<BR>TARPON SPRINGS FLA. THE SPONGE DIVERS. <BR>OVER PRICED SMALL BOAT OLD GUYS SMOKING UP THE BREATHING TUBE. WATER SO SHALLOW WE COULD WALK THRU LOOKING FOR A FAKE SPONGE THAT THE PLANTED THERE

I have to agree with Bettina's post waaaay back in May of '00 for Mackinac Island being a total rip-off. 1.)As you depart the ferry, all you see are souvenir shops - tons of them - all selling the exact same t-shirts and teaspoons- how many teaspoons does one really need? {Never understood that concept anyway.} (2.) The restaurants are overpriced with bland/mediocre food - I swear my chili came out of a can. (3.) There is NOTHING to do or see as you walk around the island (or rather, side-step around horse poop), other than an old fort that just happened to be closed while we were there, except (4.) THE GRAND HOTEL - which CHARGES YOU TO WALK INTO THEIR LOBBY!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, you heard it right, folks...if you are not a guest, you cannot open their doors without paying a fee. They graciously allow you to walk on their porch for free. How kind.

Hey Geth - don't cancel your reservations if you found what you want at the Salem B&B. Salem isn't that bad and the Peabody Essex Musuem is very good. Salem is a good place to use as a base for seeing the North Shore of Massachusetts. You can go to Gloucester, Rockport, Newburyport etc. You can take the commuter rail into Boston. Try the Grapevine rest. and the Love Noodle rest. They get great reviews. Its just the witch stuff that turns a segment of the population off (including me).

This is my all-time favorite Fodors' thread. It has it all (except rudeness)!

Thanks to those who replied and encouraged me to keep my reservations. It occurred to me that the campy Halloween thing was why we made the reservations in the first place (well, the cost too) and so why should someone saying "yeah its campy and commercialized" bother me. &lt;grin&gt; <BR> <BR>Good luck and happy traveling. I wish I was more well traveled. I hope 32 isn't too late to start!

To Greg, re; your msg march 16 <BR>i just had to respond to you. so you think vancouver is overrated. well we were voted the most liveable city in the world recently!!shuts down at 10??? well maybe the people or places you go to do. on the other hand we have so much to see and do here, mountains, ocean, so many different cultures. i guess everyone is just pooped out from playing all day here. oh, maybe you mean vancouver, wash. there are two vancouver's you know!!! by the way what great city do you live in. that's ok, our tourism is great these sunny (and not too hot) days with the big cruise ships coming in daily and people enjoying this magnificant city. maybe you need to get out and see the world a bit. sorry about your bad experience with vancouver, don't worry the tourists still keep flocking here. oh by the way tonite we have the fireworks down at the beach . a crowd of about 300,00 is expected, i doubt everyone will be going home to bed after, actually some friends and i are going and plan on partying for a good portion of the evening afterward. <BR>Happy travelling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laura, <BR>Love this thread. <BR> <BR>Going to Boston in 2 weeks - quick, what should I avoid? <BR> <BR>Molly, I liked Queen Mary---as my hotel room mainly, a point from which to see and do other things. In that respect it was kewl, I got to stay in one of the better rooms with beautiful paneling and appointments. Also there was a Brit bartender who knew everything about drinks, lots of storeies too. July 4th there were fireworks.

to the Top!

I have to agree with John (toughguy), I love Baltimore, There is so much more to see besides the Inner Harbor, you just have to go off the beaten path a little. <BR>Alot of great little neighborhoods and alot of interesting shops. <BR> <BR>As far as the worst place I've ever visited has been Gettysburg, Pa. <BR>I guess if you like staring at big rocks in the middle of fields you will like it, but it is sooo boring. Some little mom & pop stores and the speed limit I believe is like 25 mph for about 10 miles. You can take a whole day just trying to drive thru it!

Freeport, Maine-Who wants to go to retail outlets when in beautiful Maine. <BR> <BR>Manchester Centre, Vermont-Who wants to go to retail outlets when in beautiful Vermont. <BR> <BR>Ben and Jerry Tour, Vermont-A real waste of time. They're so concerned about someone stealing their secrets that you pretty much see nothing. A video and a quick peek through a glass window at the finished product is all I remember. But you can buy an overpriced ice cream cone and souvenirs.

I would bet a bunch that every post on here putting a place down would draw an equal group of defenders and vice versa. It is what makes a great debate. Keep it up-For the non Gettysburg lover-you have to have an appreciation of what went on there and the pivotal place it took in the outcome of the war(along with Vicksburg that same week)!

Attn: FIVE POINTS, Your right, you do have to have appreciation to enjoy places like Gettysburg. But how interseting can it be standing around looking at nothing? Perhaps I didn't see whatever it is that is supposed to be interesting, but if someone is going there expecting to see all sorts of interesting war monuments or forts/buildings they will be dissapointed. Of course this is my personal opinion.

Geth, Do not cancel. I happened to love Salem. The witch museum and Nathaniel Hawthorn's house were very enjoyable. Thought the town was clean and quaint. Easy access to Boston from here and room rates are much better. I want to do exactly the same thing you are doing some day so I would love to hear a trip report from you. That is one of my favorite parts of the country and you will be there at a great time of year. You can also get to Gloucester and rockport easily from Salem. Enjoy your trip.

By far, "House on the Rock" in Wisconsin was the worst place I have EVER been. Dirty, dusty, garbage filled tourist trap. Horrid, Horrid, Horrid!

EPCOT CENTER!!! It's just an overblown food court and souvenir shop that you actually pay to enter. Picture a Stuckey's with ethnic souvenirs.

House on the Rock = House of SCHLOCK! Truly awful!

Yeah!!! I'm #200!

At the risk of sounding unpatriotic...I nominate the Grand Canyon. No complaints about the natural wonder from either rim. But, the onsite lodging and food are overwhelmingly awful. We did a family tour of GC, Zion and Bryce -- or as my then 10-year old son disaffectionately labelled it -- the AMFAC tour 3 summers ago. Overwhelming beauty spoiled by crude, dirty, fly-infested rooms and bland, overcooked cafeteria food that the lunch room ladies at any elementary school would boycot.

If you can't enjoy yourself in Key West there is a problem.<BR>

I've been around this board a good long while, and threads don't get any better than this one.<BR><BR>Read, enjoy, contribute!