Ever visited somewhere for the day and been really disappointed?

[Summerhouse2013]

We travelled to Yeovil in Somerset yesterday for the day, wow, we were so disappointed.

It was like a ghost town. Most of the shops were shut, only a handful were open. And towards the bottom area of the town most of the shops were completely closed down.

I'd always got the impression there was a lot more to Yeovil.

We left after an hour as there was nothing to do.

I mean where I live there is lots to do as a family, but it is not a tourist destination.

What sort of things do you want from a city break @AskMeMore ? What do you like to do?

@DeanVolecapeAKAelderberry has just posted an extensive list of things to do, and you've countered with "you can go to a very ordinary park anywhere"! 🤦‍♀️
Fwiw, the Phoenix Park in Dublin is the largest in Europe, is home to a colony of wild deer and borders a zoo which is far superior to London Zoo.
But it's only one of the things to do...

Indeed, that's why any city I visit is chosen as much for its museums and galleries as anything else - access to the cultural highlights of millennia, in many cases specific to the country you are visiting, is pretty special. If it's free, so much better.

@AskMeMore Example Edinburgh. Unusual and world class museums, castle, observatory, history. Also many things free.

I didn't go to Phoenix Park as I do not like zoos ethically and the rest did not seem anything special.

A long weekend maybe. Knowing some history beforehand enhances any visit but Dublin is like a big town. Once you've been once or twice, you can feel 'done'. I had a nice time but probably won't visit for a while. I think that's all anyone is trying to say.

Also Dublin has been mentioned by many as a disappointment. I am not a strange outlier here.

The thread is about day trips though, so I imagine there’s plenty to do in Dublin for a day?

I didn't go to Phoenix Park
That'll be why you missed the National Museum of Ireland located just down the street from the entrance 🤷🏻‍♀️

I did not. They seem to have some interesting temporary exhibitions, although not when we went. But natural history and Irish folklife holds no interest for me.

If things are in a small geographical area in a town then we are happy to go to things that are not so special. But in Dublin you had to travel a few miles for lots of things.
And I expected Dublin to be way more attractive as a City. More like Edinburgh. Instead there were the few buildings in all the tourist info photos and the rest was not that attractive.

But being small, there's less on offer and people won't be interested in everything or even most. Loads of things that can be experienced elsewhere. And if you're British, Dublin is not exotic, so there's not much of a buzz from just being somewhere new, it feels familiar. A day may well be enough for some. I agree with whoever said rural Ireland is often more interesting for visitors.

Leaning tower of Pisa, looked like it could have been a plastic theme park. With lots of stalls selling tat. Amsterdam and Barcelona both underwhelmed me... Paris, Bruges, lovely cities..

The Viking museum at Large in Scotland - definitely not worth the inflated entrance fee - not really much in it to justify it. The Jorvik centre in York is a lot better. Also Mackintosh House in Glasgow - again not worth the fee - only a few rooms open to the public but nice afternoon tea though.

Me too; I was very disappointed when I visited; much prefer Oxford

Hastings. Not visited for a few years and hoped it had continued a slow improvement. Not so on the basis of today's visit. It was resolutely shabby and run down. The top shopping experience is Iceland, the pier is like an aircraft carrier, the main fun is a mini golf, shops were closed, the food offer stops at fish and chips and the contemporary art gallery was closed. The punters all looked as sad and disappointed as we were.

Bruges. Apart from the waffles just so overrated.

Unfortunately I think there’s quite a few small towns like this that really suffered with covid and haven’t been able to pick back up again! So sad to see all the little communities and local shops closing down! Hopefully your next trip out will be better! Xx

That is very sad you had a bad experience. Yes we can have rubbish weather, but not all the time, i moved here as a young adult and love living here.

Yep, Kew Gardens! Cost a fortune to get there in the car with the clean air crap, parking cost a fortune and apart from the glass houses, it's a glorified town park! We've visited much better gardens at the National Trust. So gutted as it had been on my wish list for years

Example Dublin, unusual and world class museums (more prehistoric gold than any museum in western Europe, major collection of Islamic and oriental art including very old Biblical manuscripts, important collection of early medieval material - not Irish folk life though, that's in Mayo), castle, history. All free.

I think you just don't like Dublin which is fine, we all have places we take against, but there is no lack of things to see and to do. The observatory isn't open to he public, I admit, if that's make or break.

I love Dublin. Its one of my favourite cities to visit too. I think there's just a certain type of person who visits & hates it. I'm not really sure what they expect to be honest.

Here's some things I recommend doing / seeing on a short trip to Dublin

The crypt of St Micans Church where Bram Stoker is buried. Super interesting tour.

The little museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green. Interesting award winning museum in a Georgian house

Henrietta St Tenament Museum. Fascinating look into old Dublin on a beautiful old street

James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street - another fascinating street & interesting museum

Trinity College to visit the Long Room Library & see The Book Of Kelks

Glasnevin Cemetary. Great historical important graveyard with loads of famous people

The Viking Centre

Christ Church & St Patricks Cathedral

The National Gallery

The National Museum

The Natural History Museum

The National Concert Hall

Several theaters including The Abbey, The Gate, & The Olympia

Guiness Store House Museum

Irish Museum of Modern Art which has beautiful grounds

The 1916 Museum inside the historic GPO

Drink coffee & eat cake in Bewleys a real Dublin tradition

Eat fish & chips in newspaper by Christchurch from Leo Burdocks traditional chipper

Visit St Stephen's Green & the Phoenix Park

Have a cocktail in the beautiful upstairs cocktail bar in Peruke & Perriwig on Dawson Street

Have lunch in the famous literary bar Davy Byrne's (features in Ulysses)

I could list another 20 things but hope this gives a bit of a variety of things you can go.

I'm not sure what else you might like to find in a city?

Forgot to mention Epic Museum of emigration

Glass of wine in the Ely Wine Bar after a visit to the RHA Gallery on the beautiful Ely Place

If you go to a chipper, try the Dublin special - smoked fish in batter. Yum.

@Elodie09 I think you've hit the nail on the head there 😞
Many of our great towns and cities have lacked any serious investment in the last 20 years or so, and it shows, particularly in poorer areas of the country. The CoL crisis is just adding to this - so many shops, pubs, restaurants and eating places closing (or closed) down.
Also, the extortionate parking charges, ULEZ and LTNs which are a deterrent to visitors, it's no surprise that people are disappointed.
I'm beginning to feel that we are no longer a first-world country.🙁