The glass bridge across China's 'Grand Canyon' is a trippy architectural marvel that's all over Instagram - but in real life, it's a tourist's worst nightmare

$4

• The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in China is the longest and highest glass bridge in the world.
• It gained widespread popularity after opening in 2016 and has been featured in numerous viral videos showing tourists having thrilling and terrifying experiences looking through the glass floor.
• While the scenery was beautiful, the site was overrun with tourists and the glass was so scuffed it was hard to see to the floor below.
• The entire experience was underwhelming given the price point and the numerous difficulties to visiting.

Like many millennial travelers, I sometimes pick my vacation destinations based on something I see on the internet. Such was the case with a recent trip to China.

After seeing $4 after $4 of terrified tourists crawling over a futuristic glass bridge spanning a verdant gorge, I decided I had to visit.

Opened in 2016, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in Hunan, China is $4 in the world. The walkway sits 980 feet above the canyon floor and is more than 1,400 feet long.

It had been billed as both breathtakingly beautiful and thrilling - a place, some might say, to get the ultimate selfie.

Soon after arriving, I learned a hard lesson in the difference between the glossy photos and videos of travel media and the reality for the average tourist.

Here's what it was like: