52 Shocking Travel Destinations That Failed to Impress Even the Most Eager Tourists
You are constantly reminded of pickpockets in Paris, especially when traveling. No doubt there is a reason for this and there are always sketchy people standing around the major tourist areas.
I kept my hands jammed in my pocket completely by the end of the trip, constantly making sure I still had everything with it. It wasn’t fun, it was honestly exhausting.
And the RATF or whatever runs the trains targets tourists specifically: they sell you an unlimited pass but unlike in every other system the world over, they want you to produce a 2×3 photo of yourself to keep in a secondary card and sleeve. They don’t tell you this when you purchase from an attendant, it is written in small text on the secondary card; there are plenty of accounts online of how they use this to target and fine tourists to the end that I have concluded it is a specific function, not a flaw. They got us, tried to have us arrested, wouldn’t explain anything but just shoved a card reader in our face and kept saying “fine or police.” We realized what was up after looking into it; we did win the fine dispute and ultimately paid nothing but not before being held hostage, having our requests for information or further help rufused, and spending a hundred Euro for nothing. It ruined our evening and we just elected not to take the train anymore.
Parisians in general seemed mostly insular and happy amongst themselves but vitriolic and needlessly rude towards tourists and “others.” They aren’t happy if you speak the language, they aren’t happy if you speak to them in English, they aren’t happy that you’re in their store, they aren’t happy that you’re in their restaurants was the impression I was left with. For all of the times we felt just tolerated, there were two instances where we felt outright unwelcome.
I enjoyed our trips to the countryside infinitely more than Paris and we ended up eating a lot of Italian food just because it was a consistent means of ensuring friendly service. I still think most people should see Paris but avoid people and transit as much as you can, which is the exact opposite advice I’d give for literally any other major city I’ve been to.
Riverwalk in San Antonio
Everything is overly touristy, it feels dirty and aged, and there are aggressive homeless people everywhere.
Unless it gets a major overhaul, never again.
Venice. Beautiful city. Completely overrun with tourists. It’s so crowded that you are literally touching shoulders with people in the streets. Almost no one lives there. The city is nearly empty after 7 p.m.. St. Mark’s Square seems to flood daily.
Sadly, Prague. I’ve been to Prague 3 or 4 times, and the first few times were lovely. The city is beautiful and rich in history. They have great restaurants and obviously great beer. But, unfortunately the city has become a Bachelor(ette) party destination and the whole aura of the city has been ruined. Anywhere you go, you get drunken, loud groups of people ruining everyone else’s time. And most places have also adapted to cater to these groups, so the quality has gone down as well… it’s a shame because I love the city, but when i was tehre last year, I kept thinking “oh well, looks like there’s no point in coming back”.
Safety is another overlooked factor. “Some places that trend online aren’t even safe,” he says. “There are routes that require experience or special gear, but people show up in flip-flops.” His team has had to reroute more than a few travelers away from danger zones masked as scenic gems.
Disney World.
Yes, it’s federal law that you have to drag your kids there at some point. But it’s just one big money extraction device. Crappy rides, cheesy entertainment, and overpriced….well…everything wrapped up in some faux magical aura delivered by cartoon characters.
This isn’t an attraction. It’s a confidence trick. A few dozen square miles of gimcrack and chintz built with no other intention than to siphon off cash from the gaping rubes. I mean, Universal is a little bit away, but it’s way more fun.
When we took the kids, I wandered around Epcot with a running tally in my head, like the meter of a New York cab idling in traffic. I distinctly remember thinking, ‘Here we are in fake Europe when we could be in the real thing for less money.’
