Anonymous
Post 08/20/2024 15:43     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor and/or Acadia on a weekend in the summer.

We were only there for a quick weekend but I could not believe how crowded it was. I felt like I was on the boardwalk in OC while walking the streets of Bar Harbor. It definitely wasn't a quaint fishing village that I was hoping for. And at Acadia, we couldn't even find a place to park that wasn't a 2+ mile walk to whatever site we wanted to see.



I don't begrudge you your opinion, but this is a failure to research and plan. Acadia has a free shuttle because of the parking difficulties.


Interesting. We went to Bar Harbor/Acadia for a weekend in early August and felt it was quaint and not too crowded. We booked everything the week of. We did have to stay 5 min outside the Main Street but it was easy enough to drive and park. We eat dinner early and never had any problems walking into a restaurant and being seated.


Even early August is better than July. Lots of schools go back in early August. June is also less crowded because the weather is iffier. I had always been there in June and mid-August and I was surprised at how crowded Bar Harbor was in July. In any case, we always stay on "the Quiet Side" and take the bus into Bar Harbor a couple of times for shopping and restaurants.


I was there in mid-August a couple years ago and it was still packed, and that was on weekdays.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2024 15:41     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Rio, Sao Paulo, probably all of Brazil. I don't like how the abject poverty abuts the nicest of places. I know this exists, but it destroys my vacation to think about the starving children beggers while I'm trying to relax and enjoy myself or while im buying a nice sundress. The scenery, other than the flavelas, is very pretty, but a culture where that is acceptable is ugly.


I would suggest virtual vacations with those virtual reality goggles if reality disturbs you so much.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2024 15:21     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Rio, Sao Paulo, probably all of Brazil. I don't like how the abject poverty abuts the nicest of places. I know this exists, but it destroys my vacation to think about the starving children beggers while I'm trying to relax and enjoy myself or while im buying a nice sundress. The scenery, other than the flavelas, is very pretty, but a culture where that is acceptable is ugly.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2024 14:26     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
I travel a lot and most places were much more enjoyable years ago. Just too many people, rundown, more clutter everywhere. Gotta try to go off season to more places these days, sigh..

You wouldn't know it unless you've been somewhere before however. Not suggesting you should never travel as a result but just saying, in this day and age, a lot of disappointment compared to earlier times for me.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2024 14:20     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Bahamas- specifically Freeport. Last time I ever let my husband book a vacation deal. Resort was blah and a bit depressing. Maybe it was bustling in it's prime but was clearly past that point. Plus it's not far enough south to be warm in the spring.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 17:16     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor and/or Acadia on a weekend in the summer.

We were only there for a quick weekend but I could not believe how crowded it was. I felt like I was on the boardwalk in OC while walking the streets of Bar Harbor. It definitely wasn't a quaint fishing village that I was hoping for. And at Acadia, we couldn't even find a place to park that wasn't a 2+ mile walk to whatever site we wanted to see.



I don't begrudge you your opinion, but this is a failure to research and plan. Acadia has a free shuttle because of the parking difficulties.


Interesting. We went to Bar Harbor/Acadia for a weekend in early August and felt it was quaint and not too crowded. We booked everything the week of. We did have to stay 5 min outside the Main Street but it was easy enough to drive and park. We eat dinner early and never had any problems walking into a restaurant and being seated.


The key to quiet is a time without cruise ships disembarking. The cruises bring the extra foot traffic.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 17:09     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:I really dislike traveling to the Caribbean too - I've been to Bahamas and Barbados (so understand I should not be lumping all the islands into this category, but...) service in general was awful, especially in local establishments, where the disdain was plain as day. I was also extremely disappointed by the food offered in the restaurants - I could have been eating in Phoenix. The most exotic fruit on the breakfast buffet was a tangerine. Give me the Centrals any day - I've had extraordinarily better experiences in Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama...

For me, though, the most unwelcoming and sorta scary place was Moscow. This was probably 15 years ago or so, but I have absolutely no desire to ever go back. St. Petersburg was much better (but honestly had more of a Northern European feel).

Finally! For those of you bad-mouthing Brussels! I lived there for 4 years and can agree that the city itself is not great, but Belgium is a truly hidden gem. So many amazing small cities to explore (and extra great if you're into WWII history).


Well, St Petersburg was designed to resemble France. So, that is probably why it was so appealing. I also liked St Petersburg but would never set foot in Russia now.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 16:51     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
The Riviera Maya has gone downhill in a major way in the last few years. I'd been many times pre-covid and even visiting the same resorts, service and food quality have gotten unacceptably worse while the cost has increased exponentially. The streets and beaches are also trashier and traffic is much worse. After my last trip, I decided I wouldn't be returning to Mexico again.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 14:51     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women


I liked Seoul. Yes, parts of it aren’t too exciting, but it’s a huge city with plenty of interesting neighborhoods. I also liked that no matter where I was, I felt completely safe. Also, Seoul is a great food city IMHO.

+1 went this past summer. I felt super safe taking public transport at night, walking around the smaller neighborhoods. They have kiosks and stores that are not manned. You just get what you want and pay at the kiosk. My kids were so shocked. That would never fly here.

There are cultural things to see and do in Seoul, but the city itself is newish. You have to remember, it's only been 70 years since it went through a civil war, and the Japanese destroyed most of the cultural landmarks during their occupation.

That said, there's natural beauty to be seen up on the hills just outside the city. People love to go hiking there.

The city was super clean compared to the US.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 14:47     Subject: Re:Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:Asheville. Way too many homeless and hippies. Just too crunchy for my liking, but can see the appeal for hikers.



AGREED!! WAY too crunchy- the shops were awful and the food was meh- not high end at all either
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 14:46     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
3- Las Vegas. I had to go for work for 4 days and struggled to find anything I wanted to do in my free time. I don't like gambling, or shopping, and have no real interest in seeing shows. The pool was too crowded, the food was either terrible or wildly expensive, or both.


I don't drink or gamble, but I managed to cobble together a fairly fun couple days in Las Vegas added on to a work trip there (25 some years ago). I rode all the roller coasters, did the Star Trek experience (no longer there) repeatedly, and went to two small but outstanding temporary art exhibits (one on Impressionist paintings and the other on Alexander Calder toys and small sculptures).



I don't either and used to like Las Vegas. It used to be way more pleasant to walk the strip, now it's gotten dingy and unpleasant.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 14:39     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Paris was awful
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 14:39     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor and/or Acadia on a weekend in the summer.

We were only there for a quick weekend but I could not believe how crowded it was. I felt like I was on the boardwalk in OC while walking the streets of Bar Harbor. It definitely wasn't a quaint fishing village that I was hoping for. And at Acadia, we couldn't even find a place to park that wasn't a 2+ mile walk to whatever site we wanted to see.



I don't begrudge you your opinion, but this is a failure to research and plan. Acadia has a free shuttle because of the parking difficulties.


Interesting. We went to Bar Harbor/Acadia for a weekend in early August and felt it was quaint and not too crowded. We booked everything the week of. We did have to stay 5 min outside the Main Street but it was easy enough to drive and park. We eat dinner early and never had any problems walking into a restaurant and being seated.


Even early August is better than July. Lots of schools go back in early August. June is also less crowded because the weather is iffier. I had always been there in June and mid-August and I was surprised at how crowded Bar Harbor was in July. In any case, we always stay on "the Quiet Side" and take the bus into Bar Harbor a couple of times for shopping and restaurants.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 13:46     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
I really dislike traveling to the Caribbean too - I've been to Bahamas and Barbados (so understand I should not be lumping all the islands into this category, but...) service in general was awful, especially in local establishments, where the disdain was plain as day. I was also extremely disappointed by the food offered in the restaurants - I could have been eating in Phoenix. The most exotic fruit on the breakfast buffet was a tangerine. Give me the Centrals any day - I've had extraordinarily better experiences in Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama...

For me, though, the most unwelcoming and sorta scary place was Moscow. This was probably 15 years ago or so, but I have absolutely no desire to ever go back. St. Petersburg was much better (but honestly had more of a Northern European feel).

Finally! For those of you bad-mouthing Brussels! I lived there for 4 years and can agree that the city itself is not great, but Belgium is a truly hidden gem. So many amazing small cities to explore (and extra great if you're into WWII history).
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2024 10:34     Subject: Where did you absolutely hate?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women


I think Atlanta is ok. There are some great things to visit there, the food is good, suburbs are pretty. It's not the best city but it's better than many.


Friend's brother worked as a bartender in Atlanta, but then some guys robbed the bar after it closed, and decided to shoot him to death after he turned over the money.