What is the most overrated destination you have ever been?

[Meltinthemiddle]

Mine is Dubai l.

I don't like the USA and Dublin was grim.

I live in the Middle East and Dubai does what it says on the tin. I wouldn't go out of my way to travel there.

Well said and this is exactly how we do Cornwall! The early bird (it doesn't even have to be that early - crowding starts from about 10.30ish)really does catch the worm, or, arrive at the beach around 4ish.

Embrace the rain - it just enhances the dramatic coastline!

I stand in defence of North London.

@Poofurburrball we used to rent a barn out next door to our house and would love holidaymakers like you - ready to get stuck in and see all aspects of our part of Cornwall. In contrast we had some visitors who literally couldn't cope with the lack of street lights and the dark skies, while also complaining of crowded beaches because they chose to go to the most obvious ones!

My parents-in-law won a holiday to Canada but as they’d been there before, gave us the prize (although they kept the £500 spending money that came with the prize).

Toronto was great, but the three nights in Niagara Falls were awful, what a tacky place, nowhere nice to eat and FILLED with coach-loads of Japanese honeymooners crammed in front of all the sights to take their compulsory photographs (this was before mobile phones). We were counting the hours down until we left.

The actual falls were awesome and spectacular, but my tip would be “Go for the day, or an overnight stay at most”.

I was disappointed by Dubai, and I went with low expectations. I thought there would be impressive, glam skyscrapers surrounded by a desert with golden, sandy dunes but it was just a bunch of uninspiring high rise buildings and massive dual carriageways, surrounded by a flat, greyish brown desert. About as glamourous as Birmingham. No offence meant to Birmingham.

London. I used to go for business trips in my early 20s, expecting it to be fun and exciting and a bit classy. It's a dirty, smelly dump. Now overpopulated by influencers and cafes trying to be insta photo friendly.

To be honest I have been disappointed with most places I've been, especially cities. The problem is that the world's just too crowded. Venice, for example, was so packed I felt like I couldn't breathe. Another big problem is the car. Cars have ruined cities. Several people mentioned Rome. But imagine Rome with no cars and 70% fewer people. The centre, at least, would be gorgeous.

Boston MA. I did like Harvard though.

I agree, this is why I avoid city breaks.

New York and Hong Kong, equally. Sydney Opera House is a let down, too.

I too will defend north London (my hometown, although I no longer live there).

@TheaBrandt I liked Dublin too- for a quick cheap break I thought it fun and not grim at all- then again we do vary it up- metro along coast to Dalkey (lovely) or up to Howth , pop to the little towns along the coast. Atmospheric pubs , live music everywhere, had some fabulous meals too (not cheap though) - last 2 times I've been was great weather though which probably helps. I'm not sure what people are expecting, it's a proper working city (and one doing well too) and not that many pure tourist attractions- not dissimilar to Manchester

West is best!

So, @Crikeyalmighty not strictly a Dublin break. Everyone who loves it seems to do so because they go to lovely places around about!

@MiniBossFromAus I like all of that too but preferred those things in Marrakech and Istanbul - and food in both was much better too - in fact it was excellent and much cheaper. I think part of the problem with Dubai was the other tourists. It attracted a lot of very blingy people desparate to show how much wonga they had.

@explainthistomeplease yes and no- we do tend to get out and about- but I did spend a fair bit of time in the city itself- I agree it's not great if you are a 'sights' person - but I was happy to potter in the shops, go to lovely cheery pubs and chat to some right characters and have some terrific meals- I wouldn't like to be there on a tight budget though- it's not cheap.

I do wonder whether some people choose a holiday by throwing a dart at a map and then carefully avoiding any information about the place.

Scotland is cloudy, Cornwall is wet, places nearer the equator are hot, popular tourist destinations are full of tourists, cities are built up and expensive, and Gretna Green has been a coach stop since the 1770s.

And I want to put in a word for the shagging tortoises of Barbados Wildlife Park. Yes, it's like walking through the set of a chelonian porn film, but that's the joy of it! Everywhere you look, little pairs of rocks going at it like asthmatic coconuts. Marvellous.

I can't see how the comment about Brighton was at all racist, albeit a lack of ethnic diversity doesn't chime with my own experience.

As to 'America' - what, the whole continent? As for disliking the US because of its brash commercialism, this is what I expected to find before visiting for the first time. The reality was that outside the major metropolises/tourist traps it was very far from that. I've been up and down the eastern seaboard on an extended road trip and met with all ends of the social spectrum, from the frenetic pace of NYC Times Square to the quiet, open spaces of Maine. Not all even NYC was overrun: lower Manhattan and some of the eastern region was far quieter than expected.

I did like Boston, but was staying with people who lived there which does make a difference. Likewise one of the quieter, lesser populated Florida keys. Loved the eastern US so much that I ended up staying to work there for a few years and once seriously considered settling permanently. It's a big continent. Like anywhere attitudes are diverse and sometimes unpaletable, but in general it has a vibe I love.

I have no great love for London. Top UK cities for me: York, Bath, Oxford, Edinburgh, and yes, Manchester and Liverpool. L1 is really impressive these days and the waterfront areas are quite beautiful. Areas topping my list of natural beauties are Dorset, North Wales, the Avon region and North Yorkshire.

As to the PP who doesn't like Windermere: Alesund on the west coast of Norway is a dead ringer for that place, and the beauty is it's nearly empty. The nearby Sunnmore mountain region is great if Cumbrian fellwalking is your thing. It has everything, if you replace lakes with fjords!

Excellent!

Las Vegas

@BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn great post and so very true- I see comments on here about copenhagen where we lived for awhile being very expensive- it is, but it's not a hidden secret, get online look at a few menus or bar prices etc. the internet has made it very easy to know these things in advance.

Go to a unesco place and chances are it will be very busy most of the year.

I think one reason people do like places like Disney or even Dubai are that they are quite sterile. A bit like entering a permanent world of Westfield. You know what you are getting.

I love Athens and Istanbul and New York for instance- none are immaculate, all are quite noisy and chaotic but to me feel very different from home and raise the senses.

Another difference is if you are still at the stage of having under 10s- if so then noisy and chaotic and just 'pottering' and sitting around isn't going to be enjoyable - life stages are important. I wouldn't enjoy these huge AIs with water parks for instance- but I do understand why people with children do (or even very greedy teens)

I think the thing about North/South London (speaking as an east Londoner) is that it shows how big London actually is. A lot of the European cities you go to on a city break are quite compact in terms of things you're most likely to want to see and do. Whereas London is hugely spread out. Yes, you have your main tourist attractions in Zone 1, but there's a lot going on all over. So in order to get to stuff you'll have to stand pressed into someone's armpit on an overheated tube/cycle through pissing rain/spend your entire monthly budget to drive. IMO, a lot of whether people enjoy London or not is based on their tolerance for travel, once you get to places it's great.

did you walk around with your eyes shut?

Burton upon Trent was a recent shock. I always loved going as a kid, and had to stop recently to get my car fixed.
went a walk into the town, and it’s gone downhill massively.