Your 4 Least Favorite - Never to Return to Again Travel Spots

[Rick_Allen]

I was thinking something similar, that getting in the back country for a long hike or backpack trip would be great there. Unfortunately, traffic in the park was even worse than going through Gatlinburg, the roads were like parking lots, and it was impossible to park any where near the trailheads making the whole thing pretty unpleasant. There are so many great places in this country to see that there’s about 0% chance I’ll get back to GSMNP. Maybe we picked a bad time to be there perhaps.

If Edward Abbey had his way, there’d be no driving through any of the National Parks. I think we’re finally at a point where that option seriously needs to be considered. Shuttle buses, bikes and pedestrians only.

This isn’t a bad idea. It works pretty well in Zion. I suspect that it would work well at a number of other parks as well. Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Bryce come to mind immediately.

[doug_johnson]

-Great Smoky Mountains NP/Gatlinburg - Too many people packed into a small area, really bad traffic

I hate that Gatlinburg and GSMNP inevitably get lumped together. The Smokies have more tree species than all of Europe. The way the glaciers pushed everything south along the Appalachians (as opposed to down to the Alps crushing everything) essentially shoved everything into one spot. Go a mile away from the roads and the natural beauty is profound, the crowds non-existent. Mount LeConte is one of the most incredible places I’ve been in my life.

I was thinking something similar, that getting in the back country for a long hike or backpack trip would be great there. Unfortunately, traffic in the park was even worse than going through Gatlinburg, the roads were like parking lots, and it was impossible to park any where near the trailheads making the whole thing pretty unpleasant. There are so many great places in this country to see that there’s about 0% chance I’ll get back to GSMNP. Maybe we picked a bad time to be there perhaps.

I was just there during leaf season, which I assume is a pretty busy time of the year for the park. It was busy, sure, but not all that crowded. The only bad traffic was the one spot where everyone stops and tries to photograph the moose herd from their car on the road rather than pulling off.

The parking lot for the hike to Mt. LeConte’s peak was full, so we had to park just past the lot on the street but the trail didn’t feel crowded at all…anyway, long winded way of saying you probably had bad luck!

[Matt_Fleming]

I don’t think threads like this are really very helpful for a ‘community’.

They usually say more about those finding problems than the places themselves.

Exactly. A dumb AF topic to just bitch about bad personal experiences which can happen anywhere

Remember – been to Paris twice, wasn’t impressed.

And Chicago was like Nashville, not a lot to do.

[Michael_Martin]

I don’t think threads like this are really very helpful for a ‘community’.

They usually say more about those finding problems than the places themselves.

Exactly. A dumb AF topic to just bitch about bad personal experiences which can happen anywhere

Remember – been to Paris twice, wasn’t impressed.

And Chicago was like Nashville, not a lot to do.

Let he who has never complained about anything in other threads cast the first stone.

[Craig_G]

Baton Rouge?!?! Ok, I get going to New Orleans, and why some people may not like New Orleans. But who goes to Baton Rouge for vacation?

My understanding is that it’s very refined.

[John_Davis]

Gary, Indiana

Pisa, Italy

Hilton Head, Outer Banks, Kiawah Island–too white, suburban, and bland.

All of Florida–but especially Orlando (I do like Miami and the Keys).

Runners-up:
Kansas

Gatlinburg

Memphis

Baton Rouge

I’m curious about your vacation to Gary, Indiana. What prompted that?

I absolutely love the Smoky Mountains but loathe Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge is even worse. Let’s put this little bit of hell right next to this little bit of paradise.

I wondered about Gary, too. I wondered why anyone would intentionally go there for pleasure or a vacation. Different stokes for different folks, I guess. But with some of these places I’d like to know the “why” it is a least favorite.

[Steve_Costigan]

Gary, Indiana

Pisa, Italy

Hilton Head, Outer Banks, Kiawah Island–too white, suburban, and bland.

All of Florida–but especially Orlando (I do like Miami and the Keys).

Runners-up:
Kansas

Gatlinburg

Memphis

Baton Rouge

I’m curious about your vacation to Gary, Indiana. What prompted that?

I absolutely love the Smoky Mountains but loathe Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge is even worse. Let’s put this little bit of hell right next to this little bit of paradise.

I wondered about Gary, too. I wondered why anyone would intentionally go there for pleasure or a vacation. Different stokes for different folks, I guess. But with some of these places I’d like to know the “why” it is a least favorite.

That made me think of Amarillo TX which I thought of and then decided not to include on my list because I had never been for vacation, God forbid. I had been there a number of times for business or as a stop on the drive to daughter’s college in Dallas.

[Dan_Hammer]

Singapore in the summer. Beautiful city, great food, great people, great shopping, beautiful gardens and zoo, appallingly oppressive heat. Every time I stepped outside I wondered if I would survive the trip.

Same for Bali. It’s so hot and humid that my watch was foggy for 10 days. I couldn’t take my ring off at night due to swelling. I’d return to SIN and DPS in a heartbeat.

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

Gary must be for the Michael Jackson homestead or the US Steel factory tour.

My vote is for Springfield, IL. The Lincoln stuff (library and museum, home, gravesite) is pretty cool and the old and new Capitol are interesting, but the rest of the town is nothing - no one on the streets, closed businesses, etc

[M.Kaplan]

.

[Rob_S1]

All of the foreign destinations mentioned are not like America; perhaps that is the real objection (which I do NOT share). As others have written above, some of these posts are not a good look.

That’s painting with a pretty broad brush. A lot of the same people’s favorite places aren’t very american either. In my case Caymans and Bermuda are pretty western/American in the grand scheme of things.

[Josh_Grossman]

Gary, Indiana

Pisa, Italy

Hilton Head, Outer Banks, Kiawah Island–too white, suburban, and bland.

All of Florida–but especially Orlando (I do like Miami and the Keys).

Runners-up:
Kansas

Gatlinburg

Memphis

Baton Rouge

I’m curious about your vacation to Gary, Indiana. What prompted that?

I absolutely love the Smoky Mountains but loathe Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge is even worse. Let’s put this little bit of hell right next to this little bit of paradise.

The place I was working gave the city a grant to put in a community garden.

[Josh_Grossman]

Gary, Indiana

Pisa, Italy

Hilton Head, Outer Banks, Kiawah Island–too white, suburban, and bland.

All of Florida–but especially Orlando (I do like Miami and the Keys).

Runners-up:
Kansas

Gatlinburg

Memphis

Baton Rouge

I’m curious about your vacation to Gary, Indiana. What prompted that?

I absolutely love the Smoky Mountains but loathe Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge is even worse. Let’s put this little bit of hell right next to this little bit of paradise.

Baton Rouge?!?! Ok, I get going to New Orleans, and why some people may not like New Orleans. But who goes to Baton Rouge for vacation?

Best friend moved there after grad school.

[Al_Osterheld]

I don’t like Las Vegas but that is specifically because I don’t like casinos and the lower end casino hotels where we were generally housed on business trips (government per diem rules).

Quite enjoyed some of the places that have been mentioned.

-Al

[M.Kaplan]

.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

Based on the most favorite destination thread, I saw some responses that were head scratchers to me at least. So what are the 4 destinations you would never return to.
…
Honorable mention. Los Angeles. It’s another city I really want to like, but it’s massive sprawl makes it hard to really enjoy. I guess if you can spend time in a smaller area, it could be enjoyable, but I’d rather drive a couple hours north to Santa Barbara.

So true. I live in L.A. and love it, but the thing about visiting is this: have a local show you around or give you recs. on places to go. Without that, there is a high likelihood you spend a ton of your time sitting in traffic driving to places that ultimately prove to be uninteresting. With guidance, however, L.A. is awesome, and has something to offer to anybody.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

…
Annandale.

in Minnesota?

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

To those objecting to this thread: geeez, people are allowed to not like things. It’s okay.

I actually find the question interesting.

The first two that come to mind immediately are Marrakesh and New Orleans.

While I think the jazz nightclub scene in New Orleans is pretty cool, as well as the old architecture, that’s not enough to overcome the general dirtiness and seediness I’ve seen the two times I’ve visited. And Bourbon St. is downright disgusting.

Marrakesh was interesting, but far from relaxing. I don’t enjoy spending my vacation time constantly being harassed by street vendors. I also don’t like haggling prices on everything. Had a good time, overall. I’ve done it. Zero desire to return.


That’s actually all I can think of at the moment. I suppose there are some places I’m not interested in revisiting, not because I didn’t enjoy them, but rather because I feel like I’ve “done them,” and don’t feel the need/desire to repeat. (i.e.: northern Cypress)

If I could say Disneyland/Disneyworld/any Disney-esque theme park I would, but I have two young kids who love these places, so I’m sure I’ll be returning on an annual basis until further notice. I find them boring, expensive, food is usually terrible, and I have to be on my feet all day (not fun with plantar fasciitis).

[Craig_G]

…
Annandale.

in Minnesota?

Local rules prohibit explanation.

[Al_Osterheld]

Paris was mentioned. My experience has been that my initial reaction when I first arrive is negative, but that it quickly grows on me. I love going to smaller restaurants and hanging out in the sidewalk cafes. I’ve never been to any of the high end restaurants in Paris because I’ve generally been with colleagues from work who weren’t terribly interested. It’s also one of the world’s great cities from an arts and culture standpoint.

Moscow was mentioned, it’s another of the world’s great cities. I loved visiting although I had locals who helped show me the city on some of the visits. But, they showed me their city, which had only partial overlap with the tourist sites, but which also included some of the nearby villages.

-Al