zeppole

I feel that way about Los Angeles! Seriously! It used to be big and empty.

I can't do it this year, but I'm trying very hard to get to Sardegna before it ends up in guidebooks with a list of "must-sees".

tcreath

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I don't want to say that I don't think Croatia would be worthy of a return visit, but I guess it's more that perhaps mass-market tourism could change it for the worst. I too think of the French Riviera or the Costa del Sol and hope Croatia doesn't end up that way. I'm not a beach person myself, so I don't mind escaping the coastline, but the coastline is so beautiful to look at.

My dad was stationed in Ft. Bragg when he was (much) younger and he used to talk about how beautiful Myrtle Beach was in the 70's. We are from the midwest so he doesn't get to the beach very often. Anyways my parents came to visit us in Charlotte a few years back and we took a trip to the beach. My dad took one look at Myrtle Beach and asked to turn around! He was so dissapointed with all of the highrise hotels and tacky tourist shops.

sententia_25

When I went to London for a day trip from Oxford I got to see first hand what the summer tourist crowds were like in a metropolitan city. It was definitely a different experience than visiting Prague the previous weekend. There were still crowds but nothing to the extent of London and I was expecting that kind of crowd during the peak of summer.

If anything the crowds just make me want to go the places that I want to visit during the off-season. I can't wait to visit London again in the fall and see first hand if the crowds changed.

tcreath

sentenia_25, I have visited London twice, once in March and again, a few years later, in February. I don't know what it's like in the summer (and probably don't want to know!) but it wasn't really that bad when we were there. It's still crowded because it's a major city with a large population, but the tourist sites weren't that crowded at all. We never waited in line for anything. I imagine if you visit in the fall you will see a difference.

yorkshire

I am of the impression (and if I am wrong I do not want to know) that Croatia is intent on protecting its coastline from the egregious development of CdS for example. I feel like the accommodation system helps prevent it as well.

Tracy, I am from SC, and the settlers of the area supposedly said Myrtle Beach was stunningly beautiful upon its "discovery." Thank goodness the rest of the state has not suffered the same fate at that godawful strip.

tcreath

yorkshire, I'm with you on MB. We have been to a few beaches in SC, and prefer the quietness of the Pawleys Island/Murrell's Inlet area. I've been to MB once, and once was more than enough! I couldn't even see the ocean...just miles of hotels.

markrosy

immimi

No I am sorry I don't believe that - I thought Hannibal built the C Del S on his way to Rome.

Yorkshire

I love MB is the greatest human creation south of NYC. In concentrating so much tat in one small area, it leaves the rest of us sane people to enjoy the rest of SC/NC/GA in quiet.
Coffin Plantation is top of my list followed by Edisto.

Thank god for the recession - our current little haven are The Abacos. Laid back and quiet. Until you look at Real Estate Agent's land maps which shows every square inch as sub-divided but not sold. Long live the recession and under-development. The opening up of Cuba may help in keeping Hopetown special.

travelgirl2

Love Elbow Cay! It's been about 5 years since we were there, so I hope it's the same, more or less. We rented a house in walking distance to Hopetown and it was great.

Ackislander

I live in Nantucket Town on Nantucket Island, which goes from about 10,000 people in the winter to something in the neighborhood of 50,000 from July 1 to the middle of August.

The downtown is a madhouse because there isn't remotely enough parking, especially on a rainy day when everyone decides at once "Well, we can't go to the beach; let's go to town!" without thinking that a thousand other households are having the same thought.

But once I cross Centre Street, three blocks from the waterfront, all becomes quiet.

I think most places are like this. The tourists, like lemmings (myself included) gather in certain well-defined areas, and there are many peaceful areas nearby. Think about the difference between Oxford Street and New Bond Street in London, or San Gimignano after 5 PM when the tour busses have gone.