Wondering if you've ever experienced the "inversely proportional" theory during mandated travel? ie: The more you dreaded having to go there (for a wedding, funeral, business, cousin arlene's Miss Akron bid, etc) the better it ended up being. I mean, you were SURE it would suck, and now you can't wait to return. Vegas comes to mind...

I went with my family to a small ski resort/spa in Wisconsin. They wanted to go skiing and I said I will just go to the spa. Well, I got talked into skiing (never been before) and I really liked it. Can't wait to move on to bigger slopes.

ttt

I went to St. Louis to visit inlaws. I was thinking to myself who the hell wants to go to St.Louis? This was before the internet revolution. I loved it and was pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be the Fresno of the midwest.

Memphis - went there one Christmas to visit family. I thought that going to Tennessee was going to really suck. I don't know about the rest of the state, but we had a great time in Memphis.

The only thing I had ever heard about Chicago was that it was "the windy city." No one told me about the museums, the Lakeside, the Miracle Mile, nothing! I went to a convention and did not make plans to stay any extra days, and boy, was I bummed out that I didn't. The people were wonderful, the shopping fun, and I just loved jogging around! I have been desparate to get back ever since.

Las Vegas.

First time to Vegas I was dreading the trip, wasn't into gambling or Wayne Newton, and was expecting a lot of sleaze and greasy food.

What we found were great restaurants, and families having a grand old time. Lots of folks, (mostly from California and Arizona), who couldn't normally afford a deluxe vacation at a resort with stunning pools and amenities, were paying $49 and $59 per night to, for a night or two, live in luxury and roam with the wealthy. The smiles on the kids faces always made my day, kids at the Pirate show, at the dolphin show, at the lion exhibit etc.

Nothing like I thought it would be.

"...roam with the wealthy"???

I'll bet you that the average Las Vegas visitor is far from 'wealthy'.
Most are just working class or middle class joes in town to blow off some steam or see a show.

Your point is well taken though ,mare.
LV is now much more than the tired old velvet Elvis and Dean Martin cliches. It's diversified greatly in just the past 10 years. So that it now appeals to a much wider audience.
I think you would have disliked LV had you visited in the mid 1980's.

Southern California.
Now I live there.

Had that lifelong norhteast prejudice against California, until I actually came out here and saw how beautiful it is.

You read my mind....So. California was also some place I was apprehensive about. I thought it would be ugly, cement, snobs, expensive....every BAD stereotype you can imagine.
I visited during January of 1999 and 18 months later I was a resident! Myra

Wisconsin Dells. Went with 2 other families and had a blast. Have been back twice since. There's alot to do, and being with other families I ended up doing things that I thought I never would have never done.

White House.

Maybe this reflects my politics, but we did a family trip to DC during the Clinton Admin. The part of the itinerary I was least interested in was the White House tour.

My congressman got us into the super duper tour, including the sculpture gardens, etc., and it turned out to be, for me, the highlight of the trip.

Another vote for Chicago.

My husband always tried to get me to go to Key West with friends and I always said no. I heard that place was terrible!

Well, one year I gave in and have been going back 3 or 4 times a year for 1 or 2 weeks each visit.

My Chicago experience was almost identical to Mare's. I went to a conference there with low expectations, imagining it would just be another big dirty city, but I loved it and wish I'd planned to spend a couple of extra days there, too. The aquarium is fantastic, and I wish I'd had time to go to some of the museums. The architecture downtown near the river is gorgeous. I'll definitely be going back!

My half sister from Germany wanted to visit Niagara Falls. I hadn't been since I went as a child with my parents. All I could remember was a cheesy tourist street, Ripley's Museum, crowds and cheap motels. When my sister and I got there we had a room with a balcony directly overlooking the colorfully lit falls. We kept our door open and fell asleep to the sound of the rushing water. We found a private path leading directly to the rocky shore across from the falls and sat there late one moonlit night marveling at the wonder before us. We discovered the botanical gardens and drove leisurely through the wine country, snacking on fresh fruit from the roadside stands, until we stopped at a lovely winery for a wine and cheese tasting. While we were there we witnessed an outdoor wedding with a string quartet. The whole trip was an altogether unexpected pleasure.

A Barry Manilow concert. I had a great time but I was constantly looking around for my female co-workers who would undoubtedly tell my buddies.

Melissa -

You didn't know that Chicago borders Lake Michigan?

To Key West Lover: just how well do you know your husband? Have big closets in your home?

To Dan: are you Key West Lover's husband? Anything you'd like to share with us? Bring 'out' in the open?

Agreed to travel with South Dakota with In-Laws, as the date approached I really regretted my decision. We loved South Dakota, absolutely beautiful with scenery you will find no other place.

We've since returned to SD and enjoyed it as much as the first time (20 years prior.)