How much on average do you spend on vacations annually?

[jmack]

When I lived in NY, probably >$10k for 2 adults 3 kids. I don't really want to know if it was higher than that. Now in TN with all the big coastal destinations being less than a day drive, probably closer to $2-3k. We usually do 1 big family vac >1 week, and 3-4 smaller long weekend trips per year.

[Clark_Kent]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

Why is that so amazing? It's also a very presumptuous statement. There are a host of factors that could lead someone to "walk away and move somewhere away from family." Not everyone has strong relationships with family, maybe you don't have family, maybe the place you're currently living is economically depressed and it's in your best interest to relocate, perhaps you were presented an amazing career opportunity, maybe all of the colleges in your immediate area are not a good fit for you, and the list goes on.

[OtoPA]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

I suppose it derives from the willingness of people to first sever the umbilical from the Brits, then move West. Economics?, sure..at some time. Your kids grow up and move away. Ours were raised as military brats, so used to a q3yr PCS. Family remains, but not staked to a tether.

[dscabra]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

I have family here in Colorado, but also in California, Nevada, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri. I spent most of my young adult years moving every couple of years (US Army), so home is where you make it.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

Didn't you move from Australia to Canada?

[GOLFFRR]

hmm never thought about it, I would prob guess 10-20k? varies each year Im sure for me. Last year I went on a trip that cost almost all that lol some years I don't go anywhere, so it all evens out I guess. I also go on a lot of golf trips but usually know someone at the destination so really doesn't cost that much.

as I get older though I def am trying to go on more trips (Im a tropical kinda of vacation guy) and try not to be such a routine creature of comfort. Plus its always nice to get out of CA every once in a while

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Didn't you move from Australia to Canada?

Yeah but sorta forced upon me not like I woke up and said "i'm outta here". Being away from family is brutal, the grandparent/grandchild situation is borderline cruel.

[JMcLellan]

Every year we will do a few weekends away or "up north" and I don't count those in our vacation spend. Then most years we do either a family trip with kids, or an adults only trip. We typically spend $6k to $8k all-in for our trips. Next up is bringing our two boys to Costa Rica next spring break.

My wife and I made it a priority to take our kids on some pretty sweet vacations so we can have some special experiences with them while they are still young. We feel like once they are moved out of the house our chances of getting them to vacation with us will be nearly zero.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

Travel has gotten to be really expensive. Before Covid my wife and I would take 2 trips a year. Usually Vegas with her sister and some other friends and then someplace in the Caribbean. We are both retired now. Last year we rented a house in Orlando, this year it's St. Petes for 3 months. Managed to get a place for $10K, 5 minutes to the beach, lots of restaurants in walking distance. We'd like to go back to Europe (Monaco for the F1) maybe in 2026 for our 65th birthdays.

Pricing in travel has gone thru the roof because supply actually never kept up with demand.

Now with Covid over, everyone wants to go everywhere... we've all knows air travel, hotel bookings and just general visiting of places has been drastically going up in the past 10 years (Covid) being the exception and instead of building on that infrastructure, the gov't permitted bad behavior.

Our airports are now way behind other places around the world, the govt made the poor decision to never regulate any airlines and allowed the 6 legacy carriers to merge into 3 and consistenly allows airlines to overbook travel. Airlines never moved back to large planes domestically because that wasn't the most profitable move... and the gov't never put any effort towards passenger rights i.e. paying folks for delays etc.

And here we are... an overworked TSA... and an industry that's way over it's head... look what happened with United scheduling just last week... SW a few months before than and AA just a few backs.

Hotels are different because they just gouge based on key dates... i don't think bookings at hotels are anywhere near all time highs. They figure they'll just rent less rooms out at a higher price.

[billnchristy]

Probably looking at 20k+ this year. Usually it's not so bad but we're going to Iceland this year.

$4k bourbon tour
$2k Bristol & Asheville
$12k+ Iceland

I'd say usually around 12-15, last year we did New Orleans for Christmas, the bourbon tour and the bristol and Asheville week.

[///d]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

Not sure how this comes from a vacation thread, but ok.

I'm looking to move away from "home".

Wanna know the last time I saw my brother or sister outside of a holiday? Can't recall because it never happens. Nor do they call unless they need help with something. Last time I saw grandparents outside of a holiday? Fuck... years. And thats fine with me because my family isn't close. We all have our own lives to live.

I can't stand the state I live in. Not being close to my family will have zero impact on my life. My dad is really the only one that it will be hard to be so far away from, but thats not to say visits can't happen. It'd probably be good for him to leave his small podunk town.

I think we 'Mericans view distance a little differently than most other countries. Some of our states are the size of or larger than a lot of other countries. 100 miles? Day trip. 1000 miles? Extended weekend.

I would think Aussies and Canucks would be the same with the amount of land those two countries cover.

[///d]

Originally Posted by ASAP

Pricing in travel has gone thru the roof because supply actually never kept up with demand.

Now with Covid over, everyone wants to go everywhere... we've all knows air travel, hotel bookings and just general visiting of places has been drastically going up in the past 10 years (Covid) being the exception and instead of building on that infrastructure, the gov't permitted bad behavior.

Our airports are now way behind other places around the world, the govt made the poor decision to never regulate any airlines and allowed the 6 legacy carriers to merge into 3 and consistenly allows airlines to overbook travel. Airlines never moved back to large planes domestically because that wasn't the most profitable move... and the gov't never put any effort towards passenger rights i.e. paying folks for delays etc.

And here we are... an overworked TSA... and an industry that's way over it's head... look what happened with United scheduling just last week... SW a few months before than and AA just a few backs.

Hotels are different because they just gouge based on key dates... i don't think bookings at hotels are anywhere near all time highs. They figure they'll just rent less rooms out at a higher price.

National Parks have seen a steep rise in attendance since COVID and many had to go t oa timed entry system. It's unfortunate. It was hard enough to get campsite reservations before COVID, now it's next to impossible. Folks will book sites without even having a trip planned and without even knowing if they will go, and then never show up.

[Autoregression]

Before I retired a few years ago, probably 0-5k/yr. Some years, our "vacation days" were spent traveling to visit family.

After I retired, more like 20-25k/yr. It's all gravy now.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by ///d

National Parks have seen a steep rise in attendance since COVID and many had to go t oa timed entry system. It's unfortunate. It was hard enough to get campsite reservations before COVID, now it's next to impossible. Folks will book sites without even having a trip planned and without even knowing if they will go, and then never show up.

I was in Denver 2 weeks ago and wanted to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. I Just assumed I could buy tickets at the gate...turns out it's booked literally 4 months in advance.

Our country is going to hell in a hand basket

[Autoregression]

Originally Posted by ///d

National Parks have seen a steep rise in attendance since COVID and many had to go t oa timed entry system. It's unfortunate. It was hard enough to get campsite reservations before COVID, now it's next to impossible. Folks will book sites without even having a trip planned and without even knowing if they will go, and then never show up.

Yes, the in-park overnight sites are ridiculously difficult.

However, there are alternatives. For example, we rented a luxury RV in SLC last year, and hit the "UTAH 5" over the course of a week. The only reservations we needed were at the RV parks (easy), and for the best hikes like Angel's Landing & Fiery Furnace. Our Fiery Furnace Permit allowed us to skip the timed entry at Arches.

[///d]

Originally Posted by Autoregression

Yes, the in-park overnight sites are ridiculously difficult.

However, there are alternatives. For example, we rented a luxury RV in SLC last year, and hit the "UTAH 5" over the course of a week. The only reservations we needed were at the RV parks (easy), and for the best hikes like Angel's Landing & Fiery Furnace. Our Fiery Furnace Permit allowed us to skip the timed entry at Arches.

Timed entry doesn't usually bother me too much as you can usually always get walk in entry permits, but anything overnight just sucks. I have started to look for National Forests and State lands for most overnights. Typically dispersed camping throughout with little to no fees.

Some federal places have walk-ins for overnights, for example GTNP. If walk-ins are available I always plan to be there as the ranger station opens on the first day of that walk-in window so I can get the permits before anyone else. We had to do that for Paintbrush Divide in GTNP. I'm also planning to do the Trans-Zion Trek which will probably have to be walk-in permit sites.

The Nat'l Park system really needs a revamp for reservations. Make them have an expensive deposit for reservations that you will be refunded when you check in. That way if someone books a bunch of sites and then never shows up they are out far more money than just $40 or whatever it is. Make it hurt! It might also deter the less desirable folks from from going out and trashing sites.

Originally Posted by Tyga11

I was in Denver 2 weeks ago and wanted to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. I Just assumed I could buy tickets at the gate...turns out it's booked literally 4 months in advance.

Our country is going to hell in a hand basket

RMNP has gotten really bad. I haven't been since pre-COVID but everything I read says it's a nightmare getting in and a lot of people get turned away. Such a shame, it's one of my favorite places.

[jamesinaz]

I now take one vacation a year. I fly to Thailand and stay for 2 months. Flight is about $5500. Hotel is about $3000. Food and drink about $5000. Golf and entertainment about $6500. So I guess about $20000.

Used to be twice a year for 3 months totaling $50K a year. Can't handle the travel or costs any longer. Happy I can still go once a year.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by ///d

National Parks have seen a steep rise in attendance since COVID and many had to go t oa timed entry system. It's unfortunate. It was hard enough to get campsite reservations before COVID, now it's next to impossible. Folks will book sites without even having a trip planned and without even knowing if they will go, and then never show up.

This is part of the reason we stopped RVing when we came back from our last trip in 2019. We are not planners so we would never be able to get a site INSIDE the national parks. However we could almost always find a private park nearby and drive into the parks. However since covid it's all gone to shit. Can't even get into parks without reservations, campgrounds are packed and prices have gone crazy. We could find campground with full hookups for $15/night or less sometimes. We considered $30ish/night for full hookups to be a bit pricey. Now I see people paying $100+/night... fuck that.

[UncleWede]

Little over $7k for 10 days+ Med cruise this year.
Vacation does or does not include the weekend trips to see in-laws, along with the dining out, gambling, drinking, gifts for grand nieces/nephews? We've been to Temecula at least 5 times this year. Just gambling, that's probably close to 10K in initial buy-in.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Little over $7k for 10 days+ Med cruise this year.
Vacation does or does not include the weekend trips to see in-laws, along with the dining out, gambling, drinking, gifts for grand nieces/nephews? We've been to Temecula at least 5 times this year. Just gambling, that's probably close to 10K in initial buy-in.

I have my in-laws staying with us right now. My view is going somewhere to visit in-laws is a nondiscretionary expense, not a vacation, and should not count.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I have my in-laws staying with us right now. My view is going somewhere to visit in-laws is a nondiscretionary expense, not a vacation, and should not count.

But again, I spend more in the casino than to fly/boat thru the med. OK, that one doesn't (yet) include the spa or casino prices I actually don't mind going down there, except it's generally about 30 degrees hotter.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I have my in-laws staying with us right now. My view is going somewhere to visit in-laws is a nondiscretionary expense, not a vacation, and should not count.

Fuckin' eh.

Agree on the comments re. National Parks, it just feels like anywhere half decent is ABSOLUTELY SLAMMED now. Also I am too damn old to deal with camping, honestly the more this thread goes on the more and more the cottage we rent for $4K between two families for a week is absolutely ideal. Kids love it, there's fishing, kayaks, big arse rubber floaty mat, flying fox and a great fire pit. It's comfortable, low hassle, beautiful setting and kids swear by it. $2k ... done ..... why do we do anything else?