"So Bland And Soulless": People Are Sharing The Most Overrated Cities They've Ever Visited
A little while ago, we wrote up cities that tourists hated here and here. Well, so many folks in the comments chimed in that we had to share their thoughts, too!
1.New York City, New York
"Dirty, noisy, and confusing."
"I’ve been to NYC multiple times as my dad lives there, and I fucking hate it. Granted, I love the food and some of the sights and attractions, but overall, it is way too overcrowded, filthy, noisy, and polluted. I come from the Pacific Northwest, and the difference in the air quality is appalling; NYC air literally smells like oil and exhaust."
"NYC stresses me out. I’ve been to big cities all over the world, some bigger than NYC. And for some reason, it’s just overwhelming."
2.Macau, China
"It would be Macau for me. Years ago, I was on a trip to Seoul and Hong Kong, and I loved both. I took a ferry from HK to Macau for the day. The city just felt super unwelcoming. After doing the group tour, I wandered around for a bit. I just got cold and dirty looks from a lot of people and felt uncomfortable. I was a solo Black female traveler, and traveling while Black can make for an interesting experience depending on where you go. 🤷🏽♀️"
3.New Orleans, Louisiana
"The French Quarter and Bourbon Street are littered with trash, vomit, and horse crap."
"I just got back from New Orleans and saw a guy peeing next to the cathedral in Jackson Square while on a ghost tour. People go there to party and just don’t care because it’s not THEIR hometown."
4.Nassau, the Bahamas
"Nassau absolutely was not for me. It’s a popular cruise port, so it’s very busy, very touristy, and everyone is trying to get you to buy something. If you want to visit the islands, I recommend Bimini — it’s more beautiful, more chill, and the people are incredibly kind and a lot of fun!"
5.San Francisco, California
"The last time I was there, it just felt menacing. Just the overall atmosphere had a sense of lawless dread. That something could happen at virtually any moment. So not worth it feeling that way. I have no plans to visit ever again."
"I live about 15 minutes from SF, and I avoid it at all costs. Parking is difficult and expensive, people jaywalk without caring if cars are coming, it takes forever to drive through the city, etc."
6.Munich, Germany
"There were a few nice areas, but most of the city was just littered with cigarette butts."
7.Naples, Italy
"Without a doubt, the one city in the world I will actively avoid going back to. We had to take the train up from Sorrento to fly out the next morning, and besides going out for supposedly authentic pizza, stayed in the hotel the entire time. I call it New York City on steroids. Dirty, apparently no traffic laws or police, and you take your life into your own hands every time you try to cross the street. Compared with the rest of Southern Italy, including Amalfi and Capri, Naples is a nightmare."
"I completely agree with Naples. I've never felt that unsafe and anxious anywhere else."
8.Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
"Ho Chi Minh City is a beautiful and historical city. I would also probably never go back. It was sweltering, chaotic, and overwhelmingly busy. I was surprised because I loved Hanoi, Da Nang, and Hoi An, so I assumed I’d like HCMC as well. But unlike many of the other cities in Vietnam, it was very westernized and modernized, but not in good ways. There were chain stores, American fast food places, and more corporate areas. It just made me feel even grosser about American influence in the region."
9.Dallas, Texas
"Nope from me. Hot, humid concrete jungle, total car culture, and of course, guns. Absolutely nothing worth doing that justifies the misery of simply being there."
"Dallas is so incredibly bland and soulless."
10.Athens, Greece
"Athens was filthy, and the people were so in your face. I was constantly being harassed to go into shops or restaurants. I felt very uncomfortable most of the time I was there. But I also realize I went during the height of their severe economic struggles, and the people were just trying to drum up business to survive."
—gd91
11.Amsterdam, the Netherlands
"Amsterdam really felt like it could be anywhere. The food was very generic, the shops were basic European chains everywhere, and it felt like I was just surrounded by stoned Brits everywhere (I'm British, BTW). I think the city has been ruined by stag and hen parties looking to smoke weed legally in public."
—gd91
"I hated Amsterdam. We saw human excrement in the streets twice and way more sex toys in the windows than I ever need to see."
12.Atlantic City, New Jersey
"The boardwalk is gaudy but not in a fun way. It’s the most depressing city I’ve ever seen."
13.Paris, France
"Dirty, expensive, and they do not hide their disdain for Americans. I hated it."
"It’s a smelly, filthy place, and people are extremely rude to tourists. I’m talking blowing smoke right in your face, ignoring you walking, and talking about what you’re wearing. I will say that the food was amazing; we walked around looking for smaller, less busy restaurants, and they did not disappoint."
14.Havana, Cuba
15.Los Angeles, California
"I've been a few times, and it's dirty and depressing. Worst of all, the majority of the people I encountered were kinda cold and seemed mean despite their smiling faces. I'm from NYC, and an Uber driver I met in LA was originally from Manhattan. I told him about my experiences with the locals, and he told me he felt that people from NY are hard on the outside and soft on the inside, while LA people are the total opposite."
"LA/Hollywood is the worst. I avoid that city at all costs. Extremely dirty, dilapidated, and overcrowded. I drive down the street, and I feel claustrophobic because there is literally a line of cars at every single corner. There are so many other wonderful cities to visit in Southern California. LA ain’t it!"
16.Cairo, Egypt
"It's the only city I've ever been to — and I've lived/traveled all over the world — where it felt palpably unsafe to be alone and female. As in, don't stand still while waiting to cross the street kind of unsafe. Oh, and the sprawling corporate metropolis goes right up to the pyramids. You can eat at Pizza Hut and then walk literally across the street through the gates to the pyramid site."
17.Venice, Italy
"Venice was disgusting. I’ve said it since I visited at the age of 16. I took this huge three-week student ambassador all through Europe. This experience was remarkable. But of all the breathtaking cities I got to see, the only place anyone ever wanted to hear about was Venice. It’s a city on water, people. We are all familiar with that smell of mold and mildew. Well, imagine smelling that EVERYWHERE you go. Almost worse than the smell was seeing the mold growing up the sides of the beautiful architecture. Not for me."
"It is EXACTLY what you picture in the worst way. It's so overhyped/romanticized that there's no excitement or adventure to it, no surprise or awe. It just...is everything the pictures showed, without revealing how touristy and decaying it is. There are so many more places to go in Italy where you can get the magic without the nasty."
18.Las Vegas, Nevada
"I hated Vegas. It felt so...manufactured. I don't see what makes it so fun."
"It wouldn't bother me if I never saw Las Vegas again. I have no interest in gambling, and once you've seen the lights, well, you've seen electricity in action. The most entertaining part was sitting with a beer watching other people lose their money!"
19.Dublin, Ireland
"It’s extremely overrated, and there’s nothing really to do. Temple Bar area is alright, but I’m convinced all of the restaurants on that street share a kitchen, which is probably just a room full of microwaves where they heat up Guinness stew or fish and chips."
20.Lima, Peru
"Horrible traffic. I didn't drive personally, but being in a vehicle always felt like it was going to be your last time alive."
21.Santorini, Greece
"FULL of tourists, and everything was expensive. Despite the beauty, there are tons of Greek islands that are just as nice and much cheaper with less tourists. The same goes for Mykonos."
22.And finally, St. Louis, Missouri
"St. Louis. Was he really a saint? If so, was he the patron saint of mediocrity? What a disappointment of a city. Very small downtown with an empty vibe devoid of any life. The locals tell me I need to visit during baseball season. So, what does that say about a city's culture when the only time it’s worth coming there is to be enclosed in a stadium and watch a sporting event? Plus, what if I don’t like baseball? This is a metropolitan area without a metro: 80% of the population in this area are in soulless suburbs. While the burbs are somewhat nice, they are still suburbs with half-empty malls, too many franchise chain restaurants, and crowded Walmart parking lots. No thanks, I can get that anywhere."
Any cities you would never return to? LMK in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
