Greg

There are so many terrible places both in the United States and in the world but most have visitor promotion divisions that can make the worst place seem like heaven. The travel press is terrible at promoting these places and making hell sound like heaven.

My question to the Fodors board is: What overhyped place in the world was the greatest disapointment.

My vote goes to New Orleans, mexican beach resorts and London England.

ixl

Orlando

Jamie

My initial reaction to your question is: well, if there's so much travel information available (like here at Fodor's) then whose fault is it that you went into New Orleans or Cancun or Puerto Vallarta with your eyes closed???

Second reaction is: many people love all the places you mentioned. The point is that they weren't what YOU like, so to state that they are 'overhyped' is less than accurate.

Third reaction: if you went with someone knowledgable about London and New Orleans I think you'd be able to find things about both that you like. Not your perfect vacation, perhaps.
But to say that London is an overhyped waste actually makes you look a bit foolish. You were either too lazy to discover its unique assets or you don't value history and culture.

As to your initial question, the past 5 years I can't think of anyplace I've visited the world over in which I was caught off guard (in a negative way) by what I encountered because I always do enough reading ahead of time so that I know basically what's to be expected.

roadtripper

Buenos Aires - very dirty shanty town.

roadtripper

Whoops! I meant Puerto Vallarta - what was I thinking?

traveller

I have loved 99% of the places I have visited. London has so many historic points of interest and it is an exciting city.

The only place I wasn't impressed with was Fiji but in reality this was my own fault as I am past the point of wanting to lie about on the beach. I found it boring. Yet the islands are beautiful.

As a poster above said, every place has its positive points for certain people. It may not be what you want but exactly what another is looking for.

Best place I have visited? New Zealand, hands down.

Jamie

Oh, I know what he was trying to say, roadtripper.
Sure, there are lots of places that market themselves heavily and try to appear to be something they're not.
And I agree that the Mexican resort towns are right up on top of that list. I didn't enjoy any of them when I first visited (pre-internet days) and won't ever go back.

My point (bluntly stated, yes) was that there's so much info out there these days that no one should get burned by hype. This thread may indeed open someone's eyes about some particular place. But the internet has been a boon to the savvy traveller who doesn't enjoy being the victim of hype.

xxx

Ireland did it for me as a over-hyped place. Yes, it was pretty, but the Ring of Kerry was a windy road which lacked the beauty of say places like the Columbia Gorge in Oregon.

London didn't wow me either. I guess I had heard so much before I went and was so excited that when I got there I just felt that it was dirty and bad food. I'd go back again, but it isn't my my favorite place.

Florida was no big shake either. Bunch of old people and rednecks. I did enjoy Sarasota though.

New Orleans was beyond any of my expectations - loved it! Love Scotland! Love Italy!

To each their own.

Susan

Brussels, Belguim. Actually, it wasn't the visitor promotion that hyped it for me but the guide books. After a day we cut our time short and headed on to Paris where we really could use the extra time!

lon

I found San Antonio to be overhyped. I think they have been promoting the city heavily lately. It is not a bad place at all, just didn't live up to all the expectations.

brandi

I think that is a great question! Everybodies opinion of heaven may be different, so I hope I don't step on any toes here.

My answer is Cancun. Sure, the beaches are great, but the whole place just gave me the creeps. It was overpriced, too touristy, and was just too much like Vegas on a beach, without the casinos. Don't get me wrong, I adore Vegas. But when I want a beach vacation, I will always think Fiji. Never Cancun.

Lee

Dublin, Ireland had some problems that you can't know about until you get there.
I did a ton of research, online and off line pre-trip and I found nothing to indicate that during their summer months they have an overcrowding problem because of all the Spanish language students they allow in.
Being a smaller city, they literally cannot handle this. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but believe me, when you're there for awhile it is.
I would never go back there again during the summer.

John G

Without a doubt in my mind: Pisa, Italy.

xxx

I hate when someone says they don't like "Florida". Florida is not a city it is a huge state with more than just rednecks and old people. BTW - I don't live in Florida.

Adam

I love New Orleans and London and find it hard to believe that anyone didn't. (Sorry, Greg). But, to each his own...opinions make the world go 'round.

My vote would be for articifial cities like Vegas, Orlando and Cancun. ICK!

Susan

Oh, John G, you are so right. Just spent the hottest, stinkiest, most crowded three hours there last July. Gotta love the tee shirts depicting a naked Bart Simpson climbing up the leaning tower, though.

pj

Disney World......both of them!!!!!!OK Disney Land and Disney World.

lscott

It depends on what you like. We love REAL places that have history and where real people make a living and would go on living without tourists. We love London...Chicago...Rome...Edinburgh...Boston..the entire island of Puerto Rico. Hate artificial stuff...any theme park, tropical island that exists just for tourism, Las Vegas more than once..and especially Disneyland. But understand why some people like them.

Vi

My vote goes to Costa Rica, especially the Capital, what a dump!

Also most of the forests outside of the National Parks are clearcut.

amy

Anyone who has spent even a little bit of time reading up on Pisa, Italy (non-proprietary information....especially Fodor's Europe board) knows that it's a waste of time.
The question of "overhyped" and "don't waste your time" destinations on the Europe forum virtually always trumpet Pisa.
In fact, on our first trip to Italy we drove all over from north to south, and drove right past Pisa without so much as stopping in. Still don't regret it.

Brandi, why would you feel badly about not liking Cancun? That's a very common opinion indeed.