Vacation spots your friends talked up but you hated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hawaii

I never been to Hawaii but have never heard anyone disappointed by it... what was your experience?

I'm guessing typical American tourist who went to Waikiki.

I suspect most tourists to Hawaii, including to Waikiki/Honolulu and every other island, are American, typical or not, given that it’s a US state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OBX -- horrible! Confederate Flags and rednecks all over the place

Is this true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

+1

Been twice once as a kid and once last year and both times felt eh.

I grew up in Hawaii and it was a magical place to a 7 year old. Some of the natural wonders have been eroded by storms / tourists etc. I will say that of you have the money it is incredible. But that kind of experience is expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outerbanks NC.

+1. Was so disappointed.

+2
So overrated and such a long drive.

long drive, compared to?

Bethany or Rehoboth.

Really not that big of difference for a week long vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OBX -- horrible! Confederate Flags and rednecks all over the place

Is this true?

Not really. I know people on here love to bash the Outer Banks, but we love it. I can see if you stayed in Kitty Hawk or Nags Head that it may not be your thing. It's a little commercialized there and some of the beaches aren't the best, but south of Oregon Inlet on Hatteras is pretty nice. Beaches are nicer, water's warmer, there's lots of water sports on ocean and the sound. It's pretty quiet, some may call it boring, but it's perfect for us. Bashing all of the Outer Banks is like bashing all of Cape Cod. Cape Cod, like the Outer Banks, has some really fantastic spots, but mixed in are some places that aren't that fantastic. Final thing with OBX, unfortunately all of the horror stories about driving there are mostly true, but that can be said for most of the region from DC to Boston. We have our route to the beach. It's longer, but bypasses the madness of I95 and 64.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OBX -- horrible! Confederate Flags and rednecks all over the place

Is this true?

No, this is not true.

It's quite fashionable on here to bash the Outer Banks. It's too pedestrian for the DCURBANMOM crowd. Nobody here goes there because your friends are never impressed when you say you're going to the Outer Banks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

+1

Been twice once as a kid and once last year and both times felt eh.

I can't believe the posters saying Hawaii. I went for the first time this past summer and it actually exceeded my expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn’t impressed at all by Honolulu. The fact there are people out there who go all that way just for Waikiki and such is crazy to me!

That said we LOVE both Maui and Kauai. Hoping to check out the Big Island soon.

They probably don't go just for Waikiki. But in Honolulu you can get all the restaurants and city entertainment but still drive around Oahu and find more laid back spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

+100. And the cost of everything! Outrageous. The Caribbean is way better, closer, more beautiful and less expensive.

How can anyone possibly say the Caribbean is more beautiful than Hawaii?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OBX -- horrible! Confederate Flags and rednecks all over the place

Is this true?

Not really. I know people on here love to bash the Outer Banks, but we love it. I can see if you stayed in Kitty Hawk or Nags Head that it may not be your thing. It's a little commercialized there and some of the beaches aren't the best, but south of Oregon Inlet on Hatteras is pretty nice. Beaches are nicer, water's warmer, there's lots of water sports on ocean and the sound. It's pretty quiet, some may call it boring, but it's perfect for us. Bashing all of the Outer Banks is like bashing all of Cape Cod. Cape Cod, like the Outer Banks, has some really fantastic spots, but mixed in are some places that aren't that fantastic. Final thing with OBX, unfortunately all of the horror stories about driving there are mostly true, but that can be said for most of the region from DC to Boston. We have our route to the beach. It's longer, but bypasses the madness of I95 and 64.

I posted a couple pages ago that the drive is really only terrible if you go on Saturday with the intent of arriving between 10am -6 pm.

I do the drive about 20 times a year and live in Annapolis it is typically about 4:45-5.5 hours, with gas and food stops.

Obviously if you are leaving weekday evening in the middle of rush hour it will take longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OBX -- horrible! Confederate Flags and rednecks all over the place

Is this true?

Not really. I know people on here love to bash the Outer Banks, but we love it. I can see if you stayed in Kitty Hawk or Nags Head that it may not be your thing. It's a little commercialized there and some of the beaches aren't the best, but south of Oregon Inlet on Hatteras is pretty nice. Beaches are nicer, water's warmer, there's lots of water sports on ocean and the sound. It's pretty quiet, some may call it boring, but it's perfect for us. Bashing all of the Outer Banks is like bashing all of Cape Cod. Cape Cod, like the Outer Banks, has some really fantastic spots, but mixed in are some places that aren't that fantastic. Final thing with OBX, unfortunately all of the horror stories about driving there are mostly true, but that can be said for most of the region from DC to Boston. We have our route to the beach. It's longer, but bypasses the madness of I95 and 64.

I posted a couple pages ago that the drive is really only terrible if you go on Saturday with the intent of arriving between 10am -6 pm.

I do the drive about 20 times a year and live in Annapolis it is typically about 4:45-5.5 hours, with gas and food stops.

Obviously if you are leaving weekday evening in the middle of rush hour it will take longer.

Meant to say it is only really bad if you plan to arrive between 10-6 on Saturday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

I bet you didn’t go to Kauai

I was just going to post this. I didn't like the populated part of Maui at all, but I love Kauai. (I also loved the Hana Maui).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

+100. And the cost of everything! Outrageous. The Caribbean is way better, closer, more beautiful and less expensive.

How can anyone possibly say the Caribbean is more beautiful than Hawaii?

They haven't been to Kauai.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Captiva Island, specifically South Seas resort. It was just OK and it was also ALL white, no diversity. All of Sanibel/Captiva was. Never again.

Huh- I was just considering this for Spring Break? Details?

Lol, I just booked this for spring break after reading reviews here and elsewhere. And we’re AA—lucky us.

Oh wow-us too! We are white but appreciate living in a diverse area. Now rethinking!!

It used to be called south seas plantation, and it's an overpriced dump. Plus, there are sharks all over the resort (by the pier and the beaches). We didn't have to pay for our trip (relative worked there, and rooms were comped), so I can't really complain.

Except you are (complaining). And characterizing an entire area based on your one experience at one resort. I would suggest that pp take this with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also thought Hawaii was just ok. for the amount of time it took to get there, I really wanted everything to be just over the top amazing, and while it was all really nice, I was a little underwhelmed.

I bet you didn’t go to Kauai

that's actually exactly where we went. Spent a week there and a week on Maui.

I agree with you about Maui, but I've never heard of anyone being underwhelmed by the Napali Coast.