I’ve visited more than 40 countries: these are 5 destinations I’ll never go back to

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

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

There are too many places that come to mind to fire off in one shot. Where not going is a much easier question to answer: those places are forever etched in your mind’s eye.

Anyway, no traveler can cross 43 borders like me without having a few duds under his belt…

Without fluff and full transparency, the following are 5 destinations I will never return to: (in order from worst to worse).

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

I’m not sure there’s a major city that’s more disappointing than Albuquerque. When you take a road trip through New Mexico and the state’s largest city turns out to be the most boring destination, that’s not what you’d expect, right?

Since my visit, “Albu quirkiness,” as I call it, has gone even further downhill, 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 really bored out of my mind, couldn’t find a hint of fun in this town, and wondered if the ghost town atmosphere was attributed to locals staying indoors for safety reasons or simply because there was nothing to do but stare at the disappointing mountain peaks.

The positive side: Old Town – home to more than 150 galleries, shops and restaurants in a timeless adobe setting

Best alternative: El Paso – better food, nicer walks, more vibrant culture and the safest city in Texas

4) Sofia, Bulgaria: It’s cheap, but what else?

For the past four years, Sofia has been my least favorite European city (with a caveat).

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

But that’s about it: this towering cathedral is certainly beautiful. I walked from the bus station to see it, but quickly discovered that it doesn’t match the vibrancy of overly filtered Instagram photos. It’s just another European cathedral.

Sofia’s top attraction is simply not worth the adventure. Worst of all, I found nothing else worth doing other than drinking cheap coffee and hiding from the rain, which prompted the decision to leave Bulgaria early – the only time I’ve ever done that in my travels.

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

Best alternative: Belgrade — This capital of the Balkans is livelier, just as affordable, and offers several direct flights to the US.

3) Galveston, Texas: The Worst Beach Town in America?

As a born and bred Texan, I hate to call my home state my least favorite American vacation spot, but Galveston, for whatever reason, just isn’t worth a beach vacation.

When you’re welcomed to the brownwater coast no more beautiful 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 it easy to hop on a cruise from the South’s largest metropolis.

That said, if your main destination is Galveston, I recommend changing your plans. There are much better beaches to visit than this overrated cruise port with a cheap boardwalk.

The positive side: Seafood is fresh and lives up to the foodie destination hype

Best alternative: Anywhere on the Mississippi coastline, hop aboard the revamped Amtrak Mardis Gras line and go cheap beach hopping!

2) Copenhagen, Denmark: The world’s ‘happiest city’? Yes, right….

On my recent trip to Copenhagen, I riled locals by calling their city a “dystopian hellscape.” Wires after.

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

As one of the greenest cities in Europe, many residents come across as soulless bots who aimlessly ride around on bikes, creating a bizarre situation. Groundhog Day atmosphere where you constantly have to double over to cross the street to make sure you don’t get impaled Tour de France wannabes.

For a place whose most recent claim to fame is being crowned the world’sHappiest city‘, Looks like they’re the last ones to get the memo as I found it most people are rude, unwelcoming and in a daze.

Well, it depends on how you define ‘unwelcome’…

Copenhagen is largely considered safe. Yet I was aggressively picked up and harassed at 7am by – let’s say – ladies from the oldest profession in the world, in an area surrounded by luxury hotels, and immediately followed uncomfortably for two to three blocks.

Bottom line: This vibrant city has the beauty of Stockholm and the problems of San Francisco, so ultimately the mood check failed for safety, friendliness, affordability, or really anything fun to do other than overpriced Christmas markets – officially usurping Sofia as my least favorite city in Europe

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

Best alternative: Helsinki — I visited Helsinki and Copenhagen back to back — Helsinki is much friendlier, feels safer, slightly more affordable and offers beautiful forest scenery where possible feeding reindeer all year round!

1) Corozal, Belize: the opposite of picture postcard coasts

I understand that Corozal, or the trip there and back, cannot properly summarize Belize as a whole.

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

Just wanting another passport stamp while in the region, I paid the crossing fees to enter Belize and was welcomed by deserted dirt roads, abandoned huts and countless blank stares, fueling my non-existent telepathy with the message ‘why are you here?’.

Receive message.

This side of Belize is the exact opposite of the many postcard and screensaver destinations we’ve all seen.

You’re better off flying into Belize City and traveling on to one of Belize’s beautiful bays.

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

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

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.