Branson MO. We only went there because my nephew was playing in an all-star basketball game at College of The Ozarks but I thought it might be fun. It was July last year and it was SO CROWDED I couldn't even believe there were so many people in one little town at one time!! I never need to go back there. Believe me, I didn't go there with high expectations to begin with and left amazed at how far below my mediocre expectations it was!

TEXAS

Brooklyn and Queens

Nashville, Opryland and Austin, TX. A half hour in each place is more than enough.

Obviously, much of this a matter of opinion, but I agree with some and disagree w/others:<BR><BR>Orlando -- agree<BR>Germany -- disagree (the whole country's bad?!?)<BR>Massachusetts -- disagree (the whole state's bad?!?)<BR>Cape Cod -- mostly agree<BR>Baltimore -- disagree; there are some great neighborhood spots<BR>Clearwater -- agree<BR>Quebec City -- disagree<BR>Morocco -- mostly agree, but you have to be prepared for a different culture<BR>Hershey -- mostly disagree. Of course you hated it -- the park was closed.<BR><BR>And I'll add:<BR>Los Angeles -- I don't understand why people live there or visit<BR>Anaheim -- there is no there there<BR>Jacksonville -- ugly sprawl<BR>Myrtle Beach -- over-built condos ringed by ramshackle trailer parks<BR><BR><BR><BR>

You go Rick!! Cape Cod was the pits!! My family still says &quot;Remember taht horrible vacation...&quot; Hotel was $225 a nite for less than HJ. The &quot;gracious host&quot; tossed a packet of powder mix at my daughter at breakfast when she inquired if there was hot chocolate. The beach was all rocks with 10 miles of parking lot (when we LIVE 500 feet from the Atlantic Ocean and the most beautiful beach in NJ in teh summer, why did we drive?) the ocean was 55 and we had to explain why men were kissing and holding men walking down the street when we went to a whale boat in P'Town. The food was fast food with a few sea food thrown in for $$$$

Travel boy: People live in Los Angeles because the weather is good all year round -- and an hour from the beach, an hour from the mountains and snow, and an hour from the desert! And we don't worry about the rest of the world.

We were extremely disappointed in Asheville NC and somewhat let down by New Orleans. <BR><BR>Asheville did a great job of piquing my interest, but once you got there you realize it's just a little one horse town. Part of our Asheville trip was going to the Great Smoky Mountain NP (we loved it), which brought us through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg....YIKES! Why would anyone go to either of these cities on purpose?<BR><BR>New Orleans had a certain weird sleaziness that didn't settle well with me. We LOVED the food there, but the overall experience was disenchanting. <BR>

I have to agree with Quebec. While I thought Quebec City was lovely-- though touristy--one day was enough to see it. It might be a pleasant cruise stop. Montreal was less than anticipated and I was disappointed. I must temper this against my expectations. I have traveled to Western Canada on several occasions, as well as Alaska, and I was expecting more incredible vistas. The drive from Montreal to Quebec City was over terrain as flat as a pancake. <BR><BR>Montreal reminded me of Seattle without the Mt. Rainer. Some beautiful churches etc...but they were contained in a very small area of the city.<BR><BR>Other disappointments--the whole Orlando/Disneyworld experience and Baltimore--there may be a few nice areas, but as a whole --bleah.<BR><BR>New Hampshire's white mountains also were much shorter than I imagined.

Hell in Grand Cayman, a total pit! There is NOTHING there except a shop &amp; a post office.<BR><BR>French Lick, IN - The hotel was nice, but there was nothing else there. The only restaurants were at the hotel &amp; the golf club. We literally drove 1 hr to go to a movie theater.

Oklahoma and Boston...

1. Gatlinburg - rather visit a prison<BR>2. Myrtle Beach (though environs are spectacular, check out Pawleys Island)<BR>3. Delaware - grim in all respects<BR>4. Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada<BR>5. Utah, I just don't like the people<BR>6. Houston for humidity and concrete<BR>7. Dallas for lack of trees and class<BR>8. Bari, Italy <BR>9. Athens, Greece (violent and dirty)<BR>10. Santiago, Chile (yellow air)<BR>11. Taiwan - nice people, horrid place<BR>12. Singapore - Stepford Wives Revisited with 100% humidity, leaves Houston in the dust for sheer wetness<BR>13. Grand Intercontinental Hotel in Paris -- mean and nasty, terrible experience, almost ruined Paris after 25+ trips there<BR>14. Any hotel in London that costs less than 250 BPS per day<BR>15. Puerto Rico starting right at the airport<BR>16. Aruba -- Germans who get up at 5AM to mark their chairs around the pool with a towel, very plastic, too windy, cold water, nothing Caribbean<BR>17. Lima, Peru -- a real pit<BR>18. White Castle restaurants<BR>19. Madrid, Spain in anything less than a 5 star hotel<BR>20. Anything remotely Disney<BR><BR>

Have you travelled anywhere that you actually enjoyed?

If I only had six months to live (and who knows these days):<BR><BR>1. St. Barths and I might just stay there for the duration<BR>2. Any European capital on a first class, 5 star budget<BR>3. Israel, to revisit Jerusalem and Bethlehem (if it will ever again be possible)<BR>4. San Francisco and maybe for the duration also<BR>5. Brazil, all of it, any of it<BR>6. Zermatt, St. Moritz, Meribel, Seefeld, Austria, Grindelwald, Lech and many other Alpine destinations<BR>7. The Grand Canyon<BR>8. Just driving across the American West with a great collection of CDs, some money in my pocket and no schedule at all<BR>9. Kyoto, Japan (at least once, maybe not again in my remaining six months, ditto Hong Kong)<BR>10. Venice and maybe for the duration<BR>11. Berlin<BR>12. St. Petersburg and I have never even been there yet<BR>13. Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, ditto #12 <BR>14. The Hamptons<BR>15. New York City on a 5 star budget<BR>16. Lake Michigan<BR>17. Yosemite Park<BR>18. Los Angeles on a 5 star budget<BR>19. Scubing diving on the Great Barrier Reef<BR>20. Big Sur, maybe for the duration<BR><BR>Does that help?

You're so amusing Rick, with your constant Cape-bashing. No wonder you didn't like it, you visited the crummier towns, didn't have a clue as to where to stay, when to go (duh, the water is 55 degrees, big surprise if you go in May!), and couldn't even find the gorgeous, world class, always rated in the country's top ten beaches by Dr. Beach - National Seashore. How can anyone go to the Cape and be so off course so as to miss the charming towns like Chatham, Wellfleet and Brewster and end up instead in P-town?<BR><BR>Also, you don't stay in a motel at the Cape-Unless it's the Chatham Bars Inn, Wequassett Inn, or one of the other few fine lodgings. To get the real Cape experience you rent a charming, shingle cottage. You really missed the boat Rick when it comes to visiting the Cape. I bet you didn't even bike the rail trail. It's like going to Honolulu and thinking you visited Hawaii. Big disappointment, but that shouldn't be a surprise.<BR><BR>You know where Fodors is. Next time use it.

People live in Los Angeles since there's always something going on in town. Just wanted to point out that the weather forecast for tomorrow is 80 degrees in LA! Yahoo!!!

Kath, <BR>I wouldn't change any plans because someone did not enjoy a place. I did not like my visit there so Quebec City is just not my thing but many people including my friends really love it.<BR>It is just my personal opinion. Go and have fun<BR>Some people don't like SF, for instance, I loved it

I sort-of figured my criticism of LA would draw some flack, and it's just the type I expected -- &quot;We have better weather than you do!&quot;<BR><BR>Only in LA is the weather considered a top cultural attraction.<BR><BR>BTW, the person who called Delaware &quot;grim&quot; must have missed Del.'s seashore. It's beautiful and one of the most underrated on the East Coast.

After a wonderful safari in Kenya, we decided to stay at a beach resort on the Indian Ocean near Mombasa--a complete waste of time. We did, however do an overnight from there to the island of Lamu, which was unique in every respect.

I was quite unimpressed with San Francisco. As a previous poster alluded to, the filthiness of the city is a big turnoff. I was surprised at how SF shuts down fairly early at night. I also have been to San Jose on business, and I was pleasantly surprised. It is a cosmopolitan city. I do get the sense that there are lots of people with significant money given the fact that people appear to be fashion and car conscious. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I like the fact that the weather was nice and the proximity to the ocean, about 40 minutes to the Monterey Bay Area.

San Jose &quot;cosmopolitan&quot;? Now that's funny! I saw more chains in San Jose than I ever did while working in snow country in January. And a lot of Chevrolets. I guess The Gap does have high fashion. <BR>As for money, ever hear of the <BR>&quot;dot-gone&quot; industry? I agree that the best thing to do in San Jose is leave and go to the &quot;proximate&quot; ocean and Monterey.<BR>The &quot;Care Not Cash&quot; measure passed yesterday in SF so Mayor Wille Brown, who knows how to wave like a flag in the wind of public opinion, will try and make it his legacy. Good luck SF.<BR>San Jose-Cosmopolitan. funny!

Gettobea!!!!! get over it!!! You are clueless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the Cape is boring and awful.. we made our way from falmouth to P town!! It was awful!!!nothing but trees and rocky sand and greenish brown water!! in the ocean!!! 300.00 a night for hotel rooms?? I can see if it was California ....but not Cape cod!!! all the small towns wereboring... and the people had personalities of wet dishrags!!

Good Morning Rick, the clueless traveler. Let me guess, you took route 6 all the way from Falmouth to Provincetown, right? And you wonder why you didn't like the Cape. <BR><BR>We get it already. You won't be coming back to the Cape-ever. It's OK, really, we can see that it isn't your thing, all those rocks and trees. And it's not a place to go if you don't want to spring for first class accomodations, that's for sure.<BR><BR>Now please, I'm dying to know, where DO you like to vacation? Have you ever vacationed anywhere else?

I thought the San Diego Marina area was very dull and the zoo overrated. Also, Monterrey, Ca. was just a bunch of tourist shops. Not worth the time, especially when compared to the beauty of Carmel, CA.<BR>Loved Germany - Rothenberg and Bavaria and the Rhine were wonderful. Liked Cancun...

Why is the original post basing so much on the hotels?<BR>If its all about the hotels and restaurants why not stay at the local Hilton?

In terms of destination, Venice, Italy. The crowds that come for the day from the cruise ships ruin the inherent charm.<BR><BR>I'd also add Bali to the list. The impact on the culture from Westerm tourism has clearly left its mark. <BR><BR>In terms of specific site, the long bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The haunt of famous British writers that is most well known for the invention of the Singapore Sling, has now become a place to get a pre-made drink in a souvienier glass.

Interesting reading! Some of the posters I really disagree with, like about Puerto Rico--we stayed in this &quot;boutique hotel&quot; in the walled part of the city and it was really nice. If we'd been on the &quot;strip&quot; I doubt we would have like PR at all. And Sandals at Dunns River Falls in Jamaica?! Come on! It's an all inclusive. Of course it's cheesy. I went there for a couple of days (not nights) and found the food good (of course we'd been eating true Jamaican curried goat in our villa we rented so that could be why) and the entertainment predictably cheesy. But I got to have trapeze lessons, which was cool! For most disappointing city I'd have to say Florence, Italy. Very loud with the traffic and the scooters and no sidewalks. I was soooo ready to leave--the other small towns and cities of Italy are so much better (Assisi, Verona, Rome). Oh, and I liked Portugal too, especially Sintra, although I was very sick of the food by the time we left.

Been to 44 states--<BR>Pigeon Forge worst town I've ever passed through..However, I did tolerate the area because of all the warnings I've read on this site!!!!<BR>Nashville is also on my list of places I will not visit again. I just found it to be mostly &quot;nothing&quot; Maybe I missed something??? I did really enjoy the Operyland Hotel-beautiful landscaping,good food and great service AND included my daily exercise walking to and from my room!!!

Travelboy, bless you! I am an LA native and won't ever leave again (lived in Boston and Philly). Every New Year's Day, when the sun shines warm and the clouds break over snow capped mountains, millions of Americans wake up and watch the Rose Bowl parade from their winter wonderlands and START PACKING TO MOVE TO LA!<BR>I love this city, have my favorite things to do and see as does every native and hope everyone who is unhappy here would leave and allow our real estate and apartment prices to &quot;normalize.&quot;

I think of L.A. as one of those places that is better to live in than to visit - which is a good thing for the locals. And if it weren't a great place to live, the real estate wouldn't be so high, it's all about supply and demand.

China--any of it.

Las Vegas. Truly the ONLY vacation I'd rather forget. Went several years ago. It snowed! 1st time in 5 years that happened. Lost our shirts the first day. Was disgusted with the porn peddlers everywhere on the street. Miserable trip. We live in Colorado and have gaming here now which we love and usually win and when it shows, we're prepared!

Oops, I meant &quot;snows&quot;.

One persons paradise is another persons hell.

China was a vacation of many wonderful memories. I was fortunate to tour on my own and saw some small villages, as well as the big metropolitan cities.

I'm actually glad to hear that someone didn't like Asheville because that means they won't be moving here. Asheville is a city of nearly quarter million people (if you include the suburbs, which you might as well), with well over a thousand people moving in every year. I wonder where the person who didn't like Asheville saw that one horse, anyway...

Cuncun, tacky, tacky, tacky........

To: Rick, Erin, XXX, Rod et. al.<BR><BR>It doesen't really matter what you think of Cape Cod...We get 6 million+ visitors a year.<BR><BR>So we don't really need you and your cheap budget vacations.

I just want to make sure I understand Mar (btw, is your real name &quot;Maryl&quot;?) correctly.<BR><BR>On Jan. 1 of every year, several million people pack up their belongings and move to LA., after watching the Rose Bowl game. Who knew? That's why I read this board. You never know what you're going to learn. And by my calculations, every person in America will be living in LA by the year 2058.<BR><BR>Oh, and those &quot;snow-capped mountain.&quot; Those would be the ones that hide behind that brown ball of smog that hangs there about 300 days a year.<BR><BR>Happy breathing!

Rick, Erin and XXX (very poor job of disguising the fact that you are one poster -Rick, by the way), I've been all over the world, including but not limited to Thailand, the Amazon, Hawaii, France, Spain, Italy, England, Canada, Mexico, the caribbean, etc., etc.,. One of my very favorite spots in the world is Nantucket. We return every year.<BR><BR>I'll second Gene's request that you stay away. I'm quite sure that if you did find your way to a first class establishment, you'd be mistaken for the cleaning help anyway. You obviously don't &quot;get it&quot;. Lesser individuals seldom do.