"They Hate Tourists And Show It": People Are Sharing The Popular Travel Destinations That Highly Disappointed Them
We recently asked people to share the popular travel destinations they visited that turned out to be super underwhelming. Basically, we're trying to save you some time. Here's what 14 people said:
1."Juneau, Alaska. Jewelry shops everywhere, and maybe one or two people in each of them. It was pretty underwhelming."
2."Atlantic City. It’s just a bunch of chain restaurants and crappy shopping. And the casinos aren’t glitzy and exciting. They’re filled with really old people who look like they have one foot in the grave gambling away. I’m not a big fan of casinos in general, but sometimes they can be fun. I found the overwhelming sad sight of 90-year-olds in wheelchairs gambling at 3 a.m. very depressing."
3."Vatican City. I was dragged there on a Catholic high school trip. We wasted hours standing in the basilica for Easter Mass and got REALLY ripped off in a gift shop we were forced into. I would have rather seen more of Rome in the 24 hours we were allotted there."
4."Barcelona. They hate tourists and show it. The airport is a joke. The first time I flew into a major airport, I didn't get a gate and had to be bussed with hundreds of other people to the terminal. And when flying out, the TSA line is the longest ever, and the A/C sucks (design over function) as the terminal broils with heat and humidity. And the whole city smells like a cigarette (everyone smokes). People should just stop going there, and then they will be begging for tourists to come back."
5."Calle Ocho in Miami. Relatives from Spain wanted to see the 'famous' Calle Ocho. We, Tampa residents, decided to go along and visit the place. We found a dirty, unappealing 'monument' rooster and nothing else. The Versailles bar restaurant staff was unfriendly, and the heat was overwhelming. Then, to make up for that disappointment, we tried South Beach. It only added to the sorrow. The whole ordeal was the greatest waste of time and money."
6."San Antonio is very underwhelming. I don’t understand how it’s the most visited city in Texas. The Alamo is sorta okay. Tower of the Americas is kinda cool, but the skyline is at the very least kinda blah and meh. Plus, it’s very auto-centric, as you need a car to go to Sea World, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and La Cantera (which is supposed to be their version of Houston’s Galleria)."
7."Phuket and Ko Samui in Thailand. I have no idea why anyone travels all the way to Thailand for Irish pubs and KFC. You have to go out of your way to find real Thai culture... It was so much better 25 years ago, like every other famous place, I guess."
8."Any famous tall building (like the Sears Tower) that you go up for the view is a gamble. You buy your ticket before you even see the actual queue. Then you get in and wait three or more hours just to feel like you have to rush the actual viewing since so much of the day has gone by."
9."I’m been to Paris three times, and honestly, it’s not my favorite city, and it’s a little overrated. I thought the city was dirty, the people weren’t the nicest even when you attempted to speak French, and the food was mediocre. Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night and the Notre Dame was nice, but that’s about it. I say people should still go see it for themselves since a lot of people like Paris, but I think the south of France is much better, especially Nice and Bordeaux."
10."I hate to say it because they were half the reason I went to France, but the Lascaux Caves. Don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful replicas that feel authentic, but they rush you through, and it's a huge crowd. Then the translators stopped working for me, so half of my tour was in German, and after the cave part, you’re on your own, so no employees around to help. Then you find an employee, and they are annoyed with you. It was the only rudeness I had experienced in France. So it was disappointing."
11."Dubrovnik… It’s full of cruise ships and wall-to-wall people!! It was not what I expected, and really spoiled it!"
12."Just came back after spending a few months in Sorrento (have family there), and the crowds are awful. In Positano it was nearly impossible at times to walk because of how many people there were. Amalfi was no better. Same with Capri. Even Sorrento had its moments, although I absolutely love it there."
13."Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. It's literally just T-shirt shops and chain restaurants. I don't understand the point at all. Maybe go to see the sea lion colony but then immediately GTFO."
14.And finally, "It's got to be Nashville for me. There's nothing but loud bars playing shitty music and groups of girls doing pedal bars for bachelorette parties."
Note: Some submissions have been edited for grammar and/or clarity.
