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Which Tourist Destinations Turned Out To Be Disappointments?

August 21, 2012 By Jeff 151 Comments

I’m working a half-day tomorrow, and we’re going to New York City on Thursday morning. It’ll be a rare opportunity for the four of us to spend the day together, doing something fun.  Not much of that this summer…

The boys want to go to the top of the Empire State Building, which made me groan.  I have visions of giant lines of Japanese tourists, and people from Wisconsin.  But, we’d like for this to be a good time, and I don’t want to instantly start bitching and vetoing shit.  So… we bought the tickets online: $25 each!  To ride in an elevator!!  Good god.

We’re also going to have lunch at a restaurant we like.  But I’m not going to mention the name, because all you NYC folk will say, “You like that??”  And I don’t need it; I’m trying to get my blood pressure under control.

I’ve been to the top of the Empire State Building, and it’s kinda cool, I guess.  I was a kid, and don’t remember being disappointed by it.  So, there’s that.  But it’s basically just a really good view.  Right?  A hundred dollars to see things from a slightly different perspective?  I’ll let you guys know how it goes.

Today, however, I’d like to talk about tourist attractions that DID turn out to be a disappointment.  I can think of two, right off the top of my head.  And hopefully you guys can take it from there.

The first one might surprise some of you: Disney World.  When we were kids we went to an amusement park near Cincinnati every summer, called King’s Island.  It was the best, and we always had a blast there.  And when we were planning our trip to Disney World, my brother and I just knew it would be even better.  This was gonna awesome!

But it wasn’t.  It wasn’t horrible, of course, but King’s Island was better.  Less spectacular, perhaps, but way more fun.  And Disney probably cost ten times as much.  All of us were mildly disappointed, but it had been such an expensive trip we wouldn’t allow ourselves to admit it — until years later.

The second was Niagara Falls.  It’s a big waterfall, in case you don’t know.  And it takes about three minutes to get your fill of looking at it.  Yeah, we rode the boat, and wore the stinky-ass communal raincoats.  That was somewhat interesting, I guess.  But not that much…  My coat smelled like Old Spice and balls.

And all around the falls are the worst kind of tacky tourist traps.  Wax museums, and Ripley’s Believe or Not, and that kind of bullshit… We stayed in a terrible motel on the Canada side, where my dad got really mad at my brother and me, and yelled at us.  My mom was the yeller, not my dad, so it cast a dark shadow.  There was also a turd in the swimming pool.

Once again, I’m up against it here.  So, I’m going to turn it over to you folks now.  In the comments section, please tell us about vacations, or specific tourist destinations, that turned out to be a disappointment to you, for one reason or another.

And I’ll be back tomorrow, I hope.

See ya soon!

Now playing in the bunker
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Comments

  1. pdparrot says

    August 24, 2012 at 10:31 am

    Coincidence…. or something more……

    http://m.thetimes-tribune.com/news/several-people-shot-outside-empire-state-building-1.1363216?fwcc=1&fwcl=1&fwl#.UDeIOKrfhQs.facebook

    Reply
  2. Sponge says

    August 24, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    So, Jeff and family were there yesterday and are OK…let the jokes begin.

    Reply
    • Fancy Pants Maguire says

      August 24, 2012 at 1:33 pm

      I blame the internet

      Reply
  3. eeyoresmama says

    August 24, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    F*** the jokes. Jeff, give Toney and the boys hugs from all of us. Glad you’re all safe and home.

    Reply
    • madz1962 says

      August 24, 2012 at 12:48 pm

      Some guy opened fire at Yankee Stadium yesterday (no home game – just a guy form the area). Broad daylight, too. I have tickets for a game on Wednesday (day game) – Christ. it’s bad enough you have to deal with drunks but now dodging bullets?

      Reply
      • eeyoresmama says

        August 24, 2012 at 12:56 pm

        It’s just too scary. We were out of town yesterday, eating in a restaurant, and it all of a sudden hit me, “We’re targets sitting here”. Life shouldn’t be like this.

        Reply
        • t-storm says

          August 24, 2012 at 1:03 pm

          OK are things worse or is it a media thing?

          And if you were always afraid someone was gonna unload a loaded weapon on you my socks would constantly cower behind the couch.

          Reply
          • eeyoresmama says

            August 24, 2012 at 1:22 pm

            I think it is the media. We have these things shoved in our faces every time we get on the internet, pick up a paper or magazine. It has always been there, but we are made so aware of it now. You hear this stuff to a point where they make you afraid, where you find yourself checking out who is sitting near you, you look behind you more than forward. And the sad thing is that people who probably wouldn’t have thought of killing are seeing it as a solution for every problem, for every personal slight. Yeah, there have always been nuts out there, but now they get headline billing, their 15 minutes of fame, when they can show the world how they got even. Sad and scary.

            Reply
        • another Jeff...alienjeff says

          August 24, 2012 at 2:17 pm

          eeyoresmama: three words.

          Get.
          Some.
          Help.

          Reply
        • m says

          August 24, 2012 at 7:11 pm

          When we went to see the new Batman movie, I spent half the time staring at the doors, worried someone was going to come in with a gun.

          Reply
  4. t-storm says

    August 24, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Worst tourist destination? France. Bunch of sore losers. You’d think they’d be used to it. Foch you.

    Reply
    • Fancy Pants Maguire says

      August 24, 2012 at 1:32 pm

      No, You must be Don Francisco’s sister…

      Reply
  5. Lucie in Tampa says

    August 24, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    So how about Tampa this next week? jeez! the RNC & Isaac both heaed this way???? Worst place to be in the US for the upcoming week… we have friggin Drones flying over the area! DRONES! Half of Tampa is fenced off to keep the protesters under control… Looks like an invasion is coming, I am staying as far away as possible. I want nothing to do with either event!

    Reply
    • Uncle_Wedgie says

      August 24, 2012 at 6:05 pm

      God hates Republicans.

      Reply
      • Lucie in Tampa says

        August 27, 2012 at 11:39 am

        thats how it’s looking… storm is veering away but we still have heavy winds & rain, but the first day of the RNC has been cancelled…..

        Reply
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