I’ve Visited Over 40 Countries: These Are 5 Destinations I’ll Never Go Back To

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No traveler likes being disappointed, whether it’s an all-inclusive resort that didn’t live up to the photos, a Michelin-starred restaurant that had an off day, or maybe you’re in my camp, thinking Times Square looks better on a postcard.

Even seasoned travel experts like us at Travel Off Path get stumped by the question, “where should I go?”.

There are too many places that come to mind to fire off at the drop of a hat. Where not to go is a much easier question to answer — those places become etched in your mind’s eye forever.

Regardless, no traveler can cross 43 borders as I have and not have some duds under their belt…

With no fluff and full transparency, the following 5 destinations are ones I’ll never go back to: (in order of bad to worse).

5) Albuquerque, New Mexico: Where’s The Fun?

I’m not sure there’s been a major city more disappointing than Albuquerque. When you base a New Mexico-wide road trip, and it turns out the state’s largest city is the most boring destination, that’s not what you’d expect, right?

Since my visit, “Albu-quirky”, as I call it, has gone downhill even more, often in an unwanted duel with Memphis for America’s ‘most dangerous’ title with crime rates soaring in recent years.

While I didn’t feel particularly unsafe, I was truly bored out of my mind, unable to find a tinge of fun in this city and couldn’t help but wonder if its ghost town vibes were attributed to locals staying indoors for safety reasons or simply because there’s nothing to do but gawk at underwhelming mountain peaks.

The bright side: Old Town — home to 150+ galleries, shops, and restaurants in a timeless adobe setting

Best alternative: El Paso — better food, prettier hikes, more vibrant culture, and the safest city in Texas

4) Sofia, Bulgaria: It’s Cheap, But What Else?

For the past 4 years, Sofia stood as my least favorite European city (with a caveat).

I preface that by saying I took a very bumpy overnight bus from Istanbul to Sofia where I didn’t get a wink of sleep, so it’s quite possible I arrived grumpy and unable to fully embrace what’s become one of Europe’s trendiest cities, largely thanks to mesmerizing photos of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral making rounds on socials.

But that’s just it — this towering cathedral is beautiful, sure. I beelined from the bus station to see it, yet quickly discovered it doesn’t match the vibrancy of overly filtered Instagram pics. It’s just another European cathedral.

Sofia’s top attraction is simply not worth the adventure. Worst of all, I found nothing else worthwhile to do except drink cheap coffee and hide out from the rain, triggering the decision to leave Bulgaria early —the only time I’ve ever done so in my travels.

The bright side: Sofia is very affordable across the board , making a great landing spot for nomads ready to obtain Bulgaria’s new Digital Nomad Visa (despite joining Schengen).

Best alternative: Belgrade — This Balkan capital is more vibrant, just as affordable, and offers multiple direct U.S. flights.

3) Galveston, Texas: America’s Worst Beach Town?

As a born-and-raised Texan, I hate to name my home state as my least favorite U.S. getaway, but Galveston just isn’t worthy of a beach vacation for any reason, really.

When you’re welcomed to the brown-water shores no prettier than the Tijuana River by stepping on a dirty diaper, that’s not exactly the memories you want to make on a beach trip — yes, that really happened…

Galveston is here for pure convenience. Located just an hour or so from Houston, it makes hopping on a cruise easy from the South’s largest metropolis.

That said, if your main destination is Galveston, I suggest changing plans. There are far better beaches to visit than this overhyped cruise port with a cheesy boardwalk.

The bright side: Seafood is fresh and lives up to its foodie destination hype

Best alternative: Anywhere on Mississippi’s coastline — hop aboard Amtrak’s revamped Mardis Gras line and go beach-hopping for cheap!

2) Copenhagen, Denmark: The World’s ‘Happiest City’? Yeah, Right….

During my recent trip to Copenhagen, I riled up locals by calling their city a “dystopian hellscape” on a Threads post.

A little strong? Maybe, but that’s honestly how I felt roaming the city.

As one of Europe’s greenest cities, many locals come across as soulless bots riding around aimlessly on bikes, creating a bizarre Groundhog Day atmosphere where you’re constantly having to do double takes crossing the street to ensure you’re not impaled by Tour de France wannabes.

For a place whose most recent claim to fame is being crowned the world’s ‘Happiest City‘, it seems they’re the last to get the memo as I found most people to be brute, unwelcoming, and in a daze.

Well, it depends how you define “unwelcoming”…

Copenhagen is largely considered safe. Still, I was aggressively grabbed and harassed by — let’s say —ladies of the world’s oldest profession at 7 am, in an area surrounded by luxe hotels, and then uncomfortably followed for 2 to 3 blocks immediately afterward.

Bottom line: This vibrant city has Stockholm’s beauty and San Francisco’s problems, so it ultimately failed the vibe check for safety, friendliness, affordability, or really anything fun to do beyond overpriced Christmas markets — officially usurping Sofia as my least favorite city in Europe

The bright side: Copenhagen has the coolest food truck park I’ve ever been to: check out Reffen.

Best alternative: Helsinki — I visited Helsinki and Copenhagen back to back — Helsinki is far friendlier, feels safer, slightly more affordable, and offers stunning woodland scenery, where you can feed reindeer year-round!

1) Corozal, Belize: The Opposite Of Postcard Shores

I understand Corozal, or the journey there and back, won’t properly sum up Belize as a whole.

That said, I have never felt more eyeballs on me than my trip across the Mexico-Belize border.

Simply wanting another passport stamp while I was in the region, I paid the crossing fee to venture into Belize and was welcomed by desolate dirt roads, abandoned shacks, and countless blank stares, cueing my non-existent telepathy with the message of ‘why are you here?’.

Message received.

This side of Belize is whatever the exact opposite of the country’s numerous postcard and screensaver destinations we’ve all seen.

You’re better off flying into Belize City and continuing onto one of Belize’s gorgeous cays.

The bright side: Shopping immediately across the Mexico border from Chetumal is insanely cheap — but don’t make the trip to Corozal, the nearest coastal town.

Best alternative: Chetumal — Stay on the Mexico side and enjoy Chetumal’s culinary delights, otherworldly blue waters, and insightful Mayan history instead of crossing Belize’s unsightly border.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 36 countries and written over 1000 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.