30 Cities That These Tourists Never Plan To Visit Again Because Of How Nightmarish The Trip Was
Interview With AuthorTraveling is one of our greatest passions, and we wish we had the time to visit more and more places each year. Alas, we’re forced to be very selective about where we travel! While we’re busy planning our vacations, we start hyping ourselves up about how utterly amazing the entire trip will be.
But there are a lot of factors outside our control. And it pays off to do some background research before you buy your plane tickets. Redditor u/Gourmet-Guy sparked an interesting discussion on the r/AskReddit online community after asking folks to share what cities they’d never visit again and why. Read on to see what they had to say and what cities you might want to reconsider vacationing in.
Redditor u/Gourmet-Guy, who started the thread in the first place because they were a victim of Paris Syndrome, shared their thoughts on traveling abroad and avoiding tourist scams with us. You’ll find Bored Panda’s interview with them below.
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Dubai. It features so much about what I don't like about humanity. All money and no substance.
One of my friends took her first international holiday! to Dubai. Where she spent a week just.. in a hotel. I mean, each to their own but I'd be bored to snores.
Agree to each their own but it annoys me when people brag about their trips and they barely the hotel/resort. Had a friend who bragged about going to Italy but was eating McDonald's everyday.
Load More Replies...That's why my first reaction to the headline was, why did you think it would be different?
Load More Replies...I still think it'd be interesting to see first hand. But I can't imagine there'd be much to do for a casual (ie: not rich) tourist.
Load More Replies...A friend moved there and use to brag about how cheap it was to eat out. Then would say how her and her friends would help on "charity" days to raise money for the restaurant workers because they don't earn enough to live. That proved to me you can either have a lot of money or common-sense, but rarely have both in abundance.
I went there before the pandemic as I found a deal on an all inclusive hotel. It’s just got a weird vibe to it. All shiny buildings and no soul. Though there is old Dubai which has some very old buildings. I don’t care to go back.
I will go out of my way to avoid even transferring via Dubai. Just don't want to support that regime and its practices with foreign workers. Not that it's much of a temptation.
Money. Women are equivalent to property. Heat. Loads of sand. I'll pass. The only time I'll ever spend here is IF I have a long layover.
Atlantic City is just bizarre. It feels like a run-down, smallish city, but it's weirdly dotted with glitzy casinos. It's like Vegas and Scranton got drunk one night and made a really strange baby
I'm from AC, and you guys haven't even touched on the worst part. It's gotten to the point where there are so many bums, you can't walk down the block without being harassed by at least 5 different people asking for money, and I don't mean homeless people that are trying their best, I mean straight up bums that feel you owe them something. I've had, on more than one occasion, a few of them tell me after I gave them a dollar or whatever i had to give, say can I get $5? Or $10? They won't even be gracious. And guys, do NOT get a hooker when you are there. 90% of them, Even the more expensive ones on the websites, will rob you of everything. It's so filled with trash, the beaches, the boardwalks, the bay and the streets. People take actual sh*ts on the street and beach. And you can fill that asterisk with either an 'o' or an 'i' and both are true. It's just horrible.
I remember going to Atlantic City with my parents in about 1968. My mother had been there a lot as a child, in the 1920s and 1930s, as her parents always vacationed in Wildwood. My father had been there as a single man, when he was stationed at Fort Dix during WWII, before being transferred to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, WA with my mother and oldest brother. They remembered it as a thriving resort in its heyday. In 1968, it had become downright seedy. The Boardwalk area was OK, though pretty worn out. But go a block back from the Boardwalk, and you saw slum conditions, in neighborhoods that used to house residents and vacationers. When the casinos starting buying up Boardwalk property to put up their casinos/hotels, they made the promise that they’d rebuild Atlantic City by bringing good-paying year-round jobs to the area. They lied. The Boardwalk may still be OK—-but the neighborhoods behind it aren’t rebuilt and revitalized from residents now having such good-paying year round jobs in the casinos and hotels. They’re STILL slums.
i was here once. It was weird. It was like a movie. So run down. Even the sign of the Swarovski shop was missing letters. I liked the boardwalk cats, though.
Before the casinos, it was a wonderful place - fully as tacky as it needed to be, but not more.
I've been to AC exactly one time. We like to visit interesting places across the US, and my partner wanted to see what all the fuss was about Vegas & AC. Vegas was alright, saw Celine Dion, gambled a little, 🤷♀️ AC was...an experience lol I s**t you not, there were used syringes (yes plural!!!) on the beach. The whole vibe is really bizarre in a "this is where old people go to spend their pensions and die/ holy s**t did that lady just place a bet with a 50¢ Friskees cat food coupon!?" kind of way lol
I've yet to go to Atlantic City. But I lived in Vegas for awhile and I can recite every line from The Office....so I can imagine Atlantic City and I'll probably just pass. Thanks for the heads up, OP.
I found it depressing 16 years ago. The only two hotels I spent and time in have closed since then, I doubt that made it less depressing
This description of AC is 100% accurate. signed, Life Long NJ Resident
Central City in Colorado is great if anyone ever visits Denver area. Old gold mining town now a mini mountain town Vegas. Really fun and cool experience. Not dirty or dangerous at all. or chaotic like Vegas and not nearly as big.
Marrakesh, Morocco. Only place I’ve ever been that I’ve sworn I’d never go back to. After 2 days of walking around followed by groups of men and boys trying to touch my wife (who was dressed modestly with legs and shoulders covered), followed by aggression when either me or her voiced our displeasure with this, we gave up trying to sight-see and spent the rest of our vacation in the hotel.
Had same experience there, but I am blonde. I just bought what the women wear there, and it solved the problem. It was hot as hell though, being covered from head to feet. Before adopting their dress code, one man offered my husband 40 camels for me!
the 'I buy your wife/daughter for x camels', is Moroccans making fun of your fyi
Load More Replies...I'd never go back there purely for how they treat (abuse) so many animals - monkeys stuffed in dresses and constantly yanked around on super tight metal chains, poor snakes out in the market noise and daylight being exploited, the horses and donkeys are all EMACIATED and made to stand around in the blistering sun. It was some of the worst I've seen. Weirdly, not many stray cats or dogs.
If they treat their work/food animals this way, how much worse would they treat stray cat or dogs?
Load More Replies...The way your wife was dressed had nothing to do with anything. Even if she wasn't dressed "moderately" there was still isn't an excuse to harass her.
agree! thank you for pointing this out.
Load More Replies...i read a travelblog of a Dutch couple (both very blonde and tall) that traveled through the counrtyside of China. They got super annoyed with all the people touching them and taking pictures of them. Its a very strange phenomenon.
I (f, darkhaired) was travelling through N- and S-China on two occasions with different cars and drivers. People wanting to take my pic a lot, and it was not weird but total fun! Felt like Angelina Jolie at the height of her fame :)... So I think it totally depends on your mindset how you interact with people!
Load More Replies...Interesting how some are casually pointing out that offering camels for a wife is a joke, or an insult, or looking for a prostitute. What does this say about the man/men who are saying this to a couple?
Yeah think that's bad imagine my Morocco experience being a small pure blonde hair boy, at 16, hadn't started growing yet. Some waiters would touch your hair saying "lovely" and your parents thinking it is funny then after the waiter has gone jokingly discussing how many camels they could get selling me to the waiter. I spent most of the holiday in the hotel trying to be low key.
That's awful, but you don't have to start it with "think that's bad?". Both experiences can be awful without playing 1UP.
Load More Replies...Not Morocco, but Tunisia. I was 17 and blonde at the time. Every man and their camel touched my bottom. Tried to buy me off my dad. Never ever.
ugh that sucks. society is so messed up, and yes i know that this was particular to the region, but harassment is so widely accepted! i hate that we've just sort of given up on fighting it. cat calling is not a compliment!
To be fair, whether or not a place is worth visiting will depend a lot on the traveler. Some folks might value wonderful food and pristine beaches and so they’ll be very critical of otherwise gorgeous locales that don’t impress them in those two areas. Others might want to immerse themselves in the local culture and don’t mind the chaos. However, some cities are simply hostile to tourists or downright dangerous for all visitors, whether they’re coming in from the next town over or flying in from abroad.
For instance, Listverse notes that Kabul, the capital and largest city in Afghanistan, is incredibly dangerous due to the threat of terrorist attacks. The same goes for Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, where hotels and recreational areas are commonly targeted by attackers. We’re not talking about ‘just’ being swindled out of your money in the local market or having to deal with ‘soulless’ skyscrapers—these are life-or-death questions you have to consider.
Las Vegas, Nevada. The crowds, the noise, and the general debauchery were just too much for me.
Lived there for 30 years. It provided me a great career and retirement but I'd die before I go back.
I lived there for one year and that was enough. Now I feel gross if I even have a layover in Vegas.
Load More Replies...I absolutely hated Vegas. It exists to extract money from its visitors and nothing else. The entire ground floor of the hotels is a casino where smoking is permitted so you cannot get out of there without inhaling or stinking of tobacco smoke and cancer, I will never go again.
I'm English and I live in France. I too absolutely hated Vegas. My sister dragged me there in 2012 when I visited her in Florida. After seemingly endless flights and airports all I can remember is drab brown hotel interiors, tacky gimmicks, slot machines. Outside stinks of fast food and shabby old people. Cigarette smoke everywhere. Nowhere to get vegetarian food much less vegan. The only good thing was riding the bus down the Strip. I'm no gambler so that part was totally wasted on me. I could not wait to leave and never return.
Load More Replies...Same. Nevada has been struck from my list of potential places to retire. Back in the eighties, my parents initially retired from SoCal to Vegas, then went north to Carson City. Even in Carson, the State Capitol, you can’t get away from the gambling. You land at the airport in Reno, and are immediately faced with loads of of slot machines. You go to Tahoe, and the California side is full of nature, but the Nevada side is downright tacky; full of neon, casinos, and sad gambling addicts—-not to mention all the ancient retirees, like my parents, taking advantage of the free buffets by putting a dollar in a slot machine. The surrounding countryside is breathtaking, if you can get away from the overbuilt towns and casinos. If you can.
I live in CC, I never gamble or set foot in casinos. They reek of smoke and there are a lot of sad people blowing their ss check. It's depressing. But we have a lot of outdoor activities: hiking, they are trying to make the city friendly for cyclists, Lake Tahoe is gorgeous, 30 minutes away, Reno for shopping..
Load More Replies...Stfu! The THEME of Vegas is to go there and be the total piece of shít you've always dreamt you could be. Hence, why I don't live there anymore.
I'm not much of a gambler.... okay I can get hooked on them scratch tickets to the point I have to force myself to stop as I whimper. It's probably a good thing I avoid Vegas. Everything about it just seems like a Hollywood movie set on speed and cocaine, with a director barely paying attention to what the actors are doing.
Lol sounds like mint be a bit of a gambler . It’s all good/ not trying to be a b***h. I have my own addictions
Load More Replies...Yup. I hated Vegas. Tried to love it because dude, it's Las Vegas, but no.
Birmingham, Alabama. My wife was almost kidnapped right in front of me while I was holding our infant. Luckily she’s scrappier than she looks and they gave up when they couldn’t quickly shove her in the car.
This is really scary and why people should learn to protect themselves.
Scary, but it shouldn't require people to protect themselves. It should try "civilisation".
Load More Replies...I like Birmingham, but I wouldn't want to live there.
Load More Replies...As someone from Alabama, I would ask you look into the gulf coast. Our beaches are amazing, our little town of Fairhope is cute as a bug. It’s growing too big for my taste, but beware of a broad brush is all I am asking.
Load More Replies...Paris. Somebody spat on me and called me a filthy Jew. I got lots of evil looks the whole time I was there because I was visibly Jewish. Never again will I visit Paris.
Unfortunately antisemitism has increased for some reasons we are not really allowed to say but we all know very well. PS: same reason why jewish schools are guarded by police. If you end up somehow in a cosmopolitan "working class" neighborhood I advise not wearing a kippa, a young disabled man was attacked for that not so long ago.
Ok, I give up. What is the reason that you're not really allowed to say?
Load More Replies...Paris is cool and all but I hated how the placard about the Dreyfus Affairs in the crypts didn’t mention once that it was about antisemitism. Just says it was ‘unfair’ it wasn’t unfair it was racist and wrong. And antisemitic attacks aren’t exactly rare there…
April 26, 2022 : The number of antisemitic incidents in New York increased by 24 percent last year, according to a new report. Orthodox Jews are often targeted because of their traditional garb. the Anti-Defamation League said it counted 416 antisemitic incidents across the state, including 51 assaults, the most physical attacks it has recorded since it began compiling such data in 1979. The surge was part of a nationwide trend that saw 2,717 antisemitic incidents across the United States, including 88 assaults, an increase of 167 percent from the year before. That violence came after a yearslong string of antisemitic killings, including in Pittsburgh; Poway, Calif.; and Jersey City that have left the Jewish community on edge. SOURCE : THE NEW YORK TIMES.
Load More Replies...Seriously curious, don't downvote me because this is a genuine question, but what does "visibly Jewish" mean? Like, wearing the star on a necklace? Or is it a genetics thing? I don't think I've ever really thought about it before but how is one "visibly Jewish"?
It could be a variety of things. In the plainest language possible, the top three are: dressing according to religious law, wearing religious jewelry, and/or having an...erm...ethnic appearance. I am a very ethnic presenting Jew. I wear a large magen David. While it has been a few years since I have been to Paris, I have yet to experience any antisemitism, and I tend to stay in either Jewish or Arab neighborhoods when traveling there. That said, times change and antisemitism or any discrimination is wholly unacceptable.
Load More Replies...Many Europeans have hated Jewish people for hundreds of years. It didn't suddenly appear in 1939 and die in 1945.
Many Europeans have. Many Europeans have not. Let's assign the blame fairly, please. This keeps the antisemitism from being diluted. Much appreciation from another Jewish person.
Load More Replies...France is marvellous (particularly the north), but I don't like Paris either. Heck! Even the french dislike it! Firstly it is hugely overrated and incredibly expensive, Rome for instance is way prettier. Secondly, people are not nice to tourists, which I do not understand with all the money they provide. I also was nearly assaulted in broad daylight when I was there.
It’s surprising but France receives more tourists than any other country in the world. I feel there are *too* many tourists. Maybe that’s also a bit like that for people who actually call the city their home. Personally I’ve always felt welcome. First time I visited France I already spoke some French. They always switch to English if they know it, but I think it’s perceived as positive when you make an effort. Attitude matter.
Load More Replies...I got attacked by a random crazy person on the metro. Parisians came to my help and held him down until the next stop. He was arrested and I had a broke finger and a laceration that needed 8 stitches. I've never been treated so kindly in my life by the officers and doctors. $0 hospital bill.
Crazy people are everywhere - at least he didn't have a gun and go all road rage on you. Gotta love the French social medicine-in the USA, that visit would've cost you $1k. (my surgery for a broken wrist cost me €14)
Load More Replies...Paris is filthy and Pariseans are d***s. I have been to France many times but will never return to that godawful city.
ive been to Paris many times and we never have had any big problems. Maybe its the attitude?
Load More Replies...I can’t imagine this was a normal Parisian…nonetheless, I am sorry you had to experience it.
The World Population Review reports that in November 2022, the 21 worst countries in the world to visit included Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar, North Korea, Palestine, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The dangers there range from active military conflicts to the high risk of being assaulted, robbed, or held for ransom. The countries themselves might be beautiful and have a long and storied history, however, this doesn’t negate the fact that they’re incredibly unfriendly to tourists. Especially those unversed in local customs and who clearly act and speak like they’re foreigners.
Cairo.... My god... I have said this before but... the pollution, the people asking you for money everywhere you go, the mistreatment of animals... I wish I could say that the historical side of the city makes up for it but... nop.
Yes agree, never stepping foot in that place again due to their disrespect of animals. Mallorca was almost as bad
Mallorca? Never noticed some mistreatment of animals there...
Load More Replies...Egypt is not unique re horrible treatment of animals. I have live and worked in many Islamic States and they all are cruel to animals
I may be wrong, but I think this is a result of the Islamic religion itself.
Load More Replies...I'd love to go to Egypt but I refuse to support their tourism industry while the widespread abuse of animals is so unchecked.
Lots of working donkeys in Egypt, and skinny cats everywhere
Load More Replies...If people begging you for money is an issue, you shouldn't travel because, unfortunately, I've seen this in all but one of the 38 counties I've visited....China. And that's only cuz the police in China that are stationed every 30 feet will arrest you for begging.
Wow I thought just LA was horrifying.. this kinda makes me feel better.
Yea, imo, the history in Egypt was wonderful, I loved the museum, but the city itself... outside of your hotels, it's like a different world. it's awful, kind of sad, really.
Cairo. I've seen everything I wanted to see there, but would never return. Tourists are treated like cattle there, by those involved in the tourist trade, much to the embarrassment of the many good Egyptian people who live in the city.
I know about the cattle way of treatment, however, this was the only way to protect tourists from scamming and got stolen. it is a strange attitude method but it is the only successful way they know, they are obligated to protect and run the tour at the same time and no body taught them what to do else
I visited Cairo around 15 years ago, obviously the pyramids etc were amazing but it was also terrifying, beggars everywhere including the police around the pyramids, massive culture shock
Ironically, the ongoing slump in tourism has made it worse, because everyone is more desperate than ever; but I absolutely don't regret seeing Egypt. It was the trip of a lifetime
Went there once on a day trip from Cyprus. Only really spent any time at the Sphinx/Pyramids and the museum, so can't really speak for the city itself other than that our coach was chaperoned by armed motorcycle cops between locations and everyone was a bit grumpy but I put the mood stuff down to the fact that it was Ramadan and people were hangry. But the airport was an absolute armpit of a place. Worst airport I've ever been to.
Disagree I went to Egypt and it was magical Cairo is beautiful if you know where to go
Same here. I've always visited Egypt off the beaten tracks away from the mass tourism. It's beautiful.
Load More Replies...our Tour Guide lost us in Luxor....not a good place to be lost in......everyone tries to scam you eg they'll come up to u and say Oh I saw u this morning at breakfast in the Hotel as I work in the kitchen .....u believe him first ....but then of course we stayed in a Hotel being tourist ....then can I show u where u can get carpets etc...
My old science teacher told a story once about how she was offered a camel and three cases of Diet Coke for her hand in marriage on a trip to Cairo once.
Hollywood, specifically Hollywood Boulevard. It's really janky, the whole town kind of smells, and it's just wholly disappointing.
Yeah. Actual Hollywood Blvd and city of Hollywood stopped being nice in early 2000's. There's lots of other nice places to visit in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, depending on what you like.
LA has a lot to do and see, and it’s a really amazing place, but it’s hard to be a tourist there because you don’t know the places to go and you don’t know what to skip. Hollywood absolutely skip, it’s covered in pee. Maybe see a play, but don’t schlep out there for the walk of fame. Downtown’s awesome, but also a lot of the cool places are spread out. I recommend Vasquez Rocks, in Agua Dulce. Out in the sticks, but awesome hiking and it’s very quiet and free of tourists.
Load More Replies...I thought I was the only one who says "janky". Yeah I heard a lot of not so good things about LA and Hollywood. Another touristy city that looks like a Hollywood movie set left to rot.
Hollywood and the walk of fame are s**t. It’s so overrated and dirty.
I went there in 2007 and the people I stayed with got offended when I said Hollywood Boulevard was tacky
If you go to Hollywood with the expectations of seeing the HOLLYWOOD version of itself you will be so disappointed lol, but as someone who was born and raised thru the 70s- 80s until I left California in the2000 Hollywood and the surrounding area is a blast if you seek out the unique! The museums are amazing, the club/music scene is phenomenal, there truly is something to experience for everyone,just broaden your mind!
I left CA in 1999 and yes, going back is a thrill because a) I don't have weird expectations b) I'm not afraid or judgmental of other people. Side-note, watching Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is like comfort food. The architecture, clothes, cars, color pallet. Pure nostalgia.
Load More Replies...Hollywood is disgusting. Only place I've ever been where people were openly smoking crack and meth on the street. The place is a real mess. I feel safer in Compton, Watts, and East LA than in Hollywood and those are supposed to be the dangerous places.
BTW if you do find yourself in Watts, check out the Watts Towers. You will not be disappointed.
Load More Replies...However, it’s not all doom and gloom in all corners of the Earth. According to a recent report published by insurance company William Russell, the top 10 safest cities in the world include Taipei (Taiwan), Tokyo (Japan), Prague (Czech Republic), Copenhagen (Denmark), Singapore (Singapore), Vienna (Austria), Lisbon (Portugal), Madrid (Spain), Sydney (Australia), and Toronto (Canada). So if safety’s your primary concern as a traveler, these might be the cities to look into for your next trip.
Egypt Sharm El Sheikh.
The ressort was fine.
But stepping in the city market....big agressive vibe towards woman tourist. even when the bf is next to her
Yeah creepiest holiday I've ever had. The only reason I felt safe was they respected my ex to a certain extent, who was a big man. I'd warn any women going there without men, and that makes it a place no-one should go in the first place. The tourist police are there to protect the tourist from the locals, and the whole town is a theatre set built soly to host and sell to tourists.
I like to go on holiday alone whenever I get the chance, Egypt was on my list (loved it ever since learning about the Ancient times in primary school!) but I wasn't sure if it'd be safe as a lone woman. Kept hearing I'll be fine and shouldn't prejudge etc but I'm glad to hear accounts from people who've actually experienced it. Shame, but I'll be crossing it off my list.
Load More Replies...Same, but in Hurghada. Woman alone outside of the resort.... no. The resort was great and all the people there too. But only men are working in the resort. Very very rarely you see a woman, ok only in manicure salon or so.
Why on earth would you go to a resort in cities that are only build for mass tourism and expect to experience anything else? Respect the culture, go away from the masses, head further south and get in touch with the locals. There's so much to see, to discover, to learn. The people I met were are all fantastic warm and welcoming people, proud of their country. Yes, there's poverty. Yes, there are big cultural differences and sometimes chaos, but I would much rather be welcomed by a local family along my travels, support them and see the "real" Egypt and all its treasures than staying at a bloody resort filled with drunks.
I stayed in Alexandria and Cairo, as a solo female and had no troubles. I met people, enjoyed familie, shopped where the locals shopped and had a wonderful education and famtastic memories. I joined up with tour groups to vidit Abu Simbel, the valley of the kings, etc. I saw the pyra ids at giza and saqhera on my own. I did ny diving in the Mediterranean. I can't express how much meeting locals and taking their recommendations enhanced my experience.
Jesus, you never heardbof different cultures did you? Then why even travel to foreign countries
Dahab is right down the road and it was nice.. at least it was in 1992 . Sharm was overpriced and touristy but the diving was pretty good.
Dallas. Endless subdivisions and strip malls and mega-churches. And the name “Metroplex” tells you all you need to know about its charm.
Houston is the only city in Texas worth visit. The rest is, like the OP said, strip malls and mega churches...and women are only here for their baby making abilities, so sayeth their lord. Think I'm biased? Just read their news of all the women dying and in peril because a zygote in a uterus is more important than the woman that contains it.
My mom lives in Austin and keeps wanting me to move there. Sorry. I can't share the same air as Greg Abbott, Elon Musk, and Alex Jones and the TX legislature. And I feel so landlocked even with the river and lake. I always tell people if I had to live in Texas it would be Houston. Amazing food and proximity to the water, even if it's not beaches, per se. And doesn't have as much of the cowboy vibe. Little more Cajun attitude.
Load More Replies...I just remember it being too hot. Opening the car door and stepping outside into an oven
i dont know anything about Dallas but look at that cute red building in the bottom left corner with its little turrets :-D
Lived in Dallas and other parts of Texas for a few years, never liked it. Edit: I apologize for my comment. Texas can look nice and not all the people are bad, I just had a bad experience.
I've visited the US twice, and stayed with a nice, generous Texan and his family. Mind you, they'd been living in New Mexico for decades.
Load More Replies...The locals think that the two most important questions they can ask you are, "Who's your Daddy?" and "What church do you go to?" If they don't like the answer to either question, the famous Texan hospitality evaporates. I lived in Houston for a number of years, and my wife and I both agree that Dallas is our least favorite city in TX.
We live outside of Dallas (about 52 miles outside), but I LOVE Texas! Have lived in Texas (grew up in S. CA) for 34 years. My favorite state.
UGH! Lived there briefly and HATED IT! People are high brow, expect everyone to think like them, be the same political party, attend THEIR Baptist churches, and are so ARROGANT!!! I call them "plain vanilla" people! It looks great but GAWD AWFUL drivers, too! I'll take Houston ANY DAY over this place!! Less condescending!
Mobile, Alabama. There was a palpable aura of anger and resentment in that town that I'll never forget.
As someone from Alabama, I fully agree. 👍
Load More Replies...Mobile has turned into a crime ridden, dirty place. Used to be so beautiful. Sad.
I've lived about an hour from Mobile most of my life. I have always avoided going there unless I just can't help it. I will do anything to not have to go to Mobile
The road garbage there. Argh. Not just ordinary litter but couches, refrigerators, etc. We were just passing through but were stunned. Other side. Wyoming. Those guys take adoot a highway to another level of clean. We got stopped by free range cattle a lot but no road trash in sight.
I live here and this doesn’t exist. Maybe we cleaned up?
Load More Replies...Lived in Mobile for about 6 months and will be glad to never return. Depressing, huge division between the "haves" and "have not" classes, places were either grimy or insistingly "too beautiful for mere mortals"... Absolutely no true "southern charm" about the place. Plus, it stank.
Oh sure, but it's the blue states like New Youk and California that have a crime problem.
Bored Panda was very interested to learn what had inspired the redditor to start the viral thread in the first place. They were kind enough to tell us all about it. Like many other people, the OP was dissatisfied with their trip to Paris. In fact, it’s a phenomenon that’s so widely known that it even has its own name—Paris Syndrome. In short, it's the deep disappointment that people feel after realizing that Paris really isn't all that it was 'supposed to be.'
“I finished a journey lately which led me—next to other places—to Paris,” u/Gourmet-Guy said.
They listed all the things that went wrong with their trip. For one, there were too many tourists (though the redditor is aware that they were one themselves) and plenty of “pissed-off locals” who were angry at them.
What’s more, the French capital was “too chaotic, too dirty, and in the end, the classic hot spots were overhyped.”
“In addition, the local scene is not really interesting to me,” they shared that this horrible experience made them want to hear about other redditors’ recent travel disasters, too.
Nassau, Bahamas absolutely horrible. Place is extremely run down. Locals don’t leave you alone and don’t take no for an answer . no I don’t want to buy a wooden flute from the 90s, no I don’t want to but D&G sunglasses from china for $80. Idk maybe I had a bad experience but I’ll never go back to the Bahamas, at least Nassau
ive been here but i just satyed at the resort in the image, atlantis, which was nice
It was one of the stops on our cruise and we snuck into the Atlantis beach area when the person checking wrist bands was distracted (I think you had to be a hotel guest). That was the only thing I liked about the island.
Load More Replies...Yes, but Nassau is only a tiny part of the Bahamas. There are many islands with wonderful people, great food, gorgeous beaches but it is work, and money, to get to them. I was very fortunate to spend a month sailing there (my dad was a professional yacht captain so he knew it like the back of his hand-RIP 💔) and so knew all the most wonderful places. But it’s like every country…the tourist traps are simply gross.
I only know Nassau from Assassin's Creed Black Flag. Was a bit of a dump in that too :)
Port-Au-Prince
Was checking my watch every few minutes counting down the days and hours until I could leave. It was a scary place where even those that are supposed to protect you are open to attacking and robbing/kidnapping/murdering you.
Why would you ever go to Haiti for leisure? There's no reason to be there unless you're making a documentary...
It's called poverty porn: people literally go to impoverished places like they think it's some kind of Disneyland. I wish I were joking! I've seen people asking if there are sightseeing tours of Skid Row ("sure, just walk around Broadway and 5th with money hanging out your pockets; someone will approach you and show you to their van")!
Load More Replies...Port-au-prince. Only was there over the day- came in from another Island but it was the most uncomfortable place I ever been too. Downright scary all the time.
I had some really amazing food, but likewise saw a man almost get his arm chopped clean off by another man wielding a machete, so...yeah..pro'lly skip it.
I went to a resort there - it was only open for one year, due to violence
Fez, Morocco. The harassment of tourists by peddlers in that city is mind-boggingly aggressive and orders of magnitudes worse than anywhere else. It doesn't help the old city is a labyrinth where Google maps does not work. You stop for one second to try to orient yourself and you are surrounded by people offering to "help" you. So stressful
I beg to differ. My wife and I went to Fez in 2012 and had an amazing time. It's all about the planning when it comes down to it. If you do your homework and get a guide the first day you enter the soul, remember your path. Plus there are easy ways to figure it out by following the donkeys bringing in supplies and out. That'll lead you to the Blue Gate.
That's about the truth for the whole country (tourist spots), will never go again.
My dad was in all these Middle East places mentioned in this thread, back in the 50's, when he was in the Navy, and his letters describe everything that is being said here. It seems amazing that there has been no change there in 70 years. Other than Dubai of course, and that is not necessarily good change.
In u/Gourmet-Guy’s opinion, some of the red flags that a city might not be worth the trouble include being overrun by tourists, “Especially from the American and Asian blocs who typically do rush-through travel.”
Some other red flags include vastly raised prices for goods and services, as locals try to scam tourists out of their hard-earned cash. What’s more, cities that tend to have nothing much going for them usually have one “super-hyped signature attraction, but nothing else.”
The OP didn’t want to share any of the awesome cities they think are worth visiting because they’ll “be flooded with tourists.” However, they were happy to share some tips and tricks to help travelers avoid getting scammed.
Pattaya.
Never have I ever seen so many disgusting men and the down-classing of women so in your face.
Addis Ababa.
Absolute s**t hole. No idea where the city starts and the mud ends.
Manila
Traffic is literally 24 hours a day. It move took me 4 hours to go 10 miles.
Downvote me for saying this if you want but it is a known fact (where I live, with TV investigators and all) that this is a global Hotspot for pedophiles. There is no reason for anyone else to go there.
Which one? There are three different places mentioned.
Load More Replies...Pattaya is awful but just outside it is Jomtien which is lovely. Fab beach, posh hotels, yacht club, nice bars. Go to Jomtien instead! Also Manila has some lovely areas, great shopping and restaurants, just stay in Makati or BGC where you can walk everywhere.
Ocean in Jomtien has been polluted for years now
Load More Replies...I was in the Air Force and a few of us shared a bungalow in Pattaya across from what was then a Hungarian restaurant for our time off. It was a very different place 50 years ago! It's gotten way too big for me.
There are plenty of nice beaches and beach towns in Thailand. Some are pretty busy, but you still also can find some quiet pretty gems. But if you book a stay in Pattaya, you should know what you're in for. It's infamous for a reason and usually people are aware of it. If you really didn't know, a bit of pre-vacation research would do the trick.
I'd like to avoid going back to San Francisco if I can. It just makes me sad now.
Agreed. I was born there and have lived there part time for 51,years. It’s a shell of what it once was. Things started getting bad after the dot com bust at turn of millennium. That’s also the same period other cities began bussing unhoused people and those just out of mental health facilities to the Transbay Terminal. SF didn’t have enough foresight to develop and infrastructure to take care of these folks and the problems that manifested. Namely opioids; heroin; meth. That the tech bros priced out all creatives/artists, it left a vapid vacuum. I spend 4 months of their year in SF, my mother lives there & my grandparents and maternal family is from there. I have my grandparents home & my mom has hers. The rest of my family fled in the late 90s. Right before the utopian bubble burst.
Was staying downtown SF in 2019. Was there for 5 days. Highlights were walking across the Golden Gate and seeing Sausalito. AND I was in the pharmacy across from our hotel when 5 people robbed it. Would I go back - absolutely. I loved it.
Load More Replies...Probably the place I least liked living. Did you know that there is so much s**t on the streets, literal s**t, that they have to hire people to pick it up? And because there is so much of it, those people get payed good money. like 100k a year.
Im from Amsterdam, i've traveled around quite a bit and yet SF is the only place i saw several people taking a dump on the street in public. Also not just hide a bit, no, just stand still in the middle of the street, take your pants down and poop.
Load More Replies...visited several times. Absolute love/Hate relation. In many ways its such a nice place, and in many other ways... so many homeless people with mental issues. So many addicts. Im from Amsterdam and have seen stuff in the 70's and 80s as a kid, but phew. Its so sad. And then not even speaking of how absurd the costs of living are sky rocketing for the average people. So many nice people though.
I lived in San Francisco for all of my adult life. I had to move a year ago to get away from my frightening stalker ex-husband. (My so-called legal protection was a joke.) I miss it with all my heart, and long to be able to move back someday. Hearing that it's a dump, or that it's been ruined, baffles me.
Left our incredible city by the bay for the exact same reason you did.
Load More Replies...Homeless s**t on the street by your table at a resturant. Its an ugly city to say the least
I went there in 1998 and had a great time. Though from what I have read it’s quite a bad place now
I miss when the Haight still had personality and gentrification hadn't taken over..San Fran lost its essence and has become a drone, it lost the different connections to all the micro groups that made it so beautiful..now it's a city of robots with only the ability to work to afford to survive there, forget about contributing to what made San Fran a unique microcosm in an otherwise boring northern California existence..
New Orleans, for fun at least. I’ve had to go there a lot for work and witnessed the following:
On Bourbon st. I saw two guys get into a scuffle then one pull a gun and aim it at his head.
On Poydras st as we were pulling out of a parking area a woman dropped trou and started s******g infront of us
Next to the Superdome as a crowds of people were pouring into the stadium a guy pulled his peeper out and started pissing aimed towards the crowd but not in proximity.
In French Quarters a woman pulled her car in front of us and began beating a man yelling he’d be going back jail.
Place is out of control.
Lived in nola from 2012 to 2017. Was generally not a bad time except during mardi gras season, parades everywhere blocking streets needed for work and such. Dont go to the french quarter during that time unless you really like drunken tourist crowds
Stay away from Bourbon St. It's a tourist trap except for a couple of good restaurants.
Load More Replies...I had a very different experience there. Traveled alone and stayed three days until my cruise and LOVED the city and the people! I'm from Rio de Janeiro, a very dangerous city, and felt safe in NOLA.
Right? Like, I've lived in Los Angeles -- am I supposed to be shocked by any of that? 🤣
Load More Replies...Live to hear my whole life spent 40 years working in the French quarter or near it have never seen anything like they describing it's just BS
I have lived there for 55 years and never seen anyone c**p in the street or pee towards people.
Been to Nola. Spent my time walking all over. Aside from a drunk man stumbling into a restaurant just off Bourbon and screaming that “he claims Sanctuary,” because he figured people were following him, there were no incidents. Never felt unsafe walking after dark. People were, for the most part, very friendly. 10/10 will go back, for fun. There’s always something new to see.
I agree kinda.... there's a really good WW2 museum there though. Go for the history and stay away from Bourbon Street...unless you want drugs.
According to u/Gourmet-Guy, the most straightforward but complex piece of advice is learning to speak the local language. Even knowing a few core sentences can make a vast difference in how you’re treated.
Meanwhile, try to avoid street markets, and stay away from tourist hotspot restaurants. “The fewer English menus available, the better. Check out the restaurants that the locals frequent, too,” the redditor shared their thoughts with Bored Panda.
They added that you should try to avoid giving off too strong of a touristy vibe, too. “In some cities, you are regarded as a walking wallet if you strut around with your city guide, camera or smartphone, and funny T-shirts.”
Manila
1. Traffic
2. Pollution
3. Poverty
Do you know how big Asia is? Like it's literally the biggest continent on earth. That's like saying Bumblefück, Tennessee is representative of the entire North American continent. Jesus.
Load More Replies...Stopped there on a cruise. Young children living on the streets, even babies, stray dogs, oppressive heat. Went back to the ship within an hour. Terrible place.
The only place I’ve been to where the karaoke bars have a “check your handgun here” counter at the entrance and the 7/11’s have a guard with a pump action shotgun (at the very least!). Mind you, this was in 1999, things may have improved.
I live in Manila since I got married in 1976. Then moved to Tagaytay in 2021, an hour away and the weather is cool. Left for the US sometime in 2005 and since then coming back and forth. All the mentioned flaws /problems do exist and getting worse. However, Manila is not the country. It is the capital but you don’t need to go there. Go instead to the key provinces around the archipelago where you can still enjoy a slower way of life, go on a culinary adventure and expect people to be courteous.
My family is from there, my dad said he will retire there, and asked me if I would join him and my stepmom there. I said no way. I may be full blooded Filipina but once I open my mouth and my American accent comes out, I'm dead
Stockton, CA. The McDonald's had an armed security guy.
I find it hilarious that this smelly little cow town found its way on this list. Who the fúck says, "I heard Stockton was a cool place to visit?"?!? Answer: nobody in the history of ever..
Why would anyone want to go to Stockton in the first place? If you don’t have family there to visit then there is nothing worth seeing there to go as a tourist
Stockton is the murder capital of California and is always in the top 5 US. They just caught a serial killer there. I hate this place.
It's getting bad everywhere. There's some Tim Hortons and McDs in my city with security guards. The thrift store I work at has security guards.
I'm from Stockton and I have no intentions of ever returning. Ppl I know still out there tell me to stop by and I tell them they can come visit me if they want.
Crazy to see fellow stocktonians actually on here growing up here, I'd say there's less gang violence than when I was a kid . But still, why tf would anyone want to visit here lol come see tent city
If you're going up or down I-5 DO NOT stop in Stockton, Sacramento, or Redding unless you have to. Especially if you have dark skin. The neo-nazis have a lot of power there.
As San Francisco natives, my family has always joked that there’s no reason to go to Stockton unless UOP is the only dental school to which one was accepted. None of us are dentists.
Cabo. It’s an Americanized beach with American prices with gang members offering you drugs every 50 feet.
I am assuming you mean Los Cabos, en Baja California Sur, Mexico. I live there for a couple of years and I agree with you. Just visit San Jose del Cabo. A couple of miles away, beautiful and virtually untouched.
Before Los Cabos was developed when San Lucas had its old town Charn, it was wonderful. As was La Paz and the rest of Baja Sur. Now it’s as fabricated as Vegas.
It would be nice if the drugs were 50ft away WITHOUT the gang members. 👍🏾
Used to go to CSL every year and you could go a few blocks off the main drag and find amazing dishes for reasonable prices. El Squid Roe would lose most of the tourists around 3 am and start filling up with people getting off work. It was a fun balance. The vibe shifted a lot about when they built that mall... the marina changed, the stores changed, the visitors changed... I know it wasn't "authentic Mexico", but it was something. We stopped going because it wasn't fun anymore.
Cabo San Lucas - when we went - was great from an all-inclusive standpoint. It's like you're in your own little world. Stayed at Pueblo Bonito Sunset for a week during my sister's wedding, wouldn't say it was the most "secure" drive from the airport... but they let you drink on the ride, so the worry didn't last long 😉. Did lots around town during our stay, but I'm guessing that a large group is likely useful in staving off salesmen; my husband and I were approached when alone, but a polite "no" and continuing on our way seemed sufficient most of the time. It was a bit strange to see trucks driving around town with armed men in the back and, also, armed guards at the hotel property entrance. Prices were definitely on par with America. Would definitely go again as a group vacation, but probably not just as my husband and I alone.
Same for a lot of cities in Mexico, like touristy Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta - pestered all the time by the kids hawking stuff everywhere! The only fairly peaceful place I've been to there was Mulege and Loreto (fishing town).
I don't need to go back to Miami, or at least to South Beach. My husband and I went last year and it was a little bit of a nightmare. We always find fun together, so it was still a good vacation, but I'd rather spend money elsewhere.
It's be nice to see some information in these posts as the to problem "a little bit of a nightmare"... in what way?
From my experience it's expensive, the traffic is bad, and a lot of crime. Witnessed a carjacking on the interstate with heavy traffic. There were police car/officers sitting a few cars away who watched it happen and did nothing.
Load More Replies...Florida in general these days. 20 years ago it was cool but now. It's turning into an absolute hellhole in front of our eyes.
We were just in the northern part of south beach in December, We loved it and we are on the older side! It was beautiful, lots of things to do, great food, good energy, lively, very fun. It wasnt crazy either. I would never go during spring break for sure, that looks insane.The northern part of south beach is a little quieter, and we would definitely go again. Cuban breakfasts are amazing!
Siesta Key near Sarasota (also a GREAT city to shop in - forget $$$$$ Naples!) is my favorite
Load More Replies...Miami and Tampa are absolute nightmares to do anything in, especially drive. I'm from Florida, and one time when we went to Tampa, we found out that people don't really like using brakes. They just hold down the horn.
This sticks out like a sore thumb in this list. There definitely isn't anything specific in the posting and anyone who has been to South Beach knows how nice it is.
Try South Beach during Spring Break or Memorial Day weekend. The cops frequently have to impose curfews (6:00 pm!) because of the mayhem. Too many people go on vacation and act like they never would at home.
Nashville. Felt like I entered the same bar over and over and over again. Bachelorette parties everywhere. Great for age 25.
If this person was only in Nashville for the bars, then they missed out on so much. For pity's sake, they could have, at the very least, sampled the local cuisine. The Nashville area to home to numerous small, privately owned eateries belonging to people native to the area and from around the world. If traditional southern cooking and soul food isn't you thing, you have many other culinary treasures to choose from.
Food, things to do and see, trails, it's a clean city for the most part, a rich heritage....
Load More Replies...I respectfully disagree. There's a whole lot more to Nashville than the bar scene. A visit to the Ryman Auditorium (the "Mother Church of Country Music") was well worth the trip. Edited to add: there is more unknown/undiscovered musical talent playing in the bars in that city than anywhere else in the world.
Yeah, I think this person just went to country bars. There are tons of bars and clubs geared to other types of people. Evidently OP doesn't like the kind of person they are. 😂
Load More Replies...Tennessee should be boycotted for their legislators booting people of the opposite party for simply demonstrating (peacefully) for gun control. That state's legislators have acted outside of democracy and more like an authoritarian state. Until those Nazi filth are voted out, do not visit Tennessee, do not buy goods made in Tennessee, do not perform concerts there. A beautiful state ran by a bunch of small minded goons that want to make the US a Christian Taliban. F**k those guys.
Sure. Tennessee definitely has it's problems with legislature, and there are plenty of right leaning douche nozzles to keep them voted in, but you are missing a HUGE population that are progressive and caring people. ESPECIALLY in Nashville. Why are you boycotting an entire state and rebel rousing others to do the same? What about all the other states that are doing basically the same thing? Why aren't you mentioning them?
Load More Replies...nashville native here nashville is awesome if you stay away from the tourist areas and downtown . downtown is pretty gorgeous skyline the pedistrian bridge , and union station are things to see but downtown after dark is just like you said one big drinking party
I have to agree with this. visited nashville in 2020 and the place was ok but if you left the area around the grand ol oppry it was a dump. also has the worst food ever from a diner in that area, my burger was swimming in grease and water and i spent the next day vomitting. The tourist stuff was good but after a day everything had been seen. also did a tour of the stars homes and the tour guide spent the entire time spouting racist shite against the japanese tourists that were on the tour with us. when he asked for a tip we all told him stop being an a*****e. nobody gave him any money. f**k that place
I had the displeasure of visiting Nashville a few years ago. Worst. Trip. Ever. The food was awful. the locals were unpleasant. Downtown was filthy, everything was overpriced, the souvenir shops were full of items featuring racist imagery. There were pro gun billboards everywhere I went. On top of all of that they’re a Trump supporting state. It’s like Florida with a different accent. They’ve only gotten worse as the years pass. Throw the whole state away
I had a stopover at the airport there once, and it was pitiful! Nothing to do, food was mediocre, couldn't wait for my connecting flight to get out of there! I also drove through it once enroute to TX and wasn't interested in stopping anywhere - country music isn't my thing anyway.
Memphis, TN. Had to do some field work there. Cool park next to the river. Cool BPS pyramid. Never seen so many people driving around with cracked windshields. Almost got hit while driving multiple times by people running stop signs and red lights. Last straw was when I was coming up to an intersection, had a green light. Noticed someone in a white truck coming from the left. Slammed on breaks, barely slowed enough for the white truck to pass just in front of me and T-bone a sedan that was in the lane next to mine. Firemen had to jaws-of-life the car open to get the guy out and immediately sent him off to the hospital in an ambulance. Guy wasn't moving or responding to EMS, don't know if he died or what. Immediately called my boss and told him I'm GTFO and going home.
I've lived in Memphis for 30years it's a shithole. Mayor Strickland has done nothing to improve the city LOTS of poverty, poor education, lots of violent crime, horribly hot humid summers. The only positive things it has is Memphis in May, the grizzlies, BBQ fest.
Not being factitious at all (or doubting your assessment) but why have you stayed so long if it's so awful?
Load More Replies...Highest crime rate in America. Look it up It's number one. Not New York, not LA. Memphis TN is the crime capital of America.
I was in Memphis for a few days in 2019 and barely saw any traffic at all. An accident can happen anywhere, I wouldn't judge a city by one crash
My wife and I went to Memphis 9 months ago for 3 days. Within 5 hours we determined that drivers there were the worse we had ever encountered. That position solidified over the next 2 days and is the first thing that comes to mind when remembering our trip.
Paul Simon influenced me to visit on my way to Pigeon Forge. It was bleak and black like Nola.
I'm from Memphis, born there at least. Trust me, it's 100 times worse living there
"people running stop signs and red lights..." The poster is not ready to go to Soweto,
I was in Kabul when there were 4-5 million people living there, and I saw one traffic light. My best friend has spent time in Kabul and says Delhi is 100 times worse
Load More Replies...I'm both shocked and pleased to see Detroit yet-to-be mentioned in this thread. It isn't perfect but as a city it's **really** turned itself around over the past 15 years.
Sounds like you had a post and got bumped with the other two apparent losers. Other two? Doesn’t apply to you.
Load More Replies...I live a few miles down the river from Detroit, it's on the rise with house prices to prove it. Every day it seems like something new is being built. It's a beautiful city being discovered by a lot of people who are surprised at the change.
I live in Minneapolis and would definitely skip to Detroit if I had to go anywhere..I have heard there is great food and good people and it seems like my little south Minneapolis heart might fit in there...oh and though I'm dyed in the wool twins baseball fan the tigers have the best uniforms in baseball
I remember the '68 world series win. Seemed EVERYBODY in the city was happy. 😊
Load More Replies...Just moved here. I really wanted to Like it and I'm really trying but the people are mean as f.
Phew. I’m going there soon. Downtown and all. I was worried when I saw it on this list.
Detroit has come a long way. You'll love it, especially the food!
Load More Replies...Good to hear, sad when I hear hear how it was such a productive city with the industrial companies until they left, almost like Pittsburgh
Bradford, UK.
It just doesn't have a lot going for it, unfortunately. The sort of place where when people find out you are from out of town, they ask what you are doing there, but not in a sort of cheery "Oh, what are you here for?" way, but a "Seriously, why have you chosen to come here?" way.
The National Museum of Film is a great day out though and there's some of the best Pakistani / Indian restaurants in the whole country there. Sadly many of the former industrial cities in the North of England get neglected from those pricks down south in Westminster who think only London is important.
Also has some great civic architecture built from local sandstone.
Load More Replies...It's got a bookshop in a deconsecrated church and that's good emough for me.
No it doesn't, the bookshop you are referring to is Waterstones in the building pictured above. It is called the Wool Exchange and was, unsurprisingly, a place where wool was auctioned and sold. It has been several things over the years but not a church.
Load More Replies...Spend three months in Todmorden, population 15.000 , I think I did stand out, good curious looks
My mum's dream is to live in Todmorden! 🤣 She loves taking the train there for a day out
Load More Replies...During the heights of the textile boom in the industrial revolution the life expectency was a dizzying 24. That grimness has carried over. But go to the train museum in Leeds (nearby) instead. Lovely. (edit, York, no idea why I wrote Leeds)
I think that's a British thing really. People are more reserved in the UK.
true that, mate. even the milk cartons are reserved! i live in a countryside area that often picks up tourists and wonder why they’d pick to come here: it smells like oil and there’s a minimum of 2 dead animals- big or small- on the road
Load More Replies...The lack of respect there is a nightmare. Don't start me on the trafficking issues, that police are influenced to keep quiet, and no I'm not making this up. I spent many years there.
Not sure this would constitute as "nightmarish". It has an excellent theatre which I would argue is on par with if not much better than some of the London West end ones, excellent museums such as Salts Mill and the national media museum, beautiful parks, delicious Asian curry houses. Like any city there are some less desirable areas. I'd say give it a chance and research the best places to go and a nice route between them.
Canberra . I saw a bit of an ugly drug and angry youth scene that I never dreamt existed in Australia. Couldn't leave the place fast enough.
Didn't think it would be any worse than Sydney or Melbourne. I thought the biggest reason to get out of Canberra would be just boredom
Really, I heard Melbourne was pretty awesome.
Load More Replies...Sadly there is an "ugly drug and angry youth scene" in many Australian cities. I'd go as far as to say all of them. Don't get me wrong, it's not like it's everywhere and everyone. It's just a case of did you stumble into the wrong suburb at the wrong time.
I mean, Australia is so ludicrously safe that we have no clue what an actual angry youth scene would even look like. Mouthy kids hanging out at bustops asking people for cigarettes is enough to label a suburb "the scummy suburb" in my town. We don't know how good we have it.
Load More Replies...I lived in Canberra for 20 years, worked in mental health. It's a fine safe city, with lots to recommend it.
Probably because there's eff all to do after about 7pm. City just shuts, apart from pubs etc.
So Canberra is where you go for a week, for day activities- Parliament House, planetarium, science museums, art galleries etc. It's literally a city built from nothing to house parliament as it's halfway between Melbourne and Sydney. If ya look'n for night life, don't go to Canberra!!
I always link Canberra to the awfully boring school camp we went on there. The national film and sound archive was good though.
Wow?! I live there and it's kind of boring and shıt but not bad afaik? Just nothing to do rly outside of just living, touristing and stuff with friends. Side note: I drive along the road in the pic every day (:
I love the scenery. My drive consists of a two lane road with corn fields on both sides.
Load More Replies...I go to Canberra 3 or 4 times a year and have never seen what you've experienced. The galleries and museums, zoo and other attractions are great.
Ashgabat, glad I went, but creepy. Total authoritarian dear leader surveillance state. Basically can’t leave the hotel unless escorted. Bad food. Utterly fascinating, but can totally scratch it off my list of “been there, done that”
Thanks. Not really sure how many people had this vacation spot high on their list.
Load More Replies...Total authoritarian dear leader in Asgard too. Not sure about the food.
Load More Replies...Blackpool. Not unless I'm forced against my will
Parts of it are run down, but the attractions are still good. I was planning a weekend there with a friend, so we could go to the Pleasure Beach, which I'd still love to do again. Never happened, unfortunately.
Got one of the highest rates of depression in the UK.
Load More Replies...Nah, still love the pleasure beach, the seafront strip for chips and the pier for takeaway hot choc! It's my childhood 🥲
When I worked for addiction services, the national annual Recovery Walk was in Blackpool one year. Feedback from the council: they were disappointed more money wasn't spent in the pubs and bars. It was also heroin capital of England for some years (not sure about UK, I think Swansea had it edged)
Blackpool is actually not too bad these days. I do prefer Morcambe though
Morecambe is nice, I was expecting another Blackpool. And if you can afford a night in the Midland Hotel....
Load More Replies...I moved to Blackpool and bought a house in 2003 when I worked at the Blackpool Victoria hosp. Feel in love with the town. By the time I was moving out in 2016. It was a dump. Full of drugies and benefit claimants shipped from across the UK. At least it's better then Rhyl
I was born there and still live in the area. I avoid unless I have to (which usually means the Pleasure Beach, but the Abbdingdon Barbecue does a great roast sandwich).
A place where they openly scam tourists on the water front with carnival games that are fixed. The place is just B&Bs and strip clubs. Bit of a nightmare of a hovel.
My bf's sister wants to take me to Blackpool, or she used to. Now she has nothing really good to say about it but still goes every once in a while.
Kamloops. It's dirty, and whoever designed their roadways had no idea what they were doing.
Kamloops is great though if you're really into outdoor activities. Fishing, hiking, biking, camping, boating, hunting, skiing. Outdoor enthusiasts love it there.
After reading how bad all these places are it made me sad that humanity is like this. It makes me look forward to the day that the Extraterrestrials land on Earth and become our alien overlords.
But at least it's beautiful if you drive a few hours in either direction. Yeah, Kamloops was only good for their overpriced weed. 🤣
Another entry listed as a joke? Bradford and now Kamloops? They ran out of places people had even heard of so they pored over a few maps and said, here. Nobody's heard of these two, they'll fill up up the spaces in the list? And yeah, I've been to both places and it's absolutely ridiculous that either of them are here in print as worthy of being 30 places never to go amongst all the pitstops in the world. Lazy journalism, or running out out of ideas. Pitiful.
It’s ridiculous. I’ve been to Kamloops and there is nothing bad about that city.
Load More Replies...I stayed over there one night. Hotel was cheap, but clean. Not a destination, though
Have lived here for 29 years now and I don't find it so bad. Way better then Prince George.
I was sitting in my living room, alternately dozing and scrolling through Bored Panda's list of cities-people-will-not-visit-again. When I saw Kamloops pop up on the list I thought I was dreaming. I am in Kamloops! I live here!
I'm pretty sure this was added as a joke. True, Kamloops is not an exciting place. It is not a tourist town unless you are in to mountain biking. The housing prices have become ridiculously expensive recently, but that is true of many places in Canada. It is hot here in the summer, but most people have air conditioning in their home. It is a quiet, safe , well run , first world town. It has some interesting hills and views, but it is not a tourist destination! People stop here on their way to Banff, or on their way from Vancouver to Calgary. Whew. Any ways, I am awake now. I will try to post a picture. kamloops-6...0dd9c6.jpg
Miami - the beaches aren't worth the traffic and the hotels / restaurants / bars are astonishingly pretentious / expensive for how mediocre most of them are. I'm also perfectly content to never go to Venice again. I figured that looping it into a weekday work trip and being there in April would mean fewer cruise ship tourists. I was very wrong. It is almost as though you shouldn't even bother going out during the day, I was only able to walk unimpeded during the evening hours.
I don't think I'd go to Venice outside November-February but I loved it within that stretch
**LAS VEGAS** would be one, but at least I had fun there. Two others come to mind:
**VENICE**. It is beautiful. It is unique. I was moved by it. But it is also...
a) unnecessarily expensive,
b) surrounded by black waters (they stink!),
c) non-practical to get around (you have to walk through the same bridges over and over again to get to different parts of the city),
d) on the verge of turning from "beautiful, old architecture" to "decaying, unsafe, old architecture",
e) full of ANNOYING TOURISTS, though I was a tourist myself.
...
also, **MONTECARLO, MONACO:**
a) there is nothing to do there if you're not part of the trending jet set (have money to splurge around),
b) everything is expensive,
c) save for the tiny, ordinary beach, everything else takes place indoors,
d) there's nothing unique about it: French, Italian and Spanish coast towns are way more beautiful and charming than Montecarlo,
e) **NICE** is right around the corner (a 20 mins bus ride), so go there instead.
Went to Venice as an unimpressed teenager, I walked round wearing my Walkman with my new AC/DC album on, hated every single second of the time I spent there, the music just about took the edge off it. I barely looked at the architecture, I ignored the history, my Dad assured me that Vivaldi’s gaff was worth seeing, he was wrong, the food was reasonable whilst expensive and the only highlight was a Dali exhibition that was in town. Don’t forget I was a grumpy, hormonal, short-sighted and daft teenager, my experience was as bad as I wanted it to be. I regret that I didn’t do the place justice. Not Venice at fault, it was all me. 😂
I love your perception! Kudos. Very well said. My youngest and I had the opportunity to spend the summer in Europe when they were 13, backpacking and taking Eurorail just traveling the ENTIRE summer, what we got as parents, can't we just go to New York instead!? I asked what the HELL is in NYC .. shopping???? As if that was EVER on the table, but tv perception to a teenager killed our summer European getaway! 😂
Load More Replies...I've been to Venice in February and December, it's much less crowded then. I lived the architecture, the insane street grid, and the sheer antiquity of it, and the way things hardly change: I took photos that matched Canaletto paintings from 300 years ago. But it's easier to find a Cartier watch than a needle and thread, and if you don't know better, a decent meal is a crapshoot. Lodging is also much cheaper off season
A bit out of left field, perhaps, but I'd suggest going to Utrecht instead of Venice. All the fun of the canals but it's cheap, odour free, easy to get from A to B, although it has lots of wonky buildings none of them seem to pose any immediate danger, and most tourists go to Amsterdam so it's relatively peaceful. The Dutch are probably the nicest people I've ever met, too, which helps!
Utrecht is very pretty and a nice town, but you cant compare it to Venice just because it has some canals.
Load More Replies...Monaco is pretty unique if you’re a Formula 1 fan (and also it’s a pretty unique place in that it’s an enclave with unique status and monarchy). Been twice for the F1, and I’ve enjoyed my holidays there even when I’ve not been at the races. Didn’t spend any of my time indoors.
Gary, Indiana. Should be self-explanatory.
Gary is what happens to a one-industry town when that one industry closes.
You just described the setting for the majority of the Jack Reacher books 😛
Load More Replies...Stay way from anyone who would possibly say, "Yeah. I think naming this town 'Gary' sounds nice."
It's not self-explanatory. Unless you're referring to the name, in which case, yes - I wouldn't voluntarily go to somewhere named Gary.
I was driving from Detroit to Chicago many years ago and don't remember why I got off the freeway (getting gas?), but the onramp was closed and had to drive through the city to find a way back on. It was dark and there were hardly any street lights and the only buildings with lights on were liquor stores. My wife's BFF was sleeping in the back seat. She woke up, looked around, and asked "Where the hell did you bring me?!" She thought we were looking for our hotel! I grew up in Detroit and saw it at the height of its decay... Gary was far worse...
Gary was founded in the early 20th Century as a location for the steel industry. At one time it was the second largest city in the state. But when the domestic steel industry went under, so did Gary. Now there are no jobs and no tax basis to maintain things. High poverty and run down infrastructure. And really nothing there for any tourist to visit. (Although, frankly, there wasn't much there for tourists even when Gary was thriving.)
Load More Replies...The Music Man written by Meredith Wilson is based on the town he grew up in; Mason City, Iowa. I have been to both and Mason City is better than Gary, Indiana.
I think people are travelling to places without informing themselves. If you are travelling to a poor country you can't expect the same level of security or hygiene. If you are not open to that, do not travel to those countries! People there are trying to survive, you are just a visitor.
F**k off downvote fairies, there’s nothing offensive with Steven’s comment
Load More Replies...It is sad just how many places are virtually off-limits to women. Where they can't be at least relatively safe or not harassed.
Imagine what it must be like living there as a female citizen....
Load More Replies...Over half these cities are not tourist destinations. Warning someone about bad experiences in bucket list places like Cairo is productive but no one is planning on spending a week in Stockton, CA because it's just not distinctive enough to warrant it. Nothing against these towns but including them on this is equivalent to listing hot dogs as your least favorite breakfast cereal.
Add to that Bradford England and Kamloops Canada. What a joke. 🙄
Load More Replies...Surprised New York didn't make the list. After all the talking heads on TV are always saying how bad it is. Psst, it's not that bad, it's just a punching bag for Fox News.
I'm curious what is expected when traveling? Not that these situations described or pleasant or desirable, but I do think some of this speaks to a level of privileged entitlement .... should we not use this internet to be an informed traveler? Should we not go places and understand that it's not your super privileged home with running water, electricity, safety and all sorts of other things we take for granted on the regular? Should we not expect that the people we find are in fact not there to support a glorious movie vacation and serve us?
Avoid Branson Missouri. It bills itself as a Christian Disneyland. But, like Megachurches, it is there to talk every penny they can. And by that, it seems to be worse than the typical theme park gouging because, you know they're Christian, so it's okay to rip you off. On top of that, many of that staff are thinly disguised racists. Just skip. Not worth it.
but then again, personal experience.... I was in Dublin in the nineties, people were so rude to me, ripped me off in shops, it was horrible. I gave up on the town and took the train to Wicklow, where i met the most fantastic people ever. Friends went to Dublin few years later and had the best time ever. I went back to Dublin 20 years later, not thinking much of it on forehand, and had the best time ever.
Right, just the list of cities and countries I never intended to visit without even reading this list.
I do not understand why criticizing cities and countries just because you got a bad experience!!
I think people are travelling to places without informing themselves. If you are travelling to a poor country you can't expect the same level of security or hygiene. If you are not open to that, do not travel to those countries! People there are trying to survive, you are just a visitor.
F**k off downvote fairies, there’s nothing offensive with Steven’s comment
Load More Replies...It is sad just how many places are virtually off-limits to women. Where they can't be at least relatively safe or not harassed.
Imagine what it must be like living there as a female citizen....
Load More Replies...Over half these cities are not tourist destinations. Warning someone about bad experiences in bucket list places like Cairo is productive but no one is planning on spending a week in Stockton, CA because it's just not distinctive enough to warrant it. Nothing against these towns but including them on this is equivalent to listing hot dogs as your least favorite breakfast cereal.
Add to that Bradford England and Kamloops Canada. What a joke. 🙄
Load More Replies...Surprised New York didn't make the list. After all the talking heads on TV are always saying how bad it is. Psst, it's not that bad, it's just a punching bag for Fox News.
I'm curious what is expected when traveling? Not that these situations described or pleasant or desirable, but I do think some of this speaks to a level of privileged entitlement .... should we not use this internet to be an informed traveler? Should we not go places and understand that it's not your super privileged home with running water, electricity, safety and all sorts of other things we take for granted on the regular? Should we not expect that the people we find are in fact not there to support a glorious movie vacation and serve us?
Avoid Branson Missouri. It bills itself as a Christian Disneyland. But, like Megachurches, it is there to talk every penny they can. And by that, it seems to be worse than the typical theme park gouging because, you know they're Christian, so it's okay to rip you off. On top of that, many of that staff are thinly disguised racists. Just skip. Not worth it.
but then again, personal experience.... I was in Dublin in the nineties, people were so rude to me, ripped me off in shops, it was horrible. I gave up on the town and took the train to Wicklow, where i met the most fantastic people ever. Friends went to Dublin few years later and had the best time ever. I went back to Dublin 20 years later, not thinking much of it on forehand, and had the best time ever.
Right, just the list of cities and countries I never intended to visit without even reading this list.
I do not understand why criticizing cities and countries just because you got a bad experience!!
