Tourists flood small towns and cities to visit beautiful places and capture Insta-worthy photos to show off to their friends and family. But it comes at a cost.
The popularity of these tourist destinations brings traffic, parking, and road issues for residents and visitors. Add in overcrowding and very little space and you are in for a not-so picturesque experience.
Here are the Top 5 places in Northern California that tourists have ruined.
1. Glass Beach, Fort Bragg
Once a garbage dump, Glass Beach is now a popular destination for tourists. Located in Fort Bragg, Glass Beach is about four hours northwest of Sacramento. It got its name from the round glass bits covering the ground, and despite it being illegal to keep glass found on Glass Beach, tourists continue to take pieces home. And that's part of the reason why it's on this list.
2. Lake Tahoe
A quick two-hour drive and you're able to relax and be one with nature. Plus, you can go anytime during the year. Love skiing? Hit the slopes. Want to swim all day? Take the family for the weekend. It's literally perfect for anytime of the year.
But being this perfect comes with downfalls and in this case, it's the tourists. So many tourists visit Lake Tahoe that you need to book a rental months in advance. Which, as you might imagine, lead to some upset Lake Tahoe natives. A California judge issued a restraining order on a measure filed by locals to block vacation home rentals.
Here is what ABC10 viewers had to say about it.
3. Daffodil Hill
Tourists are the reason for the rise and fall of this popular spot. After 80 years, the owners closed Daffodil Hill because of its overwhelming popularity. The family stated that "the crush of visitors that descended upon our Hill" helped them realize that there isn't enough space for operation. Despite the disappointment of not being able to visit anymore, people on ABC10's Facebook page said they understood and are happy that they had the chance to visit.
4. Apple Hill, El Dorado County
If you haven't been to Apple Hill, then you haven't truly experienced the Fall season in Northern California. A quick one hour drive up 50 East and you're enjoying homemade apple cider and pies. Although Apple Hill is a great way to support local farmers, it's also a big pain for residents. Huge disputes over a new free shuttle service last year caused an uproar from local farmers. It caused huge traffic jams and even discouraged people from visiting.
5. Yosemite National Park
The rise in tourism in Yosemite has taken a toll on this national park. It's about three hours southeast of Sacramento. The biggest complaint about this natural landmark is that people are throwing trash everywhere and not taking care of the environment. During the government shutdown, Yosemite faced issues like human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas.
What is one thing you think tourists ruined? Join the conversation on Facebook.