Travel destinations you hated and never want to see again

NYC---

ITS NOW A MALL

AND HAMILTON IS CONSIDERED THE BIGGEST THING ON BWAY IN YEARS

NUFF SAID

Anywhere in Mexico that isn't a "vacation destination."

Tiffany’s house.

Andorra. One big neon-lit shopping street.

Greece. PITA, especially the driving.

People will disagree with me, but Naples, Italy was the biggest shithole I’ve ever seen.

I've been in shitty towns but never for a holiday destination.

Key West is a challenge to enjoy. It doesn't have good swimming for example. But If you go to a charming private house and at night, walk around AWAY from the tourist strip, it does have a unique tropical vibe and some pretty gardens.

India. people shitting in the streets, gross and everyone has BO.

China. horrible air pollution. shit food.

Reno. What a dump.

US, gun shootings

Paris, overated and super rude.

I've been to each of my top 3 numerous times for various reason:

NYC - sick of it

Paris - wtf?

San Francisco - also wtf?

Used to love Disneyworld.

Now it is a nightmare.

But I guess the worst singular vacation was Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes. No place duller in the world.

Bizarrely it is now big with Europeans as if it were 1932.

I hate all of Nevada, but Laughlin is the shithole to beat all shitholes.

Filthy, tacky and deplorable

I've never gotten on well with the Southern states of the USA.

And NewOrleans depressed me greatly.

And I won’t go into my experience of MS.

Dubrovnik, Croatia is beautiful, but overly burnished and touristy and full of mediocre food and wine.

No I do not disagree with you r5, it's one of the most evil places I've ever been to.

“I loathed Vegas. Tacky, garish, plastic, soulless, overstimulating...I could go on. Spent two days there and you couldn’t pay me to return.”

Ditto. Except it was a full week for a conference. I had abysmally low expectations, and the impression was sub-abyss. God, it was bad.

R16 why evil?

Never got San Francisco, including its gay scene. The only cute guy I saw on Castro Street ended up being a baby dyke.

Bahamas. Talk about a shithole. Every time I used a public restroom, I wanted to vomit. The only clean bathroom was in my hotel room.

If it wasn't for all the graffiti most of the buildings in Naples, Italy would fall down. That's about the only thing holding many of them up. And not to forget it's riddled with crime. Just a filthy city. Vesuvius can't take it too soon IMO>

Colombia, Mexico, Spain and New York ( weird smell).

R19 lol

paris was pretty bad. esp the CDG. one of the worst airports in the world. lazy fuckers not working.

San Diego was a letdown for me - just meh in every way. I did love La Jolla and Carlsbad, though.

Venice Italy, it was great to see it and it was beautiful in its own way, but I couldn't wait to leave, super crowded, everything overpriced, horrible restaurants, expensive transportation, and ive never seen so many people with selfie sticks. You cant even fart in that town without someone hearing you.

Aruba. Very windy. Interior ugly.

Thailand. The next Tsunami should finish them off. Hawaii. Seems like everyone there won their trip on a game show. Ft. Lauderdale. A prolapsed anus with a beach. Las Vegas. Most depressing place on Earth. Atlanta. Most humid place I've ever been, my hair still has kinks in it. Rehoboth. The South of France for poor people. Havana. Had it's day. Has the wettest air conditioning ever. People are great though, so maybe I take back my complaint. The Adirondacks. Switzerland for poor people.

Spain - boring as hell. People were nice though.

Disneyworld- seemed so old and tired.

Everyone says Aruba is windy. How windy is it that that’s the primary thing many people remember?? Do you get sandblasted?

[quote]Disneyworld- seemed so old and tired.

Disneyworld is what I imagine the 9th circle of hell to be like.

The usuals: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan.... UAE - all of it. Imported indentured slaves everywhere. Horrific. They built thier. Wealth on Slave labor and oil. law of Sharia controls the country. Nothing but blowing sand. I absolutely cannot understand why some American Millenials are enamored of this place. They must not be able to see the desperation around them.

Berlin

Vancouver. Snooze city though I didn’t get out into the nature around there.

I agree about Vegas. I have a friend who is educated and makes great money but everytime I ask him if he has upcoming travel plans it’s Vegas. Gambling addiction will do that I guess. It’s just slots too. I loathe gambling personally and it bores me silly and takes my hard earned money away.

Agree with Naples, Las Vegas and NYC. Also, other than Stanley Park, Vancouver was a big disappointment.

[quote] They must not be able to see the desperation around them.

Desperation is for poor people, darling, not for influencers!

When I was young I moved close to Manhattan so I could go in whenever I wanted.

Still live in the same place but I avoid it like the plague.

In the 70s and 80s I wanted it so much to be revitalized. But now I see them as golden days and I'm dumbstruck as it's so far worse than I ever could have imagined.

The Jersey Shore is even worse than the show (I didn’t go by choice), Atlanta-a fetid city of strip malls; Savannah is one dusty tourist street and hell otherwise; MS is Third world.

India… sooo filthy!

r15=Roman and Minnie Castevet

MIAMI HOUSTON ATLANTA

ANY SOUTHERN COAST CITY THAT HAVE ENUF HUMIDITY TO KILL U

Gatlinburg, TN and Myrtle Beach, SC. Every possible tacky tourist trap known to man. Natural beauty ruined by rampant commercialism.

Thanks all. Guess I'll just stay home.

Gaitlinburg is fun for slumming. Go to Pigeon Forge, too. You have to have a taste for tacky motels and shitty working class Americana. Can also drive over the Smokies, very pretty.

Some of you may have went to the wrong places /or with the wrong people.

[quote]Some of you may have went to the wrong places

You "may have went" to a terrible elementary school.

Spain boring? So many great cities and fabulous historical sites. Do you have a pulse? Also good skiing of all things.

New Orleans - outside the French Quarter is a horrendous third world country

Even the French Quarter in the daytime is hopeless alcoholics drinking themselves senseless at 10 am, vomit covered sidewalks, and I can't forget watching the homeless, double-amputee black man digging through the trash bins

And I'm not even going to mention the rampant crime, the humidity, and the HUMIDITY

Cairo - filthy, overcrowded and dangerous. Arrive, see the pyramids and the main museum and then leave as fast as you can is my advice.

R48

racist !

The key to appreciating Vegas is -- never go outside during daylight. You're welcome.

I've never had a problem with crime in Cairo. Food-born illness, usually. The Egyptians are fabulous people and Cairo is wonderful despite being overcrowded, noisy and dirty dirty dirty.

Branson,Mo

[quote]Hawaii. Seems like everyone there won their trip on a game show.

I mostly agree with you, but I thought Kauai was pretty amazing. Totally unique vibe and unreal natural beauty.

Agree about Vegas. San Francisco is a crime-ridden shithole. I’d rather catch the plague than go to Disney anything. I didn’t like Grand Caymen, either.

Love Manhattan and Key West, though. You just have to know where to go and what to do.

I also veto the diss on Savannah, above. Its unique and very provincial.

Manila...as soon as you get off the plane, you can smell refuse burning. The rich live in high walled enclaves, while there is a trash filled 3rd world country everywhere else, where you can see dead dogs and people living in shipping containers. Guards with AK47's in your hotel (and we stayed at the Mandarin). No pleasant wandering the neighborhoods. No architecture to speak of, nothing cultural of note, the food has the worst elements of Chinese and Spanish.

I don't get the hatred for Paris, I loved it there.

If they wanted to give Earth an enema they'd put the nozzle in me.

Vegas.

My sister won a stay in a villa in the south of France. It turned out to be in a depressed, isolated little town. The largest community nearby was France's poorest city, with a large, unhappy immigrant population and a racist mayor. In a way it was interesting but I was happy to get to Paris to take in some elegance where more things are going on.

what is France's "poorest city"?

India has some beautiful places, but the poverty is really tough to deal with. And, no matter how careful you are, you'll get some type of food-borne illness. And, the entire country smells like a combo of BO, curry, and sandalwood. I traveled there 8 times for work (doing some sightseeing on each visit) and I never want to go back. In the US, you'd have to point a gun to my head to get me to go to Vegas or Disney ever again.

Baltimore. Ugh, Baltimore.

Also, I second whomever said Gatlinburg. Ridiculous tourist trap. Traffic is a damned joke. They've been widening the roads for the past 10+ years and all it has brought is more traffic.

Also, has anyone been to Jackson's Hole, WY? I have a feeling that is like a Gatlinburg or Branson type place.

Tijuana... Anyone shocked??

I am surprised so many people hated Vegas. I don't love it there (way too crowded, smoky, and I'm really not into gambling) but I've managed to find some restaurants that were good or a few tables of in the casino where people weren't smoking to occupy my time between work meetings. The hotels still pretty impressive, even if they come across as tacky reproductions to some people. And my hotel room had its own steam room and sauna!

That looks fun. Like an MGM movie set from the 30s, just in color.

I went to Vegas once, and that was enough for me. I didn't hate it, I thought it was ok (I'm not much of a gambling person) but I don't really need to go again.

[quote]San Diego was a letdown for me - just meh in every way.

Agreed. It's Omaha with a beach.

people who love vegas are the gamblers and those there to fuck whores.

Eterna

If you have a hot Grindr pic or Craigslist ad (before personals went under) Vegas was a BLAST. Met so many hot guys doing the "what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas". Prime time was between 1 and 4am when they can slip away from their drunk friends after failing to score in the clubs. Great times, but like others said, don't go out during the daytime.

Amsterdam, the original Vegas, sucked. The gay scene was small and hooking up with guys was a lot harder. It really was a lame playground for straight guys, The desperate ones could buy some overpriced loose pussy so no fun for me. I wont be going back unless they finally build a damn gay section. Put some hot guys in the window you damn Dutch prudes.

Well if your whole vacation revolves around hooking up, you're bound to be disappointed quite often.

[quote] "Also, has anyone been to Jackson's Hole, WY? I have a feeling that is like a Gatlinburg or Branson type place. —Anonymous"

I've been to Jackson's Hole and it will never be the same. (Even after a little reconstructive surgery.)

I can understand parts of Atlanta being fetid, but how can you hate Savannah? It is one of the most unique cities in the world with the squares, gardens, and Bonaventure Cemetery.

r71 Vegas and Amsterdam market sex so it's natural for that to be a focus during my trips, I'm single, in shape, and in my 20s, so I'm not ashamed of making sex a feature of my vacation.

I've been to Paradise, CA, but I've never been to me.

Florence. I've been several times and every time I liked it less and less. A typical example of a city destroyed by mass tourism. Overpriced, crowded, the whole experience has devalued what once was a great city. Garbage. Filth floating down the Arno. Trashy tourists making it impossible to get anywhere or see anything. Bottled water costing 5-6 Euros - no, thanks! Tuscany has so many beautiful cities and towns worth your effort and this hasn't been one of them for a long time.

Orlando (my ex's family paid for a big group vacation). Disney was humid hell and the rest of the city was worse. Several people got heatstroke. I wasn't expecting much and got less.

Miami. I just didn't get it. At all. Trashy and spread-out.

Rome - the beauty of the city is completely lost when you're fighting off Roma thieves every 20 meters.

Dallas - lots of freeways, no people

Atlanta - I was there in July. BIG mistake. The humidity is deadly.

Honolulu - Disneyland of the Pacific

Rio - Too much poverty/people/crime

Egypt, Jordan - constantly being hassled for money because Western means "wealthy" to the dirt-poor, and the general oppressive atmosphere.

San Francisco has more human shit on the street now than Kolkata and I am not joking. SF is filthy.

This thread is really helpful, btw... thanks OP.

I had a couple of these places on my "maybe" list for a long time but they are slipping further down. I think my next vacation will be in London (please don't bring up acid attacks...) or Scotland, especially with the low exchange rate right now. My friend lived there for a year and said she never did everything she wanted to do. I have no idea what I'll accomplish in a week.

London is one of my favorite cities - in part, because it's so easy to take day trips to interesting places if you tire of the crowds of the city itself.

Windsor, Bath, Cambridge, Salisbury, Brighton, Oxford, Canterbury - all good day trips by train or by car from London.

I enjoy settling into one hotel, not constantly packing, repacking, nor moving from one hotel to another, when I'm on vacation. It's easy to do that in London and never get bored.

Traveling by train in the UK is relaxing and comfortable - especially if you plan your train travel to avoid the worst of the morning and evening commute times when the trains are more crowded

^ see I am totally screwed to try to do it in a week...

[quote]Dallas - lots of freeways, no people

Absolutely - freeways, concrete, some of the worst urban sprawl, and no apparent city planning - and that's the case with almost every Texas city

Not to mention all the huge pickup trucks with gun racks and GOP stickers

France's poorest city is Beziers. Empty storefronts, lots of unemployment, monuments/historic buildings neglected.

[quote] see I am totally screwed to try to do it (London) in a week

Not really, if it's your first visit - you can certainly explore the city and never see it all

But if should want to get away from the city for just a day or even a half day - there are plenty of wonderful smaller towns you can get to easily

R80 Love London. Scotland is beautiful. The people are wonderful, warm. However the language is indecipherable. - don’t try to engage a local if you are exhausted or jet lagged you will simply wilt and wish you were dead. Tired ears are no way to enjoy the comraderie. Scots that work in the Hospitality Industry or Shops will be fine but will still involve major lip reading skills.

However I understand now they HATE TRUMP so i would direct the convo there. You will understand that conversation well enough. Also I LOVE shopping there.

Naples and most southern Italian cities

Just don't go if you're an inexperienced traveler

And if you are an experienced traveler - it's worse than you remember

The crime is horrendous

Bangkok. Horrible animal cruelty and poverty. Baby elephants forced to beg in the streets.

Cancun. Just gross. Crass. Disgusting roadside zoos.

The Vatican Art Museum. Yes, it's beautiful; however, it looks like the Catholic Church raped, pillaged and plundered all of Europe. It was disgusting looking at so much wealth owned by a religious organization that hasn't created anything of its own. I stood there wondering if Greece had anything left. Yes, of course it does, but the Vatican Art Museum is blatant theft of anything and everything of priceless value from the entire European continent. The Catholic Church ought to be ashamed of itself.

I've wanted to go to Prague "The Paris of East" for a long time

Until I read the DL poster who wrote that he came home from Prague with bedbugs

I can't stop thinking about that

Reno is a wretched little town- and I wasn’t expecting much else. On our visit we took mushrooms and saw Charo live at one of the bigger Casinos. The next morning they had some kind of parade. I had a fabulous time. I think it all depends on your expectations.

How did you miss all the great gay bordellos, R70? Amsterdam is full of them, right by the train station. Hot guys too. And safe for both them and the johns.

There are some countries (no, make that a LOT) where you just shouldn't go without the help of a good travel agent and a local tour guide

OTOH, all of the cities in Eastern Canada I've visited seem cleaner and safer than most American cities

Montreal is one of those - it's one of my favorite cities in the world

And if you time the exchange rate well, you may get a 25% to 35% discount on everything you spend there

How about Old Quebec? I hear it’s beautiful and charming.

India. I hate it so much, I’ve never been at all.

R95, save your money, go elsewhere.

Cut and Shoot, Texas

It's like a scene out of Deliverance

I think some people in this thread are far too delicate to be travelling around the globe. For instance, Naples is a perfectly safe city for tourists - the only dangerous thing about it is the crazy traffic. The same goes for Cairo. It's one of the few megacities in the world that doesn't really have any no-go areas (if you're male, that is - I probably wouldn't feel safe travelling around there solo if I were female, especially a blonde one). I thought Moroccan cities were much more seedier and are filled with people who are trying to get you lost in medinas on purpose and then extort you for $$$ - you won't find crooks like that in Egypt.

The only cities I don't wish to see ever again are those that have been destroyed by mass tourism, like Prague, Dubrovnik and Barcelona. Venice, on the other hand, has such a large historical centre that you can still find gorgeous squares and streets sans any people. Most people are too lazy to move their butts off the Saint Mark square area and then they complain how crowded it was.

Stockholm. People are very polite, but there’s the air of drunken dissipation and the food is so bad and so expensive.

It’s kind of a depressing place, but then again it’s so far north that maybe my Australian blood requires more UV. You totally get the impression that there is Girl With The Dragon Tattoo shit going down with bodies hidden, white pride and rape.

Oh, and Vancouver. Holy Moses it is a shit show.

Damn , Stockholm was another on my "maybe but probably not" list.

DL is slashing and burning -- but it's a good thing. Only so much money in the bank.

Hated Prague.

Yes both Prague and Stockholm just miserable. Budapest on the other hand a delight.

Jamaica- insanely rude people, especially the street merchants who are the pushiest I have ever seen. The climate was uncomfortably hot and humid, and the beaches/sites were no prettier than any other Caribbean island. Nova Scotia- just plain boring. R94 Quebec City was beautiful and the food was incredible.

Can you tell me more about why you didn't like Prague? I was interested in seeing it one day.

Buenos Aires: big and boring. India (especially Kolkata): dirty and dull. New Orleans. (Most of America for that matter...). Cuba: once was quite enough, thanks.

Agree about Prague, though the Czech countryside can be lovely. Disagree about Rome, which I find endlessly fascinating. Vancouver is boring, absolutely, but with great food. And if you can’t find anything to like about Paris, stop polluting it with your presence.

Hamilton, Ontario. What a stench.

Prague and Stockholm are terrific. Loved the Art Nouveau architecture in Prague and it's a very walkable city. Food and beer are cheap. Stockholm is full of beautiful blond and tan people. Everything is expensive, though.

Toronto, Niagara

Prague is boring

r99, r101 I had a great time in Stockholm. Everyone open and helpful. Super gay friendly. And yeah, plenty of good food. I would love to go back but so many other places I've never been.

Stockholm? STOCKHOLM?? I would love to hear what places the people who mentioned it loved?

Seattle -. many Anglo LA people moved up there, but I found the coffee/foodie stuff twee and boring.

R89, I guess you haven't been to the museums in London or Paris.

Boston--no diversity, uptight, nothing special

I like Mexico, except the tourist traps.

Nyc--too made over and blah now, I lived there in the early 90s

Portland--again, lack of diversity and also culture.

Agree about Vegas, awful place. Also L.A., where I actually lived for several years...don't know how people can stand living there. Also Palm Springs, Phoenix, both Dallas and Houston, anywhere in Oklahoma or Kansas. Did NOT like Hong Kong one bit. I used to like London, but not anymore...too much ugly development, has lost its charm.

In the US, my favorite cities are Asheville, NC, Madison, WI and Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

America

I found Asheville, North Carolina charmless and pretentious. And don’t get me started on that godawful monstrosity that is the Biltmore mansion.

If you think Prague is bad, take a hop over to Bucharest. Romania is a mess, though you can spend a kitschy day visiting Dracula’s castle.

New Orleans. Miserable shithole, as per all of the comments above.

Oddly enough, I sort of hated Ireland. I've been to Scotland a few times and am in love with it, but Ireland had a much more run-down, third world, trashy quality, and to top it off was crawling with busloads of American tourists. The countryside was ok, but stay away from any town or city that Americans may ever have heard of.

Chicago

Montreal. Didn't hate it, just don't ever want to go back. Felt like the San Diego of Canada in that lots of people rave about it without there really being anything there to rave about. The mountains just north are gorgeous but Montreal feels like a place from which Celine Dion would hail.

Atlanta. Went for a week to visit family and explore the city. I went home three days early. There was barely anything to see and do. Half of downtown isn't safe to walk around. Seemed to be starving for culture. And the people are rude.

I'll never visit New Orleans again. While I like to drink, this place is filled with shady people and gross tourists. I don't like any of the food either. What do you do all day long except recover from the night before?

Palm Springs - a golf course in Hell.

Springfield, Illinois, was depressing. I went for the Lincoln sites but everything else was a dump. Think of a strip mall walking distance from the tomb.

My beloved Montauk Point has become a hell-hole of cheesy shops, awful restaurants, traffic, crass party people. It was a paradise once upon a time.

The secret to enjoy in Prague is to go in the winter. Seriously. You’ll freeze your balls off, but there are no crowds and the city looks like a fairytale in the snow. If you are into the Christmas market thing, the markets are great as well.

^^ Enjoying, not enjoy in.

Vegas, for all the above Laughlin, ditto Casablanca...rich live behind walls, poor dominate the streets; impossible to walk the city without being attacked by poor children. Montego Bay...horrible homophobia Santa Rosa Waco (there for a conference) San Francisco...never "got it" even back in the day Eau Claire (work) Miami is a shithole

Karachi. Stinking city where everyone smells like ass and after shave. Nasty case of food poisoning too. Horrible place.

Carson City NV makes Reno look like Oz

People who proclaim a large, well-known city to be "boring" are bound to be boring themselves. I wouldn't take any travel recommendations from DL's famously critical posters seriously. And half the people kvetching here obviously haven't ever left the confines of their home state.

I hate driving vacations to see rustic, scenic areas. I don't care if it's upstate NY, or the wilds of Canada, or somewhere in the Midwest like Wisconsin or the Dakotas or Utah, or Montana or WTF ever. Driving down an endless endless highway looking as the trees whiz past is boring. And the accommodations are usually horrible. Bugs and mosquitoes and spiders everywhere, filthy toilets and cramped rooms with spots on the carpets and dog hair and dirty sheets and bedbugs. And the food is even worse. It's fast food at truck stops with greasy inedible food. No thanks. Next time someone suggests we "take a drive thru._____" Just say NO!

To be brutally honest, every city in the world I've ever visited that had a reputation for being fantastic was a disappointment to me. I've traveled extensively and so far I haven't been overall excited about anywhere I've ever visited. Parts of cities, yes, The whole shebang, God no. Every city on earth has its bad points. You just have to hope the good point outweigh the bad.

In the USA the biggest disappointment for me is Philly. All the history, and still the city is just one big piece of Hell. Nasty, uneducated, lowbrow people are everywhere. Internationally Paris has to be the worst. It has become a suburb of every big Middle Eastern city on earth. And yes, the French (in Paris at least) for the most part are arrogant assholes, even if you speak the language quite well, as I do. The second they see you are an American they get a look of pure hatred on their faces. Fuck the lot of them. Now people in the country side are as nice as can be. They even hate the French in Paris.

San Diego. A pretty city filled with provincial assholes.

Stockholm - boring with people (unless they are quite inebriated )- have no interest in speaking with strangers. The blonde hot thing gets old in a few hours. I was hoping to see some other kinds of people but you won't.

I found Paris to be charming and beautiful.

Istanbul. Semi- interesting architecture (ex, Blue Mosque) and unique mixture of cultures but not worth repeating once you’ve seen it. Berlin is architecturally bland. Definitely choose Amsterdam or Prague before Berlin again. Agree on Italian cities in general being chaotic and overly touristed. Venice and Florence are unique and great architecture and Rome has history - but way too much of a hassle to do anything between the crowds and unhelpful Italians and migrants. In US, Atlanta and Dallas top my list. Ugly car based and hot.

Agree with r121, I was very disappointed when I visited Ireland. Dublin is OK but you can see/do anything you want in two days, I couldn’t stretch it out any further. There’s nothing there that isn’t done better elsewhere. The countryside is OK, nothing special. People tended to be a bit grasping and greedy so that put me off.

Love, love, love Scotland. Incredibly beautiful and I go whenever I can.

New Orleans has always been a let down, maybe I’m just expecting too much but it’s got a nasty vibe. I have been to Mumbai twice for business, I told my boss I would resign if they tried to send me back. I’ve never seen another place on Earth so filthy, smelly and corrupt.

I don’t tend to expect 5 star treatment in a 2 star joint but Johannesburg was incredibly overpriced for very basic hotels. Surprisingly boring, I thought it’d be much more cultured.

I have found many unexpectedly perfect little gems just travelling the US for business, sometimes there are great places to be found when you get off the beaten track.

[quote] I had a couple of these places on my "maybe" list for a long time but they are slipping further down.

I really would not base my future travel plans on anonymous, pointlessly bitchy comments on this thread. Some of the opinions about certain cities and countries are absolutely ridiculous!

R140 Every city in this country is car based. Even NYC. Manhattan's streets are packed to the gills with cars. The subway system is old, ragged, and failing. Even other big cities that are known as "great walking cities" are car based. Every large city in the US has massive traffic jams during rush hours. To hold traffic against any large city in this country is simply stupid and small minded.

Tucson. Ugly and soulless.

As someone who lives in NYC and never had a car - nor do 90% of people I know - NYC is not “car based”. Car based cities lack street level interactions of any significance. You need a car in Atlanta and Dallas. You don’t need a car in NYC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago.

[quote]Stockholm? STOCKHOLM?? I would love to hear what places the people who mentioned it loved?

Madrid, Glasgow, Budapest, Berlin, Hong Kong, Ireland, Vietnam, the Maldives

Totally agree about Las Vegas. Just got back from a conference and HATED the place.

I would also add any port of call on a Royal Caribbean cruise. I went with my family on the Oasis of the Seas. Every port of call was a tacky shithole.

Yeah Ireland is not meant for cities. The stunning landscape especially the remote parts of the coastline are what Ireland is good for. Lush green fields, stone walls, simple cottages and cliffs overlooking crashing shores are worth the visit. And I always found the people down to earth and easy to deal with. The hordes of Americans in summer who have never been out of the US before can be annoying. But hard to beat for natural scenery. Though Scotland may be even better.

Gettysburg, PA. On business. Horrible.

That's only depending on where you live R145. There are loads of people in those cities you named (including NYC) who live in areas where they need a car. NYC is not just Manhattan you know. And living in Chicago without a car is pure hell unless you live right on a rail line and don't need to travel outside the core city very often. The same with San Francisco.

Aruba, just the worst and got robbed there to boot

Florence seemed to me like a big Frat town. Straight college kids running amok. It had the same feeling as Boston. I loved Venice. The the above poster said, once you leave St. Marks' the island is pretty much yours. Berlin is amazing, don't understand that hate. I can do without Amsterdam, also a big frat feeling.

Zurich. Like visiting Germany if the Nazis had won the war.

[quote]France's poorest city is Beziers. Empty storefronts, lots of unemployment, monuments/historic buildings neglected.

This sounds like the beginning of a Stefon monologue.

I'm glad I saw a lot of these places (Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Athens, Jersualem, Cairo, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, Honolulu) back in the '80s. I think a lot of them have just been ruined by the world's most serious problem: overpopulation. This has affected both the number of people who live in these places AND the number of tourists who visit.

Ft Lauderdale/Wilton Manors, boring and provincial no culture unless you are into getting drunk. Terrible humidity screwed up my sinuses.

Prague and Venice are amazing but tourists are destroying them.

The whole state of Florida.

Wow - some of these posts are depressing. There are some places I agree with - Naples, Dallas, Las Vegas - but many of the other big cities listed as awful here are wonderful if you have an open mind and know where to go or what to do.

Some of you either have impossibly high standards or don't know how to travel. How much interaction do you expect to have with locals? Do you expect people to glom on to you and treat you like family because you're a stranger visiting? I don't understand that at all.

Like posters upthread have said, Venice is a different ballgame if you avoid San Marco. Dorsuduro (where the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is), Castello, Cannaregio and the other sestiere are lovely. See San Marco in the very early morning before the dreaded cruise ships dock, then go elsewhere.

Khartoum is a dump.

[quote]…It is one of the most unique cities in the world with the squares, gardens, and Bonaventure Cemetery.

No, it is either unique or it isn't. "Unique" is strictly one of a kind; ergo, there is no such thing as "one of the most unique."

R89 are you insane?

I love cities with history, especially if well planned. Athens was disappointing. It's so different from Rome where everything is in close proximity to everything else. Same with London and Paris. Most of the museums and historical sites are not that far away. But with Athens the post WW2 architecture is ugly and shabby, and the important sites are not at all near to one another. So yes, the Acropolis is breathtaking. But once you climb up there, that's it for Athens.

I hated St. Louis and Philadelphia. Not much scenery, lots of begging on the streets, and generally dirty.

I don't understand why a few people have said Vancouver sucked. I was there for a week for work and loved it. My hotel was downtown. Lots of great food, everything was in walking distance, and I found an amazing yoga studio that I visited each night. Off in the distance were the bay and beautiful mountains.

Berlin is great. It's large and spread out so it's easy to avoid tourist crowds. Plus it has many wonderful things absolutely worth seeing which very few people other than locals know about.

Philadelphia is a huge dsappointment. I saw the Liberty Bell. Good. That's it. Done.

Orlando, Fl is highly overrated as a travel destination. The weather is abysmal and the people are shitheads. I wouldn't go back, even if someone offered me an all expenses paid vacation there.

Berlin, Edinburgh, Ibiza.

All were boring and ugly with little to see.

R169 Edinburgh doesn't have little to see, between the castle, the museum, the underground city (who used to be at street level), the palace, the Britannia, you should be able to find something to please you?

Edinburgh ugly? Every time I think we've reached the bottom level of DL stupidity, we uncover a whole underground garage.

Melbourne: tons of attitude, and the coffee is just OK, you can calm down about it

Tulum: silly...just fucking silly

The entire west coast of Florida, which needs a direct category 5 hit

And for the Stockholm haters, it actually can get even worse: Gothenburg

[quote]Plus it has many wonderful things absolutely worth seeing which very few people other than locals know about.

I’ve found that the key to really “getting” some cities is to hire a local private guide for a day or half a day (they’re usually not that expensive). They can show you all the insider places to go and help you understand what the city is all about. Did this for Rome, Amsterdam, Venice, NYC, Paris, Madrid and many others. It makes all the difference.

Though St Louis proper is a crime ridden dirt poor city, it had an edge and a history that I liked - relative to other bland midwestern and southern cities. Philadelphia has some great neighborhoods and a thriving gay scene with cute little alleys of 18th century houses. But agree the people take away from it - high poverty and trashy.

One more about Venice, nighttime, when all the fat fraus board their ships, St. Marks is charming and empty. Besides the live music and outdoor restaurants.

Reading this makes me realise I'm very easy to please. All the places mentioned here that I've been to I loved, even Las Vegas. I drunk too much, gambled, smoked, saw some shows, ate crap food and loved every minute of it. And how can anyone hate Disneyland? Seriously?

Adelaide and Perth, Australia, are not places I'd go to again unless someone shouted me the airfare and accommodation and the flight was a bit quicker but I'm happy to go anywhere new. And seeing Venice on this list? It's fucking Venice, how can you be unimpressed? Some of you have ridiculously high standards.

Mexico - Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo. I’ll do the Caribbean any day over Mexico.

[quote]Tucson. Ugly and soulless.

Tucson has an interesting alternate dimension or something, because no matter where you are in Tucson, to get to anywhere else requires at least a 10 minute drive down Speedway Blvd.

Other than that, there are a couple interesting blocks downtown, a few more by the university, and then you're done. The big airplane graveyard used to be fun, but I've heard the number of planes is way down, and the tour isn't anywhere near as extensive as it was.

R169 Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Not many places have not just one but several castles, a beach, a volcano, loads of galleries and museums, the worlds biggest arts and culture festival and world heritage site architecture. Were you unable to find your way out of the airport?

Jersey Shore. People in Philly thinks it’s paradise but I think it’s one of the ugliest places to vacation. Architecturally disgusting, crowded, white trash (even the supposedly “upscale” towns where homes are $1mm+). My family doesn’t understand why I dont love it - but I loathe it. Refuse to ever go with them or visit them on their annual vacation EVERY year. When there is Fire Island, Hamptons, Cape Cod, Eastern shore of MD, I just can not understand why people like the Jersey Shore.

Boston not diverse? WTF, it's a college town filled with people from everywhere on earth. The neighborhoods have their own ethnic flare, still, and the city is gorgeous with a lot to offer. I always plan my trip around at least one trip to hike on the harbor island and take in a musical performance.

I found Key West a huge disappointment, but mostly because I don't drink. There are bars everywhere and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I loved the pastel cottages and the cat show on the pier at sunset, but that was it. The one beach in the Keys was overrun and had an invasion of poisonous jellies when I was there, so no swimming.

I think Boston is overrated and while there is superficial diversity, it is the most white bread city which lacks true interaction between all different ethnicities and classes. I would take Philly over Boston - better and more abundant historical architecture and sights, much larger and more truly diverse and a much better dining and nightlife scene.

Lesbos

Easy answer: Las Vegas EST answer: Puerto Juarez, Mexico 1973

R184 — We have no idea what you said.

I agree with the Sweden haters, and someone above is so right about Gothenburg. Awful. Stockholm almost as worse.

Thailand is wretched now, as is Bali.

The west of Ireland is very pretty and worth exploring.

Venice in off season is worth a trip. Stay away from the main square.

R141 what industry are you in that you have to go to that shit hole Mumbai twice?

Boston is too small and fucking boring. There is not much to see really. and their subway is hilarious. You can walk no problem between the stops, no need to take subway.

R188 try it again in the winter...

Paris and NYC disappointing? Then they. It’s have locked themselves in a closet while in both places. The museums and art alone make them destinations- never mind all else. Boy DL has winners!

Washington DC and Brasilia are soul sucking over-planned hell holes, and I also agree with many previous posts that Las Vegas is the pits

Washington DC isn't ugly, but it's a bit underwhelming. It feels like an American history theme park.

Peru is ugly

There are two types of people: those who "get" New Orleans and those who don't. It is futile to expect the "non-getters" to appreciate it's specialness and uniquely European nature.

[quote]All the places mentioned here that I've been to I loved, even Las Vegas. I drunk too much...

I can't believe that some of you like Edinburgh. The main castle is ugly, as it's nothing more than a pile of stones. There's literally nothing interesting about it. Let's face it, once you've seen one castle(or church) you've seen them all.

The food is atrocious and the men are the ugliest anywhere in the world. It's just a sad and depressing city.

Ibiza is a blast when you're young. Ugly? Well yes, and ugly party pooper wouldn't have much fun. Besides nightlife, the hills are lovey as are the swimming coves.

Though Edinburgh is prettier than Glasgow, it’s still kinda small and not worth a full week. A good starting/End point for traveling Highlands though. Prefer it to flying to Dublin -which is a bland, boring, ugly city IMO- as access point to rugged coastal beauty.

Birmingham / Wolverhampton and Manchester are also not repeat-worthy spots.

R196 you think this is “just a pile of stones”? Imbecile.

Boston has a lot of historical sights in and surrounding the city and I enjoyed it a lot more than Philly for that particular type of attraction. I've lived in both cities and find a lot to love about both. If you're bored in either one, you're just boring.

For the full historical significance of Boston you have to do more than go to Fanueil Hall and the Freedom Trail. The Battle Road is gorgeous this time of year and a boat ride out to George's Island and Boston Light is more than just a walking tour.

These are opinions, not pronouncements and it's not a contest.

Lots of spoiled American cunts around here. You'd think that people coming from a country where casinos and balls of twine are national landmarks would be more appreciative of historically rich places like Venice and Prague.

[quote]Lots of spoiled American cunts around here.

Oh look, classy Australia is awake.

This thread is all about what we DON'T like about certain destinations. R201 just likes to call Americans cunts.

[quote]That's only depending on where you live [R145]. There are loads of people in those cities you named (including NYC) who live in areas where they need a car. NYC is not just Manhattan you know.

The majority of households in Manhattan, Brookyln and the Bronx do not own a car.

New York is in no way shape or form a car-based city. Yes far flung regions of Queens and Staten Island people like need one, but they are in the minority.

Every single place I've ever been to in the state of Texas. What a shithole!

Miami. I couldn’t have been more bored and grossed out. Everywhere you looks, shiny shallow people doing shiny shallow things. And the humidity was beyond disgusting.

atlantic city, nj. the broadwalk is ok. but 1 block off it, sooo fucking seedy. was there for a work meeting for a day.

Scotsmen sport some huge dicks.

Remind me never to travel with you DEBBIE DOWNERS.

Dubai hands down. I've been several times for work--the last time I almost had a meltdown on my flight over that's how much I hate it there.

The entire city is like an Arab Las Vegas without the gambling---flashy and sparkly but soulless. Nothing but a high end shopping mall. No culture. Rude and boring people. So so food.

Plus you can't drink wine or alcohol in restaurants and only in your hotel or in a private residence....or at a club/after hours. I have never gone through my hotel wet bar so quickly.....

I'll say this in favor of Las Vegas: it was cheaper and kitschier 20 years ago. It still had some of that cheesy classic Vegas vibe; you could see classically bad lounge acts and get a decent room for almost nothing. A friend and I still laugh about the off-Strip Italian restaurant where the piano bar attraction was a Liberace impersonator. Downtown was an incredible freak show.

Now most of that is gone (Elvis-A-Rama, the Liberace Museum, etc.). It's soulless, themeless towers. Downtown is now 90% white trash Trumpkins and 10% hipsters. And with gambling way down, Vegas has sucking money out of your wallet down to a terrifying level of efficiency.

I miss Fat Elvis.

[quote]Remind me never to travel with you DEBBIE DOWNERS.

Oh, honey . . . don't worry. We don't do Greyhound.

Vegas, Atlantic City and Los Angeles.

Not that I hated Dublin but it did nothing for me. Yes, people were friendly but the city was just a whole lot of nothing. The Irish countryside was far more interesting. I can say the same thing about Auckland with regard to the rest of New Zealand.

Nothing could have prepared me for the giant, putrid cesspool that is India.

What makes it even worse is knowing that this country decided to pour vast resources into developing nuclear weapons instead of investing in basic sanitation.

Shanghai. Spent ten days there. Never, ever need to go back.

Mykonos. Four nights in a beautiful place, but shot the wad on the first day walking the entire island. Then you get depressed listening to wary Greeks bitch about how poor they are and bow bleak their futures are. Spent the next three days drunk in the plentiful tavernas, which, to a one, have huge gay clienteles.

Phoenix. Soulless.

Orlando. Hot, humid, masses of hypnotized crowds.

Ghastly resorts like Courchevel and Saint-Tropez

[quote]What makes it even worse is knowing that this country decided to pour vast resources into developing nuclear weapons instead of investing in basic sanitation.

Not to mention birth control.

R193, Peru was fantastic. People were great. Food was consistently good. Super interesting.

R219 But isn't that were they eat guinea pigs on a stick?

I just could not bear to see that. It's not as bad as eating dogs, but it's gross-adjacent.

Jamaica. Beautiful but crime ridden hostile and dangerously poor. We were attacked on mopeds while riding with friends and a guide by a group and a guy with a MACHETE. WTF!? Absolutely no need to go there when there are so many other beautiful safer better developed islands in the Caribbean.

Eric has spoken ...

Most disappointing were Portland and Ireland. I thought Portland would have much more to offer....just really boring. Made the mistake of travelling through Ireland after going through Scotland first - no comparison. Even the countryside was ho-hum. Also on the list - Buenos Aries. Went there for a wedding. Way more run down than I expected. Lots of electricity blackouts which I heard is common. Way too far to go for a 3/10.

^ LOL I loved Portand and Ireland (and Scotland). People can really vary on these preferences quite a bit. I like the colder weather and endless green surrounding me - so that's why I like those kinds of regions in general, but the people in Ireland are much easier to talk to than Portland. Dublin is a lot more fun. There's not much to do in Galway (except the cliffs and monestary) or Cork. Even Belfast is interesting for a few days... the Titanic museum, Shankill road / murals, and walking up Black mountain.

As far as the people who disliked Edinburgh... what did you do there? There's plenty to do for a few days within the city itself & then all the highland tours leave from there. I was there & like it a lot (and hooked up with 2 guys who were both very hot - one enormously hung) - but the highland tours were probably the best part. Edinburgh has tons of festivals so you kind of just have to look into it. The comedy festival is a lot of fun.

The entire states of Arizona and Nevada. AZ: Dusty, boring, blah, no decent architecture. so friggin hot like you're on fire, even Sedona is over in a half hour. NV: boring, gray, desert looks like you're on the moon, flashy, glitzy, tacky beyond words, disgustingly hot in the summer.

I agree r225 Sedona is overrated for the most part & the novelty of the red rocks wears off quickly. Scottsdale is nice though if you just want a resort.

Beijing. Architecturally a hodge podge of crap, ugly city, the traffic and air quality suck even on sunny days. The one saving grace was to stay in the Grand Hyatt, relax in the spa so that I didn't have to go out into that nightmare. Shainghai wasn't terrible, but again, the traffic and air quality were horrible. I didn't care for China. I went there for work. Glad I saw it because I would never plan a trip there after having been once.

No one was ever meant to actually live in Tucson and Phoenix including Scottsdale. Flat, boring, dusty, suffocatingly hot for half the year, gray and cool the rest of the time. Architecture blows. Everything looks fake or like a strip mall.like a

A Latin American friend told me Guinea Pig is served whole, with the legs propped up into a big mound of rice? YUMMERS!

I made the mistake of going to Dubai as its own destination. It's a brief stopover somewhere else, period. A boring Vegas clone without the gambling. Feeling adventurous, I tried to hunt down a certain restaurant off the beaten path among the foreign "guest" workers ... less said the better.

I visited Mumbai as my ex's family lived there. It is NOT a touristy city otherwise!

New Orleans another over-hyped tourist trap with nasty vibes.

Orlando, Florida and Disney World. I wanted to get the hell out of there from the moment I landed. Hot and humid beyond belief, nondescript nothing town. And I hate, hate, hate theme parks. Years after seeing Disney World, I moved to Southern California. I still have never been to Disneyland and never will.

Last time I went to NYC, Summer of 2015, I had booked an apartment for a month in August, after 2 weeks I was getting sick of the heat & expense of the city and actually was getting bored. So I changed my ticket and came home early and just took the loss on the apartment. It just wasnt that much fun to roam around the city, most of the unique place in Manhattan were gone.

New York in August can be brutal, and dull. One of the worst times to visit along with $$$$ Christmas lodgings rates. Haven't been there in a while, but understand that to a great extent Manhattan can be interchangeable with say Toronto or Denver these days?

I think many of you who hate places like Prague and Venice are going at the wrong time of the year. Summer, or otherwise prime tourist season is the worst time to visit any place.

That said, Casablanca (I was there in winter) and Ismir, Turkey are two places I'd never go back to. Shitholes and I didn't feel safe in either.

I was in Venice for 5 days this past November, and it was still very crowded even outside of Saint Marks Square. Yes the crowds diminish in the evening after most of the tourists go back to their cruise ships, but it still wasnt a really enjoyable place for me. Like I said, ive never seen so many people with selfie sticks or taking photos while walking and not even bothering to stop. There is really isn't much to do in Venice, the museums aren't great, and the public transportation is very expensive for a non resident. The Guggenheim museum was a rip off, so small and crowded with groups that I couldn't even see most of the art, also it was hot in there and smelled like sewer. I was relieved to get out of there and back to Budapest where things are more affordable and much less crowded. So thats why I say its a city that I never have to go back to again.

I used to have to go to Hungary every year for business. That's one country in Europe I'd be happy never to have to go to again. Boring, filled with scammers everywhere, trashy, and Budapest felt like a bargain basement version of other, more interesting Central European capitals, such as Vienna or Prague.

St. Louis is ghetto, Detroit is positively Third World.

So, R236, I'm guessing locals didn't really take to your white sheet?

The truth isn't always nice r237.

Chicago is a great city, one of the few in the US that still feels like a "real city," although of course there are parts of it you need to avoid, same as anywhere else.

Izmir is a pleasant mostly unknown. mostly dog-eared and non-touristy city. Fun souk at Kemeraltı Market. There were even gay nights at some bars but that was 20 years ago.

I didn't like Budapest. It's a crumbling and dirty city. I didn't like being around so many unattractive poor people. It's homophobic, too. You can see everything worth seeing in a day.

r214 No-one goes to NZ to visit shithole Auckland.

When I was young I though most Hungarian men were a bit strange looking though like every country, there are some real stunners. They were however quite polite and Hungarian accented English is one of the best! Also, absolutely monstrous white dicks can be found. I liked simple Hungarian restaurants, more than German, for example. Still, its not Vienna, is it.

Izmir is a busy tourist destination now R240. City of 4 million. Full of Europeans on packages, loud bars and drunks. Not nice.

New Orleans-The blacks HATE whites. Do you know how many tourists have Been crippled or murdered there. All The local gays are basically drug dealers. Chur Switzerland- I refer to it as the Macon, Ga of Europe. Gatlinburg.Tn Do not ask for one bed for same sex Couples. Many years ago. Was told By the Gatlinburg inn by the skylift. We don't rent to you People. Memphis , sit in the Peabody and drink Or else risk getting muggef on the streets.

Nigeria - granted I went there for work, but two words : STAY AWAY!

R246,what industry are you in?

What the hell are the Europeans doing on packages in Izmir? I thought they went to those enormous hotels in Antalya. Or maybe Kusadasi. Cesme? Maybe they have a day trip to Izmir? And to the Temple of Hadrian?

Well all good things must come to an end. Turks gotta make their money, honey.

For those of you who enjoy a tropical vacation. What about Tahiti, Fiji or the Maldives? Thank you.

My friend went to seychelles, expensive as fuck. sodas are like 10 dollars. and big fucking mosquitoes.

After 45 years, i returned to Mykonos and Santorini- they are ruined forever. There is nothing authentically Greek there now- just commercialism. One day in Mykonos, there were 6 cruise ships in port. The sound of motor scooters is 24/7, and the island is not as pretty as I remembered. Lots of scraggly unfinished buildings. Dirty streets. Paradise and Super paradise beach are now overpriced crowded areas with loud music blaring and condoms and beer bottles floating in the water. I remember having to walk to SP for 1/2 hour along the rocks- now there are 6 beach clubs, condos and too many naked German gays who are not attractive but have huge cocks. At night- tons of British tourists vomiting in the streets. Santorini was like walking in Grand Central Station during a train delay. Even the owners of the hotels I stayed in hate it but they have to earn a living. But the views there are the prettiest i have ever seen. Next trip to Greece- non touristy islands Yassou. I loved Buenos Aires but was shocked at how run down it is- and dangerous. It is no longer the Paris of South America.

Agree about all the touristy Italian cities, including Amalfi Coast, Capri... with the exception of Rome.

Auckland, NZ: seems like a nice place to live but reminded me of Vancouver. Not terribly exciting.

Weirdly enough I spent 2 days in Johannesburg last year and I'm actually interested in returning!

Puerto. Vallarta. Maybe because it was overhyped. Dirty, small beach, a hassle - rather just do California

I dont know but Peru is very ugly and the food is kinda gross.

Michoacan, Mexico is full of ignorant assholes and littered with trash. While visiting, I had a nightmare that I had to live there forever, so I killed myself to go to Hell instead. When I woke up, I realized I was still in Michoacan and felt suicidal for the rest of the trip.

Bored in NYC after two weeks? Must be a troll. What makes NYC dull in August?

Natives glee the brutally hot city leaving if to tourists.

NYC in August is a stinking cesspool, and everybody is pissed off and cranky from the heat. Avoid it if you can.

Hiking The Kerry Way in Ireland. It's a 9 day walk and it rained everyday. I started to get sick on the third day because of the cold and the dampness. It wasn't just the weather which I was prepared for but the fact the walk takes you through farmer fields deep in mud and covered with sheep and cow shit. The West Highland Way in Scotland was much better.

I’ve never hated any travel destination I’ve visited. Either I’ve been very lucky or I have a positive attitude. Or both.

Amsterdam: dirty, full of obnoxious drunks on stag weekends & the most aggressive cyclists I've ever seen

Copenhagen/Malmo: just boring

Penang, Malaysia: shithole (other parts of Malaysia were quite nice)

Brest (France) is the ugliest city I've ever seen.

“dont know but Peru is very ugly and the food is kinda gross.”

Wtf? Peru is one of the most beautiful countries I ever visited. The food was delicious.

Niagara Falls, NY-- a complete and total dump, the Detroit of the Northeast!

St. Thomas-where you’re advised not to go out at night and if you do, go straight from the car to the restaurant.

Jamaica - lush and beautiful, but not for young people esp teens. Harassed on beaches. Scary driving while in taxis.

Santa Cruz - beautiful town but laden with those asking for money, yet have a dog to make you feel guilty.

Secret to enjoying all the "over touristed" European cities?

Go in the dead of winter.

The problem with Europe in winter is you can’t ealk around outside all day enjoying the architecture - which is what I love most about Europe. Not just cold but wet and damp. April and October are best.

Venice. Beautiful looking but with little soul, jaded shopkeepers, hordes of tourists, weird vibe.

r265 Why are you patronizing those homophobic Caribbean islands in the first place?

[quote]The entire states of Arizona and Nevada. AZ: Dusty, boring, blah, no decent architecture.

Arizona has the Grand Canyon, you fucking idiot.

Bruges. Dead except for tourist shops.

Trieste. Nothing to do.

Pompeii. The ruins are dusty and depressing; the new city is dull.

[quote] There are two types of people: those who "get" New Orleans and those who don't. It is futile to expect the "non-getters" to appreciate it's specialness and uniquely European nature.

Mary!

All of you have won a free trip to BRANSON! All you have to do is sit through a time-share presentation....

New Orleans' "specialness and uniquely European nature."

New Orleans - so special and European!

Not European at all. The french quarter looks like a provincial Mexican town architecturally after being rebuilt twice under Spanish colonial control. It's the Caribbean culture, and particularly that of Haiti, which sent N.O. a ready-made class of aristos after the slaves revolted in 1792....

New Orleans smells like stale piss.

I spent several months in New Orleans, and it is full of the most ghetto blacks you will ever see in your life.

Not since Katrina hon.

No, to this day.

Rome. I'm glad I went to the Coliseum and other antiquities, and I could have spent another day after the one I spent touring the Vatican. Otherwise, it was an unfriendly and ugly city, when I was there.

I've been to two different Carribbean destinations and wish I'd been somewhere else instead. Expensive, and filled with people so boring and shallow

On the other hand, I loved Florence and hope to go back sometime.

I'd also recommend London over Paris whether for a day or for weeks, having done both. Again, there were things about Paris wouldn't have missed, but on the whole it wasn't the city I hoped for. London, Dublin, Munich, Salzburg, Toronto, Montreal, San Francisco...all were worth the time and expense.

As soon as Reagan was elected, blacks in NO went from charming to ghetto. Same with DC blacks.

I suppose many of you complaining about the crowds were expecting the 1950's portrayal of Paris and Rome, when white Americans could relax at a picture perfect cafe sipping a cappuccino for an hour as they soaked in every detail of some random monument.

If you don't like crowds, don't go to the city. Drive straight to the country side. I've been to Barcelona during the summer and managed to get through the crowds just fine. The trick is to focus on your destination and the hidden sights around you. Final note, if you're in the crowd then you are a part of the problem. I thank you for never coming back.

Tell us world travellers. Where can I pay for enormous black ghetto dick and consume it onsite in a ghetto, and not be in a highly dangerous neighbourhood. Brooklyn and the Bronx?

Playa del Ingles Tenerife. Dry and burnt full of Brits and Germans. Total shithole.

New Orleans smells like stale piss.

With crisp notes of vomit and body odor

Nice photo example of New Orleans R275.

A still from a Master P Hot Boyz video. That was not something organic which just happened.

Look assholes, I get it: you don't like N.O. I feel sad for you, but I have met many of your type over the last 30 years. Most of them love Atlanta.

Nobody loves Atlanta.

r281 Paris over San Francisco? You have to be kidding me.

Honolulu. The ugliest spot in Hawaii. 2 blocks from the ripoff tourist trappy Waikiki Beach area are slums, crime, druggies & armies of homeless crazies.

Caracas, Venezuela. One of the most dangerous cities Ive ever been to & that was before the Chavistas turned it into the war zone it is now. I cant think of even one redeeming quality it had.

Havent been to even one city in China or India Id recommend even to someone I disliked. All disgusting, overcrowded, polluted & smelly. The Indians in particular have appalling personal hygiene. Projectile diarrhea is a given in both places.

Ibiza is lovely but so overly priced

Puerto rico (before the devastation). We stayed out toward the tip toward island of Vieques. We were told to never stop at a traffic light, just keep driving, because otherwise we might get carjacked. Stayed at a resort (El con) and got horrid food poisoning the first night. Then went off the resort for subsequent meals but infrastructure was so bad, the roads were nearly impassable. Got some decent food at a roadside stand on the ride back toward San Juan...until a drunken waiter PUKED on the floor next to our table. The whole trip was a letdown.

R271 Did you tour Pompeii on your own or did you hire a guide? If you do it on your own you’ll hate it. Signs are nonexistent and the map they give you sucks. You need a guide who can make it all make sense.

R288 Atlanta has some great neighborhoods, you just have to get out of the ugly downtown.

The last time I was in Reno I noticed how terrible all the homeless people looked. Old looking young guys at death's door. And I'm from the Bay Area, so I know homeless.

Atlanta sucks on so many levels. Virginia Beach, Virginia is like sleeping in a sleeve of wonder bread, so incredibly bland with no personality and the people are really really trashy. And I agree with many of the other posters here, San Diego is lovely but boring. Chicago is wonderful.

Vegas is a god forsaken hellhole.

[quote]Refuse to ever go with them or visit them on their annual vacation EVERY year. When there is Fire Island, Hamptons, Cape Cod, Eastern shore of MD, I just can not understand why people like the Jersey Shore

When I lived in Mass I spent a lot of time on Cape Code and now I own a home on OCNJ. The cape is gorgeous and so quaint it will rot your teeth. But the beaches SUCK. It's a very short season and the water is COLD. No surf unless you go to the Nat'l Seashore. The sand is gravely and there is always muck in the water (seaweed and God knows what else). The beaches in NE can't compare with the warm water, crashing surf and soft, sugar sand of the Jersey shore beaches. Sorry.

^^ Snooki

Ibiza? Euro trash capital.

NJ beaches are under-appreciated by snobs.

^^ Thersa Giudice, prostitution whore

[quote]NJ beaches are under-appreciated by snobs.

Chris Christie appreciated them.

I don't understand how someone could hate Chicago unless they came during the dead of winter. r122 try visiting in the summer or fall. The lake shore on a bright summer day is beautiful with the water and Chicago's skyline. Beach is decent, city still feels authentic, easy to navigate with a hundred little quirks and unique neighborhoods. Also accepting of gays with an established gayborhood. You really missed out on the city.

The problem with NJ beaches is the overdevelopment. Packed in cheap trashy houses makes me feel like I’m in a city instead of at a beach. Even the nicer towns and houses are vinyl siding and crammed together. Cape Cod and Long Island have open space, some beautiful architecture AND beaches.

I too thought that Pompeii was too rundown and dirty. I didn't appreciate that there was not even one place open to buy a snack--not even a friggin hotdog

r305 Most people don't go to Italy to eat hot dogs.

Most of Europe. Everything is just... Well let's just leave it at crowded but not commensurately dynamic.

I have never been to the Grand Canyon, although I love the outdoors and have spent lots of time in incredible wild and protected natural places throughout the US Northeast and South. I have yet to make it to most of the National Parks west of the Mississippi River, except Golden Gate and Cascades.

Every time I mention I want to see the Grand Canyon to someone who has been there, I get kind of a mild reaction, suggesting that as wondrous as the view can be, it is not worth the trip. Yosemite and Yellowstone generally get raves.

[quote]Even the nicer towns and houses are vinyl siding

Only an idiot keeps painting wood siding year after year because they're too stupid to take advantage of modern technology. If you live by the sea you're fighting a losing battle with the elements if you insist on having any kind of wood outside (including decks). People had no choice back in the Victorian era when many seaside towns were developed. We do have a choice now. So, if those same Victorian developers could time travel to 2018, they would laugh their asses off at the fools who haven't evolved and are still clinging to the old practice of painting wood and putting it outside to rot in the salt air.

New vinyl clapboard and shake siding looks gorgeous.

As far as the US is concerned, my partner and I keep being drawn over and over to Madison, WI. It seems the perfect place to settle down permanetly. Beautiful, safe, tons of fun activities, lovely tree-lined streets and neighborhoods, very GLB friendly. It seems to have everything, including tons of gorgeous, well-educated people. We are seriously making plans to re-settle there.

Ibiza is the worst island in the Caribbean. It's ugly, rocky beaches, horrible food and it attracts nothing but Eurotrash.

[quote]Ibiza is the worst island in the Caribbean.

Bless your heart.

I agree with R311. And Kenya is the worst city in Italy.

I've been to Detroit. I could not believe I was even in the United States.

Sofia, Bulgaria---whole city needs to be powerwashed. People seemed rather sullen and shady. Rila Monastery and the history museum were nice. Had dinner in a nice restaurant and the waiter asked how I liked his country. I said I was enjoying my stay. He looked at me and said "I hate it here. I wish to leave"

Perth, Australia. There’s some gorgeous views and beaches, but what would have been a VERY attractive British colonial city until the Sixties has been thoroughly raped into a car-riven sub-Dallas.

I was told it was home to lots of British, so was expecting some hot lads, but have never seen so such severely plain white trash outside of Tasmania. Anyone remotely good looking must head East. Like the rest of Australia — and indeed, the planet, zillions of Indians & Chinese are also being disgorged there, so it’s not going to improve.

R273 Stick to Vegas, trash.

Sorry. Wrong person!

Maybe it would be easier to have a thread asking people which destination they have visited that they would return to if they could never go anywhere else for the rest of their lives.

I've been to Vegas once, and once was enough. It was basically just a place to check off my list, i.e. "okay, I've been there." I just don't understand how people can go there all the time, or god forbid LIVE there!

To visit Auckland is to realise you didn’t need to visit it. Actually, that goes for the whole of New Zealand if you live in the northern hemisphere. Norway has exactly the same sites, but in an hour you can be somewhere interesting — in NZ you can travel for hours and still be in Bumfuckleville. The NZ Tourist Commission should be sued for fraud. It does have those sights — what it doesn’t tell you is that they’re about 500 miles apart, between which is bland fuck-all. The towns are all very neat bungalow slit yer wrist places, where a car boot sale would be the sensation of the year. Also, Norway has way prettier people. Maoris can be 50 stone but still , like most Polynesians, have clit sized cocks. I suppose that’s why they look pissed off.

^^ Russell Crowe

Laredo, Texas. A few years ago, my husband and I were visiting San Antonio and saw an ad to "Visit Laredo and its charming Old Town" or something like that (can't quite remember what it was that enticed us to make the drive). So we drove the two hours just to find downtown Laredo little better than a rundown third-world country (without any charm). We kept the windows up, doors locked, any evidence we were tourists out of sight, and got the hell out of there.

[quote]Every time I mention I want to see the Grand Canyon to someone who has been there, I get kind of a mild reaction, suggesting that as wondrous as the view can be, it is not worth the trip.

The canyon itself is impressive but is ruined by the lines, the crowds, the endless tacky shops, the nickel & diming, the hordes of RVs disgorging families with screaming kids. Go somewhere like Zion or Bryce Canyon instead. Equally beautiful and a lot less tourist-trappy.

I enjoy any new place where I have some friends and I have something to do besides being a tourist. I hate showing people around. I imagine they dislike it too.

I'll go any place with a bf or fuckbuddy. They can choose. Short trips.

[quote]Laredo, Texas. A few years ago, my husband and I were visiting San Antonio and saw an ad to "Visit Laredo and its charming Old Town" or something like that (can't quite remember what it was that enticed us to make the drive). So we drove the two hours just to find downtown Laredo little better than a rundown third-world country (without any charm). We kept the windows up, doors locked, any evidence we were tourists out of sight, and got the hell out of there.

Reminds me of Yuma, AZ although I can't say I ever considered it a "travel destination." We drove from Phoenix to San Diego and my travel companion insisted we spend an afternoon in Yuma, What a bleak, depressing shithole - and I live in Phoenix, which is no great shakes itself. Someone bashed Tucson upthread, but Tucson's got a hell of a lot more going for it than Yuma, and more of interest for tourists than Phoenix, imo. Arizona does have some pleasant destinations (especially the northern part), but Yuma is the absolute pits!!!

Paris. Once is more than enough in a lifetime.

Paris is a dump.

And monte saint michel in France is just terrible, from outside it's kind of cute, but once you are inside, every building and shop is a frigging souvenir shop selling the same suit.

Laredo is definitely not a travel “destination”. A border point for truckers hauling stuff back and forth to Mexico. A truly godforsaken place. Only positive is at least it’s not Mexico.

Paris is vastly overrated and not a beautiful city to my eyes, but it does have great museums. I also enjoyed the Pere Lachaise cemetery. Yes, the cemetery was one of the places I most enjoyed there.

I NEVER want to visit New Orleans based on some self-important BITCHES we got stuck having to eat dinner with every night on a cruise ship several years ago. Oh-hhhhhh, these assholes thought they and they alone invented fun and how to have it. They were drunk from dawn until dark, loud, obnoxious, and ignorant. Fuck them and their shit-smelling cesspool of a city.

Another vote for Prague; I went in the fall when it wasn't quite as touristy, but I still felt like a target the whole time and the people were rude. i I probably would've enjoyed it more if I divided by time between Prague & Vienna.

I recently came back from the UK & had a stop over in York; York in an ancient city with a a lot of history & beauty but it is DIRTY! I was there over a bank holiday & it was like spring break Panama City FL - well, maybe not that bad, but there was trash everywhere & there's a considerable homeless population

I personally found Edinburgh lovely but after the beauty & charm of the Highlands, it did feel like a bit of a let down. I guess Scotland is like Ireland in that you go there for the countryside, not the cities.

If New Orleans actually had the balls to live up to its own hype it could be a fun place. They could be the American Amsterdam with legalized weed and hookers, but they want to pretend they're hip without scaring away the Shriner's convention. I mean, strippers there still wear tassels and pasties on their nipples. Even in DesMoines the strippers can show their nipples, but on Bourbon Street they wear pasties? Get serious.

Most people should stay home. They do more harm by traveling and wih no benefit to themselves.

R25: La Jolla is part of the city of San Diego.

I have seen filth that you wouldn't believe. What a stink! I don't even want to talk about it.

Loved Auckland. All the guys wear shorts and have msucular thighs from climbing hills all day. True, alcohol seems to be 3x the price it is at home, but it doesn't seem to stop them getting drunk.

Detroit not America? Oh sweetie, Detroit is America nekkid. It's what America really is on the inside.

[quote] As soon as Reagan was elected, blacks in NO went from charming to ghetto. Same with DC blacks.

Oh please..the dindus are never more than a blip in the infrastructure away from chaos.

A cousin of mine, a fire chief in N. California, was sent down to La. as part of a FEMA effort to rescue the locals stranded by the floods. In spite of the fact that they were being shot at by the very people they were attempting to help, they were permitted no arms of any kind. Add to this the corruption and obstruction they ran into from the ruling elite clowns like Nagin.

Only fear keeps their tendencies in check. That's racist, isn't it? Well so it is.

And they don't fear a whole lot. Life is so cheap to most of them. Gang members often plan their funerals by age 18.

They expect doom, but that does not stop them from wanting to be in the game.

r311=Miss Teen South Carolina again.

The floods were 20+ years after Reagan's election

[quote]Another vote for Prague; I went in the fall when it wasn't quite as touristy, but I still felt like a target the whole time and the people were rude. i I probably would've enjoyed it more if I divided by time between Prague & Vienna.

I said this on another thread about vacations, but I recommend Ljubljana, Slovenia as a fabulous alternative to Prague. Smaller, yes, but much cleaner, uncrowded and the people are great. I love all of Slovenia, actually. It’s stunning.

I've been to me and a few times I've found it meh.

I'm glad that I went to Vienna, Budapest and toured Germany, but I have no desire to go back. They were all beautiful, but there's something cold and joyless about Central Europe. I didn't emotionally connect with that area of the world, or its people.

R346 I found northern Germany off-putting but Bavaria was the exact opposite. It’s like the Texas of Germany.

Really? Most love Hamburg and HATE Munich. Those of us who spend a lot of time in Germany anyway.

Hamburg is the richest city in Germany and the prettiest. But it is also is like Amsterdam but with German people. Go check, out the Reeperbahn.

I know Hamburg very well. I wouldn't call it pretty. It is "handsome" and neat. It has ALWAYS had a good underground scene and many small places to party, but now I've aged out as have my Hamburg friends. For 20 years we adored slumming there. I don't think it has much in common with Amsterdam as it is not a tourist trap, and not international. I guess the threat of water. Also northern Germans are tall fish heads and , though hung like the Dutch, they aren't nearly as pretty.

Agree with R4 and R5: Greece and Naples. Same reasons.

Also, Poole, England = Britians white trash.

Philadelphia, PA (and I was born and raised there). Hateful people. City if brotherly love my ass. Same for Bensalem, PA while I'm at it.

[quote]Most love Hamburg and HATE Munich. Those of us who spend a lot of time in Germany anyway.

I agree that Northern Germany beats Bavaria, but Munich is OK. You want to get creeped out by Bavaria you need to get out into the villages. You sit in the beer gardens in those little villages and you expect some kid to start singing "Fatherland, Fatherland" any second.

I’m not saying Bavaria beats northern Germany all around, I’m just saying I didn’t find the people cold and joyless. A little too much the opposite, in fact.

That settles it. I'm cancelling my summer vacation to Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania.

Heehee @ R353. This trend really has gone off the rails.

^thread

LOL R353! However, Bensalem, PA is the home of equally shitty Sesame Place.

Detroit is one of the most misunderstood cities.

People always post about it on threads like these as if it's promoted as a "travel destination."

People use "Detroit" interchangeably with the Metro Detroit area, which extends up to 50-60 miles away out in the suburbs, not referring to the city itself.

I LOVE Michigan - including Detroit.

One of the scariest, seediest, creepiest parts of America is Skid Row in downtown LA.

Yes r358! A friend of mine who lives in LA took me on a tour of Skid Row because I'd never seen it, and it was so sad and seedy.

I used to give "horrors of Detroit" tours. It was fun.

I’m shocked to see Hamburg as a place to go - I think it’s on my list of never go again. Architecturally blah. Mostly postwar ugly - maybe clean but bland. Good nightlife/scene I admit. But absolutely no reason to go back. Then again, I think a lot of the same things about Berlin.

Does anyone go to Switzerland? Every time there's a travel thread on DL, you never see Switzerland mentioned. In fact, now that I think about it, I don't think I know anyone other than myself who's actually been to Switzerland.

I stayed one night in Zurich, on my way to Barcelona, and I thought it was pretty, upscale and clean. The lakes that I saw thru the train windows looked gorgeous, too. I don't think I'd spend the time or money to plan a vacation around Switzerland, but it looks pretty.

Berlin is fantastic, but I think it's better suited for living than as a tourist. It's spread out and too complex to get beyond the superficial surface in a short term visit. Hamburg bored me, but I admit I saw very little of it, and thought it paled by comparison to Berlin, my home at the time.

Budapest was definitely a "one & done" for me. I quite liked Vienna although it feels a bit like a giant museum. There's just something very peaceful about it.

R362 I’ve been to Switzerland and love it. What it lacks in excitement it makes up for in sheer beauty.

R362 here's a thread about Switzerland:

The Detroit metro area has some beautiful suburbs. Here’s a little tour of the Grosse Pointe area.

R362, I've sort of been to Switzerland. That is, I took a train ride through Switzerland once, and spent the whole time with my nose plastered to the window and my mouth hanging open, it was so stunningly beautiful.

Photos can't capture the mountains looming RIGHT overhead, the luscious greenness of the meadows, the loveliness of the villages, and the simultaneous wildness and civilization of the place. Sadly I have never been able to afford an extended stay there, because it's possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been.

Geneva is boring as shit. I have friends there, but make excuses not to go.

I personally love Naples, but I'm a fan of rotting architecture and street life. If you're into fairy-tale Italy, Naples is not that. Plus the local boys are stupid hot.

I love Berlin for history and culture. Amsterdam on the weekends is one giant British pub crawl.

Paris is beautiful, but I have no strong desire to go back.

Madrid bored me, but I was there for two days and didn't really get a chance to explore.

Prague is an odd mix - one of the most beautiful historical centers in the world, surrounded by the ugliest soviet-era institutional architecture imaginable.

Never been to Vegas, never plan to.

Hands down, Atlantic City. No international crowd. Frankfurt Germany. Heidelberg Germany. Brooklyn, NY, Rimouski, Quebec Canada.

R6, thanks for reminding me. Key West. Orlando, Florida.

Greek Islands are so overrated and really boring. I am glad a few have said New York is overrated as I did not like it at all. Loved Chicago though.

Favorites: Strausberg, France, Tokyo and Kyoto Japan. Quebec City and stunning Gaspé, Quebec.

Houston, there is no there, there. No charm, nothing to do. Dublin, cold and poor. Another vote for Edinburgh. Dreary, even with castles.

Venice, insanely crowded and overpriced.

Niagara Falls, Canadian side, it's worth going for a day trip but everything outside of the falls themselves is a tourist trap.

Florida during spring break, too humid. Try Arizona instead.

Geneva is a city of about 200K in a metro area and tiny canton of 500K population. It's not boring for its size and has a little bit of everything on the offer. Doubt there is much for tourists but its a very pleasant place to live at any age, as are Bern, Zurich, Bale and Lausanne.

Tijuana: chaotic and full of people trying to scam you.

Carcavelos, Portugal: went for a conference, it's a mediocre beach town. Lots of much nicer beaches around Lisbon (which is a lovely and inexpensive city).

Toronto: it's a nice, clean city and seems like a great place to live, but there's not a lot of attractions for tourists.

Jesus a lot of Marys on this thread hate humidity. Only vacation in the desert then. Places are humid, deal with it.

As an aside, it's a shame to realize that places that were once very gay destinations, have been overrun & ruined by trashy straight people.

Ibiza, Mykonos, Miami Beach, Key West, Sitges...

Austria, Italy, France. The people were rude, and the security was atrocious.

If excellent service is a must, skip Austria.

Mexico. Sleazy hustlers everywhere, even in the high end resort areas. Plus, they kidnap and behead people there.

I say Mexico as well. Ramshackle huts are everywhere, stray dogs are skin and bones. The extreme poverty was a real eye opener. As are the soldiers wandering around with machine guns.

R88, I'm with you.

[quote]I am glad a few have said New York is overrated as I did not like it at all.

Years ago, NYC was not overrated but thanks to developers pushing out local retail and venues and killing our major art, music and fashion scenes, the city has taken a gigantic turn for the worst. It's become a vapid open air mall, theme park and elitist playground for ultra rich transients and tourists.

R385 I wouldn’t consider myself super rich but I still enjoy NYC as a tourist, though I do agree about the invasion of chains and decline of the local music, art, etc. scenes. I think if you look hard enough and also get beyond Manhattan, you can still find local character. And for what it’s worth, I’m from a major city on the East Coast, not flyover country.

[quote]Toronto: it's a nice, clean city and seems like a great place to live, but there's not a lot of attractions for tourists.

Excuse me?

[quote]Tijuana: chaotic and full of people trying to scam you.

Why would you go to Tijuana expecting anything else?

I'm going to say India, even though I've never been there, just because of all the horror stories I've heard. Everybody who goes there gets sick from the food or water. It's the very definition of third world country.

I'm perfectly fine to admire the Taj Mahal from photographs, thank you very much.

Murren Switzerland is stunning. Small village accessed by vertical tram, very few cars, walk through mountains like Heidi. This and towns nearby are reasons go to Switzerland.

I've heard India is a great trip if you do the 5 star thing. It is apparently not all that expensive compared to other places. It is far more trendy to immerse yourself in the culture though but if that involved Montezuma's revenge you can have it.

My ex was Indian, we went there four times to visit his family. It is only a tourist destination if you are on a five-star trip, or know Indian families there who are local contacts. To go there otherwise I believe would be a big mistake.

If is VERY disorienting! Paul Theroux has an essay on visiting Madras where he told the hotel staff he was going to walk somewhere one quarter of a mile away. They told him he needed a taxi, which he totally blew off, but had to come back to the hotel and hire one after all.

R389, your contribution is a place you’ve never visited? How terribly helpful.

I second Key West. I was last there in Feb. Overly crowded, with loud packed bars and pickpockets lurking (I got my wallet stolen). Also a lot of down and out Floridians lurking in corners.

Same here, r394. People who aren't familiar with Key West think it's akin to Fire Island - an upscale gay resort area. Not at all! It's quite trashy.

Black Rock CIty. Anything involving libertarians of any kind quickly turns to shit.

Johannesburg and Pretoria. Arid as fuck and boring. No sexy shit (gay scene) - staid.

Cape Town is a 180 from that. Gay orgies - almost.

[quote]I've heard India is a great trip if you do the 5 star thing. It is apparently not all that expensive compared to other places. It is far more trendy to immerse yourself in the culture though but if that involved Montezuma's revenge you can have it.

You know you can immerse yourself in the culture in Edison, NJ, right?

Thailand. HUGELY overrated. It's SUCH a big destination for people from my country (Australia). Absolutely EVERYONE has been there. So I finally bit the bullet and went. It was filthy. Just rubbish everywhere, including in the water. Along with these little nippy things in the sea that constantly bite you. I went to a big bustling city, and to the remote countryside and some islands, and it all just felt so touristy, dirty and over-hyped. I sometimes wonder how many other Aussies secretly feel the same way about that beloved bloody destination

Well, at lead THEIR "nippy things the sea" aren't great white sharks.

LOL R400. Fair play to you sir.

I agree about Thailand- to me Bangkok is surprisingly new and generic and sweltering. Should have went to Chiang Mai

Anywhere there are Italians.

some idiot above thinks northern types shouldn't be bothered by humidity. Take a course in anthropology, you hilljack.

Phoenix: I can't remember what I was looking for, but the directions said "Turn left on Country Club Drive." I did and wondered where all the fairways and putting greens were - all I saw were transmission shops, porn stores and places to donate your plasma for $25...

Birmingham, AL: people actually live there. Why?

Naples: the one in Italy, not the one in Florida: filthy, smelly, dirty, dangerous.

Naples, FL: in the words of Edmund Wilson: "This pastel hell, this sunlit nightmare."

Moscow: twenty five years later and I can still smell Moscow's unique fragrance, a mingling of sweat, shit, urine, acrid cleaning products and cheap tobacco.

St. Louis: what happened?

[quote]I hate all of Nevada, but Laughlin is the shithole to beat all shitholes. Filthy, tacky and deplorable

You can say that again. I went there when the person driving the car from Las Vegas insisted my directions to LA were wrong and we took a turn through that shit hole. People who say Vegas is tacky have no clue. Laughlin is full of tacky, fugly deplroables drinking cheep booze, in cheap hotels, blowing their life savings in trashy casinos. The food sucks, the rooms suck, and the casinos suck. There is nothing interesting to see there and nothing to do except gamble. With the murkey river on the back side, it really is deplorable heaven for poor white trash.

Oh, bravo R390. Way to read the subject title.

Nassau Bahamas

any horror stories on costa del sol in spain? i'm going there in a few weeks. what kind of scams do they have in spain?

I know that my friend was robbed in broad daylight in barcelona, he was limping after tripping on their cobble stone street and was a target. It was a group of people, robbing him. He said it was shocking.

Were they Spaniards who robbed him?

R409 Can you be more specific than "Costa del Sol"?

What cities are you going to?

Barcelona is not Costa del Sol. Its not even on Spains coast.

Beware of little nippy things in the sea.

I disagree with negative reviews of Key West but I suppose it depends on your vibe. The area around the cruise ships, Mallory Square and the lower end of Duval St are definitely the worst of expected trashy tourism and when some of the red neck tourists discover they can walk around with drinks they turn into drunken nightmares. But getting off the beaten path, checking out the off-the-beaten path guest house and restaurants will show you a glimpse of the real Key West - it’s so wonderful to just wander around all the streets and alleys sand see one enviable cottage after another. I love the attitude there as well - extremely relaxed, casual and friendly - you don’t know if you are talking to a CEO or a server. It’s decidely funky and weather-worn but removing that element of try-too-hard materialism and faux-fanciness is refreshing and puts an emphasis on personalities and lifestyle. I found great places to swim in the ocean. - the lack of waves is great but that contributes to the lack of beaches - no waves = no sand. I swam off tiny Dog Beach every afternoon. There are some amazing restaurants hidden in the neighborhoods as well - Little Pearl, Satiago’s Cantina, Flaming Buoy Fiket Co, are great spots as are the many tiny hole-in-the-wall spots scattered around everywhere. The more time I spent in the rest of Key West the more I loved it.

[quote]Should have went to Chiang Mai

You "should have went" to a better school.

I've traveled all over the world and for the most part, enjoyed something about every experience except Las Vegas. I was there for a work thing and couldn't get out soon enough. These days, traveling takes all the fun out of going anyplace. My last few vacations were spent at home. I splurged on lavish dinners out, car service, theater, and massages. I played a lot of golf and went hiking. I had a few friends join me for five days last year and it was a lot of fun and very relaxing.

Capetown

Vero Beach

Barstow

[quote]Thailand. HUGELY overrated.

You guys don't understand why Thailand is so highly rated as a tourist destination, but that's a good thing. It means you're not a disgusting, sleazy middle aged male looking for his pick of 9 year old girls to rape or submissive Asian prostitute to service him.

R413 Have you been to Key West recently? I stand by my assessment .

I prefer staying in Islamorada/Tavernier when in the Keys. Less crowded, less drunks, less sketchy folks lurking around.

But ya gotta lurv Benidorm!

I can’t believe all the people bashing Paris I’ve been 6 times and never had a bad experience. Now Nice filled with shady North Africans and has shitty neighborhoods.

Benidorm sounds like an allergy medication.

I second Karachi, Pakistan. Vile city with a stench of ass, cheap cologne and raw sewage.

The Philippines...like Pakistan bit poorer and the Tagalog sounds mutant.

Benidorm provokes allergies.

Key West stopped being a gay tourist destination 20 years ago.

Nice and Marseilles are now sketch city. Thanks, EU!

key West dump. Serial killer haven. Go see Robert the doll. Exciting. Blah.

R411? "Barcelona is not Costa del Sol. Its not even on Spains coast."

I guess geography isn't taught in the schools anymore.

r427 Yeah, I was wondering how I got there on a cruise ship if it wasn't on the coast.

I visited Madrid and Barcelona with my mom a couple of yeasts ago. It was only on the train from the former to the latter that she realized Barcelona was a port. To be fair, she's usually pretty good at this stuff and fairly well traveled, so I was taken aback by that. Not even the faintest sign of pickpockets, but it was off season.

R427 Barcelona has a coast in the sense that Seattle does. Its trashy waterfront.

410 I doubt they were Spaniards, but Moroccans or Romanians. 411 Barcelona is on Spanish coast, of course. 409 You are visiting Spain, not Mexico.

R404 you are a moron.

431?it works better if you put r before the number

Noob

[quote]what kind of scams do they have in spain?

Saw a show on this that made me never want to visit. Gypsies send their kids out on the street to pickpocket. They are incredibly brazen-- take iPhones right out of people's hands, suitcases as you're rolling them along on the street on the way to your hotel, etc. But the worst are the flocks of kids who surround you if you go to an ATM machine---like buzzards.

The reason they use kids is because in Spain the Police can do very little. They pick them up and then just call a parent or guardian to retrieve them. They don't even pay any fines or spend a night in jail. Very permissive. So the kids are exploited by their sleazy Roma tribes.

Barcelona and Madrid are among the top 10 worst cities for pickpocketing. Here are some tips to avoid getting scammed:

[R434] Soft you’re really that preturbed by Gypsies it’s called exercising street sense. I’ve come across them a great traveling throughout Europe and have never had a problem. Why because I’m not some foolish tourist. You would have to damn near rob me to get my wallet.

R435 has pooped out more than one diamond.

[quote]I'm glad I saw a lot of these places (Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Athens, Jersualem, Cairo, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, Honolulu) back in the '80s. I think a lot of them have just been ruined by the world's most serious problem: overpopulation.

Tokyo is pretty amazing and, in my opinion, is almost perfect.

Clean, safe, hospitable people, INCREDIBLE food, extremely efficient public transit system, a rich culture that blends modern with tradition, tons of varied things to see and do...but the crowds.....OMG the insane crowds. Way, way too many people. It's the biggest drawback to really being able to enjoy the city.

I have a relative who grew up in Japan in the 60s/70s and it was a trip to comb through their photo album and see Tokyo/Kyoto before it was inundated with Western and Chinese tourists. I saw a photo of them at Kiyomizu-dera Temple back in the mid 70s...in the afternoon, with nary another person in sight. It was surreal. That place is packed practically 24/7 nowadays.

I got dragged to Atlantis in the Bahamas (long story) and couldn’t wait to escape. Take everything you hate about theme parks, jack the price up about 50% and you have the idea. Rich entitled parents with their rich entitled offspring making life miserable for anyone in a 20-foot radius...cruise ship day-trippers clogging up the place...mediocre food even in the big-name restaurants. And the surrounding area, Nassau especially, is a dump.

r437, I was in Tokyo a few times for work in the mid 90s and was completely disoriented the entire time. It was like being in Times Square everywhere I went. I loathe Times Square but worked there for 10 years so generally don't get frazzled by crowds. But Tokyo nearly undid me.

Yeah we love them Japs.

R440 is 60 years old.

R441 is a dopey millennial who doesn't even realize that someone 60 yrs old wasn't even born when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

New Orleans - the charm escaped me, but the almost constant smell of shit and piss did not.

SF - crowded, cranky, not charmed by the houses or the fact that the entire city is shaped like a toilet bowl.

Seattle. Tacky and touristy. No one GAF about the first Starbucks. Stop trying to make it a major tourist attraction. Serous homeless problem. Tour guides trying to make 70 year old events sound like ancient history. (Seriously, my 85 y/o dad was with me on that tour and he said, "I remember that" to a lot of the stuff the guy was calling "history")

Maui - tacky, expensive, awful traffic, hordes of bratty, entitled, out-of-control children at Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Hana was the only redeeming feature of the entire island. Enjoyed all the other islands and have been to all but Molokai more than once but will not go back to Maui.

R429 what a wonderful Freudian slip saying "yeasts" instead of "years". Really made me LOL thinking about someone using yeast infections as a way to measure the passing of time!

I know Las Vegas was already mentioned but I just came back from a 3 day trip to Vegas. Several people from a trading blog I visit go there once a year and I wanted to meet the people I've been talking with online.

I'm not a fan of Vegas and shortened my stay because of it. Been there twice before and did a few shows and the dam tour but I don't gamble. People were friendly but I've noticed it's gotten more expensive. Used to be a cheap place to visit with free drinks while you're gambling and cheap buffets. The shows are not cheap either especially the Cirque du Soleil shows and I find it awkward when the performers meet you as you leave the theatre and try to sell you videos and t-shirts.

Barbados. There are pretty, upscale resorts and decent beaches on the western coast, but the island itself just depressed me. I found it rundown, way too touristy, and the beaches are swarming with vendors harassing you (a problem on a lot of other islands too). It has nothing special enough to make up for the downsides.

Orlando. Flat, humid and filled with southern trash going to Disney World. 5 days of conference hell.

Stockholm. Terrible food. People are very nice, though.

Orlando was kind of cool in the 70's right when Disney opened. Orange trees everywhere. I remember being a kid and thinking it was magical and it smelled good.

Nassau, Bahamas. Dump. Other than the luxury hotels - the town is god awful, homophobic and hateful. Public transportation is jitney, so be prepared to ride around with chickens. It’s prone to unplanned outbreaks of fire (Straw Market), public corruption, and proclamations of piety while grifting.

Ulan Bator

Zurich. Boring city full of Nazis.

It seems like overpopulation has ruined most places worth visiting.

r454 wtf are you talking about?

[quote] Not to mention birth control

You will never get birth control in third world countries. I’ve had lots of friends who’ve tried (woman’s health advocates, NPs, etc). Poor people can do two things: fuck and make children. So that’s what they do. The men see the number of children they have as a mark of virility. The women are nothing but vessels to fuck and to deliver children. A barren woman gets killed or divorced by her husband (being a woman without a man is a death sentence in many places). My friends tried to talk women into using birth control but not one of them would. Their husbands would kill or divorce them and they cannot go back to their families once they’re divorced....their parents don’t have money to feed her.

A woman’s life is shit in these countries, unless they are from a rich or prominent family.

Another thing - brown people see white people talking to them about overpopulation and they decide these whites are only worried about the overpopulation of brown people. They see it as a racist, imperialistic act. Brown people don’t want white people thinking that they have power over brown people’s sex lives and birth rate.

Aruba, dirt and goats

Just returned from Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Everyone told me not to miss Pompei. Well, I didn’t hate it but wish I visited another area of Amalfi Coast, instead. Pompeii felt like a tourist trap. (Maybe I knew too much about its history going in?) .... Happy to experience Rome but, as with Paris, don’t need to go back.... Positano and Capri were overrun with tourists which diminished their charm. ..... The two Amalfi Coast towns we loved and hope to return to were not as media-hyped (no night life or beaches) so are far less dominated by tourism. ( And I agree with the poster who said that Naples is not for the inexperienced traveler.)

Why are some of you so hung up on "diversity"? How does that affect yoh that you may not see many Latinos or POC or Asians there wherever it is you are? Do you go around consciously looking for POC or whatever and then feel disappointed if you don't see many? And if you did see some, would you immediately run up to them in the hopes of becoming BFF?

I think diversity is fine, but am not hung up on it. If I watch a movie or TV show, for instance, with an all-white cast, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Not does it bother me that shows like Empire have an all-black cast.

R196, Yes, Americans who have no interest in or knowledge of Western Civilization might share your opinion.

R321, You have a gift!

Vegas. Barf.

I have given up on Europe in the summer. If there is an undiscovered place..let me know.

I love Pompeii, have been twice and would love to spend more time there

Boston. Meanest people in America.

Egypt.

Veritable collapsing, corrupt, polluted shithole.

Australia. Too far away, too hot, no real culture (footy, beer, sex sums it up) and obsessed with status (financial, education). I think this has been discussed before somewhere on DL, which I agree, Australia seems to be more class-conscious than UK. Upper classes boast having "British-type" accents. Dull place overall.

South Beach, Miami - a good friend moved there in 1990 just as it was beginning its renaissance, basically the only thing "new" there was The News Cafe. All the old Art Deco hotels were still old folks retirement homes for the most part. I went frequently in the first few years he lived there and saw new places opening - they all had the coolest, chic-est vibe and lots of beautiful people everywhere. I returned last year and couldn't believe how awful it has become. Completely overrun with trashy, low life people - very rowdy and dangerous at night. It lost all of it's charm.

r460 -

[quote[Why are some of you so hung up on "diversity"? How does that affect yoh that you may not see many Latinos or POC or Asians there wherever it is you are?

it's in large part minorities noticing how they are treated and how other minorities are treated.

My first day in New Orleans a homeless man or a hobo asked me for a light. Reminded me of DeBlasio’s New York. What an overrated shithole.

I loathed Vegas.

I can appreciate why some people like SF but did not fall under its spell during my time there. Same with New Orleans.

Jamaica was horrible. I'm not certain why it's so celebrated. One either stays on the compound of a vacation resort or risks injury and death walking around outside of the fences. The fruit was the only enjoyable / safe food to eat. The weather is beautiful, but I can visit other Caribbean islands or southern states to enjoy nice weather.

My feelings about most travel being overrated seem to be justified from this thread. In this day and age all it is another pissing contest for social media.

I made the mistake of going to New Orleans for two weeks. I got bored after one week.

Epcot, one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. Boring and it screamed “cheap”.

I wonder if all these comments from 2018 are still true with Covid. These places must have a LOT fewer tourists in them around now.

Puerto Vallarta.

I had no idea...

Rome: didn't hate it, but 3-4 full days or so is probably enough. I am 100% glad I saw the Sistine Chapel ceiling, though. The Trevi fountain was surprisingly spectacular. Rome was pillaged multiple times. No paintings. The Cornaro Chapel (Bernini's Ecstacy of St. Teresa) was special as well.

For me, most big cities in North America. I guess I'm just not a city person, but while visiting Seattle, Toronto, Chicago or Boston once is definitely worth it, I have no desire to visit these cities again, or any of the other major cities I've been to, with three exceptions. There are areas of natural beauty nearby - I'm making that assumption about Toronto, as for once I didn't have a car and thus didn't get outside the city - that I would happily go back to, but the cities themselves ... meh.

Anyway, the three exceptions: Miami, Los Angeles and Montreal. Miami and Montreal because of the interesting combination of foreign and North American. Los Angeles because I just like it. It's huge and sprawling and car-oriented and world-famous while being mostly very ordinary. I like that in a city. Would've moved there when I was young if I'd had the opportunity.

[quote] My first day in New Orleans a homeless man or a hobo asked me for a light.

Which one was it, R471?

Dubai. Gross, oppressive, concrete for miles, overrated. We also mass abandoned a taxi when the driver kept talking on his phone animatedly, didn’t proceed, and kept looking at me wild-eyed in rear view mirror. Nu-uh!

Port Said.

Reno, Nevada. Didn't have high expectations. Passed through there on a road trip. Not worth making a special trip there. It's similar to the old part ("Downtown") of Las Vegas (downtown LV is better, though).

But what about nearby Lake Tahoe, R484? Too touristy or still gorgeous? Or both?

R485, we were on a road trip and Lake Tahoe was too inconvenient, I guess. I have never been there, so can't comment on it.

It's a 1 hour drive from Reno to Lake Tahoe, on the Mt. Rose Highway which is scenic. The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe is prettier than the California side with less development and more state parks, even a nude beach or two. Crystal clear water with submerged rocks. A month ago it was so windy there that people were actually surfing on the lake.

Is Nice nice?

Nice is lovely for a day. But it really isn't all that, @R488

Antibes and Fréjus have more charm.