The 15 Most Expensive Tourist Attractions in the World

It’s been said time and time again that travel is the only thing you can purchase that will actually make you richer, and many people live by this motto. Of course, a trip to Disney isn’t going to make you richer unless you count the fact that you’re going to leave rich in newly acquired patience and a great tan that finally arrives after those sunburn lines fade. Read on to find out which tourist attractions are the most expensive in the world, based on a week-long stay and the most popular “to-do” items.

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter – $520

It doesn’t seem like much to pay for a tourist attraction, but you’re looking at the price for just one day for a family of four. Sorry to say this does not include extras such as food, beverages, parking, or hotel. It also doesn’t include anything like your airfare, either. However, you’re going to need admission to both the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure parks to see both portions of the Hogwarts area. It’s completely worth it, however, when you’re in Orlando.

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Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour – $1,200

If you’re going to visit the Grand Canyon, the best way to do it is in the air. Why? Because you get to see so much more of it from a helicopter; and it’s completely worth the money. Additionally, most helicopter companies are going to offer a champagne brunch inside the canyon, which means you’ll get to fly over and around it, land inside and walk around while enjoying a glass of bubbly. It’s well worth the price. Some tours are a bit more, but all are worth it.

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House of Bourbon, Paris, France – $1,800

The House of Bourbon is not only a hotel with some of the most luxe amenities in the world. It’s a complete tourist destination. Many people come to the House of Bourbon for a week-long excursion that costs anywhere from $300 to $1,800 per night to enjoy. The historic castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world because of its unique history, all that it has to offer and the ability for visitors to get to go home saying they stayed here.

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San Francisco – $2,500

What’s awesome about this tourist attraction is the fact that most of San Francisco is a tourist attraction. You’re going to pay to get here, stay here and eat here, but most of the activities you want to take part in and most of the attractions you want to see are free. You’re going to ride a San Francisco cable car for next to nothing, visit Fisherman’s Wharf free of charge, drive over the Golden Gate Bridge for the price of a rental car and gas, see the ocean, the world’s windiest street and everything else that makes San Fran such an amazing tourist destination.

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Las Vegas – $3,000

For a week in Vegas, it’s not really that expensive. The average hotel price is only around $175 per night, but the rest of your trip is going to go to the many extras you’re going to want to enjoy. This includes things like shows, fights, night clubs and playing the games at the many different casinos located in the city. In addition, you’re going to want to head to some of the famous golf courses and spend money shopping in some of the city’s most famous luxury shopping destinations. The price listed here is pretty average; most people pay a lot more to visit.

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Napa Valley – $3,000

Flights aren’t expensive, but the sites and tourist attractions in Napa are plentiful. You’re going to pick a boutique hotel and see some of the most amazing sites that Napa has to offer. You’re going to start with wineries, which are one of the biggest tourist attractions in the word. The reason it’s so expensive is airfare, rental cars and hotel. You’re also going to pay anywhere from $50 to $150 admission (on average) for each place you visit when you’re in Napa. The area itself is a tourist attraction, but you can narrow that down a bit.

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New York City – $5,000

This vacation could actually be a bit more expensive if you really get down to it. However, we are basing the trip on a five night stay in an average-priced hotel at $250 per night. This means for a week-long stay, you’re looking at spending $2500 on your hotel and the rest of food and activities for a family of four. Of course, this includes activities such as visiting Times Square (free) and other landmarks that aren’t free of charge, such as Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and some of the most famous restaurants in the city.

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Disney World – $5500

A trip for a family of four to the Walt Disney World Resort (anywhere in the world) is going to cost a pretty penny. If you’re in town for only one day, you’re still going to pay a minimum of $400 just to go to one park for a few hours, and that doesn’t include transportation, food, or beverages. If you’re staying a week at a Disney Resort, we’ll use the popular Grand Floridian as an example, you’re paying $500+ per night as well as buying multi-park passes for several days, which means your vacation just went up.

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Bora Bora – $5607

When the average cost of a night in Bora Bora is $801, it’s going to cost a pretty penny to visit for a week. However, you might be asking yourself what here is a tourist attraction; the truth is that it’s all a tourist attraction. Luxury travel has become a tourist attraction all by itself. You’re going to stay in one of those gorgeous huts on top of the ocean, which is a huge tourist draw. The good news is that it’s pretty inexpensive until you add in airfare.

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Hawaii – $6000

Based on expensive airfare, medium hotel prices and food and beverage, a trip for four to O’ahu to see some of its biggest tourist attractions is going to cost upward of $6000. This means you’re going to pay a lot, but you’re going to see several of the world’s most amazing tourist attractions. For example, you’re going to see Diamond Head. You’re going to see Pearl Harbor. You’re going to see the amazing and indescribable waves of the North Shore. It’s a truly unique and amazing experience if you’re willing to pay to visit these tourist attractions.

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Venice – $10,000

By the time you pay for airfare, food, hotel and just walking around the city, you’re going to pay five figures for less than a week in this Italian paradise. The reason things are so expensive here is because they can be. It’s a seriously luxurious destination filled with expensive luxury hotels that cost a lot of money. Additionally, you’re going to want to take a few of those amazing gondola rides around the city, which means you’re going to need to spend the money to do that. It’s not a cheap vacation, but it’s a hugely popular and very expensive tourist destination.

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Paris, France – $10,000

Unless you go economy all the way, you’re going to pay a hefty fee to visit the amazing sites and tourist attractions in Paris. To get here, you’ll pay well over $1000 per airline ticket, hotels cost an average of $190 a night – and that’s just average. You’re going to pay more for cab fare, admission to the amazing tourist attractions here, and a lot on food and wine. However, it’s all worth it to see places such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Additionally, Paris is filled with tourist attractions that will make you a bit richer because of their rich culture and history.

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Evian Bath – $11,000

If you’re in Miami, you’re going to want to see the biggest tourist attraction in town; the Evian bath. The price for this package is approximately $11,000, but it includes a stay at the Hotel Victor, one of the most luxurious, most posh hotels in the area. The bath is in hundreds of gallons of pure Evian water and features a snack plate filled with decadent foods, beverages and even something called the Seven Sins Chocolate, which can only be described as sinful – naturally. This is a pretty popular tourist attraction in the area, and it’s one of the most expensive.

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Antarctica Zoo – $30,000

This trip is one of the most expensive in the world. Why? Because it’s not something you can just do when you feel like it. To visit the Antarctica Zoo, you have to spend at least 10 days here. Why? Because it’s the way it is. It’s not easy to get here, and it’s not something that you’re going to get to leave because you feel like it. You’ll need to pay the fee, and it will take you 10 days to see the zoo and travel. And did we mention that’s the cost for just one person? The attraction includes ice skating, ice mountain climbing and a visit with the penguins.

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Private Jet Tour of the World – $59,000

For just under $60k, you can take a tour of the entire world on a private jet. The tour includes stops in some of the world’s major cities, including Dubai and Cambodia, Morocco and Easter Island. It’s one of the most expensive vacations in the world because it takes you not only to just some of the biggest tourist attractions in the world, but all over the world. The vacation flight takes approximately 75 people, and it’s pretty semi-private. You can rent the entire jet and make it completely private, or rent a portion for semi-privacy.

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Written by Tiffany Raiford

Tiffany Raiford is a lifelong Floridian, wife to my high school sweetheart and mother of four littles (two girls and boy/girl twins...no, they are not identical and yes, I'm sure). My kids love to whine, so I love to wine. My loves include nap time, bed time, date night, travel and evenings and weekends when my husband is home because he handles all diaper changes.