Disappointing photos show what it's really like to visit Times Square in New York City

As a recent New York City resident, Times Square is a location I avoid as much as possible. However, when friends and family visit from out of town, I'm forced to make my way to the dizzying tourist attraction.

Having originally started as a horse exchange in the 1800s, Times Square has gone on to become an epicenter of theater and entertainment in New York City, according to the city's official website.

The New York landmark brings in an average of 300,000 people daily, per The New York Times — and last month, my friends and I added to that number. Visiting from our hometown of Los Angeles, my childhood friends had never been to the city before — so we of course had to make the trip to Times Square.

Though Times Square is one of the most recognizable sights in New York City, my friends and I concluded that the real thing doesn't live up to the hype. They agreed that it was fine to see once, but they have no reason to return.

Before visiting Times Square for the first time in 2007 with my family, I imagined spending hours there shopping and eating. Instead, the childhood experience involved lots of pushing and shoving, only to take a handful of photos and then leave.

More than 15 years later, that Times Square experience still rings true. Most restaurants and shops are filled to the brim with people and nearly impossible to enter. When my friends and I visited, any appetite we had for food or shopping had to wait until we were blocks away from Times Square.

For me and my recent visitors, going to Times Square was more of a photo opportunity than a full-day activity. However, even as a photoshoot location, Times Square can be a frustrating, crowded endeavor.

When we arrived, it was hard to find someone to take photos of us as a group. When we took pictures of each other, other people filled the background, making it less aesthetically pleasing than we had hoped.

If you're looking to take a nice stroll or capture some photos of the area, construction in Times Square makes that borderline impossible.

Signs that read "Watch Your Step" and "Road Plates Ahead" make it hard to share your New York views on Instagram. It took my friends and me multiple tries before we took good enough photos to post and share with family.

Sightseeing in Times Square, unfortunately, requires constant movement. Seating is limited along the streets and any benches or tables are normally filled with people.

Though there are signs that indicate where to stand still and where to walk, people will push through any crowd and move in the wrong direction. The constant flow of foot traffic and lack of rest spots make the experience an exhausting venture.

According to the official website, Times Square spans from 40th Street to 53rd Street. The 13-block stretch comes to a head at the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway. Depending on the time of day and how busy it is, it can be nearly impossible to comfortably walk the Times Square stretch and properly take in the blinding views.

As we walked the streets, crowds of people swarmed in opposite directions with no real destination in sight. The nonstop rush of people made my friends and I feel overwhelmed, anxious, and ready to escape Times Square.

According to Times Square's official website, Broadway between 42nd Street and 47th Street is closed to vehicles, but is open to pedestrians as part of the 2016 Times Square Transformation.

The streets that are open to through traffic are hectic and filled with erratic drivers. It seemed like most cars in the area were impatient with the tourist pedestrians that fill the street. In my short visit to Times Square, I witnessed multiple close calls on the streets thanks to restless pedestrians and drivers in the area.

Since Times Square is filled with people, security and police presence are heightened compared to other spots in the city.

However, most of the marked police vehicles in Times Square are parked and empty. Rather than provide a sense of safety, to me, the cars felt like unnecessary road blocks that can be found on nearly every street corner.

Unlike other tourist attractions in the city, like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, visiting Times Square felt to me a lot like eating empty calories.

The vacant, "Black Mirror"-like advertisements are too flashy and bright to inspire anything but a headache. The overall experience has very little mention of the area's (or the city's) vast history.

Despite its rich history and notable symbolism, Times Square is an easily avoidable tourist spot while visiting the Big Apple. The crowded attraction is an unnecessary bucket-list item that doesn't live up to the hype.

After seeing Times Square once, I didn't feel like I ever had to go back. In my opinion, of all the things New York has to offer, venturing to Times Square is not at the top of the list.