How To Spot An American Tourist In London
How to find a needle in a haystack is not an easy task, but trying to spot an American tourist in London is something that doesn’t take too much effort. The British and Americans may both speak English, however as far as the British way and the American way is concerned they are rather different.
I’m obviously not saying that every American who travels fits my profile criteria, just a noticeable amount of them. If you are the typical American tourist please don’t change a thing, because you help to brighten up my day. You sure are a humorous site.
How To Spot An American Tourist In London
1. You can always hear Americans long before you can see them, as they speak very loudly and very slowly.
2. They are usually so fat they take up 2 seats on the bus or on the tube.
3. You can spot them lurking outside McDonalds or Burger King, drooling as they contemplate having there 3rd burger of the day.
4. The camera dangling from their necks just shouts out look at me I’m an American.
5. The most ridiculous and my personal favourite the good old fanny pack, only an American would have one. WTF would anyone want to wear one of those things.
6. This one is so bad that I can barely bring myself to type it, sandals with socks, usually white ones.
7. They complain the main course in a restaurant is smaller than a starter back home.
8. Americans are always complaining about something, basically because things are different from back home. Well I have the answer stay at home!
9. Many Yanks love to wear brand new stand out a mile white trainers, as well as ugly sweatshirts.
10. You can usually spot them wandering around beside London Bridge, trying to figure out why it is so ugly and not like the pictures. When in fact they are looking for Tower Bridge.
11. Americans get tired after walking for longer that 20 minutes because they are so use to driving everywhere.
12. Somebody needs to tell old American guys that wearing a baseball caps over a certain age, make you look kinda weird.
One thing I wont knock the Americans for is complaining about customer service, because at times in the UK it is fucking shocking. Especially when you have people that can barely speak English let alone have any manners serving you. However if you want really bad customer service, head to Barbados they have truly mastered the art over there.
My article isn’t meant to be anti American tourist, because I’m sure English, Scottish or European tourists in the USA also stick out like a sore thumb. The best thing that all tourists need to do when they travel to a foreign country is to forget what they are use to back home. The whole point in travelling to far off lands is to get away from what you are use to, to experience a new country, the people, the culture and the food.
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Super loose fitting shorts as well. You’ve made me smile, truly capturing the ubiquitous US tourist. Same wandering thru the streets of my home city of Sydney.
This is hilarious, but you make a strong point about certain travel etiquette. You sure have a fun time staring at them sometimes, don’t you?
I love this article. I am an American girl, who loves Scotland. You are so right. We can’t stand it hear either. The fanny pack hasn’t been accepted here for about 10 years, why it ever came out, I can only think someone wanted to make a quick million with no regard to fashion crime it commits. The socks and sandals, we ladies do complain about that here too. Our American men dress like total slobs! I hate McDonald’s and fast food in general. Love the two seats to a butt remark, get it in a gym or walk the sidewalk. I can’t wait to visit, you won’t even know I’m there.
Fortunately there aren’t too many Americans walking around with the fanny pack nowadays in London, but the one’s that do stand out like a sore thumb. I just wanna tell them to get real and get a life. I find that the majority of Americans dress as well as British people.
I definitely feel that some American guys need to improve their dress sense, because you see so many well dressed American ladies in London and their man looks a disgrace in comparison.
What I love about life in London, is the fact for the first time in around 20 years I don’t own or drive a car or even miss having one.
Beige. They always wear beige-coloured clothes. Be it trousers, caps, jumpers, or coats. And yes the camera/fanny pack combo is a big giveaway!
I saw more British people wearing baseball hats in London than American tourists. I saw just as many Range Rovers etc on the M25 than SUVs in Washington DC. I noticed that most London teenagers used the “F” word in almost every sentence. The street outside my hotel was filled every night by drunken locals, not tourists, who had been binge drinking. I agree about the fanny packs.
Just look for the dumbest person and you will have your Yankee doodle dandee. And they will also be the worst dressed person for miles around.
No one wears fanny packs here anymore..every now and then we will see one, and they get stared at just as much here as they do there.. However, if you want to spot a Brit here, just look for their snooty, rude attitude. Never fails .
Americans maybe don’t wear them at home but some sure as heck wear them on holiday. I will have to snap a few pictures to prove it to the world…and you have good point about some Brits…
Consider that it is not easy to know how to dress if you are new to a country. I do know that when visitors come to US we tend to welcome them rather than cut them down. Perhaps, we should all stay home and spend our tourist dollars on US soil.
American’s who dress the way I have mentioned should never dress this way anywhere. From what I gather the hassle people get with your over the top airport security has put a lot of people off flying. I’m all for people staying at home and exploring their own country…more folks should do it…
True, our security is tough. And I do agree our money would be better spent on US soil. Lots to see here and no hassles. Come visit, we will treat you with great respect.
Maura, it has indeed been too long since I was last in the USA. Hopefully in the next few years I will get myself across the Atlantic for an extended visit, so many places I want to visit.
William,
I do hope you make the visit soon. You will certainly do well with the exchange rate. Wishing you many happy travels!
Just returned from London and Paris. We enjoyed London very much. Paris is an interesting city but sadly not so friendly.
I have been to Paris a couple of times and it sure can be a wee bit on the unfriendly side at times. Still a great place to visit.
this is hilarious. Thank you for making my day better.
When i visit London, I will be certain to wear something nice 24/7. I think it is an embarrassment when fellow Americans make a fool of themselves in foreign countries, so i will be doing much research between now and then. I will also try to tone down my voice, because I am the epitome of the “loud and obnoxious American”
Ashlee, most Amercians are with the times, and dress sensible. Loud and obnoxious, they come in all nationalities … there are plenty in the UK as well, that’s for sure!
Fortunately, us Yanks also use proper grammar and spelling. We speak speak slowly enough to be intelligible. It’s incredible how much easier conversations are when proper attention is paid to differentiating parts of speech, pronunciation, etc.
I dunno, every time I complain about something when I’m in London (haven’t been anywhere else in the UK yet…and I really want to go!) is about the stuff that is worse. Like the food. Kidney pies? Really? Soggy “chips”?
Mathew, you need to eat in better quality places and not the cheap places or tourist places and you will find better quality food. And as for Yanks using proper grammar and spelling you are now really having a laugh…
Matthew, you just confirmed the American stereotype tenfold by complaining about kidney pie and soggy chips. Just because it is different to what you are used to doesn’t make it wrong! And complaining about something because “you wouldn’t get it back home” again makes you the stereotypical ignorant American we all laugh at. Try and embrace cultural differences, not complain about them, even if you do consider it to be “bad food”.
Paul, you have made a good point.