Key Takeaways:
- Six Flags Great Adventure is the most overpriced attraction according to the study, with an overall score of 2.56 out of 10.
- Disneyland in California is the most reasonably priced, with an overall score of 7.44 out of 10.
- Amusement parks make up 7 out of 10 of the most overpriced tourist attractions.
- National Parks make up 6 out of 10 of the most reasonably priced – make sure to check out the relevant park sites to make sure your trip is uninterrupted.
In the United States, millions of tourists flock to the most memorable attractions every year. Travelers visit national parks, museums, amusement parks, and natural wonders to relax, have fun, or learn about American history.
However, some of these attractions are considered more worth the cost. Researchers at InsureMyTrip sought to find which tourist attractions are the most overpriced and which are the most reasonable. Their study reveals the best and worst spots to plan a trip in 2026.
Most Overpriced Tourist Attractions in the US
The most overpriced tourist attraction is Six Flags Great Adventure, with an overall score of 2.56 out of 10. The general admission ticket costs $39. It has a low popularity score of 2.8 out of 10 and a low rating of 3.8 out of 5. Out of 3,754 reviews, 129 mention the word ‘overpriced’.
In second place is Busch Gardens, with an overall score of 3.54 out of 10. The ticket costs $146.99 for the day. Its popularity score is 2.9, and 196 reviews mention that visitors found it ‘overpriced.’
Most Reasonably Priced Tourist Attractions in the US
Disneyland in California leads the top 10 most reasonably priced attractions with a score of 7.44 out of 10. Its high popularity score of 7.7 out of 10 comes from social media mentions across Instagram, TikTok, and polls on YouGov. It also has a high rating of 4.4 out of 5. These factors help offset the high cost of a $149.00 day ticket, making it worthwhile for the experience and visitor enjoyment.
Most Overpriced vs. Most Reasonably Priced Tourist Attractions
When comparing the top two for both overpriced and reasonable attractions, both are well-known amusement parks. Disneyland is considered the most worth the expense due to its 4.4 out of 5 rating and 7.7 popularity score. More tourists attend the Californian park. Six Flags Great Adventure costs $39.00, compared to Disneyland’s $149.00. However, reviews mentioning ‘overpriced’ make up 4% of total reviews for Six Flags and 1.6% for Disneyland.
Methodology
Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. All sources are attraction specific data points. The data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 0-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each tourist attraction is then ranked on the value of their overall popularity and their ticket costs.
75 tourist attractions were analysed – all free attractions were then removed, along with Lake Mead, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and South Street Seaport which were then removed due to lack of data to leave 47 attractions.
Sources
Seed List – https://today.yougov.com/ratings/travel/popularity/tourist-attractions/all
Ticket Costs – Direct attraction sites
TikTok Posts – https://www.tiktok.com/
Instagram Posts – https://www.instagram.com/
Ratings, Number of Reviews and Reviews containing ‘overpriced’ – https://www.tripadvisor.com/
Popularity Score – Normalized score, combining the number of TikTok and Instagram hashtags, along with the YouGov ranking and TripAdvisor Rating.
