Most disappointing holiday/tourist destination/attractions?
Discussion
Inspired by a pub conversation at the weekend, what has been your most disappointing holiday destination or visited tourist attraction? By disappointing, I mean the one that fell furthest behind your initial hopes and expectations?
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific. Likewise Niagara Falls City - the falls themselves are impressive from the Canadian side, but the city sitting behind is truly awful.
As an attraction, The Mannekin Pis in Brussels, much smaller than you might imagine, and in the middle of nondescript area of the city. It's not even the real one, rather a recreation. Or the Leaning Tower, which is marginally interesting in itself, but if you look beyond the tower and nearby church, Pisa is actually quite a dump.
Just my opinions really - I certainly don't want to start an argumentative thread, so would welcome yours, in a constructive fashion.....
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific. Likewise Niagara Falls City - the falls themselves are impressive from the Canadian side, but the city sitting behind is truly awful.
As an attraction, The Mannekin Pis in Brussels, much smaller than you might imagine, and in the middle of nondescript area of the city. It's not even the real one, rather a recreation. Or the Leaning Tower, which is marginally interesting in itself, but if you look beyond the tower and nearby church, Pisa is actually quite a dump.
Just my opinions really - I certainly don't want to start an argumentative thread, so would welcome yours, in a constructive fashion.....
Harry Potter studio tour.
People had been telling me for years how amazing it was.
Said that at the end I might even shed a tear at the beauty and awe.
Someone bought tickets for me end of last year and at the end of the 3 hour walk around just thought to myself ‘is that it?’
To be fair - I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan
People had been telling me for years how amazing it was.
Said that at the end I might even shed a tear at the beauty and awe.
Someone bought tickets for me end of last year and at the end of the 3 hour walk around just thought to myself ‘is that it?’
To be fair - I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan
Seventy said:
Not wanting to be argumentative, but why?
You must have seen it (television/books etc) plenty of times before you visited, surely?
For me it was Sun City. I never wanted to go but she did. God awful place. I’ll never listen to her again.
I was in primary school - that pre dates tinternet and only 4 TV channels! Parents drove some 200+ miles (each way) to visit there plus Winchester. You must have seen it (television/books etc) plenty of times before you visited, surely?
For me it was Sun City. I never wanted to go but she did. God awful place. I’ll never listen to her again.
Not me, an old flatmate of mine found himself with a day to kill in Copenhagen & decided to go & see the famous mermaid. Two trams, a bus & a hike to get to the docks where it is only to find it's about two foot tall & someone had kicked her head off.
I once went for a look at Jim Morrison's grave in Paris, only to run into a bunch of scum sucking hippies smoking weed & tunelessly strumming a guitar. Although Pere Lachaise cemetery itself is worth the time.
I once went for a look at Jim Morrison's grave in Paris, only to run into a bunch of scum sucking hippies smoking weed & tunelessly strumming a guitar. Although Pere Lachaise cemetery itself is worth the time.
silentbrown said:
"It's a bit big for a calendar, isn't it? I mean, you'd look a bit silly with THAT on your desk"
Are you serious about Cotswold Wildlife Park? I think it's fantastic - what were you expecting?
I’ve been probably more than ten times in the last 7 or so years. Are you serious about Cotswold Wildlife Park? I think it's fantastic - what were you expecting?
Similar price to Marwell (and door to door it’s he same time) but it’s notably inferior.
We keep going as the Mrs loves it but I make sure we go to Marwell or Lingleat as well.
Welshbeef said:
silentbrown said:
"It's a bit big for a calendar, isn't it? I mean, you'd look a bit silly with THAT on your desk"
Are you serious about Cotswold Wildlife Park? I think it's fantastic - what were you expecting?
I’ve been probably more than ten times in the last 7 or so years. Are you serious about Cotswold Wildlife Park? I think it's fantastic - what were you expecting?
Similar price to Marwell (and door to door it’s he same time) but it’s notably inferior.
We keep going as the Mrs loves it but I make sure we go to Marwell or Lingleat as well.
drop off the wife and any sproglets and go for a drive!
akirk said:
yes, but the roads around the Cotswold Wildlife Park are fantastic
drop off the wife and any sproglets and go for a drive!
Agreed. drop off the wife and any sproglets and go for a drive!
When we were there on the weekend mid afternoon some sports bikes were giving everything in one gear after the other noise bouncing on the hills. Sounded very very fast.
Welshbeef said:
akirk said:
yes, but the roads around the Cotswold Wildlife Park are fantastic
drop off the wife and any sproglets and go for a drive!
Agreed. drop off the wife and any sproglets and go for a drive!
When we were there on the weekend mid afternoon some sports bikes were giving everything in one gear after the other noise bouncing on the hills. Sounded very very fast.
The place has presence and is worth half a day.had ham said:
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific
Where did you stay/visit and what time of year?We've been twice and found it the exact opposite. Aspects of it are admittedly a bit trashy but surely that's part of the appeal and we also found it was all done with a degree of style (if you can believe such a thing - I know it sounds counter-intuitive).
Eating out in Vegas is just amazing. More choice than can actually be processed and the standards are world class.
I found the Mona Lisa completely underwhelming.
Small, dark and kept well back from the viewing public. Definitely not worth shuffling through a ten-deep crowd for.
Vietnam - Halong Bay especially, looks great in pictures, in real life it was a dump. also most of the tourist attractions are Pagodas etc so as I was there I felt like I should see the tourist stuff, you get to the Pagoda, look at it, for some reason take a picture and then shuffle off trying to find something edible. I think maybe I'm too simple for Vietnam
Hong Kong - Like London, but worse, didn't find many redeeming features about the place other than you get to see some nice cars and the contrast between rich and poor is quite interesting
Vegas - Annoying how long it takes to get anywhere due to being shuffled through casinos and shopping areas and despite looking I couldn't find the absolute carnage I was after
LA, especially Hollywood - just a dump. Did enjoy the observatory though and the beach areas were nice despite the never ending supply of overly confident young American's trying to hustle you
Hong Kong - Like London, but worse, didn't find many redeeming features about the place other than you get to see some nice cars and the contrast between rich and poor is quite interesting
Vegas - Annoying how long it takes to get anywhere due to being shuffled through casinos and shopping areas and despite looking I couldn't find the absolute carnage I was after
LA, especially Hollywood - just a dump. Did enjoy the observatory though and the beach areas were nice despite the never ending supply of overly confident young American's trying to hustle you
Cancun/Riviera Maya in Mexico. I thought it resembled any mass manmade resort destination in Southern Spain but instead of loud drunk Brits its full of loud drunk Americans, it takes longer to get there, and the hotels cost more.
Even Chichen Itza is ruined by being surrounded by 5000 stalls hawking knock-off football strips, crap jewellery and genuine rustic trinkets.
Even Chichen Itza is ruined by being surrounded by 5000 stalls hawking knock-off football strips, crap jewellery and genuine rustic trinkets.
Dubai. Good god, what a nasty little rat-hole with a heavy veneer of money laid over the top of it. Used it as a convenient beach stop-over on the way back from Japan for a few days, genuinely wished we'd saved our money...only place we were actually ready to leave before the end of our time there!
Cyprus. Nothing like as welcoming as the Greek islands, nor were the beaches as good.
In terms of attractions, anything by Merlin - if you pay the full price you wonder why / what you're getting for it, and then you see the milk-you-until-you-bleed fast-tracks and other nickel-and-dime operations. If you go in a school holiday it becomes a crowded hell-hole full of some of the worst examples of humanity. Most of the staff are poorly trained and on minimum wage, and often (when you ask them) have only been there a few months...suspect staff turnover is high. Oh, and all the food is straight out of the 1980s catering book - don't think they've heard of any vegetables other than potatoes.
Otherwise we've enjoyed most of the places we've been to.
Cyprus. Nothing like as welcoming as the Greek islands, nor were the beaches as good.
In terms of attractions, anything by Merlin - if you pay the full price you wonder why / what you're getting for it, and then you see the milk-you-until-you-bleed fast-tracks and other nickel-and-dime operations. If you go in a school holiday it becomes a crowded hell-hole full of some of the worst examples of humanity. Most of the staff are poorly trained and on minimum wage, and often (when you ask them) have only been there a few months...suspect staff turnover is high. Oh, and all the food is straight out of the 1980s catering book - don't think they've heard of any vegetables other than potatoes.
Otherwise we've enjoyed most of the places we've been to.
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