10 Tourist Attractions That Don't Exist Anymore
Top 10 Tourist Attractions That Dont Exist Anymore
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the top 10 travel hotspots that are impossible to visit today.
#10: Wawona Tree
Yosemite, California
In 1881, two brothers were paid $75 to enlarge a fire scar in a giant sequoia tree, turning it into a massive living tunnel. Yosemite National Park began promoting the tunnel in the 1910s as automobile tourism began to increase in popularity. Driving through the Wawona Tunnel Tree became a popular photo op for tourists coming to Yosemite, celebrating the enormous trees native to the area. In 1969, the 2,300-year-old tree fell due to heavy snow, destroying the famous tunnel. The tree still remains where it fell today, but of course, it is no longer possible to drive through it.
#9: Spreepark
Berlin, Germany
Opened in 1969, Spreepark was notably the only prominent amusement park in the entirety of Soviet East Germany. The park remained immensely popular even after the reunification of Germany, attracting millions of visitors. Open-air concerts and impressive renovations kept visitors returning well into the 90s. However, after new owners took control of the park, poor decisions led to a decrease in visitors and a concerning increase in debt. The once-popular park finally closed in 2002. Guided tours once offered the public a look at the abandoned grounds, but the land is currently being renovated into a new public green space, with many attractions being removed entirely.
#8: Palmyra
Homs, Syria
Thousands of years ago, this ancient city was a bustling hub for trade and culture that linked the Roman Empire to valuable trade destinations like Persia, India, and China. Its location and trade importance led to the creation of monuments that combined Greco-Roman, Persian, and Arabian architectural styles. These impressive ruins attracted tourists to Palmyra for centuries, and the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Tragically, during the Syrian Civil War in 2015, Palmyra was seized by ISIS, and several ancient monuments were destroyed. Archaeologists and antiquities experts hope to someday restore these important ruins, but the damage is currently quite extensive.
#7: Chacaltaya Glacier
La Paz, Bolivia
Once known as the worlds highest ski resort, this glacial ski run attracted many visitors year-round. In the 1990s, scientists studying Chacaltaya predicted the glacier would fully melt by 2015. In 2009, six years earlier than predicted, Chacaltaya was gone. Today, only the chalet remains to mark the resort that once was. More than just a loss of tourism, the snow melt from Chacaltaya was an important water source for nearby La Paz. The loss of Chacaltaya is a shocking reminder of the consequences of climate change that will affect us all, likely sooner than we think.
#6: Wall Arch
Arches National Park, Utah
The thousands of beautiful natural sandstone arches in this national park attract millions of tourists every year, but they wont last forever. Known as Wall Arch, the 12th largest arch was an impressive 71 feet wide and 33.5 feet high, first reported in 1948 by Lewis T. McKinney. Sixty years later in 2008, the arch collapsed unexpectedly overnight. No witnesses observed the collapse. Which begs the question if a historic sandstone arch falls in a national park and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
#5: Love Locks Bridge
Paris, France
A popular tradition for traveling couples around the world, a padlock with each partners name is placed in a notable spot to symbolize the permanence of their relationship. Unsurprisingly, the city of love is one of the most popular destinations for love-locking hopefuls. As the trend grew, the Pont des Arts bridge became so burdened by heavy padlocks that the integrity of the bridge was at stake. As a result, the locks were removed and replaced by panels of glass that would make it impossible to attach a lock to the bridge. Despite these efforts, tourists still find ways to leave their mark on Paris in this romantic, albeit slightly destructive tradition.
#4: Six Flags New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
First opened under the name Jazzland in 2000, Six Flags invested millions into the amusement park before its 2003 reopening. The park featured areas themed after Louisiana culture, including Cajun Country and a Mardi Gras section. Just two years after extensive renovations, the park was tragically hit by the devastating Hurricane Katrina. The land was flooded for over a month after the hurricane, destroying many of the attractions beyond repair. The cost of rebuilding would have been incredibly steep, especially after the investments Six Flags had made before the hurricane. The park was left abandoned, though it was occasionally used as a filming location. In 2024, it was announced that what remained of the park would be demolished.
#3: The Azure Window
Gozo, Malta
This strikingly beautiful natural rock formation was developed over time by constant erosion from the Mediterranean Sea. The contrast of the limestone rock against the blue waters of the sea made the Azure Window a popular sight for tourists. The rock feature was even used as a backdrop in Game of Thrones and Clash of the Titans. Sadly, after several decades of partial collapses widening and weakening the arch, the Azure Window collapsed in 2017 after heavy storms. The remains of the arch are now fully underwater, enjoyed today only by scuba divers.
#2: The Buddhas of Bamiyan
Bamiyan, Afghanistan
These enormous sixth-century Buddha figures were an important stop for Buddhist pilgrims traveling on the Silk Road, but their impressive size awed visitors from all religious backgrounds for centuries. The two statues measured 125 ft and 180 ft tall, carved into sandstone cliffs. In 2001, the Taliban destroyed the historic monuments, allegedly to comply with Islamic law. This shocking move outraged the international community, leading to protests and the UNESCO Director-General calling the destruction a crime against culture. The site is now on UNESCOs list of World Heritage in Danger, and efforts are being made to preserve and restore what remains of the Buddhas.
#1: The Hippie Trail
Less of a tourist attraction and more of an epic pilgrimage, this route wove through Europe, West Asia, and South Asia and was followed by beatniks and hippies from the 1950s to 70s. Travelling as frugally as possible helped extend the length of ones journey, which typically took travellers from Western European cities like London and Paris all the way to Kathmandu. Travel along the Hippie Trail declined sharply in the 1970s, when conflicts in Iran and Afghanistan made passage too dangerous for tourists. Though it is possible to follow the trail today, enduring tensions in the Middle East make the route far less safe and hospitable than it was in the past.
Which of these lost tourist attractions would you most like to visit? Let us know in the comments!