Been There, Done That, Don't Bother
 

From time to time, many of us wind up visiting an attraction that is, well, not all it was cracked up to be. Sometimes we wish we could get our money back, but then again, perhaps the proprietor of this attraction needs it more than we do. Maybe we could do others a big favor by identifying United States attractions we have visited that are to be avoided. <BR> <BR>Here are the rules. <BR> <BR>To qualify, the post must discuss an attraction or resort. It has to be someplace you visited specifically for the experience, like a resort, museum, park, beach, etc. If the attraction was especially expensive, please note that fact. Let's not include bad hotels or bad restaurants, because people rarely pick a vacation spot for the hotel or restaurant, unless it is a resort. <BR> <BR>Also, you must describe the reasons you were disappointed in detail. No points are awarded for posts like "The Grand Canyon sucked." That would be unsportsmanlike conduct. Take the time to talk future victims out of it. <BR> <BR>Next, the attraction must be lousy on its own merits. The fact that you got stuck in traffic on the way there or had a headache just means you had bad luck. However, you are permitted to weigh and discuss factors such as effort required to experience the attraction in judging whether it was worth it. <BR> <BR>Lastly, we are not looking for "destinations", so it not helpful to say "I don't like LA." Think of something that a visitor could easily avoid and thereby save a travel day and improve a vacation they might otherwise take to the area. <BR> <BR>Let's see. I will nominate the Queen Mary in Los Angeles, although I know the rest of you will probably outdo me. At the time I went, the only experience available to tour it was a self-guided tour. So you pay quite a bit to wander around a big ship. I don't recall the price as it has been a while, but I do recall that feeling of reaching for my wallet very, very slowly and reluctantly. There is probably a lot of history there, and I love history, but there was no guide there to explain it. The posters on the wall just didn't give the ship the treatment it probably deserved. Given that LA is so spread out and the Queen Mary takes a lot of travel to reach from some of the other tourist destinations, I would say it should be skipped.

Any of the pay "museums" in Gettysburg, PA. The place is full of history and nice gift shops without the tacky little $5+ museums. Try instead, the National park exhibits, the Eisenhower Farm tour, the touring bus thru the battlefield.

L.A. has been blamed for too many bad things already, so let's not blame her for the Queen Mary. That rusting hulk is in LONG BEACH, CA--and is Long Beach ever proud of it. I agree with Laura that it certainly is not worth visiting.

NBC Studios Tour, Burbank, California: <BR> <BR>One pays for a ticket, then waits in an uncomfortably small room for at least 30 minutes. The guests are shown the storage bin where unclaimed prizes from 70s game shows are kept. The guests are then taken to the employee parking lot and shown Jay Leno's car. The tour proceeds to the empty Tonight Show Studio, where the guests sit and are asked, "Are there any questions?" The tour climaxes with a dazzling demonstration of how a TV weather map works. Tour over. Since the building is shared by the local NBC affiliate, I asked the guide, "Can we see the news studio?" The reply was "No, that's off limits to the public." At that point, I was too weary to ask the obvious question: "Why?"

I have a nominee that I will christen as "Big Government Agency Trying to be Disneyworld." It is the FBI tour in Washington, D.C. You would think this would be a really cool tour. I mean, crime is interesting, isn't it? Not once the government gets ahold of it, it's not. You line up to see the FBI tour, and the wait can be really long. Most other attractions in Washington, D.C. have timed tickets. But unless something has changed recently, not the FBI. You go in, and your cheerful government escort walks you around. You see "displays" mostly. So this might be a pair of handcuffs with a police baton and other such stuff stuck to walls under glass. The next display might be on drug use: a picture of some pot and some "just say no posters." The highlight is when everyone is taken to a big room where an FBI agent fires an automatic weapon (a big one, too) at a paper target. All the little children practically press their noses against the glass to watch the gunplay. That's it. End of tour. <BR> <BR>I am not sure they are still doing the automatic weapons part of this tour in this post-Columbine era. But what makes this tour so sad is that it could be a very interesting and detailed study of criminology and history of crime in America. As it is now, it is just plain overrated.

I was quite disappointed by Mount Rushmore. Yes... ita is a remarkable sight but prior to arriving few people are aware that it can only be viewed at a significant distance. The effect was much like seeing a photo of it in a book but in some ways less impressive. I mention this specifically because we went a number of hours out of our way to reach it. The consensus was uniform among my parents and myself in thsi regard (I was 15 and traveling with them). On the bright side, the Black Hills area that we passed through on the way there was full of scenic natural beauty (but IMHO not worth a special trip).

On second thought, maybe there was something that, while not WORSE than NBC, was more disappointing. <BR> <BR>If only I could: Forget the Alamo. <BR> <BR>San Antonio was okay. The hotel was fantastic. The food was great, the Hill Country beautiful. <BR> <BR>BUT: Imagine twenty tour buses and a thousand people wearing cowboy boots in July. The momument was VERY crowded and, unless you're a member of the Sons of Texas or a descendent of David Crockett, not at all enthralling. There is, however, a very nice bouganvillea growing up one of the exterior fences. I know I'm supposed to feel bad about what happened there...well, sorry. <BR> <BR>Side Note: There was no Jan Hooks, no Paul Reubens, no "ah-doe-bee". In fact, there was no tour at all, and certainly no basement.

I found Cherokee, NC to be a very depressing area, not at all what I expected. The museum and giftshops aren't bad, but the surrounding area I wasn't enthralled with.

Salem, MA -- a grossly overcommercialized exploitation of a dark moment in America's history. Don't bother!

I've gotta admit, this was one of the best ideas anybody has come up with for a long time. The input has been greatly appreciated, and I don't mean to laugh at somebody else's expense, but some of the explanations are so funny! You are the people that make forums worthwhile and enjoyable!

I'd have to register a voice of dissent with regard to Mount Rushmore. It is true it can be a haul and a half to get there from just about anywhere. However, the time to visit is at night when the four gentlemen are lit. The program is quite patriotic and moving, even for the cynics out there. And if you get there early enough, say 7:30 p.m. or so, you can park in the auxiliary lot for free, instead of the eight bucks they charge at the main gate. <BR> <BR>And two or three days in the Black Hills would definitely be worth it, especially to the Crazy Horse Memorial and Wind Cave National Park. <BR> <BR>If you've gone through all that trouble to get there, no need to hurry home!

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Rushmore patriotic? Somebody took a big jack hammer and defaced a perfectly good mountain. Glad those guys did not get hold of Half Dome or El Capitan. <BR>Its the same mentality that is ruining the environment with shopping centers and giant housing developments where the first step is to cut down ALL of the trees.

My nomination for a big spoof at best and a monumental ripoff at worst is the boat trip at Wisconsin Dells. <BR>Next nomination is Silver Springs Florida. I agree, Cherokee does have a lot of junk in it. But also some priceless items. Where else can you purchase a big, pink plastic pig?? <BR>If you don't have one, I endorse them heartily -- in someone else's yard about 40 miles from mine. Make a good spoof to plant one at night in some stuff shirt's yard.

We just got back from Washington D.C. and went to a lot of exciting, entertaining, and educational places .. but the Bureau of Printing and Engraving was NOT one of them. <BR> <BR>Our tour consisted of a lot of people standing on a catwalk, looking at a lot of big machines either not doing anything at all or spitting out sheets of dollar bills. Once everybody had said "Wow! Look at all that money!" a few times, there was nothing else to do. <BR> <BR>I think it would be very dull for children, although it's often touted in the guidebooks as being one of the best places to take your kids in D.C.

Emily's post reminded me of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. It seemed like it ought to be interesting ,but it was badly done and not worth the trouble. All you got to see was conveyer belts of coins about 100 feet away and some rather poor exibits.

Here's another vote for the Alamo. I grew up in Sacramento, California, and I've got to say Sutter's Fort, which I previously would have nominated for the World's Most Boring Tourist Destination is about ten times more interesting than the Alamo. And don't even get me started on the riverboat tours! I could not believe that people would pay to be ferried around a Disneyland style river and look at the 80's convention center. Now I like Texas in general, I just wasn't at all impressed with San Antonio proper (but I here the missions around there are pretty cool).

Fellow Texans unite! Tell these folks why we love the Alamo.

I liked the Alamo. I thought the landscaping was beautiful. The history wasn't overwhelmingly interesting but it was a nice little taste of Texas. <BR>But I must admit, my sister-in-law is a native Texan and after being dragged there on many school trips she was like-why did you bother?

A fellow Texan is responding to the call!! If you are a history buff, then the Alamo is very good. Try to hit it at an off-time, especially when school is in session. I hate crowds, so we usually stop by around sunset or in the evening. It is very awe-inspiring to think of how much that place means to Texas history. But I digress... <BR> <BR>I LOVE San Antonio! SKIP the stupid River Taxi tours and STROLL along the Riverwalk! Go into the cute shops, and stop at the bars to have a drink when you get tired. SEE the missions! They are amazing! Sure, the exhibits outside of the visitor center are a bit dated, but the information in them is very good. My husband and I learned a lot from stopping to read them. When visiting a major city, we have often found that the most memorable experiences are found while "exploring." We usually skip the guided tours and just lark out on our own! <BR> <BR>My personal vote for the worst attraction also goes to the FBI Tour. I visited Washington DC with a youth leadership group when I was in high school, and all of the other agencies that we toured did outstanding jobs on showing us what they really did. The FBI, however, just gave us the dime tour described above, and we all left disappointed!

Gatlinburg wins hands down for the tackiest of tacky. Hordes of people wandering up and down ducking in and out of gawd-awful t-shirt shops. Traffic at a standstill. The road through Cades Cove so jammed that by the last 1/3, my husband even refused to pull off on the shoulder to watch a bear because he didn't want to loose his place in the line inching along to get out. <BR> <BR>And hey...Don't Mess With Texas!! The Alamo? Weren't you at least amazed at it's small size? And I agree, walk the river, don't ride. The river by the way, wasn't built to be a disney-like attraction, Monica, it was a WPA flood control project and the city decided to try to make it something attractive of it as long as it had to be there. Riverwalk has become much too crowded for my liking now. Much better to head out into the Hill Country. <BR> <BR> <BR>

My vote would be to skip Sutter's Fort in Sacramento. From the outside, it looks like may be a cool place to visit, but tourists are left to themselves aimlessly wandering around the grounds trying to figure out exactly what it is that they are viewing! There are a couple of artisans doing period stuff, and they are interesting to talk to, but even they seem bored. Plus, it is easy for some people to get Sutter's Fort and Sutter's Mill confused. (Sutter's Mill was were gold was supposedly first discovered in California) Once you realize that distinction, the question remains - then what are we doin' HERE?? <BR> <BR>Even a stroll on the Capitol Mall beats going through this boring site! <BR> <BR>I like the concept of the what is worse, but how about what is best??

Monkey Jungle, just south of Miami, Hurricane Andrew tried to blow it away, maybe God thought it sucked also. It's a place where the monkeys run free and people walk through in cages. It's really a matter of perspective. It was too expensive for what it was, it smelled like . . . well you know what it smelled like. And on top of everything else the bottled water in the pop machines were $2.00 - <BR>Near by was Parrot Jungle - a most enjoyable afternoon experience. <BR>No I don't work for Parrot Jungle and I'm not a disgruntled employee from Monkey Jungle, but I never give a negative review without a positive alternative, might I suggest that the remainder of the messages follow that same rule.

The Everglades! What a total waste! I can't say much for Valdez, Alaska either. The rest of Alaska is great. <BR>The 16 mile drive near Pebble Beach in California didn't live up to its billing either. <BR> <BR>I also agree about the Alamo and Mt. Rushmore.

I second a previously comment on the boat ride at the Wisconsin Dells, and well, just the Dells in general. My husband and I went there quite a few years ago and were NOT impressed. In a word.....tacky.....overpriced hotel, food, shops with ugly souvenirs, a wax museum, even.....we should have left the first day! I think it's more geared for people with kids (which we don't have) and even at that, we would have had the same opinion. The only bright spot was the deer park, but it was expensive to buy the little food pellet things to feed them. I say a "been there, done that, don't bother" with emphasis to the Dells!

Las Vegas and Hollywood spring to mind and yes Laura, I mean ALL of Las Vegas and Hollywood!

Sorry, Christine, but I'll have to penalize you for clipping. That is, your post was far to clipped to be useful, as it lacked sufficient detail. Replay the down.

One sightseeing fiasco that has my mother and me still fuming (after eight years) is the Grand Canyon Steam Train Adventure. The brochures show the Steam Train travelling close to the Canyon Rim and that advertises that it is a great way to see the Canyon "the way it was". Well the Steam Train takes a route over a flat field AWAY from the Canyon. You never see the Canyon again after this ride. What a disappointment!

I will sound very unAmerican saying this, but I live in Manhattan, and I would never take anyone to see the Statue of Liberty. It takes forever to get out there, you can't go up to the crown anymore, not to mention the stairs are very steep. On the other hand, the same ferry brings you to the Ellis Island Museum, which I think is fascinating. I may also be biased, because I was separated from my mother for a couple of hours at the Statue of Liberty when I was 7, but I still think it's overrated.

plymouth rock did not rock but Salem is interesting you need to research it a bit to find the good stuff though ( a witch hunt?) <BR> <BR>I am from NY: the Stat of Liberty is great but you need to get to the boat at 730am & have a sense of humor. The only other people on it then are Japanese tourists, by the way.

At the risk of being branded a total oaf, I nominate New Orleans. My wife wanted us to go there for years--the food, the antebellum mansions, the music, the whole festive scene. Instead, we got an overpriced and uncomfortable room, the stench of horse urine and worse, indigestible over-rich food served in a sloppy fashion, bawdy drunks carousing under our window at all hours, honky-tonk music dives open to flies and fumes. The mansions, however, were fine. We loved the streetcars. And coffee and those little donut-things by the levee were splendid. We soon escaped to a fine place in Biloxi where the food was twice as good at half the price. Bellingrath Gardens outside Mobile were magnificent, and time spent aboard the old U.S.S. Alabama was time well invested. But New Orleans? N.O.

Wow, do i love this string !! Ok, my vote goes for the Statue of Liberty, New York. Like all other first-timers to the city, we decided that it is absolutely a MUST-SEE. Well, as u can guess [since i'm contributing to this post], i think it is such a waste of time and effort, particularly if one does not live in NYC and is on a short trip of 2-3 days. There r much better places to see which epitomise NYC and truly reflect it's nick-name of 'Concrete Jungle' or 'city of skyscrapers', for eg., the World Trade Centre Observation Deck. <BR> <BR>Now, coming to why not Statue of Liberty. The queues are unbearably long, the wait is terribly long [could be a few hours of just standing in line], the ships are cramped. Once u get onto Liberty Island, there is another long queue to get inside the statue, and the wait here cud again be an hour or so. Ofcourse, you do get to the observation deck[sometimes entry to the Crown is closed] , but u only hv a limited time there as there r plenty of visitors. We're in the middle of nowhere and the views from there were so disappointing - Manhattan is too far to really be seen clearly. There's nothing much else to see or do. <BR> <BR>The whole trip right from buying a ticket at the dock, standing in line, getting onto the ship, sailing across, disembarking, standing in line again to get inside the statue, the 2-mins u spend on top, standing in the Q to embark onto the ship, sailing back and getting off - the whole thing takes away almost a whole day AND IT IS SUCH A WASTE. <BR> <BR>I understand that all visitors cannot think of leaving NYC without seeing the Statue, but believe me, it's no great shakes. It's good enough to see the statue from manhattan. Or if u want a closer view, go for the cinematic documentary of New York in the World Trade Centre.

The Upside Down House in Orlando, next to the Pointe Mall. Rip Off!

JM, <BR> <BR>That'll be 5 yards for illegal procedure. No attempt to explain either the attraction or the problems associated with it. Loss of down.

Old Faithful. Yellowstone Park is well worth the trip, but take the time to explore the colorful ponds and nature within walking distance of the Old Faithful geyser. Don't just wait there for the geyser to go off. It's not that big and exciting! Explore the rest of the area.

The arch in St. Louis was a total waste of time. We made the mistake of going up in the arch. After waiting for an age in line, we had the joy of being packed into this tiny car ( or whatever you call it ) like sardines. When you reach the top, you get out and squint through these tiny little windows. All in all a definite waste of time and money. <BR> <BR>Go visit the cathedral with all of the mosaic work in St. Louis, Now that is spectacular.

I know I will be strung up by the Bawmer contingent, but I nominate Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The first time I went, I thought I was missing something; maybe I wasn't in the mood. The second time, I took some relatives sightseeing. We all stood around, watching the other tourists standing around, watching us. Finally, one of my guests said, presciently, "See one Gap, you've seen 'em all." <BR> <BR>Which is what the Inner Harbor is: yet another series of shed buildings filled with exactly the same mix of tourist-oriented retail "establishments" that can be found at New York's South Street Seaport, Boston Faneuil Hall, Miami's Harborplace, etc. ad infinitum. The problem with Baltimore's Inner Harbor is that there is nothing original about it; it's a clean, sanitized, Disneyesque version of what a harbor "ought to be." <BR> <BR>And Al, you nailed New Orleans perfectly.

Neal, your posting reminds me of another place worth skipping: factory outlet malls. It seems they have spread like pimples all across the face of America. The same names, the same merchandise, the same customers. Bored people clutching plastic bags, staring into the distance, trying to remember where they had parked. Walk into any dress shop and your ears catch that strange squeaking sound as dozens of shoppers move the chrome-plated wire hangers across the chrome-plated racks. Pass the ubiquitous "gourmet" shops and see and smell the "meat products" encased in shiney plastic cylinders (haggis in tube?). See the little, free-standing kiosks where all sorts of tacky stuff is displayed under too-bright little lights. See the places where they will pierce your ears "free of cost"--but also free of germs? Avoid their neglected toilets. Look at the parking lots sprinkled with America's solution to the transportation crisis: shopping carts. Watch how America has learned to park those carts in order to do the most damage possible to neighboring auto finishes. See the bits of food detritus--half-eaten pizza, Coke cans, water bottles, etc. Scrape the remains of tossed paper diapers off your careless shoes. Watch your step. Purple mountain majesties, from sea to shining sea.

Cheers. <BR>No, I am not greating everyone with that word, just advising stay away from the Cheers Bar in Boston. Sam, Diane, Coach and Carla never would have worked here. If you must see where the bar is, walk by, look down the stairway to the bar and that is the only recognizable area from the show. Inside is a tourist trap with high priced beer, food and souvineers. I try to discourage all my out of towners from going but they are drawn to the likes of Sam, etc. and after waiting in line, getting inside and taking a look at nothing that resembles the show immediately want to leave. <BR> <BR>There are many lovely and fun places in Boston, good food, boat trips and evening cruises, Harvard Square, Lexington and Concord, something for everyone. I would personally skip Salem another tourist trap. <BR> <BR>My favorite US hangout - St. John, USVI

I find the "neighborhood bar" type chain restaurant that you find in every suburban shopping center and on every strip terribly depressing. Why does a city of 250,000 need 5 Applebees restaurants? But the real question is why do people stand in line every night of the week to eat in these places? The food is mediocre at best, the service is fair but certainly not great, the prices are not cheap, and there is no distinction between any of them. The menus are the same at all of the chains: chicken fingers, potato skins, caesar salads. When I want to eat out, I want to patronize a local business. And when I travel, I want a little local color and local flavor.