The United States is a massive country. It’s the fourth-largest in the world by land mass and the third-largest by population. Because of this, the nation is home to some of the most exciting and diverse cities in the world. But because the U.S. has nearly 20,000 towns and cities, they can’t all be fascinating. In fact, there are probably some that you’d never want to set foot in.
Travelers on Reddit have recently been discussing their least favorite places in the Land of the Free, so we’ve gathered a list of their replies below. From small towns with nothing to do to big cities with weird vibes, according to these travelers, you can leave these locations off your bucket list.
#1
Pine Ridge, S.D.
My mother is full-blooded Native (Ogalala Lakota Sioux from Pine Ridge, S.D. and also Navajo from Farmington, N.M.) and she had alcoholism & d**g problems, so it was a rough growing up. We moved a ton and stayed 3 steps ahead of CPS so we wouldn't get taken away, and we landed with family on the Pine Ridge rez for a few years when I was 14. Most depressing place I have ever been.
It is basically 3 tiny neighborhoods, and each neighborhood has "gangs" that dont get along with each other, so if you are part of one and are seen in a place you "don't belong", you get jumped. There was nothing to do there but cruise at night and drink and do d***s, and fight each other. My first experience there was a police officer who k****d himself because after he responded to a domestic a***e incident, a small child ran behind his vehicle as he was pulling out, and he k****d the child. The street was called Sesame Street because families let their children run around, barely any clothes, unsupervised. People only cared about their next f*ck or next high, being "gangster" and being bullies. It was so horrifying that I had a little cousin who refused to speak, he would only grunt like an animal. I hated being there, but I am the oldest if 6 and my mom was never around, so I took care of the kids. I dropped out of school in 10th grade (I was years ahead of my grade in school there anyway) because taking care of my siblings was more important than re-learning something I learned already in my last school, years ago.
Thankfully, we got taken away from my mom again when she abandoned us on a drunken trip with a man, and we were taken to live with my Aunty in Bremerton, WA. I promised myself to never go back to Pine Ridge, but I went one time with my little sister because she was a witness in a court case that involved a woman who ahd given our 11 year old cousin m**h, which k****d her after one hit. Thankfully she pleaded guilty and my sister and I went back to WA.
It was literal hell and caused so many issues in my life, especially trusting people and leaning on people. I am very independent and always want to do things on my own, thankfully my husband understands why. An example is when my little sister caught triple pneumonia one winter because we lived in a tiny trailer with no electricity or running water, and my uncle had to fly with her to Rapid City in a hospital helicopter, he left me his EBT card so I could feed the kids, my aunty came to "check on us" that night and stole the EBT card and sold it for d**g money. Another time, an aunt from WA cane to visit family on the rez and she gave me $200 for school clothes (I was still in school at the time) and I was bullied and called a "selfish little b*tch" for not giving money to my aunt for m**h. I know I was 14-17 during all of this, but it was rough before as well because my mother had always been an alcoholic & d**g a****t and was always coming & going, and I was left to raise myself and siblings when they came along. It all really gave me issues with connecting to other people, I always want to be alone and have solitude and never want to work as a team.
I am doing well now, though, with a beautiful family of my own. Thank you for reading, it felt good to get that out.
rhymnocerous:
People have NO IDEA the kind of poverty that exists on Pine Ridge and Roseb
My mother is full-blooded Native (Ogalala Lakota Sioux from Pine Ridge, S.D. and also Navajo from Farmington, N.M.) and she had alcoholism & d**g problems, so it was a rough growing up. We moved a ton and stayed 3 steps ahead of CPS so we wouldn't get taken away, and we landed with family on the Pine Ridge rez for a few years when I was 14. Most depressing place I have ever been.
It is basically 3 tiny neighborhoods, and each neighborhood has "gangs" that dont get along with each other, so if you are part of one and are seen in a place you "don't belong", you get jumped. There was nothing to do there but cruise at night and drink and do d***s, and fight each other. My first experience there was a police officer who k****d himself because after he responded to a domestic a***e incident, a small child ran behind his vehicle as he was pulling out, and he k****d the child. The street was called Sesame Street because families let their children run around, barely any clothes, unsupervised. People only cared about their next f*ck or next high, being "gangster" and being bullies. It was so horrifying that I had a little cousin who refused to speak, he would only grunt like an animal. I hated being there, but I am the oldest if 6 and my mom was never around, so I took care of the kids. I dropped out of school in 10th grade (I was years ahead of my grade in school there anyway) because taking care of my siblings was more important than re-learning something I learned already in my last school, years ago.
Thankfully, we got taken away from my mom again when she abandoned us on a drunken trip with a man, and we were taken to live with my Aunty in Bremerton, WA. I promised myself to never go back to Pine Ridge, but I went one time with my little sister because she was a witness in a court case that involved a woman who ahd given our 11 year old cousin m**h, which k****d her after one hit. Thankfully she pleaded guilty and my sister and I went back to WA.
It was literal hell and caused so many issues in my life, especially trusting people and leaning on people. I am very independent and always want to do things on my own, thankfully my husband understands why. An example is when my little sister caught triple pneumonia one winter because we lived in a tiny trailer with no electricity or running water, and my uncle had to fly with her to Rapid City in a hospital helicopter, he left me his EBT card so I could feed the kids, my aunty came to "check on us" that night and stole the EBT card and sold it for d**g money. Another time, an aunt from WA cane to visit family on the rez and she gave me $200 for school clothes (I was still in school at the time) and I was bullied and called a "selfish little b*tch" for not giving money to my aunt for m**h. I know I was 14-17 during all of this, but it was rough before as well because my mother had always been an alcoholic & d**g a****t and was always coming & going, and I was left to raise myself and siblings when they came along. It all really gave me issues with connecting to other people, I always want to be alone and have solitude and never want to work as a team.
I am doing well now, though, with a beautiful family of my own. Thank you for reading, it felt good to get that out.
rhymnocerous:
People have NO IDEA the kind of poverty that exists on Pine Ridge and Roseb
54points
#2
Sadly, any reservation I've driven past. It's a shame how Native Americans have been treated.
skaboosh:
I lived in ND and SD, very close to reservations and have had a lot of native friends. There were some bad ones I saw, but man when I went to Arizona with my partner he saw a group of trailers and no lights off a high with destroyed decaying buildings and was like “woah what’s that?” He’s an Iowan and they don’t have rezs there. When I said a reservation he got quiet for a while. Even I was surprised by how devastating and worse they were than the Midwest ones I’ve been to. No street lights in that Arizona darkness made me cry passing through. No one should live in those places. So heartbreaking such strong people with strong culture were forced into these internment camp like places and left to rot. I’ve always been close to native history and it makes my heart hurt.
skaboosh:
I lived in ND and SD, very close to reservations and have had a lot of native friends. There were some bad ones I saw, but man when I went to Arizona with my partner he saw a group of trailers and no lights off a high with destroyed decaying buildings and was like “woah what’s that?” He’s an Iowan and they don’t have rezs there. When I said a reservation he got quiet for a while. Even I was surprised by how devastating and worse they were than the Midwest ones I’ve been to. No street lights in that Arizona darkness made me cry passing through. No one should live in those places. So heartbreaking such strong people with strong culture were forced into these internment camp like places and left to rot. I’ve always been close to native history and it makes my heart hurt.
40points
#3
That place called south of the border between North Carolina and South Carolina.
It’s the stuff nightmares are made of.
LunchMoneyFail:
LOL. You just triggered a great memory. About 20 years ago my then 7 year old son, mom, and I were heading to Hilton Head. 7 year old desperate to shop there convinces me to stop.
We all need to pee. I take my son in. I tell my slightly dementia impaired Mom to go in, pee, come out and wait for me at the door. My son and I come out, wait 5 minutes. No mom.
I realize 2 doors into each bathroom. So I take my son and station him on one corner of the building and I go to the next corner so I can see the side of the building where the second door is located. There is my very white WASP mom being tended to by 7 black women.
They spot me and yell at me - "Are you Frank?" I nod sheepishly and they could not have been nicer. They said they were not going to leave until she was in good hands. As i recall, it was near 100 degrees and humid, so them waiting with her was huge. God knows if mom would have otherwise wandered off.
So yes, SOB is a hole, but the kindness of those women still makes me smile.
For the record, back in the 70's my mom ran a tutoring program at our church for underprivileged kids in Newark. So I come from a long line of woke, bleeding heart, color blind, liberals. Something that I am very proud of!
It’s the stuff nightmares are made of.
LunchMoneyFail:
LOL. You just triggered a great memory. About 20 years ago my then 7 year old son, mom, and I were heading to Hilton Head. 7 year old desperate to shop there convinces me to stop.
We all need to pee. I take my son in. I tell my slightly dementia impaired Mom to go in, pee, come out and wait for me at the door. My son and I come out, wait 5 minutes. No mom.
I realize 2 doors into each bathroom. So I take my son and station him on one corner of the building and I go to the next corner so I can see the side of the building where the second door is located. There is my very white WASP mom being tended to by 7 black women.
They spot me and yell at me - "Are you Frank?" I nod sheepishly and they could not have been nicer. They said they were not going to leave until she was in good hands. As i recall, it was near 100 degrees and humid, so them waiting with her was huge. God knows if mom would have otherwise wandered off.
So yes, SOB is a hole, but the kindness of those women still makes me smile.
For the record, back in the 70's my mom ran a tutoring program at our church for underprivileged kids in Newark. So I come from a long line of woke, bleeding heart, color blind, liberals. Something that I am very proud of!
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37points
For decades, the U.S. has been an extremely popular tourism destination. And according to the International Trade Administration, the most popular states for international tourists to visit are New York, Florida, California, Nevada, and Texas. It’s understandable why so many people flock to those states. Lots of visitors want to see Hollywood, Disney World, beaches, stunning national parks, Las Vegas, and real-life cowboys.
But there are plenty of Americans who travel within their own country too, as there are 50 states to explore, and some might be thousands of miles away from home. A 2025 YouGov survey found that the most popular travel destinations for American tourists are New York City, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Miami, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
#4
Mark another one up for Gary, IN.
I’m a social worker in East Cleveland and my jaw hit the floor while driving through Gary. One home I drove past had no exterior wall and I was literally watching a guy watch TV in his living room from the stoplight.
One-Raccoon8183:
Accidentally getting off the highway and landing in Gary, IN in the middle of the night was terrifying.
We just started ignoring stop lights and signs until we found our way back to the highway.
DoughWrayMe:
I always tell people, they should film the Fallout show in Gary. I mean, they'd have to clean it up a bit to make it feel less apocalyptic but the abandoned brick buildings everywhere are on point
I’m a social worker in East Cleveland and my jaw hit the floor while driving through Gary. One home I drove past had no exterior wall and I was literally watching a guy watch TV in his living room from the stoplight.
One-Raccoon8183:
Accidentally getting off the highway and landing in Gary, IN in the middle of the night was terrifying.
We just started ignoring stop lights and signs until we found our way back to the highway.
DoughWrayMe:
I always tell people, they should film the Fallout show in Gary. I mean, they'd have to clean it up a bit to make it feel less apocalyptic but the abandoned brick buildings everywhere are on point
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31points
#5
Skid Row in Los Angeles.
Makes me chuckle a bit when people complain about homeless encampments in other cities and it’ll be like 10-20 tents.
Sea_Surprise716:
Same with the Tenderloin in SF. There’s a whole neighborhood of hundreds of people that live on the sidewalk. Doing normal stuff like cooking (over a barrel fire), getting haircuts, borrowing stuff from neighbors, etc. just happens to be that they’re living in tents or nesting in bundles of old clothes.
dulcetdreamer:
Drove through here during my first time in LA and, even being from NYC, I've never seen anything like that. It was sad more than anything, people lost on d***s, tents in the middle of the sidewalk, a whole other world just outside of the car. My partner compared it to El Bronx in Colombia. Definitely had a moment of gratitude for all I have now because, truly, anyone can find themselves in this position at any time.
Makes me chuckle a bit when people complain about homeless encampments in other cities and it’ll be like 10-20 tents.
Sea_Surprise716:
Same with the Tenderloin in SF. There’s a whole neighborhood of hundreds of people that live on the sidewalk. Doing normal stuff like cooking (over a barrel fire), getting haircuts, borrowing stuff from neighbors, etc. just happens to be that they’re living in tents or nesting in bundles of old clothes.
dulcetdreamer:
Drove through here during my first time in LA and, even being from NYC, I've never seen anything like that. It was sad more than anything, people lost on d***s, tents in the middle of the sidewalk, a whole other world just outside of the car. My partner compared it to El Bronx in Colombia. Definitely had a moment of gratitude for all I have now because, truly, anyone can find themselves in this position at any time.
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23points
#6
East St Louis or Gary, Indiana. Super sketchy feel and look. Glad it was daytime.
nachos_nachas:
When I was driving trough St. Louis with some friends we truly took a wrong exit and ended up in a REAL sketchy area. It was like living in that scene of National Lampoons. No one believes me because it seems so far-fetched.
CougarWriter74:
There's areas of East St. Louis the cops won't even go to. Cops also advise people if you HAVE to drive through ESL and come to a red light or stop sign, ignore it, slow down, look both ways and roll on through but never come to a complete stop. I grew up across the river and 20 miles west in suburban St. Louis County and everyone had an ESL story. Basically if you stayed on IL State Highway 3 you were fine, but if you took the wrong exit or wrong turn, you were screwed.
nachos_nachas:
When I was driving trough St. Louis with some friends we truly took a wrong exit and ended up in a REAL sketchy area. It was like living in that scene of National Lampoons. No one believes me because it seems so far-fetched.
CougarWriter74:
There's areas of East St. Louis the cops won't even go to. Cops also advise people if you HAVE to drive through ESL and come to a red light or stop sign, ignore it, slow down, look both ways and roll on through but never come to a complete stop. I grew up across the river and 20 miles west in suburban St. Louis County and everyone had an ESL story. Basically if you stayed on IL State Highway 3 you were fine, but if you took the wrong exit or wrong turn, you were screwed.
20points
On the flip side, however, there are some cities that Americans tend to avoid when going on vacation. Now, we certainly don’t think that there’s anything wrong with these destinations. They might be great places to live, and maybe the people traveling through just didn’t know where to go or what to see there.
But if you want to avoid some of the least popular cities in the U.S., Jen at A Magical Mess compiled a list of destinations that might not be worth the stress of visiting due to high crime rates, public intoxication, or difficulties getting around the city. She notes that Memphis, St. Louis, Detroit, Baltimore, New Orleans, San Francisco, Houston, Philadelphia, Little Rock, and Milwaukee aren’t usually tourists' favorite places. But, of course, you can always go for yourself and form your own opinion!
#7
I’ve visited many depressing and rough places in the US, but Cancer Alley stuck with me the most. Cancer Alley is an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, known for having one of the highest concentrations of petrochemical plants in the Western Hemisphere. The region has become infamous for unusually high rates of cancer, respiratory diseases, and other health problems linked to toxic industrial emissions.
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20points
#8
Cairo, IL, used to be a thriving city on the Mississippi River, but it’s just sad now.
CougarWriter74:
It is depressing what happened to that city. It was once regarded as one of the prettiest towns along the Mississippi River.
2PacTookMyLunchMoney:
Yes, Cairo is a sad story. It could’ve, at the very least, become a decent river town like nearby Paducah or Cape Girardeau, if not something more, had fortune played in its favor. The saddest part is that you can still see the beautiful historic architecture of some of the buildings that have been maintained.
2bit_solutionz:
Drove through here on a road trip. The "gate" with the railroad track you drive under on the north side had a foreboding vibe like it could slam shut behind you haha. It was so deserted feeling you could tell people were around by which of the few vehicles didn't look abandoned, but didn't see anyone walking or driving in the middle of the day. You couldnt tell which buildings or businesses were actually closed. Eerie. Id go back though
CougarWriter74:
It is depressing what happened to that city. It was once regarded as one of the prettiest towns along the Mississippi River.
2PacTookMyLunchMoney:
Yes, Cairo is a sad story. It could’ve, at the very least, become a decent river town like nearby Paducah or Cape Girardeau, if not something more, had fortune played in its favor. The saddest part is that you can still see the beautiful historic architecture of some of the buildings that have been maintained.
2bit_solutionz:
Drove through here on a road trip. The "gate" with the railroad track you drive under on the north side had a foreboding vibe like it could slam shut behind you haha. It was so deserted feeling you could tell people were around by which of the few vehicles didn't look abandoned, but didn't see anyone walking or driving in the middle of the day. You couldnt tell which buildings or businesses were actually closed. Eerie. Id go back though
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19points
#9
Navajo Nation is absolutely depressing. Broken beer bottles on almost every square inch of the shoulder on the high way through there.
I rode a bicycle through there in 2011 then I drove through there in 2025. It honestly seemed worse than I remember, it's like visiting the 1950s technology and architecture wise, just a very sad place.
dustsmoke:
Keep in mind that Navajo Nation took over all administration of their land. Land management, hospitals, etc. It's a big win for tribal sovereignty but that doesn't mean they're doing things better everywhere.
The reason the houses look like cr*p is because nobody is allowed to own one unless it's on wheels. You can't own a plot of land so the bank isn't going to give a mortgage unless they can forclose or reposess it. So you're left trailer homes and a "renters society" in these old government home blocks built like a military housing that haven't been managed or upkept in decades. On top of that you have the "renters" living in them that have zero interest in their upkeep themselves. It's not their home.
As for the beer bottles, liquor is probhibited to sale in the Navajo Nation. They do not allow it even though literally everybody drinks there. So what happens is they go off rez to buy liquor and usually drink on the way back home. When they're done drinking a beer it's better to just fire that empty bottle out the window in the event that a cop pulls you over there won't be open/empty containers. And nobody in the tribe is worried about roadside cleanup so it collects creating the situation you've observed.
I rode a bicycle through there in 2011 then I drove through there in 2025. It honestly seemed worse than I remember, it's like visiting the 1950s technology and architecture wise, just a very sad place.
dustsmoke:
Keep in mind that Navajo Nation took over all administration of their land. Land management, hospitals, etc. It's a big win for tribal sovereignty but that doesn't mean they're doing things better everywhere.
The reason the houses look like cr*p is because nobody is allowed to own one unless it's on wheels. You can't own a plot of land so the bank isn't going to give a mortgage unless they can forclose or reposess it. So you're left trailer homes and a "renters society" in these old government home blocks built like a military housing that haven't been managed or upkept in decades. On top of that you have the "renters" living in them that have zero interest in their upkeep themselves. It's not their home.
As for the beer bottles, liquor is probhibited to sale in the Navajo Nation. They do not allow it even though literally everybody drinks there. So what happens is they go off rez to buy liquor and usually drink on the way back home. When they're done drinking a beer it's better to just fire that empty bottle out the window in the event that a cop pulls you over there won't be open/empty containers. And nobody in the tribe is worried about roadside cleanup so it collects creating the situation you've observed.
17points
Are the responses on this list changing how you view any of these U.S. cities, pandas? Keep upvoting the replies you agree with, and let us know in the comments below which cities you don’t plan to visit again. Then, if you’re looking for another article from Bored Panda discussing travel, we recommend reading this one next!
#10
I took a wrong exit and ended up in Camden, NJ one time.
BrewertonFats:
My mom and aunt were on a Greyhound bus that passed through there back in the mid-90's. The bus randomly got sh*t at. My mom was having a panic attack, but she said most of the people aboard didn't even look shocked.
PhilyMick67:
It's just so abandoned...Philly born and raised so right across the bridge and have been through times for concerts, the aquarium, or Donkey's cheese steaks...its abandoned to such a wild level. When their minor league baseball team folded they demolished the stadium but the field stayed which is just such an eerie image to see driving over the Ben Franklin Bridge, it looks like the stadium itself just got up and fucked off out of Camden
BrewertonFats:
My mom and aunt were on a Greyhound bus that passed through there back in the mid-90's. The bus randomly got sh*t at. My mom was having a panic attack, but she said most of the people aboard didn't even look shocked.
PhilyMick67:
It's just so abandoned...Philly born and raised so right across the bridge and have been through times for concerts, the aquarium, or Donkey's cheese steaks...its abandoned to such a wild level. When their minor league baseball team folded they demolished the stadium but the field stayed which is just such an eerie image to see driving over the Ben Franklin Bridge, it looks like the stadium itself just got up and fucked off out of Camden
15points
#11
Obligatory, Gary, IN. Unfortunately it’s true, it is quite the s**t hole. Post apocalyptic hellscape vibes.
WorkingOnPPL:
It’s fascinating to think in the 1930s, California coastal real estate was determined to be equally valuable to Gary, Indiana real estate.
GiraffeFellator:
I was passing through MI and IL on a road trip and wanted to see what the fuss was about for some of the 'worst places' - I went to Flint Michigan and Gary Indiana.
Flint has a vibe of 'down on its luck but trying', and the streets are mainly clean, people were out mowing their lawns and fixing up their houses.
Gary has more of a vibe of 'no hope, we've given up'.
WorkingOnPPL:
It’s fascinating to think in the 1930s, California coastal real estate was determined to be equally valuable to Gary, Indiana real estate.
GiraffeFellator:
I was passing through MI and IL on a road trip and wanted to see what the fuss was about for some of the 'worst places' - I went to Flint Michigan and Gary Indiana.
Flint has a vibe of 'down on its luck but trying', and the streets are mainly clean, people were out mowing their lawns and fixing up their houses.
Gary has more of a vibe of 'no hope, we've given up'.
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14points
#12
Augusta, GA. I actually lived there for a year when I was younger. I thought because it has arguably the nicest golf course in the USA it would be a nice town. It was pretty terrible. The golf course is behind massive fences and ten foot hedges so unless you're a wealthy member of the club, it effectively doesn't exist outside of Master's week when the PGA tournament comes to town.
For a city of it's size, there's nothing to do, crime rates are high, everywhere is generally run down, plus the climate is oppressive with tons of bugs and pine pollen to destroy anyone with allergies. I was not sad to put it in the rear view mirror when my time there was done.
thebongofamandabynes:
My buddies and I were scammed out of Masters tickets last year. We all flew down to Augusta, got an Air b&b, rental cars, etc. After we realized it was a scam we called our wives and one of them goes "Augusta? More like AUBUSTA!!". So we had shirts and hats made with "Aubusta" on them to commemorate possibly the worst weekend of our lives. Remember kids...if its too good to be true it probably is.
For a city of it's size, there's nothing to do, crime rates are high, everywhere is generally run down, plus the climate is oppressive with tons of bugs and pine pollen to destroy anyone with allergies. I was not sad to put it in the rear view mirror when my time there was done.
thebongofamandabynes:
My buddies and I were scammed out of Masters tickets last year. We all flew down to Augusta, got an Air b&b, rental cars, etc. After we realized it was a scam we called our wives and one of them goes "Augusta? More like AUBUSTA!!". So we had shirts and hats made with "Aubusta" on them to commemorate possibly the worst weekend of our lives. Remember kids...if its too good to be true it probably is.
14points
#13
Stockton, CA. Parts of that city are pretty rough. I would be fine to never go back there.
amendoza28:
I live and work about an hour south of Stockton. I coach high school football, and twice over the years we have had a couple Stockton schools on the schedule. The first time we traveled there we were greeted by a couple cops upon arrival and they told us we couldn’t get dressed in the locker room because the students would try to get in and fight and harass us so they escorted us to a science classroom. The second time we played there we were stuck on the bus for like 45 minutes because there was a huge brawl in front of the school like an hour before, guns were drawn, huge police presence, etc. The police were still clearing the scene and making sure it was safe when we arrived for our game.
cg40boat:
A story about Stockton: my wife was a real estate appraiser. A finance firm she did work for asked her to drive to Stockton for a re-fi appraisal. I went with her. It was a typical old wood house in a very poor neighborhood. Inside, the living room had only a poker table and chairs, and the back bedrooms were divided into smaller rooms with beds. My wife asked the old guy if it was a residence or a business and he said. “ well, Ma’am, I have poker in the front room and ladies in the back.” When we were leaving she asked him his name and he said my name is (can’t recall), “but everybody just calls me Slasher”.
amendoza28:
I live and work about an hour south of Stockton. I coach high school football, and twice over the years we have had a couple Stockton schools on the schedule. The first time we traveled there we were greeted by a couple cops upon arrival and they told us we couldn’t get dressed in the locker room because the students would try to get in and fight and harass us so they escorted us to a science classroom. The second time we played there we were stuck on the bus for like 45 minutes because there was a huge brawl in front of the school like an hour before, guns were drawn, huge police presence, etc. The police were still clearing the scene and making sure it was safe when we arrived for our game.
cg40boat:
A story about Stockton: my wife was a real estate appraiser. A finance firm she did work for asked her to drive to Stockton for a re-fi appraisal. I went with her. It was a typical old wood house in a very poor neighborhood. Inside, the living room had only a poker table and chairs, and the back bedrooms were divided into smaller rooms with beds. My wife asked the old guy if it was a residence or a business and he said. “ well, Ma’am, I have poker in the front room and ladies in the back.” When we were leaving she asked him his name and he said my name is (can’t recall), “but everybody just calls me Slasher”.
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14points
#14
Amarillo
Could smell it from miles away.
nononanana:
Stopped there for a motel for the night while driving cross country. Dust, a gas station, and a rub and tug was all I could see within walking distance. The place reeked of d**d hopes and dreams.
Miserable looking guy with a limp comes out to check me into the motel. Tells me he just got hit by a car the other day. Asks me where I’m headed. I tell him to a certain triggering state on the west coast to move to a beach town. He tells me very confidently how terrible it is over there and I’ll be back in Amarillo after a while. I thought I’d honestly rather pass before move there. It just speaks a lot to the inferiority complex and delusion a lot of people have. The audacity to find out I’m moving to one of the most beautiful areas of the country and then have convince himself and me that he’s in a better spot.
Could smell it from miles away.
nononanana:
Stopped there for a motel for the night while driving cross country. Dust, a gas station, and a rub and tug was all I could see within walking distance. The place reeked of d**d hopes and dreams.
Miserable looking guy with a limp comes out to check me into the motel. Tells me he just got hit by a car the other day. Asks me where I’m headed. I tell him to a certain triggering state on the west coast to move to a beach town. He tells me very confidently how terrible it is over there and I’ll be back in Amarillo after a while. I thought I’d honestly rather pass before move there. It just speaks a lot to the inferiority complex and delusion a lot of people have. The audacity to find out I’m moving to one of the most beautiful areas of the country and then have convince himself and me that he’s in a better spot.
13points
#15
Anniston, Alabama. The entire area is red clay soil and the air just smells bad.
I was stationed at a now closed, extremely contaminated Army base there, and I ended up developing cancer years later. There was also a Monsanto chemical plant near the base. A congressman actually tried to develop a registry similar to Camp Lejeune, to track illnesses of soldiers that had been stationed there.
ciahawkeye:
The first city I moved to in Alabama after the base closed having never stepped foot into the state and knowing nothing about anything. Moved to the west side of Anniston. Was told to not drink the water. Regularly pulled over for being a white boy in the absolute hood. Always searched for dr*gs...they could not believe I lived there. Came home one day to 4 guys in my house after they kicked in my door. Other than that its not too bad. I now live in another nearby city thats not much better but Anniston is far from the worst city in the country...but it also didnt give me cancer (yet)
I was stationed at a now closed, extremely contaminated Army base there, and I ended up developing cancer years later. There was also a Monsanto chemical plant near the base. A congressman actually tried to develop a registry similar to Camp Lejeune, to track illnesses of soldiers that had been stationed there.
ciahawkeye:
The first city I moved to in Alabama after the base closed having never stepped foot into the state and knowing nothing about anything. Moved to the west side of Anniston. Was told to not drink the water. Regularly pulled over for being a white boy in the absolute hood. Always searched for dr*gs...they could not believe I lived there. Came home one day to 4 guys in my house after they kicked in my door. Other than that its not too bad. I now live in another nearby city thats not much better but Anniston is far from the worst city in the country...but it also didnt give me cancer (yet)
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13points
#16
Got off at the wrong stop in San Francisco and was immediately approached by two d**g dealers. Then I looked around and realized I was definitely not in a good area. The bus driver was frantically waving at me to get back on the bus, and we did! He asked us where we were going and said don't get off until I tell you to. Crazy how in big cities you can go from gorgeous touristy bits to absolute poverty in a couple of blocks.
mydinabox:
Yea the Tenderloin is like a block from Union square and all the expensive stores. Pretty jarring for sure.
MafubaBuu:
Always blows me away that there are cities in America that have entire neighborhoods locals just tell you dont go to, its dangerous. I suppose I am lucky that I cant list places like that in any Canadian cities I've been to.
Like we have crime and some ghetto areas but nowhere I would actively tell a tourist to flat out not go to out of fear
mydinabox:
Yea the Tenderloin is like a block from Union square and all the expensive stores. Pretty jarring for sure.
MafubaBuu:
Always blows me away that there are cities in America that have entire neighborhoods locals just tell you dont go to, its dangerous. I suppose I am lucky that I cant list places like that in any Canadian cities I've been to.
Like we have crime and some ghetto areas but nowhere I would actively tell a tourist to flat out not go to out of fear
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12points
#17
Rawlins, Wyoming. Yuck.
AscendedViking7:
Rawlins is literally the soulless grey walls and aggressively dim LED lighting in government buildings turned into a town.
I have never seen such a town with so much nothing in it.
VoxDolorum:
Stopped at a “rest stop” that was technically in Rawlins, but literally in the middle of nowhere. What a desolate, weird place. The gas station attendant was creepy and there were no doors for the women’s bathroom. Felt like being in the backrooms, like a weird unsettling dream. The closest thing to us wasn’t even Rawlins proper it was a random prison lol.
AscendedViking7:
Rawlins is literally the soulless grey walls and aggressively dim LED lighting in government buildings turned into a town.
I have never seen such a town with so much nothing in it.
VoxDolorum:
Stopped at a “rest stop” that was technically in Rawlins, but literally in the middle of nowhere. What a desolate, weird place. The gas station attendant was creepy and there were no doors for the women’s bathroom. Felt like being in the backrooms, like a weird unsettling dream. The closest thing to us wasn’t even Rawlins proper it was a random prison lol.
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12points
#18
East St Louis.
TheUnblinkingEye1001:
My friend and I basically got escorted out of East St. Louis by a police officer. We stopped for gas after midnight and were unfamiliar with the reputation. He had some very unflattering things to say about our situational awareness and did not express a desire for us to come back anytime soon.
Fogdrog:
My wife and took the exit for East St. Louis to see the geyser fountain down by the river. It's a very short trip off the interstate, but the few blocks we drove are best described as a war zone. It was the middle of the afternoon but we got the hell out of there in a hurry. BTW, the geyser wasn't running.
TheUnblinkingEye1001:
My friend and I basically got escorted out of East St. Louis by a police officer. We stopped for gas after midnight and were unfamiliar with the reputation. He had some very unflattering things to say about our situational awareness and did not express a desire for us to come back anytime soon.
Fogdrog:
My wife and took the exit for East St. Louis to see the geyser fountain down by the river. It's a very short trip off the interstate, but the few blocks we drove are best described as a war zone. It was the middle of the afternoon but we got the hell out of there in a hurry. BTW, the geyser wasn't running.
12points
#19
Louisiana.
Step outside a major city and it’s all decrepit 3rd world country. S*****n houses on stilts and unimaginable poverty.
Step outside a major city and it’s all decrepit 3rd world country. S*****n houses on stilts and unimaginable poverty.
12points
#20
Surprisingly Niagara Falls, NY. Other than the immediate Tourist area, Niagara Falls on the US site is a d**g ridden ghetto. The Canadian side is much better.
12points