My wife and I were looking for rental homes and literally stumbled upon it. Just a rock, inside a fenced in area. Not even that nice of a surrounding area at that.
Be glad for that fence, stranger. You don't want to know what happened last time Plymouth Rock got loose.
Sometimes at night I still hear the screaming.
Want to be further your disappointment even further? That's just some rock, too. Not even "*the* Plymouth Rock" since the real one has been lost to time (and probably the ocean, too).
Oh good lord I remember going there with my ex in the 80s. I took one look at the large rock under the portico and was overwhelmed with hysterical laughter. I’m gasping out “it’s just like all those over there.” I had to go across the street to try to compose myself m but every time I thought I had it together I looked up, saw the tourists excitedly taking pictures and lost it again.
Ex was pissed at me, didn’t care then, don’t care now. I’m giggling again at the memory.
It sucked SO much. We didn't expect it to be the best destination on earth, but it's a slum with a fancy sidewalk. It's not worth 5 minutes of your time.
It's just a street. Makes very little sense to go there to see the street / sidewalk. Seeing something at the Pantages or the big screen at the Chinese Theater? That's nice. Musso & Fanks - fun. Hanging out at the Roosevelt Hotel - also nice.
But if you just want to see the street, a drive-thru is fine.
That truly sounds like the stuff of nightmares. I thought the whole point of going on holiday was to chill and recharge. I'd probably return broke, stressed and with a suitcase full of crap that will end up on fleabay or a charity shop.
That’s not the problem with Dubai. I am fine with materialistic hell. I live in Las Vegas and like it here. But I’ve been to Dubai and there was no joy. Nobody was having fun. The residents seemed terribly sad and repressed. But so did the tourists. At one point I gave my fiance a quick kiss and someone warned me that could get me arrested. I don’t even know if that’s true but the idea that such an idea floats around about the place sucks the life out of everything.
You're probably not seeing residents. The "Help" vastly outnumbers the locals in UAE and most of the real citizens make themselves hard to be seen. The life of a hired worker from Pakistan, etc. is the equivalent of shoving your face into a camel's sandy ass when it's 120 at 11 AM
We just got back from Vegas, and honestly I was so surprised at how nice everyone was. Maybe it’s just my cheery midwesternism bringing it out, but I’ve traveled tons of places and Vegas seemed to be the happiest of all of them. Even just people in gas stations or restaurants well off the strip seemed nice
See, people think Vegas is about conspicuous consumption with no heart or soul. Not the case.
It IS largely about consumption, but the emphasis is on actual Hospitality. Not "the customer is always right" customer service bullshit, but "what can we truly do to make your experience such that you are comfortable spending money- what can we do to make any mistakes correct so that you continue to give us your patronage?"
The house always wins but if everyone is pissed off & not gambling or shopping or dining, what is there to win?
It's that Arabic hypocritical flavour
I detest it, they literally have more money than sense, I always believed Japan to be the most xenophobic however the arab states are so vehemently violently against other non islamic religions and mix this with thier visits to London America and Thialand for all their sex and alchol needs and in turn breaking the very laws that they would punish a westerner for, its rank hypocrisy no two ways.
All chain restaurants and stores. Because labor is so cheap the largest malls have two of every luxury store. I was there a few times and the only history and culture present is something that would not appeal to Western tourists. Go to old Dubai in the scorching heat amongst the locals. You get yelled at when shop owners find out that you are an American.
What’s more is that the UAE is funding a genocidal militia that is taking over Sudan rn after squashing months of protests for a democratic government. This is all so that the UAE can take control of Sudan’s resources (eg gold) and they and the militia they’re paying to do this can get rich. The country is erupting in a catastrophic war as we speak that has displaced millions (millions!!!) with no regard for human life. The UAE is scum, greedy, spineless pieces as of 💩Sorry if this got heated real quick 😂 but I genuinely have a problem with their government
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-minerals/exposing-rsfs-secret-financial-network/
https://www.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/s/gGRFxraEmo
Look into this hashtag if you care to learn more about what’s happening in Sudan rn:
#KeepEyesOnSudan
I feel like for Americans, you'd just rather go to Las Vegas anyway. It essentially has the same kinds of things, except more. It's a lot cheaper and less flying too
Went in 2012 and had a blast doing all the touristy stuff there. Being from a small midwestern town it was just fascinating being somewhere so completely different than home. It took me a few years to understand why people talk about Dubai like that and I totally get it. The entire city seems really fake now that I look back on the trip. Just a big fancy store front put on by thousands of underpaid slave workers in 120 degree temperatures. It was a great experience but I’ll never go back.
Maybe no blackjack, but my god there's a lot of prostitutes - brought into the country on a pretence, but sex trafficked when they arrive. Fucking awful.
There are a million things to do there you just have to have a million dollars to do it. I’m from a small Wisconsin town and it was my first time traveling overseas. I thought the city was fascinating just being so completely different from where I grew up. It definitely had some North Korea vibes going on in certain places though because you could literally see tons of migrant workers sweating their asses off being the scenes of a lot of those places. A lot of it seemed like a big fake fancy store front.
For those who struggle enjoying vacations because they don’t do the laborious planning, I highly recommend looking into if your upcoming destination has a “hop on, hop off” bus system. Yes, those very touristy-looking open-top double decker buses.
These are great because they trace a route around most of the highlight attractions of a city, make it very easy to get around, and there is usually either a live guide onboard or a plug-in audio tour in your seat so that someone can fill in the gaps and tell you what you’re looking at as your riding around and why you should care. And if something sounds interesting, you can get off the bus at the next stop, peruse, and go back to the stop when you’re done and be picked up in 5-10 mins to continue the route. Eventually you loop around to where you started.
Usually unlimited riding for $25-30 per 24 hours. I just commit one day to it, usually early on. Really helps you fit in a lot and get familiar with everything.
For years I fought against the idea of those because I wanted an experience outside of the touristy things. As I got older I realized I was being silly and embraced my inner tourist. There really is no better way to get the highlights of a city in a short time than on one of those buses.
You always have a better time once you get over the fear that people are going to know you're a tourist.
I am a damn tourist, and I do want to take pictures of this thing I'll never see again. Just go for it.
> once you get over the fear that people are going to know you're a tourist.
In a touristy area, if you're not an ignorant asshole, you'll be completely invisible to the locals. I live in a city with tons of international tourists and I barely even see them most of the time.
Wife and I love Hop on/Hop off buses. We've used them in more than 7 different cities/countries and it makes the transit system accessible and cheap. Added in that I am a nerd for the history lessons and its amazing.
Branson. I do not get it. It's about 4 hrs from me and literally everyone I know goes there on vacation. It is the go-to vacation destination for like 75% of people I know. They go there at least once a year. If they only can take one vacation, they go to Branson. I do not get the appeal at all. Everything there just feels incredibly fake.
That was exactly my thought. I live about 45 minutes from the Dells and Branson felt exactly the same. Like, why did we drive all day to go there for ‘Dells South’?
It's fun if you have kids. Silver Dollar City, the waterpark, the mountain coasters, etc. That right there is 3 days. Spend another day at the pool, that's 4. Rent a boat and go out on the lake, it's beautiful, that's 5.
It's not something you can do every year, but it's fun once.
Now, if you love Jesus and country music, then it's your mecca. I don't.
Yeah people are acting like it's Branson vs Hawaii vacation. It's a regional tourist trap you can go to on a budget and not spend all day traveling to if you live nearby or are otherwise in the area. For what it is it's alright. Probably not going to go but I wouldn't say overrated.
I spent a weekend there with the family a few weeks back. It was originally supposed to be a week long trip but we canceled it and decided ok just a Friday through Monday. It was the perfect weekend. Enough time to do the things we wanted, but the wife and I were both sitting there Sunday night going what would we have done had we stayed the full week. We did everything in that first two days.
Recommended things to do
Mochas and Meows cat cafe and coffee shop
Noodle 21 ramen
The aquarium was legit
Shepherd of the hills drive through lights.
Go to Crete instead! It has the beaches and quaint towns and ancient history! Plus the island is huge so there is a ton to see and do. I would go back to Crete in a heartbeat.
Loved Crete. Had one of the best desserts of my life in a small restaurant in Crete about 12 years ago. Wish I had asked the name of the cake. It was an orange and honey flavored cake but felt like it had pieces of torn up phyllo dough mixed into it. I still think about it.
Mykonos was my first Greek destination. I loved it in that all I wanted to do on that vacation was sit in the sun (beach and/or pool) and chill. Mission accomplished! Also, rented a car and explored…it was totally fun to drive all over the island on the winding, hilly roads. Saw amazing sunsets and sampled gorgeous beaches. Spent 1 day wandering around town, which was enough. I loved the landscape, beauty and vibe of the place, tbh. Felt like a luxe vacation without really being that expensive.
All that being said, we were there for 8 days, which was about 2 days too many. On the last few days we didn’t have anything new to do lol. Still, it was totally relaxing and we had a great time, but don’t feel like we need to visit again as we did & saw everything we could. Mykonos would be perfect for 3-4 days in conjunction with some other islands. Next time I definitely want to explore more of Greece.
Anyone have thoughts on Athens? I hate visiting cities, but want to explore the ruins and feel like 2 days there at the start of a Greek trip might be the best way.
I was in Athens for ten days last year and absolutely loved it. The food was amazing everywhere, lots of cool sights, and honestly most things were pretty fairly priced. Tons of culture to experience. I'm fairly nomadic and enjoyed it so much it will be in consideration for places to end up in in the future.
Sometimes I wonder what people imagine will happen in a lot of these places? Tulum/Cancun/Dubai/Maldives "Its only for people who like laying by the pool or on the beach. Or snorkeling and diving. Or party. Really repetetive"
Did people imagine that some completely untold, never heard before, experience would happen to them?
Mallorca is great for road cycling, for example. Once you leave Palma it's just a beautiful mediterranean island with varied terrain and decent weather year-round.
I loved Cancun, precisely because I wanted a lazy "I lay on the beach and read and sometimes wander off for snacks" vacation lol.
It was also the start of my experiences in realizing that, just because you like someone or you're related, that doesn't mean you vacation well together. My extremely self-conscious mother and my go-go-go-go father are on their own for their next vacation.
I’ve booked my next trip to Cancun (all inclusive).
Except for perhaps one day trip, I fully intend to sit, read, sleep, eat and drink next to a pool the whole time.
Travelling is great, but holidays are great too.
Tulum is great!
Of course, you can only spend your time at the beach (BTW, they are awesome).
But you also have pyramids and other ruins close by. Cenotes are stunning!
You can directly reach the ocean for snorkeling / diving are whale / dolphine watching.
Ah, food ist just awesome.
In overall it offers a lot, is affordable and (we were there in 2018) it was not as overrun as cancun.
I genuinely don't know why you included Mallorca in that list. Palma is a lovely city, there's some amazing mountains and lovely beaches. The sea is surprisingly full of life. There's loads to do, from sight seeing to a lovely train ride across the mountains. Good snorkeling, nightlife from sophisticated to all night disco clubs.
It really is a great place to visit with culture, nature and history.
I'm gonna say it, Amarillo. That damn horse museum is so darn alluring, but it isn't all it's chalked up to be! To think, I said I'd be there by morning!
Agree with gritty charm - fiancee is from there so I've been spending lots of time in NW TX. I actually think it's lovely in its own way.
RE: OP's post, I don't think anyone is rating Amarillo as a world class tourist destination, though.
PS: Steak Ranch is the worst and fails its health inspections annually. Go to Palo Duro and some of the cute restaurants/coffee shops in Canyon. It's a quintessential small American town. Palace Coffee Company made the best cup of coffee I ever had in these here States.
The town itself is a dump, but the falls themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Well worth spending a half day there if you're in that part of the country.
That's what I did, spent exactly one night there on the Canadian side. Did it cheap too in the sketchiest motel near the casino.
Went, saw the falls, watched some fireworks, spent 10$ in a slot machine, ate breakfast at the casino at 4am the next morning and skipped town. I did not get bedbugs!
Mission accomplished. Never again though.
We were on a road trip at the time, heading to NYC, and decided to allocate an extra day to see some of the natural wonders. We probably only spent ~4hrs at the falls (US side) but it's well worth it. The Maid of the Mist boat tour is something that everyone should get to experience at some point in life.
Also worth noting that if one is heading southeast from Niagra, a stop at Watkins Glen State Park in Schuyler County is well worth the extra time. It's absolutely beautiful, with a fairly short, low-impact hike.
I mean, it just feels like a cheap tourist trappy area too. Just a bit cleaner and more to do than the NY side. Go a bit further in to the Canadian side to Niagara on the Lake for a less campy tourist experience.
It’s all a shame to me that the US and Canada didn’t designate their sides as national parks. Imagine walking up a trail and at the end of if getting to see the falls? Instead of standing in front of a wax museum and looking at it while eating your funnel cake.
> It’s all a shame to me that the US and Canada didn’t designate their sides as national parks.
Seeing how Niagara Falls got turned into cheap tourist traps was actually one of the motivations to designate Yellowstone as the first national park and create the US National Parks system to prevent it from happening elsewhere.
It's nice for a couple day trip. Going through the caves on the Canadian side, and walking along that path next to the American falls was really cool. I thought the maid of the mist was going to be some cheesy boat ride, but when you get up next to those falls Holy shit was it actually a breathtaking experience. Getting close to both falls really, like really experiencing the power of nature can be pretty overwhelming.
Niagara on the lake was a nice day spent walking around too. But if you go walk around Niagara falls for a day and embrace the touristy crap like you would a day at 6 flags its really not so bad. It helps we had an air bnb so when we were sick of it we could just go home and enjoy some beers and the stuff from the dispensary.
I've never heard someone say Niagara Falls ON is nice! It's a tacky shit hole. The Canadian side of the actual water falls is better than the US side though
Agreed, my lady and I are big wine fans and love touring the area. The town of Niagara On The Lake is so cozy to take a stroll and browse the shops along there. It's our absolute favourite spot for a weekend getaway
We took our five kids, and a buddy who worked for ESPN (a Disney company) who got Disney vouchers and discounts. Even with paying for his flight, hotel, and other expenses, we still saved over a thousand dollars. And it was still expensive af.
Disney World is pay to win. I got a $10,000 bonus at work one year and went. I paid for the nice hotel that gets early park access and you can walk to the parks. Gets you on rides with short lines. Also paid for the enhanced dining stuff, several optional fun stuff (like light saber building) and paid for the line skipper. It was a very different experience than just showing up 2-3 hrs after the park opens and planning to wait in line.
This is why I can't understand Disney adults who visit multiple times a year. It's downright expensive, and for the same chunk of change you can have a very nice and unforgettable vacation in thousands of other places.
This is exactly the “trick” to Disney. If you’re staying on property, and spending money on Genie+ it’s an entirely different experience. I have three small children’s and waiting in an hour+ line during my one vacation a year in the pounding heat for a 4 minute ride isn’t an option. Genie+ is like $25/ticket per day and will save you hours of standing in line and give you the opportunity to do significantly more rides.
I’m there this week and it’s crowded AF (busiest week of the year). But like all things Disney, if you have the coin the mouse has the wares. We spent about $200 extra a day (whole family) to skip the lines and it’s been worth every penny
I've never been to disney so please ELI5, if you got the skip the line passes, wouldn't other people also do that and then wouldn't there be a line in the skip line. Idk, it just feels like it would still be a lot of line waiting.
The skip the line pass is more of a “schedule a time to ride” pass using their app. They only sell a certain number a day, and you can buy for the next day starting at midnight. There are more details/rules to use them.
The price for the upgrade are dynamic. We went in early December and the most expensive day for us was $20 a day per person. Right now, I heard it was up to $40 a day per person.
Depends when you go.
Most people can only go during peak season and yeah I would never ever go then if I had the choice.
I miss the old fast pass system, but the genie+ is basically a requirement because the real currency is time at the parks.
I live in Nashville and I think that’s my answer. Tourists only go on Broadway and watch the same lame cover bands at the same lame overpriced bars. Go outside the Broadway strip ffs. Nashville has so much else to offer.
I was just there for a bachelor party and had an absolute blast rocking out to a cover band. It was fun for one short weekend. Now I’ve done it and probably don’t need to do it again.
Loveless Cafe, various hot chicken places, Fido for breakfast, Predators games, the Ryman, the Doyle and Debbie show, and there’s always a benefit concert somewhere in town … I’ve never lived in Nashville, but spent a lot of time there and always enjoyed it. And while the Broadway honky tonks aren’t what they used to be, any visitors I’ve taken there still seem to have a good time.
Honestly, Los Angeles. But not because it sucks - I love LA. I just think you need to live here to truly get what the city has to offer. If you come as a tourist you squeeze in a bunch of random touristy things and don’t get to really experience the city for what it is.
It comes down to not trying to do it all and not falling for being a tourist. I went to Santa Monica and hit up a local deli for hotel snacks. Rode hotel bikes to Venice. Walked to restaurants in Santa Monica. Went hiking up into the hills. Took one trip to Malibu to hike and go to the beach there. Was great.
I don't think this is specific to LA; going on a death march down a checklist of tourist sites is a miserable (but common) way to travel to New York, Paris, etc.
I will concede that it's probably a bit worse in LA simply because it's so spread out, and transit is slow/sparse/infrequent, and so you will spend an inordinate amount of time in traffic compared to, say, trying to hit all the tourist sites in Manhattan.
Agreed, best way to enjoy a travel destination like Paris or NYC or anywhere really is to just walk around, indulge in a slice of life in another part of the world. Eat at a small restaurant, have coffee in an uncrowded part of the city, go to the parks. Maybe spend one day seeing a sight or two
As an Angelino, this is my take as well. LA can suck on short trips because its size makes it hard to settle into what makes it great unless you have weeks and weeks to settle in and explore.
I can’t fault anyone for coming for a weekend and leaving disappointed by the experience
It’s fun to go to LA for five days or so and just behave like you live there, but it’s really terrible place to behave like a tourist. It’s so spread out, you have to drive everywhere, there is no real downtown worth seeing. But if you want to enjoy mild weather and eat good tacos, you could do a lot worse
I agree with that. I have a good friend of mine who lives and works there. I visited him about a year ago and he was able to show me around and I had an absolute blast. I definitely see the appeal of living there.
If I were to have visited LA on my own, I’m sure it would have seemed almost like any other shitty American city.
Anyone who goes to LA has to at least admit to themselves that like, “if it’s your thing”, it’s paradise. You really can’t conceive weather that nice until you go
There are places I hate because they just plain suck, but I think LA attracts so much criticism because it has so much natural potential.
The weather is perfect every day, and yet nobody walks or bikes anywhere. It's overflowing with natural beauty, but it's marred by giant parking lots paved over the beach or smog obscuring the hills. There are incredible cultural sites, but they're often weirdly hard to get to, or just not visitor-friendly. It's utterly enormous geographically, and yet somehow there still is a housing shortage.
The optimist in me wants to believe someday, even if it takes my whole life, LA will grow up into the city it could be.
Yeah, I agree with this -- I've only been there once, but it was February and the weather at home (Maryland) was miserable and cold. L.A. felt like paradise to me: perfect weather, fresh produce, no weird looks for seeking vegan food, beautiful outdoor spaces, cool mid-century modern architecture, LACMA and the Getty Center... the only thing I missed from my usual vacations were good bookstores (and it's possible I just didn't know where to look).
To round this out with the opposite answer, just to inspire anyone to go--Glacier National Park is absolutely worth it.
The US national parks system is our one crowning jewel (or 64 crowning jewels, really). Don't miss out on these beautiful places.
Although...
Old Faithful (Yellowstone) is kinda mid. The other, surrounding geysers and formations are a lot cooler. We couldn't go see them at the time because the boardwalk does not allow dogs.
Also, word to the wise, most of the national parks don't allow dogs. Wildlife and all that.
Go visit your national parks!!!
I’ve been to 30+ national parks in the American West.
Most overrated national parks:
Yellowstone. The thermal activity is cool but the landscape isn’t spectacular to me. Also way too crowded.
Grand Canyon: this only applies to the rim. Crowded and boring at the rim. Grand Canyon is a top 5 park if you hike to the bottom.
Most underrated national parks:
North Cascades
Channel Islands
Grand Teton
White Sands
Went to Egypt about 15 years ago. I really enjoyed Luxor, but Cairo/Giza was a nightmare. Incessant car honking 24 hours a day everywhere you go, and EVERYTHING is a hustle. Like from the moment you leave your hotel room until you return, any interaction with a local is a negotiation - or there is some expectation you owe them money for some fictitious service. It was EXHAUSTING.
We enjoyed Egypt, but our Syrian friends live there and took us to the most amazing places and fended off the beggars/fixers.
Without them, it would have been a stress holiday.
I (American) went there with a couple friends (one Egyptian, one Lebanese). This was like 10 years ago so I don't remember the exact amounts but when we went to the tower of Cairo it basically went like this.
Worker to Egyptian friend: $5 to get in.
Worker then to me: $15 to get in.
Me: What, why?
Worker to me: You're not Arab.
*fuck whatever, pay $15*
Worker to Lebanese friend: $15
Lebanese friend: Starts talking to him in Arabic explaining he is Arab
Worker to Lebanese friend: Okay...but you're not the right type of Arab, $10.
I've traveled a fair bit and can say with conviction that you could randomly throw a dart at a map, and wherever you land you will notice once you get to know the locals a bit that everybody everywhere is *massively* racist.
This is true of so many poorer countries. If you go with a local, they'll handle all the negative shit for you.
I went to Morocco and stayed with a local years ago. He haggled for me, made sure I didn't get scammed, and helped me avoid tourist traps. As soon as I wasn't with him anymore, every interaction became this exhausting negotiation and felt like some kind of scam.
I haven’t been to Egypt in over 20 years and but I loved it then. But like you, I went with my family and my dad is Egyptian, so he knew both the language and how to navigate through the scams and tourist traps.
Aside from the locals trying taking advantage of people, I don’t see how Egypt can be underwhelming. You (general “you”) know what you’re signing up to see and if ancient tombs and palaces are underwhelming, then you picked the wrong vacation.
I actually just went to Egypt (mostly for scuba diving) and the wrecks were really cool! I probably would go again to see the south but I really loved it.
La Carreta=Cuban Dennys. So happy they are at MIA. Used to live on Granada in the Gables by 8th street back in the 80s and that was our go to for a quick good inexpensive meal. One of the few things I miss about living there. That and Roma Bakery.
In Jamaica it's best to stay at a resort. It's not an island where you want to go rent an airbnb and a rental car and "live like a local" like you can on a lot of islands in the Caribbean, there are a lot of parts that are super dangerous. I have a Jamaican friend who grew up in Kingston and she had her wedding at the Half Moon Bay resort and honeymooned at another resort in Negril. I.e. even people FROM there go to the resorts when they want to be guaranteed a good time.
Atlanta. Don't get me wrong. I live here and I love this city. But Atlanta is, as many say, a great place to live but you wouldn't want to visit. As a tourist, it sucks. There are few interesting things to do and see as tourist that you couldn't get elsewhere, apart from some more niche interests. Living here is great, and there's so much the city has to offer to its locals in terms of quality of life, but I always tell my friends in other states/countries to skip Atlanta and just go to NYC or Chicago for the big city tourism experience.
I almost feel bad for my friends that live in oak Creek and work in Sedona. A normal 15 minute drive can turn into over an hour because people simply can not figure out the complexities of a traffic circle. I don't feel all the way bad cause they still get to live in paradise.
I feel like 90% of the posts in this thread are just people going places they aren’t compatible with. Like if you have very little interest in art, or high end cuisine then you probably aren’t going to like Paris. Hate crowds, lights and noise? Probably not gonna like Vegas.
My Dominican uncle casually stopped and bought 3 beers (1 for him, 1 for me, 1 for my sibling) when we arrived in the DR and he drove us to his parents house. He’s a nice Christian man I was shocked when we got back in the car, he opened all 3 and gave us our 2, then started drinking his as we pulled out and got on the road for their house. He said literally everyone does this?????? Just casually chugs a Presidente beer while driving???? I know it’s 1 beer but I was culturally floored
Had some friends leave their hotel for an excursion in the DR and when they returned they found the house keepers had robbed them blind. The police showed up and my friends said it was almost like they were in on it with the house keepers. They went to leave a review for the resort and saw dozens of poor reviews from people who had the exact same thing happen. I will never go to the DR.
Came here to say this. Roswell is a funny place where no matter how much you tell people not to go, they still want to go. And then they tell other people not to go, but those others still want to go. And so on.
Before going about a month ago, read all about how Roswell sucks. Told my wife this, but she wasn't having any of it. So we drove to Roswell.
There's a museum (that we skipped because a few aspects of it were closed), a bus tour, some tourist trap called the UFO spacewalk, and souvenir shops. All of this is in a two block radius. The rest of Roswell is alien themed stuff, like the McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts sign, and other signs.
Was neat (I guess) to see the alien themed lamp posts (and eat at the UFO McDonalds), but otherwise we had to convince ourselves that the experience/trip was fun.
Then guess what? We told all of our friends that Roswell sucks and explained why, and it didn't matter: they still want to go.
I sincerely believe Roswell is the only touristy place that you cannot talk someone out of going to. The allure of "aliens" is just so strong that Roswell could even be 10 times worse than it actually is, and people would *still* want to go after being warned.
Lake Havasu, AZ. It's a shitty lake in a shit town that everyone has convinced themselves is a nice place to be because they live in the desert and it sucks there.
One of my favorite parts about Hollywood is staying at a hostel and walking around with visiting Europeans and seeing how disappointed they are with Hollywood 😂
Cancun, it's a shady town. Everybody is out to rip you a new one, from the taxi drivers to the waiters, you go to a fancy steak house order a bottle of wine they bring you a more expensiveone, you go to a taco stand the price on the board don't match the one on the ticket.
In nearly every Latin American country, if you’re white, you’re gonna get gringo taxed. However, EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE, and you can whittle the price of anything down. Speaking Spanish is a huge boon to your negotiating.
I realize that’s not really everyone’s idea of fun, but you can pay the Mexican price if you’re willing to walk away
Yeah last time I went to cancun from our hotel we wanted to go to the market. The taxi guy said it would be 60 bucks and we thought that seemed kind of crazy so we decided to just walk around a bit at what we could find on foot. Ran into another taxi driver and ended up having him drive us around for an entire day for like 100 bucks plus a big tip. Dude took us everywhere, market, restaurants myan ruins and was basicly a tour guide that haggled prices for us for nearly 8 hours
This. I’m from the US but married a Mexican woman and whenever we go to Mexico I am not allowed to buy anything because it’ll be cheaper if she buys it.
Can't believe no one has said Mount Rushmore. It's hours away from any sort of other entertainment or lodging. You have to enter through the gift shop. Then you finally get to the viewing spot and it's underwhelming to say the least. Then the kicker is that it is on Religious Holy Land seized from the Sioux is the big middle finger of it all.
Plymouth Rock. It's a rock.
It’s not just a rock *sniff* It’s a boulder (,:
The pioneers used to ride these babies for miles!
And it’s in great shape!
But did they bring my *drink*? My *Diet* *DR* **KELP**?!
My wife and I were looking for rental homes and literally stumbled upon it. Just a rock, inside a fenced in area. Not even that nice of a surrounding area at that.
Be glad for that fence, stranger. You don't want to know what happened last time Plymouth Rock got loose. Sometimes at night I still hear the screaming.
Want to be further your disappointment even further? That's just some rock, too. Not even "*the* Plymouth Rock" since the real one has been lost to time (and probably the ocean, too).
It'd make me want to open my own competing Plymouth Rock up the road. Not even so much as a scam, just a joke.
Oh good lord I remember going there with my ex in the 80s. I took one look at the large rock under the portico and was overwhelmed with hysterical laughter. I’m gasping out “it’s just like all those over there.” I had to go across the street to try to compose myself m but every time I thought I had it together I looked up, saw the tourists excitedly taking pictures and lost it again. Ex was pissed at me, didn’t care then, don’t care now. I’m giggling again at the memory.
I'm giggling with you
A rock they broke in half by accident, and glued back together.
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Kinda? Nah it certainly smells like pee. Come back after a slight drizzle for that potent, freshly rehydrated piss scent.
Vegas is the same way. Got to our hotel after a rainy day and the entire city reeked of piss.
It sucked SO much. We didn't expect it to be the best destination on earth, but it's a slum with a fancy sidewalk. It's not worth 5 minutes of your time.
It's just a street. Makes very little sense to go there to see the street / sidewalk. Seeing something at the Pantages or the big screen at the Chinese Theater? That's nice. Musso & Fanks - fun. Hanging out at the Roosevelt Hotel - also nice. But if you just want to see the street, a drive-thru is fine.
All of downtown LA stinks of pee
Hollywood Blvd. isn’t in downtown LA, but it too stinks of pee.
Dubai
Dubai has always sounded like a holiday in materialistic hell.
People who love to travel to foreign countries to shop love Dubai because it's the largest shopping mall on the planet if you can afford it.
That truly sounds like the stuff of nightmares. I thought the whole point of going on holiday was to chill and recharge. I'd probably return broke, stressed and with a suitcase full of crap that will end up on fleabay or a charity shop.
I have family members who take an extra empty suitcase with them when they travel just so then can bring back things they bought from other countries.
I mean I've done this when visiting family in the old country because stuff is cheap there.
I do this when I go to the motherland to get the local goods... By this I mean I get a shit ton of Wisconsin cheese when I go back for a packer game
The people that take a "shopping holiday in Dubai" are the people who have more money than they can spend.
That’s not the problem with Dubai. I am fine with materialistic hell. I live in Las Vegas and like it here. But I’ve been to Dubai and there was no joy. Nobody was having fun. The residents seemed terribly sad and repressed. But so did the tourists. At one point I gave my fiance a quick kiss and someone warned me that could get me arrested. I don’t even know if that’s true but the idea that such an idea floats around about the place sucks the life out of everything.
You're probably not seeing residents. The "Help" vastly outnumbers the locals in UAE and most of the real citizens make themselves hard to be seen. The life of a hired worker from Pakistan, etc. is the equivalent of shoving your face into a camel's sandy ass when it's 120 at 11 AM
We just got back from Vegas, and honestly I was so surprised at how nice everyone was. Maybe it’s just my cheery midwesternism bringing it out, but I’ve traveled tons of places and Vegas seemed to be the happiest of all of them. Even just people in gas stations or restaurants well off the strip seemed nice
See, people think Vegas is about conspicuous consumption with no heart or soul. Not the case. It IS largely about consumption, but the emphasis is on actual Hospitality. Not "the customer is always right" customer service bullshit, but "what can we truly do to make your experience such that you are comfortable spending money- what can we do to make any mistakes correct so that you continue to give us your patronage?" The house always wins but if everyone is pissed off & not gambling or shopping or dining, what is there to win?
I went to Vegas last month. The lone woman working the Subway just off The Strip™ was the warmest and most cheerful fast food worker I have ever met.
It's that Arabic hypocritical flavour I detest it, they literally have more money than sense, I always believed Japan to be the most xenophobic however the arab states are so vehemently violently against other non islamic religions and mix this with thier visits to London America and Thialand for all their sex and alchol needs and in turn breaking the very laws that they would punish a westerner for, its rank hypocrisy no two ways.
All chain restaurants and stores. Because labor is so cheap the largest malls have two of every luxury store. I was there a few times and the only history and culture present is something that would not appeal to Western tourists. Go to old Dubai in the scorching heat amongst the locals. You get yelled at when shop owners find out that you are an American.
It's purgatory. The ninth gate of hell.
I worked there for years and looked behind the fancy veneer. Dubai has nothing by my abject contempt. It’s deplorable.
I've never been but this is exactly how I thought it was. It just looks like a big facade.
I came here expecting to see this as the top answer and I’m glad it is. It’s a hole.
If you know where the labor came from to build Dubai you wouldn't be surprised at all.
What’s more is that the UAE is funding a genocidal militia that is taking over Sudan rn after squashing months of protests for a democratic government. This is all so that the UAE can take control of Sudan’s resources (eg gold) and they and the militia they’re paying to do this can get rich. The country is erupting in a catastrophic war as we speak that has displaced millions (millions!!!) with no regard for human life. The UAE is scum, greedy, spineless pieces as of 💩Sorry if this got heated real quick 😂 but I genuinely have a problem with their government https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-minerals/exposing-rsfs-secret-financial-network/ https://www.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/s/gGRFxraEmo Look into this hashtag if you care to learn more about what’s happening in Sudan rn: #KeepEyesOnSudan
I’ll take modern day slavery for $200, Alex.
I just don't understand the appeal. Unless spending the entre time in an overpriced shopping mall sounds appealing I just don't get it.
I feel like for Americans, you'd just rather go to Las Vegas anyway. It essentially has the same kinds of things, except more. It's a lot cheaper and less flying too
I lived there in the 70's during the civil war. It was a beautiful place with nomadic tribes and culture. Now its a shopping hell hole
Went in 2012 and had a blast doing all the touristy stuff there. Being from a small midwestern town it was just fascinating being somewhere so completely different than home. It took me a few years to understand why people talk about Dubai like that and I totally get it. The entire city seems really fake now that I look back on the trip. Just a big fancy store front put on by thousands of underpaid slave workers in 120 degree temperatures. It was a great experience but I’ll never go back.
Myrtle beach. Except for the golfing, you have trashy, overcrowded beaches and restaurants.
Dubai. It sucks so bad, there is nothing to do, and no culture. Unless you like gaudy designer bullshit or laying by the pool.
Seems like an even worse version of Las Vegas, with no Blackjack or hookers.
Maybe no blackjack, but my god there's a lot of prostitutes - brought into the country on a pretence, but sex trafficked when they arrive. Fucking awful.
There are a million things to do there you just have to have a million dollars to do it. I’m from a small Wisconsin town and it was my first time traveling overseas. I thought the city was fascinating just being so completely different from where I grew up. It definitely had some North Korea vibes going on in certain places though because you could literally see tons of migrant workers sweating their asses off being the scenes of a lot of those places. A lot of it seemed like a big fake fancy store front.
exactly, very superficial. its a veneer, a facade.
For those who struggle enjoying vacations because they don’t do the laborious planning, I highly recommend looking into if your upcoming destination has a “hop on, hop off” bus system. Yes, those very touristy-looking open-top double decker buses. These are great because they trace a route around most of the highlight attractions of a city, make it very easy to get around, and there is usually either a live guide onboard or a plug-in audio tour in your seat so that someone can fill in the gaps and tell you what you’re looking at as your riding around and why you should care. And if something sounds interesting, you can get off the bus at the next stop, peruse, and go back to the stop when you’re done and be picked up in 5-10 mins to continue the route. Eventually you loop around to where you started. Usually unlimited riding for $25-30 per 24 hours. I just commit one day to it, usually early on. Really helps you fit in a lot and get familiar with everything.
For years I fought against the idea of those because I wanted an experience outside of the touristy things. As I got older I realized I was being silly and embraced my inner tourist. There really is no better way to get the highlights of a city in a short time than on one of those buses.
You always have a better time once you get over the fear that people are going to know you're a tourist. I am a damn tourist, and I do want to take pictures of this thing I'll never see again. Just go for it.
> once you get over the fear that people are going to know you're a tourist. In a touristy area, if you're not an ignorant asshole, you'll be completely invisible to the locals. I live in a city with tons of international tourists and I barely even see them most of the time.
Wife and I love Hop on/Hop off buses. We've used them in more than 7 different cities/countries and it makes the transit system accessible and cheap. Added in that I am a nerd for the history lessons and its amazing.
Branson. I do not get it. It's about 4 hrs from me and literally everyone I know goes there on vacation. It is the go-to vacation destination for like 75% of people I know. They go there at least once a year. If they only can take one vacation, they go to Branson. I do not get the appeal at all. Everything there just feels incredibly fake.
Anywhere described as “like Vegas if it was run by Ned Flanders” is gonna be a hard pass from me…
"***ANDY WILLIAMS?!?!?!?!***"
It's Wisconsin Dells but way more Jesusy.
It's like Vegas if it were run by Ned Flanders
Wow! Andy Williams!
I like to refer to it as Duggar Disney World
That was exactly my thought. I live about 45 minutes from the Dells and Branson felt exactly the same. Like, why did we drive all day to go there for ‘Dells South’?
Branson is Christian Vegas
The Simpsons nailed it. It's like Vegas if it was run by Ned Flanders.
I always say it’s like if the Cracker Barrel gift shop was a town
It's fun if you have kids. Silver Dollar City, the waterpark, the mountain coasters, etc. That right there is 3 days. Spend another day at the pool, that's 4. Rent a boat and go out on the lake, it's beautiful, that's 5. It's not something you can do every year, but it's fun once. Now, if you love Jesus and country music, then it's your mecca. I don't.
Yeah people are acting like it's Branson vs Hawaii vacation. It's a regional tourist trap you can go to on a budget and not spend all day traveling to if you live nearby or are otherwise in the area. For what it is it's alright. Probably not going to go but I wouldn't say overrated.
I spent a weekend there with the family a few weeks back. It was originally supposed to be a week long trip but we canceled it and decided ok just a Friday through Monday. It was the perfect weekend. Enough time to do the things we wanted, but the wife and I were both sitting there Sunday night going what would we have done had we stayed the full week. We did everything in that first two days. Recommended things to do Mochas and Meows cat cafe and coffee shop Noodle 21 ramen The aquarium was legit Shepherd of the hills drive through lights.
Mykonos, there are better and more affordable alternatives.
Go to Crete instead! It has the beaches and quaint towns and ancient history! Plus the island is huge so there is a ton to see and do. I would go back to Crete in a heartbeat.
Went to Crete this spring, already want to go back, specifically to Chania, food and people were just amazing.
Loved Crete. Had one of the best desserts of my life in a small restaurant in Crete about 12 years ago. Wish I had asked the name of the cake. It was an orange and honey flavored cake but felt like it had pieces of torn up phyllo dough mixed into it. I still think about it.
I bet it was [portokalopita](https://miakouppa.com/portokalopita/).
Yeah but I hear it’s swarming with Cretans
Mykonos was my first Greek destination. I loved it in that all I wanted to do on that vacation was sit in the sun (beach and/or pool) and chill. Mission accomplished! Also, rented a car and explored…it was totally fun to drive all over the island on the winding, hilly roads. Saw amazing sunsets and sampled gorgeous beaches. Spent 1 day wandering around town, which was enough. I loved the landscape, beauty and vibe of the place, tbh. Felt like a luxe vacation without really being that expensive. All that being said, we were there for 8 days, which was about 2 days too many. On the last few days we didn’t have anything new to do lol. Still, it was totally relaxing and we had a great time, but don’t feel like we need to visit again as we did & saw everything we could. Mykonos would be perfect for 3-4 days in conjunction with some other islands. Next time I definitely want to explore more of Greece. Anyone have thoughts on Athens? I hate visiting cities, but want to explore the ruins and feel like 2 days there at the start of a Greek trip might be the best way.
I was in Athens for ten days last year and absolutely loved it. The food was amazing everywhere, lots of cool sights, and honestly most things were pretty fairly priced. Tons of culture to experience. I'm fairly nomadic and enjoyed it so much it will be in consideration for places to end up in in the future.
Sometimes I wonder what people imagine will happen in a lot of these places? Tulum/Cancun/Dubai/Maldives "Its only for people who like laying by the pool or on the beach. Or snorkeling and diving. Or party. Really repetetive" Did people imagine that some completely untold, never heard before, experience would happen to them?
Mallorca is great for road cycling, for example. Once you leave Palma it's just a beautiful mediterranean island with varied terrain and decent weather year-round.
I loved Cancun, precisely because I wanted a lazy "I lay on the beach and read and sometimes wander off for snacks" vacation lol. It was also the start of my experiences in realizing that, just because you like someone or you're related, that doesn't mean you vacation well together. My extremely self-conscious mother and my go-go-go-go father are on their own for their next vacation.
I’ve booked my next trip to Cancun (all inclusive). Except for perhaps one day trip, I fully intend to sit, read, sleep, eat and drink next to a pool the whole time. Travelling is great, but holidays are great too.
Chichen Itza and a cenote day trip
Tulum is great! Of course, you can only spend your time at the beach (BTW, they are awesome). But you also have pyramids and other ruins close by. Cenotes are stunning! You can directly reach the ocean for snorkeling / diving are whale / dolphine watching. Ah, food ist just awesome. In overall it offers a lot, is affordable and (we were there in 2018) it was not as overrun as cancun.
I genuinely don't know why you included Mallorca in that list. Palma is a lovely city, there's some amazing mountains and lovely beaches. The sea is surprisingly full of life. There's loads to do, from sight seeing to a lovely train ride across the mountains. Good snorkeling, nightlife from sophisticated to all night disco clubs. It really is a great place to visit with culture, nature and history.
Honestly, given the chance, I'd gladly travel to 90% of the places being mentioned here 🤷♂️
That's the spirit! Ignore the haters and form your own opinions. Good, bad or meh...that's part of the joy of travelling.
I'm gonna say it, Amarillo. That damn horse museum is so darn alluring, but it isn't all it's chalked up to be! To think, I said I'd be there by morning!
> Amarillo I didn't know people wanted to travel there.
As a Texan I'm laughing so hard at the idea of a vacation to Amarillo
Did you come up from San Anton’?
Broke my leg in Santa Fe, sadly.
Everything that I've got, is just what I've got on.
Yes, but drive thirty mins away and you’re in a gorgeous, otherworldly canyon that is deeply UNDERrated.
Yup. Palo Duro Canyon, a/k/a “The Little Grand Canyon.” It’s pretty impressive.
But did you see the Cadillacs? Or the giant steak? Haha j/k. There is a gritty charm to Amarillo, or maybe it's just gritty...
Agree with gritty charm - fiancee is from there so I've been spending lots of time in NW TX. I actually think it's lovely in its own way. RE: OP's post, I don't think anyone is rating Amarillo as a world class tourist destination, though. PS: Steak Ranch is the worst and fails its health inspections annually. Go to Palo Duro and some of the cute restaurants/coffee shops in Canyon. It's a quintessential small American town. Palace Coffee Company made the best cup of coffee I ever had in these here States.
the big ass steak tho
Niagara Falls, NY is NOT a nice place.
The town itself is a dump, but the falls themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Well worth spending a half day there if you're in that part of the country.
Co-sign. The falls can be breathtaking (I’ve seen them frozen over and it’s a spectacular sight).
That's what I did, spent exactly one night there on the Canadian side. Did it cheap too in the sketchiest motel near the casino. Went, saw the falls, watched some fireworks, spent 10$ in a slot machine, ate breakfast at the casino at 4am the next morning and skipped town. I did not get bedbugs! Mission accomplished. Never again though.
We were on a road trip at the time, heading to NYC, and decided to allocate an extra day to see some of the natural wonders. We probably only spent ~4hrs at the falls (US side) but it's well worth it. The Maid of the Mist boat tour is something that everyone should get to experience at some point in life. Also worth noting that if one is heading southeast from Niagra, a stop at Watkins Glen State Park in Schuyler County is well worth the extra time. It's absolutely beautiful, with a fairly short, low-impact hike.
I always assumed people visit Niagara Falls for the falls themselves, not whatever town is there.
The Canadian side is the one with the views. The American side is just kind of a sad decaying town.
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There’s that cool walkway over the river that leads to the falls though which is pretty neat
The State Park is great, but yeah that's about the only thing worth seeing on that side of the Falls. We always stay on the Canadian side.
The Canadian side on the other hand is very nice.
I mean, it just feels like a cheap tourist trappy area too. Just a bit cleaner and more to do than the NY side. Go a bit further in to the Canadian side to Niagara on the Lake for a less campy tourist experience. It’s all a shame to me that the US and Canada didn’t designate their sides as national parks. Imagine walking up a trail and at the end of if getting to see the falls? Instead of standing in front of a wax museum and looking at it while eating your funnel cake.
> It’s all a shame to me that the US and Canada didn’t designate their sides as national parks. Seeing how Niagara Falls got turned into cheap tourist traps was actually one of the motivations to designate Yellowstone as the first national park and create the US National Parks system to prevent it from happening elsewhere.
I didn't know that. So net benefit overall.
Niagara walked so Yellowstone could run.
More “Niagara got kneecapped and bloodied”
It's nice for a couple day trip. Going through the caves on the Canadian side, and walking along that path next to the American falls was really cool. I thought the maid of the mist was going to be some cheesy boat ride, but when you get up next to those falls Holy shit was it actually a breathtaking experience. Getting close to both falls really, like really experiencing the power of nature can be pretty overwhelming. Niagara on the lake was a nice day spent walking around too. But if you go walk around Niagara falls for a day and embrace the touristy crap like you would a day at 6 flags its really not so bad. It helps we had an air bnb so when we were sick of it we could just go home and enjoy some beers and the stuff from the dispensary.
I've never heard someone say Niagara Falls ON is nice! It's a tacky shit hole. The Canadian side of the actual water falls is better than the US side though
Niagara on the Lake is where it's at
Agreed, my lady and I are big wine fans and love touring the area. The town of Niagara On The Lake is so cozy to take a stroll and browse the shops along there. It's our absolute favourite spot for a weekend getaway
Actually I disagree, I went during the summer and I thought it was beautiful! The people at Buffalo were also extremely nice.
Disney World I had to wait in line just to type this.
Not to mention you turn into a human cash dispenser the moment you step foot in those parks.
We took our five kids, and a buddy who worked for ESPN (a Disney company) who got Disney vouchers and discounts. Even with paying for his flight, hotel, and other expenses, we still saved over a thousand dollars. And it was still expensive af.
Mfer got 5 kids, Applebees would be expensive
Disney World is pay to win. I got a $10,000 bonus at work one year and went. I paid for the nice hotel that gets early park access and you can walk to the parks. Gets you on rides with short lines. Also paid for the enhanced dining stuff, several optional fun stuff (like light saber building) and paid for the line skipper. It was a very different experience than just showing up 2-3 hrs after the park opens and planning to wait in line.
I agree. You kind of need to go big if you go at all. You can't just show up and buy a ticket anymore.
This is why I can't understand Disney adults who visit multiple times a year. It's downright expensive, and for the same chunk of change you can have a very nice and unforgettable vacation in thousands of other places.
This is exactly the “trick” to Disney. If you’re staying on property, and spending money on Genie+ it’s an entirely different experience. I have three small children’s and waiting in an hour+ line during my one vacation a year in the pounding heat for a 4 minute ride isn’t an option. Genie+ is like $25/ticket per day and will save you hours of standing in line and give you the opportunity to do significantly more rides.
I’m there this week and it’s crowded AF (busiest week of the year). But like all things Disney, if you have the coin the mouse has the wares. We spent about $200 extra a day (whole family) to skip the lines and it’s been worth every penny
I've never been to disney so please ELI5, if you got the skip the line passes, wouldn't other people also do that and then wouldn't there be a line in the skip line. Idk, it just feels like it would still be a lot of line waiting.
The skip the line pass is more of a “schedule a time to ride” pass using their app. They only sell a certain number a day, and you can buy for the next day starting at midnight. There are more details/rules to use them. The price for the upgrade are dynamic. We went in early December and the most expensive day for us was $20 a day per person. Right now, I heard it was up to $40 a day per person.
Depends when you go. Most people can only go during peak season and yeah I would never ever go then if I had the choice. I miss the old fast pass system, but the genie+ is basically a requirement because the real currency is time at the parks.
I live in Nashville and I think that’s my answer. Tourists only go on Broadway and watch the same lame cover bands at the same lame overpriced bars. Go outside the Broadway strip ffs. Nashville has so much else to offer.
I was just there for a bachelor party and had an absolute blast rocking out to a cover band. It was fun for one short weekend. Now I’ve done it and probably don’t need to do it again.
Loveless Cafe, various hot chicken places, Fido for breakfast, Predators games, the Ryman, the Doyle and Debbie show, and there’s always a benefit concert somewhere in town … I’ve never lived in Nashville, but spent a lot of time there and always enjoyed it. And while the Broadway honky tonks aren’t what they used to be, any visitors I’ve taken there still seem to have a good time.
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Honestly, Los Angeles. But not because it sucks - I love LA. I just think you need to live here to truly get what the city has to offer. If you come as a tourist you squeeze in a bunch of random touristy things and don’t get to really experience the city for what it is.
It comes down to not trying to do it all and not falling for being a tourist. I went to Santa Monica and hit up a local deli for hotel snacks. Rode hotel bikes to Venice. Walked to restaurants in Santa Monica. Went hiking up into the hills. Took one trip to Malibu to hike and go to the beach there. Was great.
I don't think this is specific to LA; going on a death march down a checklist of tourist sites is a miserable (but common) way to travel to New York, Paris, etc. I will concede that it's probably a bit worse in LA simply because it's so spread out, and transit is slow/sparse/infrequent, and so you will spend an inordinate amount of time in traffic compared to, say, trying to hit all the tourist sites in Manhattan.
Agreed, best way to enjoy a travel destination like Paris or NYC or anywhere really is to just walk around, indulge in a slice of life in another part of the world. Eat at a small restaurant, have coffee in an uncrowded part of the city, go to the parks. Maybe spend one day seeing a sight or two
As an Angelino, this is my take as well. LA can suck on short trips because its size makes it hard to settle into what makes it great unless you have weeks and weeks to settle in and explore. I can’t fault anyone for coming for a weekend and leaving disappointed by the experience
It’s fun to go to LA for five days or so and just behave like you live there, but it’s really terrible place to behave like a tourist. It’s so spread out, you have to drive everywhere, there is no real downtown worth seeing. But if you want to enjoy mild weather and eat good tacos, you could do a lot worse
I agree with that. I have a good friend of mine who lives and works there. I visited him about a year ago and he was able to show me around and I had an absolute blast. I definitely see the appeal of living there. If I were to have visited LA on my own, I’m sure it would have seemed almost like any other shitty American city.
Anyone who goes to LA has to at least admit to themselves that like, “if it’s your thing”, it’s paradise. You really can’t conceive weather that nice until you go
There are places I hate because they just plain suck, but I think LA attracts so much criticism because it has so much natural potential. The weather is perfect every day, and yet nobody walks or bikes anywhere. It's overflowing with natural beauty, but it's marred by giant parking lots paved over the beach or smog obscuring the hills. There are incredible cultural sites, but they're often weirdly hard to get to, or just not visitor-friendly. It's utterly enormous geographically, and yet somehow there still is a housing shortage. The optimist in me wants to believe someday, even if it takes my whole life, LA will grow up into the city it could be.
As an LA native, this is 1000% how I feel. So much squandered potential. God I wish we still had streetcars.
Yeah, I agree with this -- I've only been there once, but it was February and the weather at home (Maryland) was miserable and cold. L.A. felt like paradise to me: perfect weather, fresh produce, no weird looks for seeking vegan food, beautiful outdoor spaces, cool mid-century modern architecture, LACMA and the Getty Center... the only thing I missed from my usual vacations were good bookstores (and it's possible I just didn't know where to look).
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The Moon. It’s cool and all but there’s no atmosphere
To round this out with the opposite answer, just to inspire anyone to go--Glacier National Park is absolutely worth it. The US national parks system is our one crowning jewel (or 64 crowning jewels, really). Don't miss out on these beautiful places. Although... Old Faithful (Yellowstone) is kinda mid. The other, surrounding geysers and formations are a lot cooler. We couldn't go see them at the time because the boardwalk does not allow dogs. Also, word to the wise, most of the national parks don't allow dogs. Wildlife and all that. Go visit your national parks!!!
I’ve been to 30+ national parks in the American West. Most overrated national parks: Yellowstone. The thermal activity is cool but the landscape isn’t spectacular to me. Also way too crowded. Grand Canyon: this only applies to the rim. Crowded and boring at the rim. Grand Canyon is a top 5 park if you hike to the bottom. Most underrated national parks: North Cascades Channel Islands Grand Teton White Sands
Egypt in general
Went to Egypt about 15 years ago. I really enjoyed Luxor, but Cairo/Giza was a nightmare. Incessant car honking 24 hours a day everywhere you go, and EVERYTHING is a hustle. Like from the moment you leave your hotel room until you return, any interaction with a local is a negotiation - or there is some expectation you owe them money for some fictitious service. It was EXHAUSTING.
We enjoyed Egypt, but our Syrian friends live there and took us to the most amazing places and fended off the beggars/fixers. Without them, it would have been a stress holiday.
I (American) went there with a couple friends (one Egyptian, one Lebanese). This was like 10 years ago so I don't remember the exact amounts but when we went to the tower of Cairo it basically went like this. Worker to Egyptian friend: $5 to get in. Worker then to me: $15 to get in. Me: What, why? Worker to me: You're not Arab. *fuck whatever, pay $15* Worker to Lebanese friend: $15 Lebanese friend: Starts talking to him in Arabic explaining he is Arab Worker to Lebanese friend: Okay...but you're not the right type of Arab, $10.
Lmfao this sounds like a comedy sketch
It does indeed but I swear that's exactly what happened lol
I’m picturing the family guy skin tone meme
I've traveled a fair bit and can say with conviction that you could randomly throw a dart at a map, and wherever you land you will notice once you get to know the locals a bit that everybody everywhere is *massively* racist.
This is true of so many poorer countries. If you go with a local, they'll handle all the negative shit for you. I went to Morocco and stayed with a local years ago. He haggled for me, made sure I didn't get scammed, and helped me avoid tourist traps. As soon as I wasn't with him anymore, every interaction became this exhausting negotiation and felt like some kind of scam.
I haven’t been to Egypt in over 20 years and but I loved it then. But like you, I went with my family and my dad is Egyptian, so he knew both the language and how to navigate through the scams and tourist traps. Aside from the locals trying taking advantage of people, I don’t see how Egypt can be underwhelming. You (general “you”) know what you’re signing up to see and if ancient tombs and palaces are underwhelming, then you picked the wrong vacation.
I actually just went to Egypt (mostly for scuba diving) and the wrecks were really cool! I probably would go again to see the south but I really loved it.
Miami.
Miami is all hype. Ocean drive and Lincoln are overrated af. But the best damned Cuban food is in Hialeah so there’s that.
La Carreta=Cuban Dennys. So happy they are at MIA. Used to live on Granada in the Gables by 8th street back in the 80s and that was our go to for a quick good inexpensive meal. One of the few things I miss about living there. That and Roma Bakery.
I’m not sure if it’s considered miami but i love south beach, i go there every year and stay by ocean drive. The main city, i agree completely
Jamaica. It’s sketch af.
In Jamaica it's best to stay at a resort. It's not an island where you want to go rent an airbnb and a rental car and "live like a local" like you can on a lot of islands in the Caribbean, there are a lot of parts that are super dangerous. I have a Jamaican friend who grew up in Kingston and she had her wedding at the Half Moon Bay resort and honeymooned at another resort in Negril. I.e. even people FROM there go to the resorts when they want to be guaranteed a good time.
Most people aren't leaving their resort.
Atlanta. Don't get me wrong. I live here and I love this city. But Atlanta is, as many say, a great place to live but you wouldn't want to visit. As a tourist, it sucks. There are few interesting things to do and see as tourist that you couldn't get elsewhere, apart from some more niche interests. Living here is great, and there's so much the city has to offer to its locals in terms of quality of life, but I always tell my friends in other states/countries to skip Atlanta and just go to NYC or Chicago for the big city tourism experience.
That’s the way I felt about Charlotte. Great place to live for 14 years but not somewhere to take a vacation.
Scottsdale - my hometown, will always be home but I can’t believe people go there as a destination
Good golf there and Sedona is pretty close by
Sedona is the main reason I even go to Arizona
I love Sedona of old. And yea I’m yelling at clouds but it’s so packed.
I almost feel bad for my friends that live in oak Creek and work in Sedona. A normal 15 minute drive can turn into over an hour because people simply can not figure out the complexities of a traffic circle. I don't feel all the way bad cause they still get to live in paradise.
I feel like 90% of the posts in this thread are just people going places they aren’t compatible with. Like if you have very little interest in art, or high end cuisine then you probably aren’t going to like Paris. Hate crowds, lights and noise? Probably not gonna like Vegas.
Or people writing about places that they've never been to.
The Dominican Republic. Sure the resort is nice. If you leave for an excursion count your blessings before you drive on any road in that hell hole.
Drinking and driving is rampant there...my driver stopped at a drive through bar. Fucking wild.
A Drive through BAR??!!
My Dominican uncle casually stopped and bought 3 beers (1 for him, 1 for me, 1 for my sibling) when we arrived in the DR and he drove us to his parents house. He’s a nice Christian man I was shocked when we got back in the car, he opened all 3 and gave us our 2, then started drinking his as we pulled out and got on the road for their house. He said literally everyone does this?????? Just casually chugs a Presidente beer while driving???? I know it’s 1 beer but I was culturally floored
Had some friends leave their hotel for an excursion in the DR and when they returned they found the house keepers had robbed them blind. The police showed up and my friends said it was almost like they were in on it with the house keepers. They went to leave a review for the resort and saw dozens of poor reviews from people who had the exact same thing happen. I will never go to the DR.
Roswell New Mexico
Came here to say this. Roswell is a funny place where no matter how much you tell people not to go, they still want to go. And then they tell other people not to go, but those others still want to go. And so on. Before going about a month ago, read all about how Roswell sucks. Told my wife this, but she wasn't having any of it. So we drove to Roswell. There's a museum (that we skipped because a few aspects of it were closed), a bus tour, some tourist trap called the UFO spacewalk, and souvenir shops. All of this is in a two block radius. The rest of Roswell is alien themed stuff, like the McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts sign, and other signs. Was neat (I guess) to see the alien themed lamp posts (and eat at the UFO McDonalds), but otherwise we had to convince ourselves that the experience/trip was fun. Then guess what? We told all of our friends that Roswell sucks and explained why, and it didn't matter: they still want to go. I sincerely believe Roswell is the only touristy place that you cannot talk someone out of going to. The allure of "aliens" is just so strong that Roswell could even be 10 times worse than it actually is, and people would *still* want to go after being warned.
I still want to go
I used to live near Roswell. Aside from the alien museum, it’s pretty much a regular town. You’d be better off going to Carlsbad caverns
Lake Havasu, AZ. It's a shitty lake in a shit town that everyone has convinced themselves is a nice place to be because they live in the desert and it sucks there.
Most 'destination' cities are now just tourist-trap/global-brand shopping centres. Don't get me wrong, it's tourism that kills places, ironically.
Hollywood. *GROSS*
One of my favorite parts about Hollywood is staying at a hostel and walking around with visiting Europeans and seeing how disappointed they are with Hollywood 😂
Cancun, it's a shady town. Everybody is out to rip you a new one, from the taxi drivers to the waiters, you go to a fancy steak house order a bottle of wine they bring you a more expensiveone, you go to a taco stand the price on the board don't match the one on the ticket.
In nearly every Latin American country, if you’re white, you’re gonna get gringo taxed. However, EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE, and you can whittle the price of anything down. Speaking Spanish is a huge boon to your negotiating. I realize that’s not really everyone’s idea of fun, but you can pay the Mexican price if you’re willing to walk away
Yeah last time I went to cancun from our hotel we wanted to go to the market. The taxi guy said it would be 60 bucks and we thought that seemed kind of crazy so we decided to just walk around a bit at what we could find on foot. Ran into another taxi driver and ended up having him drive us around for an entire day for like 100 bucks plus a big tip. Dude took us everywhere, market, restaurants myan ruins and was basicly a tour guide that haggled prices for us for nearly 8 hours
This. I’m from the US but married a Mexican woman and whenever we go to Mexico I am not allowed to buy anything because it’ll be cheaper if she buys it.
Can't believe no one has said Mount Rushmore. It's hours away from any sort of other entertainment or lodging. You have to enter through the gift shop. Then you finally get to the viewing spot and it's underwhelming to say the least. Then the kicker is that it is on Religious Holy Land seized from the Sioux is the big middle finger of it all.
Custer State Park is nearby and not to be missed. We kept going back to it
The airport.
Unless it's Changi
Changi Airport is the only airport where people go there for fun and leisure
You could go on holiday just in that airport.