Los Angeles described as over-rated hellhole by disappointed travellers

Los Angeles has been described as a 'hellhole' by disappointed visitors. Photo / Unsplash

This article was one of Herald Travel’s top stories of 2024.

It’s often referred to as the city of stars, the place where dreams come true. But is the city of glamour, fame and almost four million people really that amazing?

No, apparently it’s not. Los Angeles is one of the ‘most over-rated’ places in the world according to a viral online post on a parenting platform.

A member of the parenting forum Mumsnet recently asked fellow parents about what holiday destination they considered the ‘most over-rated’.

Many people suggested iconic spots that typically struggle with over-tourism. Barcelona and Paris were described as over-rated due to being ‘uncomfortable’ and dirty’.

However, Los Angeles appeared to be the most popular answer and was described as a ‘disappointment’ by one person and a ‘hellhole’ by another.

Some claimed the city has lost its lustre due to mass homelessness, which isn’t being addressed.

Others criticised the ‘tourist destinations’ people were told to visit.

“If there is a hell, and I have done something awful, I will be banished to LA. If I really f**k up and am unredeemable, I will be in LAX,” wrote MrsTerryPratchett.

Bathtimebarbara agreed. “LA is a complete dump. The tourist ‘must sees’ are all run-down, crime-ridden and basically just on dual carriageways.”

Travellers rewiew Los Angeles as overrated, dirty, and 'gross'. Photo / Getty Images

Another said that, despite all the challenging travel experiences they’d endured, none were as bad as Los Angeles.

“I’ve been to 40+ countries, run out of money and food, slept on floors and eaten bugs. I’ve had to smile at a pile of boiled offal and eat every piece, I’ve got so ill I’ve been hospitalised near death. I’ve almost drowned, been frightened out of my head, been in coups and other ‘disturbances’. There is not a single place I wouldn’t give another chance to … except LA,” the person wrote.

One traveller said the dirtiness, air pollution, and feeling of being unsafe made them want to return home earlier than planned.

The feeling that Los Angeles has been overhyped as a tourist destination isn’t exclusive to members of Mumset.

The city’s TripAdvisor page has a mix of reviews. Visitors who went on a sightseeing tour described the city as “gross, gross, gross!!!” adding that the beaches were “filthy” and there was rubbish everywhere. One person added that while they were disappointed by LA, they loved the rest of California.

Another suggested that LA used to be “iconic” but is no longer worth visiting.

However, the city appears to have improved over the last two years, according to Time Out. In 2021, an annual Time Out index revealed LA was voted the most over-rated and expensive city in North America. But Time Out recently rated it one of the world’s 50 best cities, at number 17.

Name any highly visited city and you’ll find that travellers’ opinions range from visceral hate to total awe. Los Angeles is no exception.

On TripAdvisor, many travellers praise its culture, nature, and shopping.

“There are miles of beautiful beaches, incredible mountains, beautiful neighbourhoods, ethnic areas with authentic foods, miles of bike paths, lovely drives, and opportunities to rent almost anything that moves,” wrote one traveller.

“While most cities have two or three attractions that you should see, LA has dozens,” another said.

This story was originally published in New Zealand Herald Travel on January 26, 2024 and has been updated.