America's small cities being overrun by tourists

[JManc]

Laguna Beach is pretty awesome but absolutely infested with the tourists. Virtually impossible to park anywhere.

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by JManc

Laguna Beach is pretty awesome but absolutely infested with the tourists. Virtually impossible to park anywhere.

I had family that lived in the canyon, we never seemed to have problems with parking, however we did have to circle a few blocks from time to time.

[dc_denizen]

The horror

[Crawford]

Laguna is part of LA. And actually not at all crowded in the off-season. I'm there every Feburary and it's quiet, and never had an issue with parking right along the PCH.

The OC coast is horribly overcrowded during the summer months, so much that many locals leave. But most of the year it's pretty much just locals.

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Laguna is part of LA. And actually not at all crowded in the off-season. I'm there every Feburary and it's quiet, and never had an issue with parking right along the PCH.

The OC coast is horribly overcrowded during the summer months, so much that many locals leave. But most of the year it's pretty much just locals.

The absolute best time of year to visit California beachside communities is post Labor Day weekend. Tourism rates, traffic, wait times at restaurants all drop. The weather is far superior to that of May-August.

May - July 4th are cold and grey. Mid July - August is peak season and it's more on the hot and humid side. September - October, crystal clear, dry, warm afternoons, cool mornings.

This entire week, it'll be in the 80s on the coast.

[SLO]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

The absolute best time of year to visit California beachside communities is post Labor Day weekend. Tourism rates, traffic, wait times at restaurants all drop. The weather is far superior to that of May-August.

May - July 4th are cold and grey. Mid July - August is peak season and it's more on the hot and humid side. September - October, crystal clear, dry, warm afternoons, cool mornings.

This entire week, it'll be in the 80s on the coast.

Fall on the coast of California is the best time of year....glorious.

[KB0679]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

don’t like crowds, go further. most nice places in the west are not crowded, even drop dead gorgeous coastal towns. i spent time in a town that felt like a fucking art film with one pub and one store in northern california...i have no need for putting up with fucking tourist crowds in america. plenty of space...

Even the people who live in tourist towns tend to stay away from the touristy areas.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

louisville has become a bigger destination for me since nashville sort of has become a bit much.

I'm thinking about visiting for the first time next year. Spending a couple days in the city and checking out the bourbon distilleries.

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Seems pretty effective to me. The Hamptons have essentially banned new hotels for 50 years, and there are strict limits on Airbnb, and so have restricted tourism to the wealthy.

Not saying this is best from a public policy perspective, but it has certainly worked. It's quite easy to restrict tourism.

Only wealthy enclaves can restrict tourism because they don't need the money. But where in small town America that isn't the Hamptons can they afford to turn money away by saying "we don't want you here"?

How do I tell my neighbor they can't make money? How do I tell a theatre of actors they can't have a bigger audience? Or tell a waitress she can't have more customers?

This is asinine.

[Obadno]

"No we dont want tourists here spending money in our businesses and on our services"

Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by aaron38

Only wealthy enclaves can restrict tourism because they don't need the money. But where in small town America that isn't the Hamptons can they afford to turn money away by saying "we don't want you here"?

How do I tell my neighbor they can't make money? How do I tell a theatre of actors they can't have a bigger audience? Or tell a waitress she can't have more customers?

This is asinine.

First time arguing with Crawford I see

[edale]

Originally Posted by BG918

I'm thinking about visiting for the first time next year. Spending a couple days in the city and checking out the bourbon distilleries.

Louisville is a fine city, but I don't know what you would do there for more than a day or so. Old Louisville has some beautiful architecture and is nice to walk around, but it's small and can be seen in couple hours. Other than that, the Highlands area and Bardstown Road corridor is pretty interesting and provides a nice stroll, but that's about all that would interest me as a tourist. Their downtown is pretty dead and small. I guess the Louisville Slugger museum is something to see, and perhaps Churchill Downs if you're into horse racing. They are definitely having a moment now with Bourbon experiencing a resurgence in popularity. I could maybe see Louisville having a bit of a boom, but I'm doubtful it will every have a Nashville type of explosion.

[llamaorama]

Is it so terrible that regular people can drive to large destination beaches with adequate facilities in a major city?

Or should only the rich be allowed to go to a beach?

[Prahaboheme]

Originally Posted by LA21st

Just came back from Laguna Beach. That place is amazing.
And yes, overrun by tourists.

It def seemed more bustling than my last visit.

Santa Monica is easily the most chaotic of the one's mentioned though. Nimbys or not, downtown Santa Monica on the weekends is insane, and seems as if it's getting busier each time I go. The Expo line has helped getting those crowds there, for sure.

Santa Monica cannot be considered a small city though, by any stretch. By that measure, Beverly Hills would also be overrun with tourists.

If anywhere in LA would have something to fit that description I'd say its Malibu.

IMO Louisville's late 80s/90s/early 00s post-rock and post-punk scenes beat any American Idol-inspired crap that's come outta Nashville in the last half century. A ton of incredible, genre-defining bands/artists were born in Louisville during that era. Slint, Tortoise, Rodan, Rachel's (Rachel Grimes), and Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Palace Brothers, Palace Music, Palace, etc.) being a few of the best known/most influential. The city's musical influence is absurdly disproportionate for its size.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by aaron38

Only wealthy enclaves can restrict tourism because they don't need the money. But where in small town America that isn't the Hamptons can they afford to turn money away by saying "we don't want you here"?

How do I tell my neighbor they can't make money? How do I tell a theatre of actors they can't have a bigger audience? Or tell a waitress she can't have more customers?

This is asinine.

It's representative democracy. If a majority of local people wish to keep an area pristine, and aren't violating any laws, I don't see the problem.

Why do the Hamptons (or Laguna, or Malibu) have to look like Myrtle Beach or Panama City? It isn't like there's a shortage of beachfront development in the U.S. The beaches are still free and open to the public, but the city doesn't have to encourage visitors by providing subsidized parking and the like.

[BnaBreaker]

Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL

IMO Louisville's late 80s/90s/early 00s post-rock and post-punk scenes beat any American Idol-inspired crap that's come outta Nashville in the last half century. A ton of incredible, genre-defining bands/artists were born in Louisville during that era. Slint, Tortoise, Rodan, Rachel's (Rachel Grimes), and Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Palace Brothers, Palace Music, Palace, etc.) being a few of the best known/most influential. The city's musical influence is absurdly disproportionate for its size.

I agree that Louisville is a great city who's music scene is vastly underrated... but on a separate note, if you think Nashville's music scene is comprised exclusively of whatever it is you're referring to as "American Idol-inspired crap," then you are sorely mistaken my friend.