Here's my entire Great Lakes Road Trip playlist: kzfaq.info/sun/PLq-_cmf3H6ypYq3snF04oSnlx1Nz_paCO&si=qFOJWC5lwy95Pu7b

Oh and by the way, they weren't up early my friend... they just hadn't gone to bed yet.

You never come to a complete stop in a hood like that and certainly never ever get out the car. Holy hell man be safer.

Something I have noticed over my years is that there are two areas where people are outside: the projects/ghettos/poor areas and then strangely enough, the wealthy high end neighborhoods. The wealthy run in sports bras, walk their boujee dogs on super nice walking paths, and lots of people outside. Then in poor areas (personal experience lol)it’s mostly people hustling, getting into something, and just waiting for something to happen. There’s a huge in between those where people aren’t outside as much.

A while back, my wife and I went to a wedding in St. Joes and decided to stay in Benton Harbor to save money. We thought: how bad can it be? Well, a lot worse than we thought. We were supposed to stick around and do things the next day, but we left at 4am and got as far away as possible.

I grew up in The Harbor!, Graduated HS went to the Army and never went back! Horrible place to live and grow up in!

No work boots were harmed during the making of this video

19:30. Casually runs stop sign in a low key panic. 😂

So much wonderful architecture just falling apart. That stained glass window in that church. What a shame.

I just sent this video to Benton Harbor city council.

Thank you for being our disaster tour guide, Nick

Hi Nick! I absolutely love Hawaii. Just a few blocks away from Waikiki beach there is poverty. Poverty is everywhere.

I think Nick, in my opinion has the best YT channel of this genre

You can tell that this town was a nice place to live once upon a time

Nothing is built, nothing is back, nothing is better.

Nick, I know you want to give KZfaq viewers what they want, but what we want most of all is for you to be safe. I was hoping you’d get the heck out of there. Be safe first, Nick. We want you around more than your content, so if it means risking your life, forget it! Get out!

Sad to see every town and every city falling apart☹R.I.P.

Man you are crazy driving around solo without a police escort. Even more hilarious commentary than usual. I was very depressed after seeing how destroyed my former hometowns in Illinois and Pennsylvania had become and that was ten years ago. Your videos make it clear that much of America is in a death spiral.

Even the trees are depressed...

Perfect setting for a horror movie

Started school in Benton Harbor. Through the 5th grade at North Shore. Family bailed in 1971 as we could see where it was going! Moved to St. Joe from then on!

It’s a Shame to say but this is the future of America…

I'm getting old but I remember when the black side of town had families with a mom and dad and kids. They always went to church on Sunday and looked after themselves and their neighborhood. Dad worked and mom took care of the kids. Look at what we have today.

I live about 20 miles from Benton harbor and all that you said is very true. About 50 years ago it wasn't to bad but I never go over there. St. Joe is a really nice place to go. The Mall was really nice and we used to shopping there. Yes Benton harbor they call little Detroit. You're lucky you made it out alive.

I’m a middle class white guy at the edge of Philly. We have two incomes, and both of us work an extra PT job. It’s hard to maintain a mortgage, utilities, repairs, upgrades, kids, vehicles etc. I get it. I can only imagine the reality of a person who grows up with an unstable family, bad education, lack of support and role models etc.

For me, watching this type of content, helps me not envy those that post their perfect life on social media, it helps put in perspective and to appreciate what I have since there are others that are less fortunate or have nothing.

This city's been crap for decades. 40 years ago, when I was a teen, my dad and uncles called it "Benton Harlem."

Here's the travesty with Benton Harbor...it is really close to South Haven, which is an AMAZING and lively city. So nice, so clean, a great atmosphere. And then you have Benton Harbor. It's crazy.

Even the trees are in full depression mode.

If there's time to lean there's time to clean.

Stay strapped Nick! And make sure your life insurance premiums are paid up.

I live in MI. I know Benton Harbor. Ranks up there with Detroit and Flint.

Benton Harbor has been a mess for decades. I lived in St. Joseph (across the bridge) for about four years. St. Joe is beautiful. Then you cross the bridge.

People get things confused. It’s not that we like watching these videos it’s that we can’t believe how many different places in the United States are like this. It’s really unbelievable how bad America really is but people want to put a good spin on it because there’s one or two places that are OK.

We used to travel there to play football when I was in high school. Their fans vandalized our bus, threw rocks at our cheerleaders, and started a fire in the stands.

Nick absolutely love your shows and something I've noticed in almost all of the places you've been, is that somewhere in the sky somewhere in one of your clips of every one of your trips that I've watched show chemtrails. I guess they're everywhere they're poisoning the s*** out of us like bugs. I'm 54 years old and I remember the sky is being much Bluer and clearer and clouds looking very different

It was nice in the 40’s,and 50’s…wonder what changed

One of my favorite comedians Sinbad is from Benton Harbor, he is recovering from a stroke, prayers for him.

How can a kid make it past elementary school without knowing how to read? Let alone nearly every kid in the town

So many beautiful houses left to waste. So sad. 😢

I enjoyed watching your segment on Benton Harbor MI. I live in Michigan but not anywhere near this town and was shocked at how bad it is. You're a good narrator and made it much more interesting. It really made me sad that there's towns like that not far away from where I live. Thanks again

Can you imagine if all of our soldiers that died for this Country. Could only see us now!

They're not up early. They're up late.

This makes me feel sad for Americans and America. Seeing what was once great in total ruins. And the contrast of the play ground for the elite. I am old. I started my young adult life when manufacturing was still done in America. If you didn't have a good paying job it is because you refuse every job offered you. Households had a working father and a mother that worked at home keeping the home a home, and of course the 2.8 kids which was the average. I think that kid that was the .8 grew up and became politicians.

I was an (office bound) auto extended warranty contract adjuster from 1991 to around 2019 and we had a lot of customers in Michigan with our warranties on their cars. We often had to send field adjusters out to inspect our covered vehicles and heard all kinds of stories from the inspectors, there were even situations where angry stray dog's sometimes attacked inspectors cars when they were out in the field around the "great recession" years. Never a dull moment. There may have a lot of folks out because it was only 70 Deg. outside in March.

A few years ago on vacation we were driving to South Haven and took a wrong turn so thought we would check out BH. After driving a ways into town and past the abandoned schools and hospital. Was too scary so left right away. We grew up in Battle Creek and moved away from there in the mid 70's. We thought BC was bad, but today BC is so much better off than BH. You're pretty brave

At least one guy waved hello lol

Your driving around in a Grand Wagoner in the hood and your wondering while people are looking at you? You might as well be driving a Lamborghini. Those Jeeps are expensive .

Those 70 degree days in early spring are still ugly with the leaves off the trees. The landscape is barren in the southern part of the lake as well. You don't start to see an attractive landscape in Western Michigan until you get about 100 miles north of the Indiana line in Michigan, around Ludington. The land is beautiful from there northward. You get free of the urban blight area after you pass north of Muskegon. Also, the first 70-degree days in late March give you a false sense of security in Michigan. You think spring has arrived, but it doesn't arrive in force until middle of May. I experienced a blizzard on Mother's Day in 2012 near Traverse City and have seen snow coating the ground in the first week of October.

This is the saddest thing I've seen in a while. We the people have been destroyed by the very people that we put in office to make things good for the entire country. Half, or near half is cool with it, because they believe that "The Party" cares.

To me, from the magazines i read in the 70s 80s, Benton Harbor was synomous with Heathkit, maker of electronics hobbyist kits for HAM radio, computers, etc. They shut down in the 90s but the revived company is now based in North Dakota.

Nick, BH has gone to hell in a hand basket! 20 years from now this place will probably become a Chinese military base…

Glad you made it out unscathed Nick. Keep yourself safe Bro!

Your awesome / We love these videos and your comment "don't pretend this isn't the crap you people like to look at for 30 minutes" Was spot on exactly the reason we watch , we can't believe that these places exist. TY Great Job!

Another example of American corporations closing up factories. This was the home of Whirlpool.

People live here, they grow up here, we graduated from Benton harbor high school, we have friends & family and memories here. It is nasty that you would go through this community and scold our homes, our neighborhood, the only thing we have. You don’t understand us, or our city. So stay away if you’re going to belittle before help.

I live near Benton Harbor. It's actually 2 cities that touch Benton Harbor and Saint Joseph. The browns have destroyed Benton Harbor and the the whites have built St. Joe into a wonderful town.

Greetings Nick, Amazing raw footage! Your journeys give me insight into the real America that we live in. It makes me appreciate where I live. I just hope that the states have a plan for urban renewal and future plans to rebuild and revitalize the bad areas that we see. Thank you for doing these vlogs, stay safe and have fun too.

Dude, Nick. The danger you put yourself in to bring us first class content cannot be overstated!

Thank you, Nick. Well done.

Much respect for your honest opinions, truth hurts only those that do not live by it 💯

I've watched A LOT of NJ's videos. I don't think I've ever heard Nick sound this concerned for his safety.. Wow...

once they figure out the cops dont patrol in the morning they come out like gnats from a sweat soaked towel

Looking forward to seeing your Hawaii video! I've never been there.

Awesome job!!! Be safe!!

They probably think you're an undercover cop patrolling their neighborhood LOL!!

Benton Harbor I can't describe unless you've been there. One street could be on par with Gary and the next could be a quiet suburb, and another in the country. Downtown is a mix of ghetto and places bought by people from Chicago who turned it into a boomers paradise. Downtown also has the PGA golf course which is crazy to see when the tour comes through. Also, when you cross the bridge into St Joe it's night and day. St Joe is mostly white and wealthy beach loving boomers. Benton Harbor is spaced out like a checkerboard. You'll get a block of projects, then multi million dollar houses, then a few more blocks middle of nowhere country roads. Definitely bad, but not as bad as Gary or Chicago. To all who are ever in SW Michigan, just go to St Joe, they've got Silver Beach. You're not missing out on much.

Great video, Nick! Glad you got to take this trip. Even though there are a lot of problem areas, there are nice ones too. Glad you show us both. Looking forward to your Hawaii videos!

You should have stopped in Muskegon Heights. It’s 90 minutes north of Benton Harbor. I would take the” Pepsi Challenge” that the Heights is way worse then Benton Harbor. You could have seen Grand Haven too where I live. Celebrities live here, it’s a tourist trap.

Nick Johnson is my favorite ! He cracks me up !😃

You bring me content I love thank you!

I like watching your videos because it gives me an HONEST look at our cities and towns - not all bad - but a lot is - the politicians like to sugar coat the bad things that are happening in our own backyard - you don’t - and I appreciate that.

Driving a fancy White Jeep Grand Wagoneer through a place where people make 10k a year and prone to violence is a great way to get attention! 😂

Absolutely amazing video Great job, glad you're safe.

It's gone beyond politics. I didn't realise literacy levels could be so low in a 1st world country. This town looks post apocalyptic.

The legacy of Lyndon Johnson.

I live in Africa. Your channel reminds me that everything passes

Wow! Great video Nick! I had to get gas in Benton Harbor once and never again! Just a bit too sketchy for my taste. I was heading to St.Josephs. Was like a a different world all together! Glad you’re safe and ready for new adventures! Thanks again for the great content!

That hood is ACTIVE.

I'm a Rideshare Driver from Chicago and occasionally around Midwest. And been driving around Chicago for last 6 years, never gotten physical assaulted from riders until I got one incident at Benton Harbor at 2021 where I got followed and threatened, feared for my life that I had to get Berrien County Sheriff involved and filed police report, DO NOT Drive Rideshare or do deliveries at Benton Harbor.

I watch all your videos Nick positive or negative info. ❤

I'm crossing this off my list of potential retirement places.

A buddy and I drove through there on a whim over 30 years ago, and it was like driving through a war zone then. Looks like it's a lot worse now.

I grew up in Michigan as a kid it was a wonderful place back then in the 70s then the wonderful era of Jimmy Carter

I don't like watching these kinds of videos, nope not me. I like things peaceful, filled with good people, no violence, etc. Yes I finally get to go to Hawaii. That's the only way I'll get there, is to watch it thru you. I hope you find good peaceful areas there with loving people. I'm glad you came out of that town in one piece, I was scared for you. Places like that scare me, I want peace and people that are good and loving. I'm 69 live in Mintgomery IA. Wish use yo be that way now its going the other way and it scares me. We just had a shooting here the beginning if the week, we now have homeless living in junkyard, stealing things out of a building, but someone seen them and called law so now they are in jail. So my nice peaceful town I have lived in for 46 years raised my 2 wonderful sons here with no problems, I knew where they were and knew who they played with. Take care and have a safe trip.

I did a video on that mall, and I got a long winded textwall about how I was a horrible person for calling Benton Harbor grim, how there are great people in Benton Harbor, and how I should do better. If there are great people there, they got a lot of work to do. Benton Harbor looks like the set of Hobo With a Shotgun.

Don't think I've seen proficiencies under 5% even in the bad schools in Texas. The local Pflugerville ISD middle school is terrible and has really high property taxes, but it's at 14%. Leander and Round Rock have schools with 70%+.

My old hood in Detroit is probably worse than that, but yeah thats pretty bad. Herman Gardens, Brightmore, Little Saigon in Inkster, and Southwest Detroit are pretty ruff. Peace.

Thank you for sharing your content, much appreciated 👍 Sending virtual Granny hug's and prayers to everyone ☺️💕

A+ video! Awesome tour and overview of Benton Harbor, very thought-provoking!

We like seeing these videos because you are very entertaining. For the same reason we like true crime docs. Because until these places are exposed, most of us are clueless about places where people are actually suffering.

Thanks for risking your life to bring us this video. People like seeing the bad side because it is so foreign, so strange and so unusual for most people that it is similar to seeing a one of a kind tourist attraction.

Grew up close to Benton Harbor in Dowagiac Michigan. My mom told me one time Benton Harbor was a beautiful city then said, "Stay away from there, lol. My wife was born in Mercy Hospital there in 75. Afrer growing up and becoming a big boy i lived in Stevensville MI 10 minutes from St Joe loved going over there would cross the bridge over to Benton Harbor to eat at Larks BBQ and jet back over the bridge. Thank you for making a stop in Benton Harbor it sure is an eye opener glade iv moved south!!!! They can keep the snow

Mercedes sitting in the driveway of a dump

Must be pretty scary, when you run stop signs and red lights to avoid being a victim!!

Hahaha…sanctuary city. Brilliant idea. That’ll turn things around.

i grew up in Lynn, Mass. and hung out in abandoned buildings and went through burnt out houses as a teen and thought it was bad out there. it is not compared to what i have seen on your channel. i watch the ghetto videos because it reminds me how grateful i should be where i live now.

x 0:01 Be careful of group of people that try to stand in the middle of the street to stop you! x 5:45 Madonna was raised in the Detriot suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township. x 16:08 That is one wild-looking tree in front of that house! x 24:11 That's a cool building. Neat that Whirlpool headquarters is there!

Benton Harlem. Been that way for years.

This worries me. It's very sad to see when people lose hope.