Four U.S. Cities to Reconsider Before Your Next Trip

Some U.S. cities receive way more hype than they deserve. Overpriced dining, crowded tourist traps and rude locals all make some of the most popular spots places you might want to avoid. If you’ve got any of these cities on your bucket list, it might be time to take them off.

New York City

The city that never sleeps needs to take a rest. The city is infamous for the way its locals behave, and the stereotype can be true. There also just isn’t that much to see here aside from tall buildings, dirty streets and overpriced clubs. Sure, a giant park in the middle of the city stands out, but it’s nothing you can’t drive 30 minutes outside of town and see in a purer form.

Los Angeles

Once you get past all the glitz and glitter of Hollywood, you’ll find the hype around LA is little more than smoke and mirrors. Rather than endless parties with rich celebrities and miles of beaches, you’ll get hours spent trying to travel four miles in a car and beaches so crowded you can barely move. The best areas in town are unaffordable for the average Joe.

Seattle

Seattle is a beautiful city when it isn’t overcast, which is next to never. Otherwise, you get to spend your time sitting in coffee shops (of which there are many) with an umbrella attached to your hip. The art museums here are fantastic, we will give them that. But if sunshine and outdoor activity are your thing, look elsewhere.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. has a lot of monuments and museums, but after a day of viewing them you kind of run out of things to do here. The music and food scenes are growing, but still nothing to write home about. If you absolutely must see the nation’s capital, make sure you go during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s the one time of year the city really comes alive.