A seasoned travel journalist who has spent a decade exploring the United States says one American city stands out for all the wrong reasons — and he urges travelers to avoid it entirely.

Jonathan Thompson has lived and worked across the U.S. for 10 years, visiting every one of the 50 states. Along the way, he discovered remarkable destinations such as Santa Fe in New Mexico, Juneau in Alaska, Bend in Oregon, and Portland in Maine — all places he recommends adding to any travel list.

He’s also seen towns struggling with high crime rates, including Clovis, New Mexico, and Pahrump, Nevada. But one place left the strongest negative impression.

According to Thompson, the lowest-ranked destination is Gary, Indiana.
He describes it as “a post-industrial, semi-abandoned landscape filled with deep potholes” and believes it should be “avoided at all costs.”

Gary, located in Lake County, is Indiana’s 11th-largest city and home to the massive Gary Works steel mill. It also holds a significant pop-culture legacy as the birthplace of the Jackson family, including Michael Jackson.

The Jackson family home remains a draw for fans who stop to take photos. Yet some residents warn visitors not to wander the surrounding area after dark.

Those warnings gained national attention after a violent attack last year. A father and his 16-year-old daughter, visiting the Jackson home, were confronted at gunpoint. The attacker, Oasia Barnes, kidnapped the girl and forced the father to flee for help. She was found hours later and reported being assaulted. Barnes was later convicted on 18 charges and sentenced to 164 years in prison.