What I found: I consistently need a vacation from my vacation each time I return, starting with enforced silence for at least three days. The casinos and conference spaces have no windows or clocks and are often filled with smokers. It's a cacophony of sirens, bells, whistles and horns, and the floor space seems to go on for miles. Every trip out of your room requires hiking shoes.
Kristina Fitzhugh, San Francisco
Pisa, Italy
What I expected: I felt obligated to go because I don't want to be the only person without a picture of myself pretending to push up the leaning tower of Pisa, but I knew it would be crowded.
What I found: The grassy area of the leaning tower was filled with so many tourists, it was packed like Disneyland's Main Street during Mickey's parade.
After walking around the tower, I was disappointed at myself for traveling all the way to Pisa only to become trapped in a destination that had nothing to offer but a way to spend money.
Shirley Wang, Playa Vista
Yosemite
What I expected: I always imagined Yose- mite Valley as Disneyland in the mountains, with huge crowds and obnoxious people, not what I usually look for in a camping trip.
What I found: The views were spectacular. It was an amazing visit.
David Eaves, Redondo Beach
New York
What I expected: Crowds, noise pollution, shouting, zombie Wall Streeters, jostling, total lack of manners, arrogance.
What I found: My experience was mixed: so much art, so much heritage, but dealing with New Yorkers and the amped-up level of confrontation that they seem to thrive on and their general nastiness was exhausting at times.
Michael Routery, San Francisco
Yosemite National Park: Another view
What I expected: Having secured a coveted reservation months in advance, we visited Yosemite in the autumn of 2005.
What I found: The crowds were thicker than the flies, garbage cans overflowing, traffic gridlocked, hotels overpriced, food terrible, all of it [missing word? 'it'?] overshadowed the natural splendors. The experience felt more akin to being in downtown Los Angeles than a storied national park. Visitors have loved the place to death.
Maryruth Wilde, Carmel
Disneyland: Another view
Kristina Fitzhugh, San Francisco
What I expected: I felt obligated to go because I don't want to be the only person without a picture of myself pretending to push up the leaning tower of Pisa, but I knew it would be crowded.
What I found: The grassy area of the leaning tower was filled with so many tourists, it was packed like Disneyland's Main Street during Mickey's parade.
After walking around the tower, I was disappointed at myself for traveling all the way to Pisa only to become trapped in a destination that had nothing to offer but a way to spend money.
Shirley Wang, Playa Vista
Yosemite
What I expected: I always imagined Yose- mite Valley as Disneyland in the mountains, with huge crowds and obnoxious people, not what I usually look for in a camping trip.
What I found: The views were spectacular. It was an amazing visit.
David Eaves, Redondo Beach
New York
What I expected: Crowds, noise pollution, shouting, zombie Wall Streeters, jostling, total lack of manners, arrogance.
What I found: My experience was mixed: so much art, so much heritage, but dealing with New Yorkers and the amped-up level of confrontation that they seem to thrive on and their general nastiness was exhausting at times.
Michael Routery, San Francisco
Yosemite National Park: Another view
What I expected: Having secured a coveted reservation months in advance, we visited Yosemite in the autumn of 2005.
What I found: The crowds were thicker than the flies, garbage cans overflowing, traffic gridlocked, hotels overpriced, food terrible, all of it [missing word? 'it'?] overshadowed the natural splendors. The experience felt more akin to being in downtown Los Angeles than a storied national park. Visitors have loved the place to death.
Maryruth Wilde, Carmel
Disneyland: Another view
California
Mexico
Las Vegas
Hawaii
Europe
