Travel’s great. You get to see new things, meet new people, get some perspective in life, disconnect from your regular life and recharge, in turn making you happier and giving you peace of mind, improving your communication skills and creativity, possibly boosting your confidence along the way, making memories, helping you understand yourself more, perhaps even improving your health… you get the point. It’s awesome.
But there is bound to be a ‘spoiled egg’ of a destination among travelers that just left a bad taste in their mouths, whether because the expectations were overhyped, or the destination was just not that good. Whatever the case may be, people have been discussing this online.
A Redditor by the nickname of u/0_7_0 posted the question “what city disappointed you the most when visiting?” on the r/AskReddit subreddit. This in turn prompted over 6,600 comments with a modest 5,900 upvotes and a handful of Reddit awards.
Scroll down to see the top cities people were most disappointed with and hence do not recommend. And while you’re at it, tell us which cities you were most disappointed with in the comment section below!
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wric84 said:
Came here to say Dubai. Decided to spend 10 days there while passing through. Had enough of it after 24 hours. Too many f$#&!&# malls. No culture.
Learned all about the ABCs though...
c19isdeadly replied:
Me too!
Horrid place, fancy malls and hotels for the westerners, but the streets are full of the poor / slaves. You really see what misery the whole place is built on.
I went there for work, I can't imagine how people can go there for fun.
While each city is unique in its own way, with many people on Reddit experiencing the same unique reasons for disappointment, there have been recurring themes among answers.
Most notably, it was things like the city had a certain unpleasant smell to it, or was trashy, whether actually untidy or just very cheap. Or both.
Some other places, like for instance Niagara Falls and Egypt had people feeling weird about the fact that the key attractions in these places, namely the Niagara Falls and the Pyramids, were very close to the cities themselves, and not some distant secret location offering adventure and excitement.
Lastly, yet others found some cities too modern, digital, and “plastic”, with things like casinos and malls creating a sense of unnatural urban development that lacks history and pathos.
themeanlantern said:
I hated Las Vegas so very f**king much. So dry, so trashy, so smokey, ugh.
regular6drunk7 replied:
Las Vegas reminded me of being inside a gigantic McDonalds. Everywhere bright colors, artificial happiness and fake smiles and all mathematically calculated to take the maximum amount of money out of your pocket.
The most charm-free place I've ever been.
Hollywood. And am embarrassed for people who travel around the world to see it. What they imagine it to be vs reality. Sorry, it's not what you expected you can have a good time in Hollywood, but do your research and check your expectations. Also, a lot of you seem to think I said the entirety of Los Angeles. LA definitely has plenty of problems, but if you truly think all of LA has nothing to offer, even for a visit, you've probably never step foot in a museum or tried foreign cuisine. The best concerts I've ever been to have all been in LA.
Bali changed so much the last 10 years. It used to be so beautiful and amazing… now it is full of “digital nomad” douchebags and overpriced food and crap. I remember when it was just a cool surf spot with cheap eats
Bored Panda has reached out to Irmante Sungailaite, an avid traveler and tour leader of G Adventures and National Geographic Journeys, to tell us more about what makes cities special for travelers, among other things.
"I have been traveling for 16 years, and I haven't meticulously kept a diary of all the cities that I have been to, as after 80 countries it's too easy to lose the count, but I can tell you that some places tend to steal your heart instantly, and some of them, well, you wouldn't even recommend it to your worst enemy," explained Irmante.
"As part of my work as a tour leader, I get to go to see many of the top of the 'bucket list' cities that many travelers are dying to discover. I have to admit that Venice has never been my top choice in Italy, but since my friends moved back there I got to see it in a totally different light--so places do change as well as you and your outlook does too."
Beijing. I arrived at the end of a trans- Mongolian rail trip seeing so many incredible places and I think it was just a huge anticlimax. Was intimidated by the level of armed security everywhere, had to fight off so many scammers, didn't enjoy being touched and laughed at when on the subway (I'm a very white European with curly hair). Overall just found it really challenging despite some amazing sights.
I was there in -99, so a lot has probably changed since then, but I enjoyed Bejing - so many fascinating, historical sites. There were a lot of scammers back then too, but no armed security, so maybe it wasn't as bad. And people kept handing us their babies and taking pictures of us holding them, which was odd, but not in a bad way. No pointing and laughing, even though we were both white (and one had curly hair), but then we didn't go on the subway (didn't know they had one - maybe it's new)
Pompeii
The Atmosphere was toxic, the local fair was rather bland, nothing was showing at the local amphitheater, and it seems like everyone you visit is sleeping.
Quiet neighborhood though.
Okay, I read toxic atmosphere and thought it to be a satirical post on when Pompeï still was a blast these many centuries ago.. 😅
User_492006 said:
Atlantic City. It's waayyy dirtier and run down than I thought it'd be.
housespecialdelight replied:
NJ resident. Atlantic City is terrible outside the casinos. You have to stick to the casinos outside of the boardwalk (Borgata or Harrahs) if you want to have a more classy experience.
There are some pretty old school amazing restaurants off the grid to venture out to though.
plz-pm-me-your-b**bz replied:
I was so disappointed by this city and my expectations weren't even high. It was just nasty there. The whole experience felt like biting into an apple only to realize it's an onion.
"If you choose a well known destination, there is a really high chance of it having a lot of 'tourist traps' but even then you can dig a little bit deeper and go local," elaborated Irmante. "It's also a lot about reality vs expectations--going to UAE, you have to understand that there will be a lot of malls--and if that's your thing--it will be better than heaven for anyone who is into strolling brightly lit miles of stores. Even in places like Dubai you can find gems that are off the beaten path - like going to Alserkal avenue that is full of art galleries, local artists workshops, quaint cafes, an independent cinema and a scrumptious chocolaterie."
Dread_Wolf_TakeMe said:
Branson Missouri felt like if wish.com were a place
Frenchy4life replied;
I have heard it called the Christian Las Vegas, couldn't have better described it. However, I did have fun..... went Zip Lining, saw a magic show, had an awesome brunch at the College of the Ozarks. I would rate that trip a 7 out fof 10. Especially since my parents did the stupid time share presentations to get free stuff lol
It is what fundamentalists think is fun. The entire thing is rural wholeomer-than-thou non-amusement park.
Miami. I never have allergies and had level 10 allergies pretty much as soon as I arrived. The food was over priced. Clubs were WAY over priced. There were to many plasticy people walking around. The social culture was way to rich for my blood. And I went with a narcissistic jackaloon (unrelated to the city but relevant to my disdain.)
I will never step foot in a state run by a dictator. DeSantis is a killer.
youburyitidigitup said:
Niagara Falls. I didn’t know the falls would be in a city. I thought it would be a national park. The whole place just felt like a giant shopping mall.
SaraAB87 said:
There is a state park to it, that is where the actual falls is. But of course the tourist area is like that. Also you don't want to go outside the tourist area on either the American or Canadian side of the falls, much crime occurs and both sides are extremely run down.
I know everyone loves Marrakesh, but i hated it
it would have been amazing before about 2000, but now it just feels like a disneyland version of their culture to cater to western tourists. ali baba costumes pretending to be desert nomads. half of their ‘hand made goods’ are just cheap s**t from china. and u cant walk 20 feet without being aporoached by scammers. like, literally every block
the entire city just feels like a facade to attract dumb tourist money
i get why ppl love it, but that was my take
According to Irmante, much of one's own experience of a place depends on the travelers themselves. While cities ought to provide a traveler-friendly environment, being able to enjoy the so-called 'tourist trap' is also something that requires a certain kind of skill and appreciation.
"I always wonder, though, what it was like to visit Barcelona or Dubrovnik 30 years ago and how they've changed, these places adapted to travelers' needs, meaning that sometimes they even tend to drift from their authenticity in order to make people feel comfortable being guests. It takes a seasoned traveler to go to lesser known destinations, but to thoroughly and authentically enjoy 'tourist traps' is also an art. So I would say that falling into the 'tourist trap' is up to the traveler itself. The city must have people that are easy to communicate with regardless of whether there's a language barrier, curious culture, different food, and their transport systems are easy to use."
As a Dutch person, I'm actually gonna say Amsterdam. So crowded, chaotic and getting run over by other tourists on bikes they've never ridden before. I feel like it's romanticized a lot because it's our capital but the first time I visited, I was genuinely disappointed. It's definitely dirtier on the streets and the canals have a lot of waste drifting in them.
And the people that are there don't seem to understand. "Honey, you're in Amsterdam, isn't it fantastic?" "I'm living the dream because I'm living in Amsterdam!" "Amsterdam is the heart and soul of the Netherlands!"
Meh. I'll just go to Utrecht or Den Bosch instead.
DontShootTheFood said:
Austin, Texas. Lived there in the ‘90s and it was pretty great. Now it’s an overcrowded, overpriced douchey mess.
BethG_99 replied:
As someone who grew up in & currently lives in Austin, you are 100% correct. The area is great to visit but horrible to stay in for any long-term period of time. And alot of what made up Austin's "Stay Weird" culture has vanished with the population boom, especially in downtown. Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty in Austin and the surrounding area to have a fun & interesting trip if you're visiting. But don't move here. It's so damn expensive, the population in the city & all the surrounding suburbs has exploded too quickly for infrastructure to keep up, and honestly the snobby attitude of some of the people (especially our local leaders) is becoming increasingly more noticeable. It used to still have the combination of Stay Weird hippy town mixed with Southern hospitality and small town community feel. Both of those have pretty much vanished now. I'm getting out of this area as soon as my boyfriend and I have saved up enough to move.
I definitely concur. I have family who moved there back when "Keep Austin Weird" was still a mantra, then a prayer, now a history. So many independent stores & restaurants have been replaced by chains. The traffic is horrible. The infrastructure just can't keep up with the growth. Compared to California, Texas is an inexpensive place to live, except for Austin, as so many Californians have moved there for the tech jobs. I still love visiting Austin, but it's not what it used to be. Oh yeah...Crappy Governor Greg Abbott is there, so that's another reason to be disappointed by Austin.
Manhattan smells like trash. Constantly. There is very little infrastructure for waste management for a city filled with 100 stories of office buildings, restaurants, and apartments, so on trash day you walk by 8-foot tall walls of trash bags stacked up on the sidewalk waiting for the trash trucks. And on a hot August day, ugh.
The whole city just stinks.
actually we have a very good infrastructure for waste management, maybe you came during the Sanitation slowdown during the union negotiations. But yeah, that huge wall of trash bags during the day is a lie, they are put out after 6 pm and are picked up over night, further that only applies to residential houses, not stores or apartments. This person is full of BS and probably never was here but saw 1990's Law and Order episdoes.
Idontknowthosewords said:
Paris was so dirty, and I was not prepared for the disdain of the French towards a stupid American. I believed the American Rom-Com movie version of Paris.
BlueberryPiano replied:
Don't forget smelly too. And not just one strong smell so you can get acclimated to it either. Fresh bread, urine, perfume, body odour. Yuck.
Paris is great but people need to manage their expectations and realise it's like any major metropolitan area, as in good and bad. A lot of visitors (especially Americans) have this overly romantic, gooey eyed idea of what they think Paris is so the reality is often a gut punch.
I really enjoyed Paris, but I think I had realistic expectations. I also had good manners.
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Smelly, dirty??? You just described EVERY metropolitan city in the WORLD!
What? I loved Paris. They could not have possibly been nicer or more helpful. I was really impressed with how nice they were. Not intrusive, but if you asked, they bent over backwards to help. Maybe it was the posters who were the problem?
I lived just outside Paris for a year, and I loved the place, but it's not like the American movies (but then, what is?) I didn't find it more smelly than any other city, and it's filled with amazing architecture and museums. Parisians are famously rude, but I never experienced it myself, maybe because I spoke (at least some) French.
I'm sure that helped... but Parisians have also gotten noticeably more tolerant of non-French-speakers in the last few years - probably because of sites like TripAdvisor.
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you should never hope to find a cinema atmosphere in reality, because there is no soundtrack, no mimes and no "typical" guys in beret/marcel/baguette :)
Ahhhh....standing looking at Notre Dame with the stench of urine....one of my best memories!
Ahhh being on the beatiful NYC subway !!! nyc1-61df0...6b530a.jpg 
I've been to Paris many many times (not only for a few days but rather several weeks), and I simply love it: The streets, the people, the architecture...
Funny, I lived in Paris 18 years, and I simply hated it : the streets, the people,... Ok, the architecture is sometimes nice, but in small areas.
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Yes, I read about it once. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/paris-syndrome-culture-shock-sickness-sends-japanese-tourists-packing
Load More Replies... I asked a friend who went to school in Paris how best not to be an ugly American. She said "not to just do business, greet people and acknowledge them as a person first, say Bonjour. Wait for them to respond, then ask for directions or whatever in English afterward." She was right, I had a wonderful time and everyone was nice to me. They didn't refuse to respond in English. Now I ask how clerks "are today" and make eye contact all the time when I go to a register or am waited on here in the US - it surprises them and they smile. I get good service, and actually find it a pleasure to connect for a moment.
Same in Africa. Treat people as if you are interested in their existence beyond them being a servant of some sort or automaton.
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Paris is gorgeous. Again though it's a big city with all that comes with being a city. I have always found the people who live there to be very friendly and helpful if you try to use a little French even a thank you, you are sorted.
a normal day in my old neighborhood in Paris (not a touristy area) : look how filthy it is ! yuk jules-joff...324015.jpg 
Lol! Your old neighborhood is so pretty! I've been to France once...in the Alsace region. It was really beautiful, and such a charming little place! I loved everything about it, especially the food. I'd love to visit Paris, but I would feel extremely intimidated since I'm American. I don't think we're liked by most countries lol especially the French. However, if I stay quiet and make my Dutch husband do all of the talking it might be okay lol. 💕
Load More Replies... Researchers at Yale University and Columbia University collaborated with the World Economic Forum to measure the cleanliness and environmental friendliness of 180 countries around the world. To accomplish this task, they created the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Top 10 Cleanest Countries in the World - 2020 EPI Denmark - 82.5 Luxembourg - 82.3 Switzerland - 81.5 United Kingdom - 81.3 France - 80 Austria - 79.6 Finland - 78.9 Sweden - 78.7 Norway - 77.7 Germany - 77.2
When I was there, the washed the streets daily - with ungodly amounts of water. And there still was so much dog poo! Now, Christoffel von Grimmelshausen wrote in 1668 that the streets of Paris were extremely "turdy", so it's probably a tradition.
French people visiting the US are shocked when the see open carried guns on the hips of civilians...
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Paris is my favourite city in the world. Its not perfect, I just love it there.
Paris is not any dirtier than whatever US city. At least it has culture. I don‘t wonder why some have problems acclimating.
when you pass in the street of a baker in the early morning, this is indeed the case
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Are all tourists stupid or just the ones on social media? Why would anyone think a large, populated city would be like the hokey movies you watch?
Paris is life. Americans are so stupid like, what did you expect??? It is a muktitudinary city, but it is still filled with culture, art and life
Thanks for lumping us all together. I'm sure you must enjoy hearing how the French are rude snobs.
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Life is what you make it. I've been to Paris four times, loved it each time. They are not Americans, how would you react in your home town if some got in your face and asked for directions (without even starting with "Excuse me.") in Mandarin Chinese and naturally expected you to understand and reply in Chinese. I've tried to learn at least a few basic phrases for the country which I'm going to visit before going... "A beer please." and "Where is the bathroom?" are top on the list! I took my 87 year old mom to Europe and told her we would be spending three days in Paris; she responded that one night would be enough... after three days, I barely could drag her away, she loved it and I still do too!
Not the Americans in the comments trashing on European body odor and culture as if we aren’t over here drowning in fast food grease and obesity. Just manage expectations; and based on what I’ve seen, many European countries respond this way to tourism from the USA because US tourists are entitled and do nothing to learn about or respect local customs.
Also, if some American tourists were respectful of other culture & did not feel superior to the habitants of other countries. You would be treated better. " Do you accept REAL MONEY?" Is common to hear. I have many American friends who pretend to be from somewhere else because of the embarrassment
Rented an apartment in Vth arrondissement. Not dirty: every morning the street washers woke us up. They even have faucets in the curbs because they're such sticklers. There is lots to like; they invented the public pissoir, just for you. I mean, us
I love Paris. It's an old city and has its own aroma. But I never found it to be awful. The people have always been friendly and helpful. It's an easy city to get around in. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do.
American here. I never wanted to go to Paris but my husband made me. I found it to be truly lovely. It was very clean and the people, ALL OF THEM, were VERY friendly and accommodating. Most people are if you treat them the same. And it did not smell. We were there in July. You want smell try New Orleans. Great city and great people but serious sanitation issues.
I disagree. I think you and the person who didn't like NYC just don't like big cities. I like big city life though, to me Paris hit all my expectations, loved it.
I loved it, amazing food, amazing culture, galleries, museums, even the obligatory Eiffel Tower climb was fun despite the long queues. I was polite and greeted people before asking for information, everyone was very nice and helpful. Yes there are rough areas like most big cities but I felt safe sticking to bright, non deserted streets
I liked Paris. I didn't find it dirty at all. Yes, people can be kinda smelly there because they're terrified of deodorant or something, but that's not Paris, that's most of Europe. I did have once French dude be an a*****e to me on a train once because I was American. But everyone else I met was super friendly. I even asked a guy there once about that whole "French hating Americans" thing. He said that it's not that they hate all Americans (generally), it's that a lot of Americans are very xenophobic and myopic, and that's what they hate. Many American tourists are straight-up obnoxious when they travel out of the country. I've even shied away from Americans during international travel because I was so embarrassed to be associated with them because of their behavior. But the dude said that he realized that like the French, not all Americans are the same. He said he loves it when anyone, Americans or otherwise, travel the world and embrace the experience of different cultures.
Everyone keeps saying that Paris smells. I was there for the first time this year and didn't get that at all. I was prepared for it to be dirty and smelly and was very pleasantly surprised.
If American tourists don't like the 'distain of the French', maybe learn a few words of the language, turn your volume down and stop going on about how great the USA is. I absolutely love the place and go as often as I can. People seem to forget that if you travel abroad things will be different, Paris is not a theme park for your amusement, people live and work there and shockingly even bake bread.
Everyone knows the French hate our ignorant asses. City is older than our nation what do you expect exactly?
Was there last month, really enjoyed it, friendly people, good food and lovely to sit outside a Brasserie and take in the atmosphere, service was always very good and pleasant
Paris is one of the city i will keep coming back. The architecture, city’s layout, the history, the culture, the food and people. every corner has a story of its own. Knowing what you are seeing is one way of enjoying travel.
I don't agree. Paris was amazing! If you try to speak a little French, Parisians are much more open and friendly. Assuming everyone speaks English (and most do) is rude and very American.
I met some young Parisians working by the Eiffel Tower. They wanted to come to America so badly. Especially Hollywood. SURPRISE!!! It sucks there, too.
Not sure where you were in Paris, but this is definitely not true. And lots of Parisians speak English and wanted to try it out once we asked them something. Also...several shops I went in, especially Marin Montagut, had very friendly staff.
Depends on what time of the year you go. Avoid the summer; it's expensive and crowded with tourists.
I went to Paris and fell in love. I live in LA and I think hollywood is dirtier, or some parts of San Francisco. think everything major city will have some areas that are not picture perfect. The architecture in Paris is amazing. I walked around the city for hours one afternoon, alone. I never encountered any rude Parisians. Always very polite. I think it's how you approach people. Some people went above and beyond to help me. Will definitely be going back, plan on moving to Paris for a year.
Paris? We went last year just before pandemic and I thought it was beautiful, safe and clean. But then I live near San Francisco which has turned into a disgusting, filthy place to visit let alone live. However, I will visit London over Paris any day.
As a French person, I absolutely agree. I always recommend other cities in France because we do have beautiful things to visit and we can be kind as well. Paris is very romanticized, that's why it gives people a shock. But it mostly sucks. But so does other cities in the world...
It didn't smell when we were there in early September 2018. I knew a few basic French words: Bon Jour (Good Day), Sil vous plait (Please), Merci (Thank you), Aurevoir or A'voir for short (Goodbye - literally until we meet again). If you enter a store and say Bon Jour, say Merci when the store clerk rings up your purchase or helps you while shopping, and say A'voir as you leave the store you will be treated well. When at a restaurant, say Sil vous plait before you order or when asking for the check. If you want the waiter, do not say Garcon. I think what you should say is Monsuir. When in Italy and Spain I used the Italian and Spanish terms for those same words. All you need to learn are 4 or 5 words and smile and treat people with respect. Don't act superior as if they're your servant.
I think I misspelled the word for Mister. Drawing a blank.
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I have visited paris 3 times. 3 very diff experiences. First as an 19 yr old on a contiki tour, so was protected from the real paris.2nd time was a solo visit and it was the french ppl that i found lacking in everything. Third visit, was after the terror attacks etc, paris seems hostile to ppl of color.
I find it interesting the reviewer was prepared for the "distain" of the French for Americans...it's legendary & been the subject of comedic jabs for years...Try Quebec next time. ❤🇨🇦
I liked Paris, so much history to see. We were there during News Years and it was fun place to experience the new year.
Whaaat??? Who are you people?? I agree with Bill Evs write up. I don't know kniw what the average person expects, but Paris is a world of its own. It's noisy and in some places it's dirty, but it's a wonderful experience.
Paris is like any large Western European or American city. Rent a car, and drive to the country. Everything's different there.
There was one Metro station which literally took my breath away. The smell was of some kind of chemical and was awful. Unfortunately, I had to travel through that station every day.
To be fair, Parisiennes, are rude to anyone from anywhere except Paris, including other French people.
They are right though. I've been to most capital cities in Europe and Paris was definitely one of the dirtiest. Surely it was also because of the number of tourists. Also a lot of people trying to cheat you and selling crap. I went to Paris 5 times and was not impressed once, there are a few areas that are lovely, but most of the touristy places are really overhyped.
Maybe the Parisians wouldn't have been so judgmental if you didn't stereotype them based on Emily in Paris.
If someone had come up to me when we were in Paris and said "I will sell you Paris for a dollar" I would have said "here's five bucks, go away and leave me alone." I was shocked that they CHARGE you for sitting inside a restaurant to eat. Not just for the food, but sitting down at a table to eat. One amazing restaurant, a local neighborhood restaurant, but that was it. And the hotel was considered a four star hotel, but we found out later that the star designation was related to how expensive it was, not how good it was.
Never ever go to 4-5 star hotels and to the restaurants what the hotel staff advice you to go. Rent an airbnb apartment (it would be cheaper), ask your host about his/her's favorite places, and all about what he/she can tell about the city. In this way, you have better chances to know the real city, instead of "tourist traps". And of course, use the internet wisely. It applies not just to Paris.
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Loved Paris. Favorite thing to do was buy amazing food at a bakery, some wine and read a book by the river.
I would say it's a different vision of politeness. American tourist, in particular, have a very singular vision of service and good manners. Cultural shock, but eh, that's why we travel ^^
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Why don't Parisian's pick up after their Dogs. No wonder they wear too much perfume the city stinks!
I was most shocked at how the trains smelled so bad I had to keep my face covered-- they should consider plastic seat instead of upholstery which holds odors.
And rats, rats, so many bloody rats, eating out of bins, grew the size of small cats, and walking nonchalantly amongst people. Smelly, dirty and ratty. Ratatouille!
Paris would be great, if it weren't for the Parisians. Similarly, NY would be great, if it weren't for Yorkers. And no, it doesn't add to the charm, Parisians bitch attitude adds charm.
that picture of Paris really shows how dirty it is ! LOL
NYC is so much cleaner : trash-imag...2a11a5.jpg 
"Whether the city is disappointing or not it's totally up to the traveler. It's how you feel in the place and how you can transform those feelings, even if the most annoying thing happened, taking a deep breath and turning it all into an adventurous memory. Being open minded, patient, curious and respectful is the key," explained Irmante.
"Plus, going to lesser visited locations even in the countries that have crazy popular hot cities could help adventurers to expand their horizons and also spread the money that is coming in from tourism more evenly in the country. So maybe instead of going to Barcelona, choose Bilbao, and check out Zagreb rather than spending too much time in Dubrovnik. And instead of going to Switzerland, go for Kazakhstan, and instead of Thailand--why not to checkout Sri Lanka?"
Gjilli said:
Naples, I think the best way I could describe the city center is as a sticky mcdonalds table
Beans20202 said:
Agreed - my family almost got mugged in Naples in the middle of the day. I literally felt unsafe the entire time and we were only there for a day trip.
From what I have heard, Naples is the Detroit of Italy. Best to stay away.
pittguzzo said:
Jacksonville Florida is a toilet.
pittguzzo replied:
I lived there for a couple of years for work… couldn’t wait to get out. To me it’s because they don’t let the smaller areas incorporate and become their own towns. This allows two things: 1. The reign as the largest city by land area in US to remain. 2. The tax $s are shared throughout, so there are few “good” and “bad” areas, leaving everywhere being mediocre and uneventful
FourSeasons1972 said:
Cairo, what a dump. Poverty-people constantly begging or have something trying to sell, insane traffic-literally horrible traffic. Pollution.
NewSyrup3238 replied:
What really bothered me was how close the city was to the pyramids. I thought the pyramids were in the middle of nowhere but nope, just spitting distance from the city, quite surreal actually.
Cairo is tough for tourists for the reasons stated. But I live in Cairo and wouldn't live anywhere else. Once you get past the beggars and scammers, Cairenes are some of the kindest and most generous people in the world.
mediaogre said:
Fresno, CA has entered the chat
JOEYisROCKhard said:
laughs in Bakersfield
ThoughtCenter87 replied:
I think Fresno is just a larger version of Bakersfield lmao. Can't decide which is worse.
I think in terms of air pollution Bakersfield is worse, if you visit that town (or more realistically drive through it to get to LA) it smells like rotten eggs for a while until your nose gets used to the smell lol
NotThatKindOfDrDr said:
It pains me to say this, but Dublin. My expectations were so high. That being said, I left my heart in Cork.
Brian_Gay replied:
Lived in dublin my whole life and I would say if you're going to live in Ireland permanently then yeah Dublin is the best shout as it has amenities, plenty of bars, restaurants, clubs etc but if you're going on a holiday to Ireland then donegal, Galway, Cork etc give you a much more "Irish" feel. Honestly I think the best way to do it would be to spend a few days in a few different counties, 3 days in Dublin will do then spread out, Ireland nice and small so it's very doable... Expensive though...
Lastly, we've asked Irmante what would she recommend as travel destinations, and she had this to say:
"I love Mexico City. For me, it's the most exciting place in the world for excellent food, fun bars, friendly locals and lots of culture. As a traveler, I found Beirut jam packed with culinary delights, beautiful architecture and charming hospitality, and Addis Ababa oozing intoxicating jazz and incredibly rich in history. And look, if going to destinations that are not necessarily the most popular is not your thing, there's nothing wrong with going to visit 'tourist traps'. It's all about how you do it."
You can follow Irmante's Instagram right here, and yes, she's more than willing to share where to get the best macchiatos in Addis Ababa, if you've got a craving and incidentally are traveling there.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. No offense to the folks that live there but I felt like everybody was angry, the traffic and parking was worse than Manhattan, and it had none of the redeeming qualities of NYC.
Traffic and parking is bad in a city? Goodness me. Philly has great museums, fantastic restaurants, lots of charm in the old part, a great quirky artistic side, and much of it is walkable. Love it as a tourist.
imatiredwoman said:
Athens. I couldn’t wait to go because I’m Greek. It’s filthy with polluted air and all of the famous ruins are right near city buildings, which are poorly constructed. The place feels very third world. The islands however, are fantastic!
FatManNuke69 said:
As much as I hate to say it, Athens was in pretty bad shape last I went (6 years ago and hasn't changed). The city has a very nice area called Plaka which is right beside the acropolis and is definitely a must if you go to mainland Greece and of course the general attractions like the Parthenon and the museum and of course the presidential building where if you're lucky enough, you'll catch a riot, so if you see people running... RUN.
But overall, outside of Plaka is a sh*thole. If you're going to Athens with the intent to feel like you've been transported into 500 BC then I've got bad news for you.
Denver. Just a big, hot, expensive city out on the plains. All the cool mountain activities that people move to CO for are 2 hours of driving away unless you can afford to live in the west suburbs so nobody does nearly as much recreation as the would do living somewhere else. Traffic is worse than Chicago to boot.
I honestly just want to go to Denver to see The Blue Stallion and the airport.
Trenton, New Jersey.
I wasn't really visiting or expecting to go there, just passing through on an Amtrak ride. I awoke from a nap to the train just stopped in what looked like Raccoon City. Trash everywhere, most of the buildings looked abandoned. The sky was cloudy and literally green. Like, sickly yellow-green. And most eerily, I didn't see a single car driving on the street or anyone walking around outside on the barren sidewalks. All the stores and restaurants looked closed and empty. I was actually sort of gripped by fear for a second, in my post-nap haze. Just wanted the doors to shut and the train to pull out of there. Nobody was getting on the Amtrak in Trenton. I didn't even know if there was anybody in Trenton. As the train pulled away and we went through the center of the city, a rail bridge over the river caught my eye. A massive sign was plastered on the side that read "TRENTON MAKES, THE WORLD TAKES."
Surreal and overall grim experience.
If you're disapointed by Trenton, NJ, you must have never heard of it. That's like being disapointed by the cuisine in a dumpster.
Bigjay_37 said:
Manila, traffic was horrible and it was so dirty, nice buildings but the entire experience was stressful.
rodroidrx replied:
Don't forget the slums and street children hounding you for money
You can read more answers (and opinions) Redditors had in the original post here. Or you can brows even more travel-related articles right here on Bored Panda.
But before you go, why not share some of your travel destinations that left you feeling disappointed in the comment section below!
sustainablecaptalist said:
Birmingham, UK. I had a very dreamy idea of it for some reason.
It's probably the shi**iest city in the UK.
Edit: People are asking me why I thought good about Birmingham. To them my only defense is that I'm from India. I didn't know much about Birmingham, name sounded very romantic to me!
Pumpkin-Bomb replied:
I don’t get how the only thing of interest in the second biggest city in the U.K., is a shopping centre. It’s such a grim grey place that’s not interesting at all.
Each other major UK city has its own unique qualities and landmarks that make it worth a visit. I’ve yet to see what that is in Birmingham.
Konstantynopolitancz said:
Frankfurt - just kinda seemed like a boring banking / politics city. It's entirely possible I just didn't go to the right parts though. The park by the river was nice.
Soleska replied:
That's what most Germans think about the city, too.
Every bigger city in Germany is some ugly mixture of old and modern. You should go for some smaller ones.
Only exception I can think of is Hamburg. Has its dirty parts, but overall nice city.
I always give the same answer, Venice.
Beautiful architecture and fascinating history... but dear god is it humid, the water is absolutely filthy, its so overcrowded, and there's gift stands in every corner selling the same cheap wares.
Bratislava. It was further worsened cause I was coming from somewhere amazing (Vienna) before and went to this dump of a city. Nightlife and drinking amazing there though, some cool oddities, but if I was to go back, I'd not spend more than half-day there.
Aussie-of-Skellige said:
Rome. From d**kheads trying to steal my suitcase off the train, from my bulls**t hotel room I was lied to about, to the a**face who didn’t want to accept my green card as legit. Amongst other things.
SWLondonLady said:
Came here for this. Not being able to look at any historical monuments without a selfie stick thrust into your face. And so many tourists.
Most of these examples are from people that don't research before they travel! As a control freak in traveling i cannot understand that! I've been in places that are not famous or touristic as well as very touristic areas and never found a single place that didn't enjoy! I believe that every place has its own beauty if you know where to go and what to do! Nowadays we can have so much information through internet that it's a shame not to research! We get maybe few holidays in our life so it better worth it right? Spend some days for research and you will not regret it!
I can't speak to the places in the US, but it seems to me that most of these complaints come from the very people who have turned these cities into tourist traps. If you lived in one of the tourist hotspots and saw thousands of visitors every day, you'd probably try to cash in as well.
The US parks system has some very well curated historical locations that may give people used to that an unrealistic expectation. Add that our social studies classes work hard to zoom through 4000 years of "western" history but largely neglect to represent places as they are now or mention places that weren't central to European culture and it's no surprise that expectations and reality don't always line up. I'm sure that's true in other places too, but I can only speak to my experiences here. If you didn't realize while planning and have difficulty adjusting expectations, it can be a let down when reality is a mismatch, and bad experiences that make you feel taken advantage of can really amplify that. As for the places in the US, they don't belong on this list. Most of the places listed are not major tourist destinations, so they aren't "over rated". There are great places to visit in the US and also over rated places to visit in the US but this list did not capture them mostly.
Load More Replies... I live in Jacksonville. What did those people expect? Orlando? Jacksonville is a great place and is not a toilet. The person who said that probably only visited downtown, and I’ll admit our downtown is kind of a toilet. But the rest of the city has personality. We don’t have 1 million people for nothing. Overall my city is unremarkable and often forgotten, it’s still a great place to live.
Yeah, how can Jacksonville and some of these other places possibly be "overrated"? I've never met anyone dying to go to Jacksonville. Not saying it's terrible (although I've been there and honestly just don't remember much), I just don't understand how it's appropriate for a post asking for places that are overrated.
Load More Replies... most of these comments sound like those people who were told to travel in order to broaden their minds but who came to be disappointed because they were expecting a cartoonish disneyland and were shocked to discover it was a real, living, breathing city, with actual poor people. SHOCK. HORROR.
I just commented that they must have never been to any big cities before these trips if they're complaining about crowds and smells and how dirty they are!
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I was in many places from this list. I like to return to some again and also do but on some i was first and last time (Paris, Rome…) but still had a very nice time there. But it seems this list is created by pure haters. Like really, you did not enjoy nothing in Venice, Amsterdam, Dublin, Athens, NY…? C’mon. Haters gonna hate.
What a gawdawful article. Of all the places I've visited on this list, none of them match the descriptions. Harder to park in Philly than NYC?! The Paris complaints are all cliches and completely false, Same with Rome and Amsterdam, which are gorgeous. Why are Fresno and Trenton even considered destinations for this list? All ridiculous. Please ignore this stupid article.
No, i agree with the Paris description. Been a few times, its got some incredible architecture and history but the city itself is an absolute dump, everything is filthy, grafittid, piles of rubbish everywhere and absolutely stank. Now they have these electric scooters for hire they're just strewn everywhere with absolute abandon which just adds to this whole run down atmosphere.
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I have found that with the right perspective, a bit of research, and realistic expectations anywhere you go can be amazing. That being said, I have no idea why some of these cities were even on the list as they aren't typical places people think about for vacations ( Fresno? Jacksonville? Branson? Trenton? Really?). I have never heard of anyone, even through seven degrees of separation, who has had a burning desire to get a visa, fly 12 hours and go to Branson. If I happened to find myself in Branson, sure, I'd have a good time because I always find things to do that are fun for me. But there aren't travel guides and agents all over the world trying to get you to Branson like they do for Paris or Venice. It's just a really weird list of legitimate tourist places and just regular towns that may have a downtown nightlife or a beach with gambling.
"I am a tourist who believed the Hollywood perfection of cities. I went to a destination specifically designed for tourists and was appalled by the number of tourists there. 0/10." Seriously that was abt 90% of these. Manage expectations and just have fun in these countries without wanting perfection.
All these people do is go to tourist destinations. WHY? I've traveled alot and all of these places, they all went to tourist traps. DON'T!! Get out of those places and go visiting/exploring where the locals live. You are seriously missing out. Many cultures enjoy inviting others for dinner/lunch or a drink. Your doing it wrong. Very wrong.
Elitist snobs looking for reasons to complain instead of reasons to enjoy. A direct reflection of the type of people they are. Imagine going to Rome or paris and complaining.
This is an incredibly ridiculous article full of nothing but entitled whiners. One personal experience from an idiosyncratic person and we're supposed to take value from their small-minded and reactionary view? Infuriating. Reminds me of the one star reviews of the wonders of the world. Toxic atmosphere my asshole.
Honestly it just sounds like salty travelers who only go for tourist spots and not the people. Outside the use anyway. Been to alot of the listed places and had a fantastic time. And most of the us locations are all dank dirty places. Cali and New Jersey being the top of the list. Proper research and you will have a blast. Or just a wing it kinda thing and it's even better.
There seems to be a pattern here: great expectations that don't measure up to reality. Plus tourists complaining that the place is full of tourists. You also look like a mark to the locals, so you'll be mugged, begged and treated with contempt because tourists are always needed, but never welcome.
In Florida we welcome tourists. Tourists. Just go back home afterwards rather than moving here, and we're good!
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As someone who lives in San Francisco, I'm surprised to not see my city on the list. This city has a lot of issues but if you stay away from tourist areas and certain bad neighborhoods, it still as A LOT to offer. Museums, art galleries, food, music, city walks, views, etc. J
I grew up in the Bay Area and, yeah, the places in SF that the tourists used to frequent are pretty blighted. I still go in, but I can't remember the last time I went to Union Square. I'll go to Golden Gate Park and hit the museums or occasionally see a show. The region, as a whole though, is actually a pretty amazing place. So many gorgeous outdoor spaces you can enjoy with temperate weather, as well as the museums, entertainment, amazing food, diverse culture and such. It's a great place to live in many ways. It's a shame it's become so expensive, though.
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All the tourists traps in East Tennessee- Sevierville, pigeon forge, Gatlinburg... all commercialized, cheesy, overpriced, crowded and waaaaay overrated. If you're traveling to that area, visit the state/national parks and the natural beauty around there instead. You can visit the commercialization anywhere.
I didn't travel much or far away, but I found the way to love every place I have been to, even smallest fisherman villages (especially those), and smallest cities and big dirty towns. Every place has its charms. Only problem is pollution and horrible super tourism that will destroy it all.
Really now, with a little research you certainly find a great or interesting time in each these places. To say Paris, Rome or Venice is not amazing is crazy....try looking at the art and architecture rather than the gutters. You can not beat the history. Sounds like someone who is just wanting to go to another nightclub wrote this!
Did the author just filter on a bunch of negative comments of all these locations or actually visit all 30 of them? I see plenty of positive reviews, too, but I guess positive stuff doesn't drive clickbait. How in the world does this pass for journalism?! Shame, Bored Panda...
If you don't like the world why you guys are living and writing about it...sounds ignorance..then tell me if you Home or the place you are living is considered well for living I mean you are talking about scammers poor ppl expensive food and bad tourism the same weird things you will find everywhere you walk...with all respect writer don't show your ignorance but I respect the right of expression
For the Bali one i have to disagree because as someone who lives in Indonesia, i think this is more of a you problem than it is a Bali problem. There are so many cheap places to eat in Bali and you really aren't gonna get the Bali experience if all you're eating is the hotel cafe type of food. You have to go and eat the street foods which are really cheap and delicious.
. came expecting to see Cancun in the #2, now i go amazed it didn't appear at all. i'm mexican, and i know very well almost all my country, and i've been to Cancun since i was 4 (46 now), i know what i say (and i went to a few in the list, also). .
This list was 99.9% of tourists going to a tourist destination and complaining about all the tourists that are there.
I would never want to visit any of these places to begin with?! 'Trenton' ?! Really?? Lmao the only place I've been to that was a let down, was Myrtle Beach, but some places I've been to, were AWESOME! San Juan, PR.... Virginia Beach, VA .... Savannah, GA.... Tucson, AZ
Hilton Head is only a half step better than Myrtle Beach. Food tour of Savannah was great, though.
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Totally agree with the negative comments about Las Vegas. Was going to take a job there and went to visit for a week. By the second day, I knew I would never live or work there. Go about 2 blocks in either direction from the strip and it looks like a war zone. A completely soulsucking s**thole. People living like refugees in campers who don't have the money to get out. Some places made Cousin Eddie's trailer look like a 5 star hotel.
Nashville. Used to live there. Now I live in a tiny town a little ways away from it called pleasentville. It's not the busty blondes you see in movies. You only find southern people in the actual country. Most people in Nashville have never been anywhere else in Tennessee. The city is filled with garbage and they are constantly blasting crappily written country music. Tourists only care about the "Batman building" or the Nissan stadium (which is actually pretty cool, just not as cool as people say it is.) People on their internet either think it's trashy but have never lived there, think it's amazing and have never lived there, has no opinion on it, or has lived there or been there and knows what it's actually like.
Let's make it short and to the point. Any overhyped, overpriced tourist destination anywhere in the world.
Toronto Canada. I have lived here my entire life and I have no idea why they brag about this city being the place to visit. There is nothing so different or special here. All the things Toronto has can be found in every big dirty city in Canada. You want museums , malls and restaurants pick any city anywhere.
Lived there a lot of my life. Compared to some places I've been Toronto is actually pretty clean. But the construction there has gone completely out of control, especially condos. If there's an empty space at all someone's going to build on it. My nephew and his wife want to come here to visit and see TO. Why? It has a museum. Ok. It has an art gallery. Ok. It has the CN Tower. Ok. There are only 2 things that I consider worth it. Go to a ballgame at Rogers Center and our new aquarium. DO NOT stay in a hotel downtown. If you check the site that actually lists this, just about everyone of them, even the best of them have bedbugs.
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I enjoyed Portland. Went to the Blues festival. Japanese and Rose gardens. Columbia River gorge. Couple days in Cannon Beach. Caught a play.
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If you go looking at attractions in a city.....YOU are a tourist so don't complain about there being too many.
Pompeii is not a city or an amusement park, it's an archaeological site whose age is breathtaking; if you ignore the history and expect a show at the amphitheatre....lions and gladiators, maybe?
I keep wondering if any of these people had been in any large city before going on these trips... They're all dirty and smell bad, that's what happens when you have millions of people living in one small area... Sorry they aren't your friendly middle class suburb that sweep all the homeless up and no one uses the sidewalks.
I’ve been to a lot of these places and highly disagree with most of their opinions. It’s all what you make of it~ research some of the not so crowded hidden gems and go visit immerse yourself in the culture. I mean come on. These people seem line they hate everywhere lol
The problem is that people think that all will be prefect, tourists raise their spectations too much and forget that every place has it's problems, of course all capitals will be expensive! I visited the capital of my State and everything was more expensive than in my birthplace but I loved visiting the museum, zoo and the opera.
In conclusion don't go anywhere that isn't a deserted rainforest apparently
Yes. Please tell everyone these places suck. Fewer crowds = more enjoyable. Vegas is a complete dumpster fire, rampant with maskless COVID, and criminals. We were mugged eighteen times in a SINGLE day!!! Don't go to Vegas! *wiiink*
I think most people that are annoyed because of the poverty (in the meaning that they think the place is a bad destination because it has poor people) of some places are kinda clueless, they were probably expecting a fairytale beautiful city with happy people holding hands, but you know, you will only see this perfect landscape in very VERY specific places, mostly small middle class cities... what did they expect us to do with the poor people? put them all in a box and move them to somewhere else? it's a sad reality around the world, of course it's sad to see but for me it isn't a reason to say a place sucks
I think all the world is very interesting...some of you only talk s.... And criticize for profession...you will found scammers secury law .weird ppl and fetish things wherever you go in my opinion the crew who made this they have poor imagination and a little of ignorance...if the world is not enough for you guys what are you doing living in this world
Afraid I have to add Honolulu to the list. Lived there mid 80's, Waikiki still had a quaintness though very touristy. Went back in 03 & that had all been replaced by the usual Designer BS stores...they replaced Hulas Bar and Lei Stand w/Nike and cut down the biggest Banyon Tree I'd seen. I cried...I'll just live in those 80's days thank you.✌
Rome was awesome!!! Great nightlife and lots of historic spots for those who love history. NOW PISA WAS BORING AS HECK.
So basically you can always find someone who thinks something sucks. Very insightful.
Hah. How did this list miss Yosemite? Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, but it's basically bumper to bumper so that, unless you booked a back country pass a decade ago, it's like driving in LA traffic for what isn't even in my top 10 US National Parks and monuments, and arguably it's probably the worst of the ones people have heard of if they don't live within 100 miles of them, and also worse than a few that mostly only locals really know of. It's honestly not even as good as some state parks and private tourist traps. Again, it's not -terrible- but you shouldn't fly there IMO.
Jacksonville. I lived there for the last 30 years. There is so much to do there. Tons of history. A few interesting museums. Wonderful parks and recreation areas. Loads of sports and music venues. I do agree that the layout of Jacksonville is odd. A half million dollar home will be backed right up to dangerous section eight apartments separated only by a privacy fence. So if you can overlook the hookers, drug dealers and gunfire then it's great place to visit.
Badmouthing only Republican politicians. We know where you lean. Not one comment about Democrats in power shamelessly ruining several of these cities.
I actually only saw one political thread caused by an ignorant comment. The remainder didn't have much politics at all.
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Agree on Austin. Visiting: The music scene is being pushed out for luxury condos(there's a housing shortage), all of the cool street and food vendors can't afford to live here anymore. People here are getting pretentious. You can go everywhere in workout clothes though. Living: Rents went up 25% this year and the income inequality just keeps growing. Elon Musk is starting to act as though he is going to run Austin, Texas politics is insane, Austin just banned homeless people, there's no real public transit, the infrastructure cannot keep up, and there's no big city amenities except Ikea. If it was a car it would be a Silicon Valley engine, with an LA body(traffic, liberal, kind of artisty? etc) and painted red
I want to put my city, Winnipeg, on this list. People who live here are patriotic about this place. The people who visit are shocked how ... ugly and unexciting it is despite a push for tourism here. If you want to experience the prairies and Canadian wildlife, you may see a deer along the inner city river banks on a boat ride. But you'll have to go to one of the many campsites or a park conservatory to enjoy the wilderness. Yeah, Winnipeg has a vast urban canopy of disease ridden elmwood trees that are often slated for cutting down. In the spring you get canker worms hanging off many trees over the streets. Mosquitoes galore in the summer. Wasps late summer to early fall. Despite the tourism organizations trying to get people to come downtown, it is like Detroit's downtown. Other than the business times, no one is really going to go and hang around besides going to the odd dangerous bar or nightclub, where there's a chance of a shooting or stabbing.
There is a travel advisory for visiting the North End, and unless you're visiting someone you know, there's no reason to be walking around there. Even driving is risky as carjackings and theft is rising. Some areas in the surrounding communities are clean and pleasant, but downtown is filthy and even though panhandlers are not allowed to approach people for money they still do and police don't enforce this law.
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I come from a multi/dual/different citizenship family of itinerant travelers and (yes, it’s a humble brag) I’ve been to 35 countries and 43 of the 50 US states. As far as traveling for holiday/vacation/tourism goes, the worst places I’ve visited in the US are Tulsa, Oklahoma and Mount Rushmore, SD. Worse than any place I’ve seen in Florida or New Jersey. Internationally, Phuket and southern Thailand and Mumbai. Europe, specifically: Bratislava (there’s a reason the horror franchise “Hostel” was filmed/set there) and Brussels. The latter may be interesting if you’re involved with and appreciate European politics, but Brugge and Ghent are much nicer and more interesting places. Like Manhattan, Rome, Paris, London and other larger cities in Europe are love/hate place, where there is an abundance of disgusting and equally amazing. The places with this largest dualism for me are Varanasi, India and Bangkok.
OMG. I live in Bratislava and can say NOTHING is real in Hostel and is far faaaaaar away from reality. We have here a pretty good living where isn’t any big problem from your sallary to buy 200-300k € worth house or apartment. So you can keep this bullshits for your friends from wet hood…
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How London didn't make this list baffles me , EVERYTHING is over priced . the people just dont seem to acknowledge you at all unless they're trying to sell you something or rob you
I'm in the US and I've only visited London a couple times, but I loved it. I could go back for a couple weeks and spend the entire time in the British Museum without getting bored. So much to see and do, and you can get everywhere without a car, which holds a lot of appeal coming from the US. We've actually considered moving there. Maybe the massive crowds would get to me after awhile, though. Plus, I've only visited in summer. I'm from California where the weather is very mild. I've been warned I might find other seasons there shocking.
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This post should be called 'Americans thinking the world has to be like in the movies' For Chrissake, just travel with a company - Trafalgar or such. That way you see the sights and are on a bus the rest of the time, nice and safe and far away from any inconvenience.
Too many people on the planet, too much disposable income, too much tourism.
Most of these examples are from people that don't research before they travel! As a control freak in traveling i cannot understand that! I've been in places that are not famous or touristic as well as very touristic areas and never found a single place that didn't enjoy! I believe that every place has its own beauty if you know where to go and what to do! Nowadays we can have so much information through internet that it's a shame not to research! We get maybe few holidays in our life so it better worth it right? Spend some days for research and you will not regret it!
I can't speak to the places in the US, but it seems to me that most of these complaints come from the very people who have turned these cities into tourist traps. If you lived in one of the tourist hotspots and saw thousands of visitors every day, you'd probably try to cash in as well.
The US parks system has some very well curated historical locations that may give people used to that an unrealistic expectation. Add that our social studies classes work hard to zoom through 4000 years of "western" history but largely neglect to represent places as they are now or mention places that weren't central to European culture and it's no surprise that expectations and reality don't always line up. I'm sure that's true in other places too, but I can only speak to my experiences here. If you didn't realize while planning and have difficulty adjusting expectations, it can be a let down when reality is a mismatch, and bad experiences that make you feel taken advantage of can really amplify that. As for the places in the US, they don't belong on this list. Most of the places listed are not major tourist destinations, so they aren't "over rated". There are great places to visit in the US and also over rated places to visit in the US but this list did not capture them mostly.
Load More Replies... I live in Jacksonville. What did those people expect? Orlando? Jacksonville is a great place and is not a toilet. The person who said that probably only visited downtown, and I’ll admit our downtown is kind of a toilet. But the rest of the city has personality. We don’t have 1 million people for nothing. Overall my city is unremarkable and often forgotten, it’s still a great place to live.
Yeah, how can Jacksonville and some of these other places possibly be "overrated"? I've never met anyone dying to go to Jacksonville. Not saying it's terrible (although I've been there and honestly just don't remember much), I just don't understand how it's appropriate for a post asking for places that are overrated.
Load More Replies... most of these comments sound like those people who were told to travel in order to broaden their minds but who came to be disappointed because they were expecting a cartoonish disneyland and were shocked to discover it was a real, living, breathing city, with actual poor people. SHOCK. HORROR.
I just commented that they must have never been to any big cities before these trips if they're complaining about crowds and smells and how dirty they are!
Load More Replies... I was in many places from this list. I like to return to some again and also do but on some i was first and last time (Paris, Rome…) but still had a very nice time there. But it seems this list is created by pure haters. Like really, you did not enjoy nothing in Venice, Amsterdam, Dublin, Athens, NY…? C’mon. Haters gonna hate.
What a gawdawful article. Of all the places I've visited on this list, none of them match the descriptions. Harder to park in Philly than NYC?! The Paris complaints are all cliches and completely false, Same with Rome and Amsterdam, which are gorgeous. Why are Fresno and Trenton even considered destinations for this list? All ridiculous. Please ignore this stupid article.
No, i agree with the Paris description. Been a few times, its got some incredible architecture and history but the city itself is an absolute dump, everything is filthy, grafittid, piles of rubbish everywhere and absolutely stank. Now they have these electric scooters for hire they're just strewn everywhere with absolute abandon which just adds to this whole run down atmosphere.
Load More Replies... I have found that with the right perspective, a bit of research, and realistic expectations anywhere you go can be amazing. That being said, I have no idea why some of these cities were even on the list as they aren't typical places people think about for vacations ( Fresno? Jacksonville? Branson? Trenton? Really?). I have never heard of anyone, even through seven degrees of separation, who has had a burning desire to get a visa, fly 12 hours and go to Branson. If I happened to find myself in Branson, sure, I'd have a good time because I always find things to do that are fun for me. But there aren't travel guides and agents all over the world trying to get you to Branson like they do for Paris or Venice. It's just a really weird list of legitimate tourist places and just regular towns that may have a downtown nightlife or a beach with gambling.
"I am a tourist who believed the Hollywood perfection of cities. I went to a destination specifically designed for tourists and was appalled by the number of tourists there. 0/10." Seriously that was abt 90% of these. Manage expectations and just have fun in these countries without wanting perfection.
All these people do is go to tourist destinations. WHY? I've traveled alot and all of these places, they all went to tourist traps. DON'T!! Get out of those places and go visiting/exploring where the locals live. You are seriously missing out. Many cultures enjoy inviting others for dinner/lunch or a drink. Your doing it wrong. Very wrong.
Elitist snobs looking for reasons to complain instead of reasons to enjoy. A direct reflection of the type of people they are. Imagine going to Rome or paris and complaining.
This is an incredibly ridiculous article full of nothing but entitled whiners. One personal experience from an idiosyncratic person and we're supposed to take value from their small-minded and reactionary view? Infuriating. Reminds me of the one star reviews of the wonders of the world. Toxic atmosphere my asshole.
Honestly it just sounds like salty travelers who only go for tourist spots and not the people. Outside the use anyway. Been to alot of the listed places and had a fantastic time. And most of the us locations are all dank dirty places. Cali and New Jersey being the top of the list. Proper research and you will have a blast. Or just a wing it kinda thing and it's even better.
There seems to be a pattern here: great expectations that don't measure up to reality. Plus tourists complaining that the place is full of tourists. You also look like a mark to the locals, so you'll be mugged, begged and treated with contempt because tourists are always needed, but never welcome.
In Florida we welcome tourists. Tourists. Just go back home afterwards rather than moving here, and we're good!
Load More Replies... As someone who lives in San Francisco, I'm surprised to not see my city on the list. This city has a lot of issues but if you stay away from tourist areas and certain bad neighborhoods, it still as A LOT to offer. Museums, art galleries, food, music, city walks, views, etc. J
I grew up in the Bay Area and, yeah, the places in SF that the tourists used to frequent are pretty blighted. I still go in, but I can't remember the last time I went to Union Square. I'll go to Golden Gate Park and hit the museums or occasionally see a show. The region, as a whole though, is actually a pretty amazing place. So many gorgeous outdoor spaces you can enjoy with temperate weather, as well as the museums, entertainment, amazing food, diverse culture and such. It's a great place to live in many ways. It's a shame it's become so expensive, though.
Load More Replies... All the tourists traps in East Tennessee- Sevierville, pigeon forge, Gatlinburg... all commercialized, cheesy, overpriced, crowded and waaaaay overrated. If you're traveling to that area, visit the state/national parks and the natural beauty around there instead. You can visit the commercialization anywhere.
I didn't travel much or far away, but I found the way to love every place I have been to, even smallest fisherman villages (especially those), and smallest cities and big dirty towns. Every place has its charms. Only problem is pollution and horrible super tourism that will destroy it all.
Really now, with a little research you certainly find a great or interesting time in each these places. To say Paris, Rome or Venice is not amazing is crazy....try looking at the art and architecture rather than the gutters. You can not beat the history. Sounds like someone who is just wanting to go to another nightclub wrote this!
Did the author just filter on a bunch of negative comments of all these locations or actually visit all 30 of them? I see plenty of positive reviews, too, but I guess positive stuff doesn't drive clickbait. How in the world does this pass for journalism?! Shame, Bored Panda...
If you don't like the world why you guys are living and writing about it...sounds ignorance..then tell me if you Home or the place you are living is considered well for living I mean you are talking about scammers poor ppl expensive food and bad tourism the same weird things you will find everywhere you walk...with all respect writer don't show your ignorance but I respect the right of expression
For the Bali one i have to disagree because as someone who lives in Indonesia, i think this is more of a you problem than it is a Bali problem. There are so many cheap places to eat in Bali and you really aren't gonna get the Bali experience if all you're eating is the hotel cafe type of food. You have to go and eat the street foods which are really cheap and delicious.
. came expecting to see Cancun in the #2, now i go amazed it didn't appear at all. i'm mexican, and i know very well almost all my country, and i've been to Cancun since i was 4 (46 now), i know what i say (and i went to a few in the list, also). .
This list was 99.9% of tourists going to a tourist destination and complaining about all the tourists that are there.
I would never want to visit any of these places to begin with?! 'Trenton' ?! Really?? Lmao the only place I've been to that was a let down, was Myrtle Beach, but some places I've been to, were AWESOME! San Juan, PR.... Virginia Beach, VA .... Savannah, GA.... Tucson, AZ
Hilton Head is only a half step better than Myrtle Beach. Food tour of Savannah was great, though.
Load More Replies... Totally agree with the negative comments about Las Vegas. Was going to take a job there and went to visit for a week. By the second day, I knew I would never live or work there. Go about 2 blocks in either direction from the strip and it looks like a war zone. A completely soulsucking s**thole. People living like refugees in campers who don't have the money to get out. Some places made Cousin Eddie's trailer look like a 5 star hotel.
Nashville. Used to live there. Now I live in a tiny town a little ways away from it called pleasentville. It's not the busty blondes you see in movies. You only find southern people in the actual country. Most people in Nashville have never been anywhere else in Tennessee. The city is filled with garbage and they are constantly blasting crappily written country music. Tourists only care about the "Batman building" or the Nissan stadium (which is actually pretty cool, just not as cool as people say it is.) People on their internet either think it's trashy but have never lived there, think it's amazing and have never lived there, has no opinion on it, or has lived there or been there and knows what it's actually like.
Let's make it short and to the point. Any overhyped, overpriced tourist destination anywhere in the world.
Toronto Canada. I have lived here my entire life and I have no idea why they brag about this city being the place to visit. There is nothing so different or special here. All the things Toronto has can be found in every big dirty city in Canada. You want museums , malls and restaurants pick any city anywhere.
Lived there a lot of my life. Compared to some places I've been Toronto is actually pretty clean. But the construction there has gone completely out of control, especially condos. If there's an empty space at all someone's going to build on it. My nephew and his wife want to come here to visit and see TO. Why? It has a museum. Ok. It has an art gallery. Ok. It has the CN Tower. Ok. There are only 2 things that I consider worth it. Go to a ballgame at Rogers Center and our new aquarium. DO NOT stay in a hotel downtown. If you check the site that actually lists this, just about everyone of them, even the best of them have bedbugs.
Load More Replies... I enjoyed Portland. Went to the Blues festival. Japanese and Rose gardens. Columbia River gorge. Couple days in Cannon Beach. Caught a play.
Load More Replies... If you go looking at attractions in a city.....YOU are a tourist so don't complain about there being too many.
Pompeii is not a city or an amusement park, it's an archaeological site whose age is breathtaking; if you ignore the history and expect a show at the amphitheatre....lions and gladiators, maybe?
I keep wondering if any of these people had been in any large city before going on these trips... They're all dirty and smell bad, that's what happens when you have millions of people living in one small area... Sorry they aren't your friendly middle class suburb that sweep all the homeless up and no one uses the sidewalks.
I’ve been to a lot of these places and highly disagree with most of their opinions. It’s all what you make of it~ research some of the not so crowded hidden gems and go visit immerse yourself in the culture. I mean come on. These people seem line they hate everywhere lol
The problem is that people think that all will be prefect, tourists raise their spectations too much and forget that every place has it's problems, of course all capitals will be expensive! I visited the capital of my State and everything was more expensive than in my birthplace but I loved visiting the museum, zoo and the opera.
In conclusion don't go anywhere that isn't a deserted rainforest apparently
Yes. Please tell everyone these places suck. Fewer crowds = more enjoyable. Vegas is a complete dumpster fire, rampant with maskless COVID, and criminals. We were mugged eighteen times in a SINGLE day!!! Don't go to Vegas! *wiiink*
I think most people that are annoyed because of the poverty (in the meaning that they think the place is a bad destination because it has poor people) of some places are kinda clueless, they were probably expecting a fairytale beautiful city with happy people holding hands, but you know, you will only see this perfect landscape in very VERY specific places, mostly small middle class cities... what did they expect us to do with the poor people? put them all in a box and move them to somewhere else? it's a sad reality around the world, of course it's sad to see but for me it isn't a reason to say a place sucks
I think all the world is very interesting...some of you only talk s.... And criticize for profession...you will found scammers secury law .weird ppl and fetish things wherever you go in my opinion the crew who made this they have poor imagination and a little of ignorance...if the world is not enough for you guys what are you doing living in this world
Afraid I have to add Honolulu to the list. Lived there mid 80's, Waikiki still had a quaintness though very touristy. Went back in 03 & that had all been replaced by the usual Designer BS stores...they replaced Hulas Bar and Lei Stand w/Nike and cut down the biggest Banyon Tree I'd seen. I cried...I'll just live in those 80's days thank you.✌
Rome was awesome!!! Great nightlife and lots of historic spots for those who love history. NOW PISA WAS BORING AS HECK.
So basically you can always find someone who thinks something sucks. Very insightful.
Hah. How did this list miss Yosemite? Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, but it's basically bumper to bumper so that, unless you booked a back country pass a decade ago, it's like driving in LA traffic for what isn't even in my top 10 US National Parks and monuments, and arguably it's probably the worst of the ones people have heard of if they don't live within 100 miles of them, and also worse than a few that mostly only locals really know of. It's honestly not even as good as some state parks and private tourist traps. Again, it's not -terrible- but you shouldn't fly there IMO.
Jacksonville. I lived there for the last 30 years. There is so much to do there. Tons of history. A few interesting museums. Wonderful parks and recreation areas. Loads of sports and music venues. I do agree that the layout of Jacksonville is odd. A half million dollar home will be backed right up to dangerous section eight apartments separated only by a privacy fence. So if you can overlook the hookers, drug dealers and gunfire then it's great place to visit.
Badmouthing only Republican politicians. We know where you lean. Not one comment about Democrats in power shamelessly ruining several of these cities.
I actually only saw one political thread caused by an ignorant comment. The remainder didn't have much politics at all.
Load More Replies... Agree on Austin. Visiting: The music scene is being pushed out for luxury condos(there's a housing shortage), all of the cool street and food vendors can't afford to live here anymore. People here are getting pretentious. You can go everywhere in workout clothes though. Living: Rents went up 25% this year and the income inequality just keeps growing. Elon Musk is starting to act as though he is going to run Austin, Texas politics is insane, Austin just banned homeless people, there's no real public transit, the infrastructure cannot keep up, and there's no big city amenities except Ikea. If it was a car it would be a Silicon Valley engine, with an LA body(traffic, liberal, kind of artisty? etc) and painted red
I want to put my city, Winnipeg, on this list. People who live here are patriotic about this place. The people who visit are shocked how ... ugly and unexciting it is despite a push for tourism here. If you want to experience the prairies and Canadian wildlife, you may see a deer along the inner city river banks on a boat ride. But you'll have to go to one of the many campsites or a park conservatory to enjoy the wilderness. Yeah, Winnipeg has a vast urban canopy of disease ridden elmwood trees that are often slated for cutting down. In the spring you get canker worms hanging off many trees over the streets. Mosquitoes galore in the summer. Wasps late summer to early fall. Despite the tourism organizations trying to get people to come downtown, it is like Detroit's downtown. Other than the business times, no one is really going to go and hang around besides going to the odd dangerous bar or nightclub, where there's a chance of a shooting or stabbing.
There is a travel advisory for visiting the North End, and unless you're visiting someone you know, there's no reason to be walking around there. Even driving is risky as carjackings and theft is rising. Some areas in the surrounding communities are clean and pleasant, but downtown is filthy and even though panhandlers are not allowed to approach people for money they still do and police don't enforce this law.
Load More Replies... I come from a multi/dual/different citizenship family of itinerant travelers and (yes, it’s a humble brag) I’ve been to 35 countries and 43 of the 50 US states. As far as traveling for holiday/vacation/tourism goes, the worst places I’ve visited in the US are Tulsa, Oklahoma and Mount Rushmore, SD. Worse than any place I’ve seen in Florida or New Jersey. Internationally, Phuket and southern Thailand and Mumbai. Europe, specifically: Bratislava (there’s a reason the horror franchise “Hostel” was filmed/set there) and Brussels. The latter may be interesting if you’re involved with and appreciate European politics, but Brugge and Ghent are much nicer and more interesting places. Like Manhattan, Rome, Paris, London and other larger cities in Europe are love/hate place, where there is an abundance of disgusting and equally amazing. The places with this largest dualism for me are Varanasi, India and Bangkok.
OMG. I live in Bratislava and can say NOTHING is real in Hostel and is far faaaaaar away from reality. We have here a pretty good living where isn’t any big problem from your sallary to buy 200-300k € worth house or apartment. So you can keep this bullshits for your friends from wet hood…
Load More Replies... How London didn't make this list baffles me , EVERYTHING is over priced . the people just dont seem to acknowledge you at all unless they're trying to sell you something or rob you
I'm in the US and I've only visited London a couple times, but I loved it. I could go back for a couple weeks and spend the entire time in the British Museum without getting bored. So much to see and do, and you can get everywhere without a car, which holds a lot of appeal coming from the US. We've actually considered moving there. Maybe the massive crowds would get to me after awhile, though. Plus, I've only visited in summer. I'm from California where the weather is very mild. I've been warned I might find other seasons there shocking.
Load More Replies... This post should be called 'Americans thinking the world has to be like in the movies' For Chrissake, just travel with a company - Trafalgar or such. That way you see the sights and are on a bus the rest of the time, nice and safe and far away from any inconvenience.
Too many people on the planet, too much disposable income, too much tourism.
