US cities you've been disappointed by
 

We have a lot of threads about "overrated cities," but that connotes something about what other people think. I'm interested in hearing about cities that you've visited and were disappointed, maybe because you had heard good things (i.e. it turned out to be overrated) or maybe because you were expecting one thing and found another.

I'll start. I recently visited Seattle and was disappointed because I was expecting something different. I thought the city would be more water-centric, but what I found was that the water areas were just touristy, kitschy type places. I also found the architecture to be uninspiring, lots of homeless and streetfolk, and a general lack of energy (the weather maybe)? Or maybe it is just that I saw too many episodes of Frasier romanticizing the place. :)

Monterrey, California was my most recent disappointment. Very poor value with simple hotels at high rates and felt like a waste of time on drive up coast. I can understand how Bay Area residents may have it as a weekend getaway but offered very little unique for an international traveler. The aquarium was of course nice though.

Los Angeles, California.

Jacksonville, Florida. I hope to never, ever go near that awful place ever again.

although I didnt expect much of it beforehand anyway. I only visited for work.

i think Monterey has gone down somewhat over time.

although i was also there in winter both times i was there, so weather wasn't great.

Detroit... what a dump

you expected different? :D

roughly the area south of Santa Barbara
east of Palm Springs
and North of San Diego

New Orleans, pre-Katrina. Dirty, shabby and not much of interest.

Well, L.A. is not a city, it's a huge suburb, so it doesn't qualify here.

But other than that -- Chicago doesn't have a "soul." The wind blew the soul out of that city. Also feels too segregated.

Portland, OR -- excellent city, love it, love the transit system.....but other than the tiny downtown -- not much to do there.

Philly -- unlike Chicago it does have a soul. If I was comparing it to something, it'd be a cake or a pie with EXCELLENT filling inside, nice frosting on the outside and sprinkled with dirt. If someone cleaned the place up (both literally and figuratively) it would make a huge difference, because it seems that the city. Some of the areas on the west side are pretty bombed out.

Please spread the word!

Personally, I was totally underwhelmed by Phoenix, Arizona, when I visited back in May. I hadn't expected much and it didn't even live up to that. I would be willing to give it another try, though.

I would say St Louis, but like Detroit, do you really expect anything different?

So I'll say Hartford. You'd think considering how much everything costs in CT that it would be worth something, but like all new england pay a lot, get nothing in return...Plus who's idea is so many left exits with right onramps?

I agree. I never liked New Orleans. I only silver lining in the hurricane striking it last year was that it meant I wouldn't have to attend any conferences there for a few years.

I went there for Super Bowl XL. I expected it to be bad and I found I overestimated it.

I figured LA-LA land would be full of superficialities and nothing interesting and it delivered as promised.

I found STL to be OK and PHX to be great (in Feb., at least)

I found Las Vegas to be a great disappointment. I hate every second I spend there.

It's so funny as a native angelino i knew before clicking on this thread that everyone would be ratting on socal - and i was right! I think people have not the faintest idea on how to approach a visit to LA and get nothing out of it in the end. Oh well. There is enough traffic as it is we dont need more people to fall in love with the city!