Super touristy cities that are still worth it, and ones that are overrated?

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Stay Stoked Brah

Detroit to Myrtle flight time is 1 hour 58 minutes falls within my made up range of 90 minutes to 2 hours. the overall flight time is much shorter.

Yeah, the flight isn't that long, but it can also be driven within a day. If you want to pack the kids in a car and take them to see the ocean, Myrtle Beach is one of the more convenient locations from the Midwest that doesn't require going into the BosWash corridor.

[Stay Stoked Brah]

Originally Posted by Minato Ku

The second pic shows the Marne river.
Actually, there is an underground canal creating a shortcut for boats under Joinville le Pont.

The Seine river in Paris and its inner suburbs has been canalised, there are dams regulating the flow of water.

7000 years ago, the part of path of the Seine river in Central Paris was different, it used to be where are located the Grands Boulevard between Bastille and Concorde.
The stream bed of the Seine is the former stream bed of the Bievre river (now running underground to Seine).

thanks for the local knowledge. bievre river looks like a stream today.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Stay Stoked Brah

does anyone know which metropolitan region has the lowest leisure/tourism travel? people that go just to be in the region, not gateway cities.
just guessing:
Dallas?
Detroit?
Atlanta?
Minneapolis?

You'd have to put a population minimum on it. Talking about 1 million plus, I would imagine skmewhere in the midwest; Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha if it qualifies.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

You'd have to put a population minimum on it. Talking about 1 million plus, I would imagine skmewhere in the midwest; Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha if it qualifies.

Omaha MSA just edged over a million a few years back. 2019 estimate is 1,058,125, although the urban area is probably right around 800k (725,008 in 2010, about 12-13% growth rate in the core counties).

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Crawford

What's the point of Myrtle Beach? It's a bad beach, minimal surf, not really nice sand or anything. And the town is horrible. And it's too far north for winter beach life.

It's not bad for South Carolina. Everything between Virginia and Florida is mostly mangrove swamps and barrier islands. There aren't too many places where you could even put a coastal city.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Any city or area is what you make of it. You can have fun and enjoy anywhere, just have an open mind. I have a great time in Vegas 2 or 3 times a year because i enjoy going with friends, getting hammered, gambling, eating good food, hitting up a strip club for a but and watching sports. I also love going to European cities and enjoying the historical architecture, food, etc or going to Cabo and hanging out at the pool

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

You'd have to put a population minimum on it. Talking about 1 million plus, I would imagine skmewhere in the midwest; Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha if it qualifies.

I'd say cities like that. Of the others cited, Dallas and Atlanta do get a decent number of visitors, as does Detroit due to Motown, "urban ruins", Ford museum, etc., plus when things are normal they get lots of Canadian shoppers. The Twin Cities are also a fairly big shopping destination.

[LA21st]

I've thought of visiting New Orleans so it's on my list. But I'd rather do Vegas for the same kind of experience and it's closer.

Vegas is out of control, pre covid.

[edale]

Originally Posted by LA21st

I've thought of visiting New Orleans so it's on my list. But I'd rather do Vegas for the same kind of experience and it's closer.

Vegas is out of control, pre covid.

Vegas and New Orleans are nothing alike other than not having open container laws. New Orleans is a real city with incredible architecture, history, unique local food and music, museums. Vegas has/is basically none of that. I like Vegas for what it is, but I'd never consider it a replacement for visiting New Orleans.

[LA21st]

I guess I meant the drinking and party experience.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by edale

Vegas and New Orleans are nothing alike other than not having open container laws. New Orleans is a real city with incredible architecture, history, unique local food and music, museums. Vegas has/is basically none of that. I like Vegas for what it is, but I'd never consider it a replacement for visiting New Orleans.

Ya they couldn't be more different outside of the open container laws. Both are fun for what they are but bourbon street is to be avoided much like walking on the Vegas strip

[Omaharocks]

Originally Posted by LA21st

I guess I meant the drinking and party experience.

Yeah, the drinking and party experience are entirely different as well. Sure, both have a lot of drinking/parties, and I guess the bachelor party thing in common. But anything that reminds partiers of Las Vegas is limited to a small sliver of New Orleans.

The drinking/party experience in New Orleans is a cross between Austin and Montreal.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Really? It's a fairly common destination for Metro Detroiters. Both Delta and Spirit have direct routes between Detroit and Myrtle Beach.

well i havent lived there in quite awhile, things change of course, but i never heard anyone in nw ohio talk about it either. but even then it was noticeable that everybody did in central/southern ohio. in fact charlotte and myrtle were the most popular places you would hear columbusites mention to move to or vacation.

myrtle is a like a family vacation area.

one time we stayed in ocean isles beach for a wedding and visited the nearby myrtle beach area a bit. i just remember a string of highway amusements and playing putt putt golf. seemed like kind of souless place to me, but fine for families. lots of ohio plates on cars, but not northern ohio counties.

[(four 0 four)]

Originally Posted by Crawford

What's the point of Myrtle Beach? It's a bad beach, minimal surf, not really nice sand or anything. And the town is horrible. And it's too far north for winter beach life.

I visited once several years ago and see no reason to go back. While things may have changed, I remember the clubs closed at midnight on Saturday because liquor wasn't allowed to be sold, or apparently consumed, on Sundays...at 11:59, they were snatching the drink from your hand. All drinks were made by using the one-shot bottles. How would you like to stock that bar!?
What appears to be their biggest claim to fame are the mini golf courses. They feature erupting volcanos, live llamas, pirate ships, huge lagoons and Mayan Temples. Google the images for mini golf in Myrtle Beach. It's really remarkable, if you like that kind of thing.

[Luis Nunez]

I share your comments about Athens. I´ve visited serveral times and found always complicated to walk and get lost. I some areas cars occupy the pavements... but all get so different after dinner with views over the acropolis at night!

[The North One]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

well i havent lived there in quite awhile, things change of course, but i never heard anyone in nw ohio talk about it either. but even then it was noticeable that everybody did in central/southern ohio. in fact charlotte and myrtle were the most popular places you would hear columbusites mention to move to or vacation.

The name definitely gets thrown around here and there, so people know it. I always thought it was a big joke though, why the hell would I go to Myrtle Beach when I can go to Miami? It's not like flight prices are that different, maybe hotels are significantly cheaper?

myrtle is a like a family vacation area.

That's probably it, I would assume uptight families who are worried about "safety" or don't like big cities would probably lean more to Myrtle Beach.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Super touristy, but still worth it
New York
Miami
Charleston
Los Angeles
Rio de Janeiro
San Francisco
Amsterdam
New Orleans
Niagara Falls
Barcelona
Montreal

Overrated
Nashville
Las Vegas
Austin
Myrtle Beach
Phoenix

Agree with this list, especially about Austin and Phoenix, I don't even know what the hell I'd do in those places. Bask in the giant parking podiums?

Has tourism really gotten that bad in Montreal?

I don't think tourists hurt Miami at all, it's part of the experience and it's an incredible unique place to say the least.

[ue]

Originally Posted by The North One

Agree with this list, especially about Austin and Phoenix, I don't even know what the hell I'd do in those places. Bask in the giant parking podiums?

Has tourism really gotten that bad in Montreal?

I don't think tourists hurt Miami at all, it's part of the experience and it's an incredible unique place to say the least.

I don't really consider Montreal touristy in the same way I would a city like San Francisco or certain European centres. The city does get a lot of tourists, but it doesn't feel overrun with them, except maybe in parts of Vieux-Montreal. Like much bigger cities such as Tokyo and Los Angeles, there's generally enough locals to keep the tourists from overwhelming more than a handful of locales. Even major tourist spots like the Olympic Stadium are full of locals (particularly waiting for buses or going into the metro).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ue

I don't really consider Montreal touristy in the same way I would a city like San Francisco or certain European centres. The city does get a lot of tourists, but it doesn't feel overrun with them, except maybe in parts of Vieux-Montreal. Like much bigger cities such as Tokyo and Los Angeles, there's generally enough locals to keep the tourists from overwhelming more than a handful of locales. Even major tourist spots like the Olympic Stadium are full of locals (particularly waiting for buses or going into the metro).

Yeah Montreal doesn't feel overrun with tourists, but in addition to the Vieux, the main downtown shopping street (Sainte-Catherine) is typically full of people from out of town, and certain nightlife areas often feel like half of the young people from Boston are hanging out there.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I've never vacationed outside the US, so I'll just stick to cities in the USA I've been to:

Worth It
New York
Washington DC
Philadelphia
New Orleans (still don't believe the city should exist in its current physiographical state)
Charleston
Asheville
Gatlinburg (not Pigeon Forge)
San Diego
Colorado Springs (and vicinity)
Chattanooga

Overrated Cities
Jacksonville
Nashville
Memphis
Atlanta
Virginia Beach
All of Florida's Emerald Coast
Gulfport-Biloxi
Juneau (during tourist season)
Los Angeles
Charlotte (I've never considered Charlotte to be touristy, but I still think it's way overrated as a large American city)