an expensive excuse to buy a magnet.
If it’s worth your time, money, and vacation days, I’ll tell you. If it isn’t, I’ll tell you that too.
Hidden Gems
These are often the best parts of travel.
The scenic overlook nobody talks about.
The local restaurant that’s better than the chain tourist spots.
The small attraction that ends up being more memorable than the famous one.
Sometimes the best experiences happen completely by accident.
The Official Travel Crap Rating™
Every destination gets judged using the highly scientific and definitely-not-made-up 1-4 Crap Scale.
💩 One Crap – Buy This Crap
Fantastic. Worth the trip. I’d happily go back.
💩💩 Two Craps – Good Stuff
Easy recommendation, but a few annoyances, costs, or limitations keep it from greatness.
💩💩💩 Three Craps – Proceed With Caution
You might enjoy it. You might not. Bring realistic expectations and possibly snacks.
💩💩💩💩 Four Craps – Don’t Buy This Crap
Save your money, save your vacation time, and save yourself the disappointment.
Start Exploring
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a cross-country road trip, a national park adventure, or just trying to figure out if that highly-rated tourist attraction is actually worth your hard-earned cash, you’ll find my honest thoughts here.
Because vacation days are limited.
Gas isn’t getting cheaper.
And somebody needs to test this crap.
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