The last thing tourists want is to buckle up for a boring attraction.
So a new study revealing the “Top 100 Most Boring Tourist Attractions in the World” serves a useful purpose for anyone wanting to guarantee a getaway away from the tedium of everyday life.
It looks like America needs to step up in terms of excitement, with domestic attractions taking the top seven spots, with Shrek’s Adventure London coming in eighth, and Legoland Discovery Centre scoring four spots in the top 25.
Solitaire’s ranking was compiled by analysing 66.7 million Google reviews of 3,290 popular destinations across 384 cities in 71 countries. Researchers calculated a Boredom Score for each destination by focusing on 11 keywords that indicate a dull, lifeless and boring impression, to determine which destinations are the least interesting.
Missouri’s Branson Scenic Railroad took the unfortunate top spot as the world’s least interesting attraction, scoring 5 out of 5 on the Boringness Index. Departing from the old depot in downtown Branson, the historic railroad travels 40 miles round trip through part of the Ozark Mountains.
While some Google reviewers praised the “beautiful” autumn foliage and “magnificent” views, others were less than impressed by the summer scenery, where “all you can see are the trees on either side of the train,” with Sheena Youngers commenting that it “got a bit boring after a while of only seeing the treetops.”
Illuminarium Atlanta in Georgia, US, came in second with a boredom score of 4.5. Google reviewer Beata Reck said she “left after 40 minutes” despite paying $144 (£115) for four people, adding that Mardi Gras was “fun for the first 15 minutes or so but after that… it was just boring.”
But the immersive experience, which plays 4K interactive projections with 360-degree immersive audio and in-floor vibration, has also garnered numerous five-star reviews, with Sunil Patel calling it “one of a kind” and Tiffany Rahming saying it’s a “must-visit destination” with “beautiful imagery” and “great sound effects.”
A new survey has revealed the “100 Most Boring Attractions in the World,” with Missouri’s Branson Scenic Railroad (pictured) coming in as the unpleasant winner.
Coming in third was Tennessee’s Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, which received a 3.7 boredom rating. The eight-minute boat ride in Pigeon Forge takes visitors down a winding indoor river through a jungle landscape complete with cave sets, waterfalls and mechanical dinosaurs.
Google reviewer “MK” said the $18.99 (£15.25) attraction was “not worth it” and was “poorly maintained” with the dinosaur statues “taped together” and having “rubber stuffed” in their mouths. Others gave it five stars, with one saying it was “a great attraction to enjoy with young kids”.
Coming in fourth with a boredom score of 3.4 is the Salem Witch Museum, a Massachusetts museum dedicated to the 1692 witch trials.
The top 100 ranking by Solitaired was compiled by analysing 66.7 million Google reviews of 3,290 top tourist attractions around the world across 384 cities in 71 countries. As the map shows, Shrek’s Adventure London is the least interesting place outside the US. Illuminarium Atlanta in the US state of Georgia came in second with a boredom score of 4.5. In third place was Tennessee’s Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, which received a 3.7 on the boredom scale. The eight-minute boat ride in Pigeon Forge takes visitors along a winding river indoors, passing through a jungle scene complete with cave sets, waterfalls and mechanical dinosaurs. Shrek’s Adventure London’s walk-through experience received a boredom score of 2.9, placing it eighth on the global list. The map reveals the least interesting tourist attractions in the US. The top seven places also occupy the top seven places in the global ranking, suggesting that America needs to step up its game in terms of excitement. Coming in fourth with a boredom score of 3.4 is the Salem Witch Museum, a Massachusetts museum dedicated to the witch trials of 1692. The London Dungeon (12th, 2.6) comes in second on the UK list.
Coming in at number five is the Lego Discovery Center (3.4) in Atlanta, Georgia, which features a Lego play area with two rides, a Lego building and play zone and a 4D movie theater.
“Shrek’s Adventure London” came in eighth with a boredom score of 2.9, with “The London Dungeon” (12th, 2.6) the next highest on the UK list.
The walk-through experience, which features 10 fairy-tale-themed live shows, was described by one Google reviewer as “very basic” with actors giving “little performances,” while another said “everything is done at a sub-optimal standard.” Meanwhile, one five-star reviewer called it an “amazing experience” with “so much to see and do.”
According to the ranking, Australia’s least interesting tourist attraction is the Western Australian Museum in Perth (16th place, 2.5), which tells the story of Western Australia through interactive exhibits.
Some of the more unusual places on the list include the Torture Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands (18th, 2.4), the Health Museum in Texas, US (36th, 2.2) and the Museum of Death in New Orleans, Louisiana (41st, 2.1).
MailOnline Travel has contacted Branson Scenic Railroad for comment.
