They say one person’s boring tourist trap is another person’s thrill of a lifetime, so take this list with a grain of salt—or maybe a whole shaker. If kitschy roadside attractions and quirky museums are your thing, you might find these Illinois gems delightful, but for the rest of us, they’re more snooze than sparkle.

The 5 Most Boring Tourist Traps In Illinois

Canva
Canva
loading...

1. The World's Largest Catsup Bottle – Collinsville

Because who wouldn’t want to stand in front of a 170-foot-tall condiment? It’s like getting all the excitement of going to the grocery store without having to actually buy anything! Perfect for your Instagram feed—just don’t forget to pretend you’re super fascinated by ketchup.

catsupbottle.com
catsupbottle.com
loading...

 

2. The Gemini Giant – Wilmington

Ah yes, a 28-foot-tall fiberglass astronaut holding... a rocket? No, a hot dog! Because nothing says, "Welcome to Route 66!" like a slightly terrifying oversized humanoid that hasn’t moved since the 1960s. Thrilling, right?

97 ZOK logo
Get our free mobile app

 

3. Superman Statue – Metropolis

Superman himself would probably be bored here. Sure, there’s a giant statue of him, and you can pose as if you're flying, but how many times can you pretend to care about that same pose? Save your energy for something truly heroic, like escaping to the nearest coffee shop.


 

4. Leaning Tower of Niles – Niles

Want to feel like you're in Italy without leaving Illinois? Well, too bad. Instead, you get a miniature version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa that leans just enough to be off-kilter but not enough to be actually interesting. Take a quick pic, then lean back into your car and drive far away.


 

5. Busy Beaver Button Museum – Chicago

And finally, the pièce de résistance of yawn-inducing destinations! Busy Beaver Button Museum has been crowned by farandwide.com as the most boring tourist trap in Illinois. Because what could be more thrilling than staring at buttons? No, really—buttons. Hundreds of them. Tiny, colorful, and… flat. If you ever wanted to learn everything there is to know about button collecting (which you didn’t), this is your mecca.

Button Museum via Facebook
Button Museum via Facebook
loading...

Five Illinois attractions you’ll wish you could unsee, topped by the buttoned-up boredom of Busy Beaver. It’s not called a tourist "trap" for nothing.

MORE: 20 Hidden Gem Spots from Across Illinois You Must Visit

LOOK: Best scenic drives in Illinois

It's time to hit the road—Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Illinois using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

More From 97 ZOK