Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved Savannah, New Orleans, and Paris. Another city people are often let down by that I loved was Venice.

Places that didn't live up to expectations include Rome, Bali, Varanasi, and Chicago.

I've been to and loved all these places except Savannah (never been).

I agree with PP who said Greece. Athens was so gritty and dirty.

People who don't like Athens have no soul.

Agreed.

St. Lucia
Zion Natl Park
Santorini (didn't live up to the hype)

Wasn't surprised to see Athens on this list, but Athens is amazing IMO. Maybe it's bc I went in with low expectations?

Anonymous wrote:Harpers Ferry. It's not that it was so terrible, but it was very hyped to me by friends here and I just didn't get it at all. I can't understand why people rave about it. Actually, also Charlottesville - it's fine, but nothing special.

I've been to lots of the places other PPs have mentioned - I didn't love all of them but I didn't always have any particular expectations. Harpers Ferry and Charlottesville stand out for me because they were both places that people told me were amazing and beautiful.

I like both Harpers Ferry and Charlottesville. That said, I think C’Ville is overrated. One year it was voted best small town in the country and that started all the hype. I do think it’s a great town, just not as great as advertised.

Anonymous wrote:San Antonio, TX riverwalk....meh.....

Agree. The Riverwalk is nice for an hour, but after that not much to do in San Antonio. I always heard it was such a cool place to visit. Glad I went for work and not on my own dime. Also not a fan of Los Angeles. There’s lots there, but it’s so big and clogged with traffic and crime. I found it depressing.

Cabo.
Naples, Florida.
Agree with PP on Verona - so touristy.

Costa Rica: felt like a cash cow, got robbed, much of the development looked like Atlantic City, food was OK.

Maine: I dreamed of Maine, but it’s not my cup of tea.

Verona: touristy and just OK

Loved:

Various places in Mexico (so much culture, so much beauty, so much everything), Paris (but had to live there to fall in love), Venice (a local guide took us away from the touristy paths), Various places in Greece (again, visited with a local who advised us on where to go).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Savannah - I got a very sad vibe from it. It was uncomfortably mournful.

A lot of very old Southern towns are like this. Maybe because of the ghosts and all the bad things that happened over the years. And those swamps, although so so crucial for conservation and native species, are very creepy.

Interesting, I really like the mournful gothic south.

Dislike most of Florida however.

I love Paris…truly one of my favorite places I have ever been. I have a sense of direction there and I am usually the absolute worst and knowing where I am.

I was underwhelmed by London and Milan.

India. I wasn't prepared for the unrelenting sexually harassment when walking out and about. I'm a petite Irish woman who dresses modestly, nothing flashy about me. It was ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:Go where you like the food. Then, you will love the place. Don't go to poor places.

I am not a fan of Ethiopian food, but have had amazing travels around Ethiopia. I’m very food motivated but I recognize there’s more than food on a trip!

I was underwhelmed with Portugal. We were there in late summer 2019 and while it is beautiful, I found it much less interesting and welcoming than most other western or southern European countries, and the food was extremely disappointing. We love good, fresh and interesting cuisine and the bland and heavy food we encountered seemed so odd to us. We went to good places on recommendations from people whose advice on food we generally trust, and were really surprised by how mediocre it was. Yes, there was some very fresh seafood, but it had little flavor, there were almost no vegetables served anywhere, and the bread and pastries were heavy and dense.

Go where you like the food. Then, you will love the place. Don't go to poor places.

Madrid left me feeling cold. Much of the city reminds me a lot of Midtown Manhattan: completely soulless.

I'm not sure I actually had any expectations that it would be fun, but I found Charlotte to be the most boring city I've ever been to.

People who are saying Costa Rica need to get out of San Jose and Jaco.

I was not a fan of Cancun. The resorts don't have much of a beach going for them. Just how things are laid out.

I was a bit disappointed by Quebec City. People said that it was like going to France, but it felt, well, not that exciting. Montreal on the other hand I loved.

I also did not love LA.

I feel like we need a new thread for places you were pleasantly surprised by. For me, it would be:

Pittsburgh
Virginia Beach
Antigua, Guatemala
San Diego
South Padre Island
Lima, Peru

Anonymous wrote:Venice

I like Savannah and have been a few times. Every other square is a little park with old trees and moss. Very charming. Although I went when I lived closer so maybe I would be disappointed if I drive all day?

I liked Asheville ok but some people rave about it so I had higher hopes.

When people say they liked Asheville they mean hiking outside of Asheville and staying in charming places that are not really Asheville. I love Asheville for a meal, but the thing to do is hike near it. GREAT hiking.