You may hear that if you go see a country, you have to go off the beaten path to truly see what the country is like. This can help you avoid crowds and the more obvious and expensive tourist traps that can make a vacation rather bland. However, there is something to be said for going to certain tourist destinations. It depends on where you are going, what you want to do, and how experienced a traveler you really are. You always want your vacation to be safe above all else, which is something you should remember.
Tourists destinations are such because they do have a lot to offer. These are the more obvious sights that people want to see in each country. Perhaps these tourist destinations include the pyramids in Egypt or the Eiffel Tower in France. Most people want to see these, but they know these places can be crowded and most of the lodging and food choices nearby are going to be overly expensive. Once you have seen them, perhaps then you want to go see other things that are not so much a tourist attraction.
There are many reasons why tourist destinations are not always a good choice for some travelers. Some feel no need to see the major sights of the world because they feel the more hidden places are the ones that truly show the heart of a country or city. Others want to go on vacation to get away from the crowds, not run into more of them. Still others are going to see family or for a very specific reason and want to avoid the tourist destinations at all costs. Perhaps someone chasing down clues to their ancestry will go where the records are and run into very few touristy spots while on vacation.
There are definite pros to taking the tourist destinations route when you want to go away from home for a vacation. For one, you already know what you are getting and what you are going to see. If you plan through a travel agent, they can help you understand how much things are going to cost so you are aware before you arrive. If you are interested in meeting new people, finding tourist destinations can be helpful with that. You may meet as many tourists as locals, but you may find some great travel companions for the future if you travel is something you love to do.
On a more practical level, tourist destinations are just plain safer. While this is not always something most think about on vacations, going off the beaten path can actually be quite dangerous in some countries. It is not unheard of for tourists that have wandered away to be beaten, abducted, or worse. A mugging can be scary, but becomes downright dangerous when everything including your passport is taken from you. If your children are traveling alone for the first time, insist on tourist destinations. If you tend to be too trusting, insist on them for yourself as well.