May 23, 2013
  • Reality tourism: Not quite a day in paradise

    Reality tourism

    For most, vacation involves sitting poolside sipping mojitos. For the growing ranks of adventurous travelers, however, “reality tourism” is the way to go. Here are a couple of options:

    Liepaja, Latvia – a masochist’s dream
    Instead of just visiting Latvia’s infamous Karosta prison — a former KGB facility that no one escaped during 100 years of operation — tourists are treated like inmates. They’re handcuffed, thrown into solitary confinement and ordered around by “guards.” (Be prepared for plenty of situps.)
    Website: Karostascietums.lv
    Price: Approx. $15 per person a night

    Los Angeles – the darker side of La-La Land
    The City of Angels may be known for celebrity mansions tours, but its latest attraction is a gang tour. After signing a release form – presumably because of the iffy neighborhoods visited — patrons board a bus for a three-hour tour of infamous shoot-out spots, the birthplace of the Crips and more. Former gang members also share stories about street life.
    Website: LaGangTours.com
    Price: $65, lunch included

     

     

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