USA Today, October 19, 2007

Alcatraz stands tall in USA Today review of the world's top tourist destinations and traps

"No discussion of tourist traps is complete without acknowledgement of those places that merely seem like tourist traps. Plopped right in the middle of the San Francisco Bay is one of the most popular attractions in the state. Reservations are taken weeks in advance, and the tonnage of T-shirts, hats and pins sold has surely eclipsed that of the venue itself.

And yet Alcatraz is worth every penny—lose yourself in the riveting audio tour and the crowds all but vanish. The same must be said of the Great Wall of China, which remains a marvel despite the commercialization. Even New York's Times Square deserves a glimpse, if only to sight-see the sheer mass of sight-seers. Some madhouses make for thoroughly memorable trips..."

See more at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2007-10-19-top-tourist-traps-forbes_N.htm

Chris Colin, ForbesTraveler.com
October 19, 2007