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Nothing contrarian about avoiding the worst crowds. I went to Alburquerque’s balloon fest more than 30 years ago. It was worth doing but very crowded. I can’t imagine what torture it would be these days.
I was there about 3 years ago and skipped the entire thing when I saw how awful it looked. There were like 5 car accidents on the freeway from people trying to cut each other off to get to an exit ramp that was backed up.
I drove a bit and took a nice photo of all of them from afar. Never again lol
We booked a cruise out of San Juan PR in 1992. We got there a few days early and stayed in a hotel in Old San Juan. What we had not thought about or considered was that it was Columbus day, 500 years. We had a great time, totally unplanned.
The hotel El Convento was originally built as a convent and it was fine.
Avoiding massive crowds and ridiculous price increases due to it being a hallmark event? I don't see anything wrong with that. I have no interest in New Years Eve in NYC, Oktoberfest in Munich, Mardi Gras in NOLA, whatever city is hosting the Super Bowl, SXSW in Austin, Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, etc.
Avoiding massive crowds and ridiculous price increases due to it being a hallmark event? I don't see anything wrong with that. I have no interest in New Years Eve in NYC, Oktoberfest in Munich, Mardi Gras in NOLA, whatever city is hosting the Super Bowl, SXSW in Austin, Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, etc.
The real contrarian travel is when you avoid places like Times Square all together regardless of the date. If you travel to NYC and spend most, if not all, of your time in Jackson Heights or Astoria, then you're probably the contrarian traveler.
Meh. Sometimes I do the touron stuff. Sometimes I do alternative things. May, we’re doing the cliche Rome, Florence, Venice thing. I have Vatican Museum, Colosseum, David, Uffizi, & Pitti Palace tickets. I’ve been to all those places. My girlfriend hasn’t.
In late-September, we’re renting a house in Galicia. I’ve been there before and it’s deserted after the summer high season ends. That’s as contrarian as it gets.
I tend to travel during the off season. This is in part to not have to put up with hot summer days. A few years ago I went to Yellowstone National Park in the fall just before they closed some of the roads for winter. During the weekdays there were very few people there.
The real contrarian travel is when you avoid places like Times Square all together regardless of the date. If you travel to NYC and spend most, if not all, of your time in Jackson Heights or Astoria, then you're probably the contrarian traveler.
Now I can't claim to be that contrarian, but I'm a theater geek. I spend most of my frequent NYC trips in the theater district, including Times Square.
While I have done a modest share of traveling to destinations during their 'marquee' event (like Boston during July 4 Esplanade concert), in general I tend to avoid doing so.
New Orleans? Yes, but not during Mardi Gras.
Louisville? Yes, but not during Derby.
etc.
anyone else?
I'll agree with you about New Orleans. While a part of me would love to attend Mardi Gras to say I did it...the crowds and the expense tell me "Nope".
But we like to go and attend the Zydeco and Cajun festival in June, from time to time. That's fun stuff for us.
Mardi Gras is a long season and celebrated these days on most of the northern Gulf Coast. We’ll hit one or two Saturday parades in Pensacola and call it good
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