NEW YORK, NY — A Reddit discussion asking people about the most depressing places they had visited produced a long list of U.S. destinations that travelers described as bleak, unsafe or difficult to enjoy. The thread ranged from reservation communities and small towns to big-city neighborhoods and aging industrial areas.
The conversation was subjective, but several names came up repeatedly, including Pine Ridge, South Dakota; Gary, Indiana; East St. Louis, Illinois; and parts of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Pine Ridge, Gary and East St. Louis drew some of the harshest responses
One of the most detailed comments focused on Pine Ridge, South Dakota, where a poster described a childhood marked by poverty and instability. Other users echoed that view, calling the area devastating and depressing, though those remarks were personal reactions rather than formal assessments.
Gary, Indiana also appeared often. Travelers said it felt abandoned or post-apocalyptic, with one person describing a wrong turn there at night as terrifying. East St. Louis, Illinois was mentioned in similar terms, with commenters warning that some exits and side streets felt unsafe.
Big-city neighborhoods like Skid Row and the Tenderloin were also singled out
Several comments shifted to major urban neighborhoods rather than whole cities. Los Angeles’ Skid Row came up for its visible homelessness and encampments, while San Francisco’s Tenderloin was described as a place where poverty and open-air drug dealing felt impossible to miss.
Some travelers said those areas were startling because they sat close to major tourist districts and expensive neighborhoods. The contrast, they said, made the conditions feel even harsher.
Other places on the list included Cairo, Camden, Augusta and Stockton
The thread also named Cairo, Illinois; Camden, New Jersey; Augusta, Georgia; Stockton, California; Amarillo, Texas; and Rawlins, Wyoming. In many cases, the complaints centered on emptiness, decay, crime concerns or an overall lack of things to do.
One commenter said Cairo felt like a town that had lost its former life. Others pointed to Camden’s abandoned feel, while Stockton was described as having rough neighborhoods and a tense atmosphere around schools and public spaces.
The discussion reflected traveler impressions rather than a ranked study
The post was built from Reddit replies, not from a formal travel survey or government ranking. It did, however, include a few broader references: the International Trade Administration lists New York, Florida, California, Nevada and Texas among the most popular states for international visitors, while a 2025 YouGov survey placed New York City, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Miami, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Nashville and Los Angeles among Americans’ top destinations.
Even with that contrast, the thread’s main takeaway was simple: travelers do not judge every U.S. destination the same way, and some places leave a far stronger negative impression than others.
Plan smarter with Travel Your Way.