The places you never want to visit again

[PRlady]

I read this story in the Washington Post this morning and cracked up. It's about how we hate dragging our relatives to the Hope Diamond, and the First Lady gowns (read the comment about our First Lady's butt), and middle-aged men and their devotion to the Air and Space Museum. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...497_story.html. I heartily agree with all this and would also be happy never, ever to see the Holocaust Museum again; I worked there four years and that is enough!

Then it occured to me that I am that pain-in-the-butt tourist in other places. My poor friends in San Francisco putting up with my love for sea lions. The New Yorker I have asked to take me to the High Line at the end of the month. The Israelis who have kindly escorted me to the "best hummos place in Jerusalem" although I secretly think they don't mind that so much. Even Kosjenka in Zagreb taking a whole buncha FSUers to a restaurant for a pork-eating contest!

So, where in your own city would you be thrilled if you never, ever had to visit it again?

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Any amusement parks. The county fair. Anywhere where there are long lines and lots of pushy tourists + unhappy children.

[BigB08822]

There is a restaurant in town that is always recommended by everyone to go try. For some reason it has become the safe, go-to recommendation for out of towners. However, it is your typical fried seafood restaurant and is way too expensive for what you get. Baton Rouge has TONS of amazing restaurants and I can't understand why everyone is told to go eat at this one place. I refuse to take anyone and insist that they will go eat better food.

[milanessa]

Disney World.

[peibeck]

The St. Louis Arch. Or Six Flag Over Mid-America.

I'd go to the St. Louis Zoo with tourist friends any day though.

[PrincessLeppard]

When I lived in Germany, everyone wanted to go to Neuschwanstein castle. I have seen that damn castle AT LEAST 22 times. Dear Lord.

For the record, the Linderhof is much more interesting, but it was like pulling teeth to get anyone to go there. Meh.

[Jenny]

Niagara Falls.

[PRlady]

Niagara Falls.

My friends in Toronto give every visitor the keys to their car and say, it's that-a-way.

[BigB08822]

If I lived near a huge tourist attraction (DisneyWorld, for example) I think I would do like PRlady said and offer to get them there. I don't think anyone need a tour guide for big touristy places. They are designed to be seen by visitors. I would drive them there if they aren't familiar with the roads and I would pick them up when they were done.

[Dave of the North]

Reversing Falls. Tidal Bore. Magnetic Hill. Nova Scotia.

Actually I've lived in the area for 30 plus years but have never gone and watched Reversing Falls through the whole sequence, let alone take anyone there. Tidal Bore became rather boring (Tidal Ripple was more truthful) after the causeway was built, now they've opened it up so it may be better now.

[Garden Kitty]

When I lived near San Francisco, I had a standard "tourist day" that I took most of my visitors on. It mixed a variety of historical, natural and touristy attractions, and I knew where to park for each part of the trip. Doing the same locations over tended to make it less stressful and it covered most of the things that people wanted to see. I had a similar "path" in Los Angeles. But I was always sure to mix in a few stops for either a snack or at a more restful place "out of the way" place, so the day didn't get too long and tiring.

[Marge_Simpson]

Fifth Avenue department store windows at Christmas time.
Times Square at any time.

PR Lady, I'd be happy to take you to the High Line.

[WildRose]

West Edmonton Mall! I limit myself to telling people how to get there but avoid it like the plague myself.

[skategal]

Peggy's Cove......lighthouse amid big rocks...with the cheeziest gift shop in existence.

Boring and overrated and every tourist wants to go there.

[BlueRidge]

Tidal basin when the Cherry Blossoms are out. Pretty as they are, no way, no way, no way.

[Jenny]

Times Square at any time.

Maybe it was because I only lived in NY three years and didn't have time to get sick of it, but I took every friend and family member who came to visit me through Times Square at night. It may be tacky and cliche, but if you've never experienced it in person, it's quite awesome. And it's often fun to see something for real that you've seen a million times on TV or in movies - so much different actually being there, and then of course you can forever say "been there!" whenever you see it on TV or in a movie again

I guess the same could be said for Niagara Falls, but when I was a kid we had an endless stream of visitors from Europe and there were times when I felt like I was there every other weekend.

[znachki]

I really don't mind it, because I don't go those places unless I have out of town guests. I do, however, usually send people up in the Space Needle, and stay below. Just not worth the price.

[my little pony]

Disney World.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! infinity infinity infinity

also any beach with a boardwalk

[dardar1126]

Any amusement parks. The county fair. Anywhere where there are long lines and lots of pushy tourists + unhappy children.

THIS!

And any place that triggers my vertigo and/or claustrophobia!

Off-hand I can't think of a specific place or locale...but give me time...

EDIT: Thought of one...

When I was in Jerusalem, my husband and I took a walking tour conducting by a young Israeli Army girl. There were about 8 of us, and it started out fine. Then she took us down into some underground cave below the city.

It wasn't too bad at first...it was fairly spacious, and one could comfortably walk upright...and it was well-lighted. But gradually the ceiling got lower...there were no more lamps and she began to set out small candles to light the way...soon it was pitch-black, and I was terrified!

Then, if that weren't bad enough, the way out she chosen was through an OVERHEAD HOLE IN THE CAVE CEILING!?! Are you effing KIDDING ME?!?

Some of us weren't that young, or fit, or tall, so the men in the group had to kind of lift/hoist members of the group up through this hole and then pull themselves up!

Needless to say, I was FURIOUS! She should have warned us of what was coming and given us a chance to decline. I remember that there had been a pregnant woman with us at the starting point, but she was tired and chose not to go on the tour...thank god! But the tour guide had never said a word, and I assume she would have let this pregnant woman go on the tour if she'd chosen to do so...unbelievable!

I don't know how (or if) the men could have gotten her up through that hole in the ceiling!

[dardar1126]

This message board for British ex-pats has some funny posts:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766705