I hate our holiday and want to go home

I think you should have planned the trip abit better. Could you have asked SIL to drop you in the New Forest for a few days? You are so close to absolutely stunning parts of the UK (New Forest, South West) with tons to do. The majority of the population is out exploring the countryside, the coast, beautiful cities etc today. It sounds as if it probably wasn’t a good idea being relient on SIL driving and timing it with her kids needing to be picked up from school, so you can’t really enjoy full days out (easter holidays have just started here after all). I would definately arrange your own break within your stay next time.

But only if you don't sweat, I hear.

I absolutely detest having to visit my in-laws in the hell hole that is the USA.

This 100%. All except for Maine, which is blessed.😂

Yep. I would love to hear the SIL’s side…. She is housing the OP for 3 weeks. Probably something along the lines of my freeloading moany SIL has come to stay, can’t wait for her to go back to America.

A holiday is what you make it. If you don’t make any effort to do anything other than walk up and down dead high streets then obviously you won’t have a good time!

There are plenty of much more interesting things to do in the UK. If you are in Farnham, then London and all it’s attractions are basically on your doorstep.

So you like being out in the countryside and have chosen to visit fairly unexciting towns in the UK? I don't understand when you are not paying for accommodation why renting a car is beyond your budget? We went to Canada last year and you definitely needed transport to get anywhere and if anything the UK is easier to get around being smaller and trains or coaches are an option if driving and parking are an issue. Not sure why you find everything expensive in the UK. Canada was twice as expensive as here both for eating out and accommodation. Not sure about your part of the US though but I would not imagine that is cheap either.

I’d hire a car and visit U.K. between May and September

Yeah, but don't forget they've got The Donald. That's got to be a great asset (ditto Joe Biden)😂

The New Forest is not far from Aldershot/Farnham as are the Surrey Hills and Winchester/Chichester and North Wessex Downs or South Downs. Loads of lovely countryside. You should have hired a car and not got involved with picking up your SIL children from school and maybe stayed in an air bnb. I would not use 2 out of your 3 weeks vacation allowance and in the future split your holiday so you spend one week with MIL and then go somewhere else for a week either with her if she will come or without her. Or just make the trip every 2 years.

To be fair, I don't think Aldershot is really anyone's cup of tea. But it is within easy reach of plenty of other, nicer places.

This with bells on. And the op is from the UK so must have realised the lay of the land before she arrived. The whole " Waah. I hate the UK. I am bored. Its shit' mentality Is really tone deaf on a predominantly UK site. She needs to take ownership and do something productive herself rather than whinging on here. I couldn't imagine sitting passively in someone else's home and not saying "Right. I really want to go to X place so will see you this evening:

So SIL is spending her free time ferrying you all about whilst you sit with a face like a smacked arse, moaning that she's got to be back for the school run and that her house is small and dirty. You sound lovely.

With half of Maine almost completely uninhabited it’s hardly surprising Aldershot isn’t really your cup of tea.
Why not spend some time in the Highlands and Islands next time you visit the UK.

Also, there's typically pressure to spend as much time as possible with family when you visit from abroad. MIL gets annoyed at us spending a day in London when we're over because she's missing out on the children (she's invited but refuses join us).

Birdworld
Alice Holt

YANBU. Duty visits are the worst. I absolutely detest having to visit my in-laws in the hell hole that is the USA. Crap food, overly expensive, full of ignorant people and ugly, ugly cities with terrible weather, either too hot or too cold depending on when we visit. There's nothing to do except extreme consumerism, and don't get me started on the poverty and homelessness.

I can never wait to get back to my home comforts either, so I sympathise there. And then there's the lovely fresh air, the rolling hills and expanse of countryside literally out my back door. And the fact one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with history and culture in abundance, is an hour away. Heaven!

I find it's particularly bad when you wallow in your own self-pity rather than use any gumption you have to use the internet and at least explore the attractions that are accessible to you. But on the upside, at least you can buy meat here from an actual shop that's not pumped full of additives and antibiotics and don't need to resort to shooting your own. Silver linings!

We stay with my in laws for 2 weeks in another country every year and yes, I do enjoy it! We hire a car and take ourselves off for day trips. We have a nice meal together every evening. They take us to places that they think we’d enjoy. We like their company.

OP wanted a rant. She doesn’t mention her own Uk family. They may be all dead and so she has no one to visit any more. She also has two under fives who seemingly will still be under five next year. .twins? Difficult to take 2-3 year olds to Westminster Abbey and the V&A. Especially if not inclined for that sort of thing personally. Her mil may not be fit to fly. You need really good insurance for the States. Mil may not qualify- I’m assuming she’s pushing 80 given op,s age.if she can get insurance a suggestion that she visits via a cruise liner relocating- a much cheaper option than a luxury cruise. My DD worked in the States and had the 3 weeks holidays which did not coincide with her husbands. Let the OPrant.

@Backwoods57 - if you pop along to Country Market car boot sale I'll buy you a cup of tea and a Burger! - Dan

Sorry. Self inflicted situation. Sister in law came from Canada to stay with us for six weeks last summer. Granted, we live in the North where there’s lots of stuff within an hours drive - York, The Lakes, Yorkshire dales, cutsie little villages, but it still involved getting on a train, hiring a car etc. we were working for a lot of it, so she sorted herself out and got out and about most days just with a bit of forward planning.

Op you can get the train to Waterloo from where you are in 1 hour.
Why not take a day trip to London and go to an art gallery, museum, theatre, shopping, lunch, ballet, opera....?

Say no. It’s liberating. Just say no,

There is a big difference between spending a day or so with family, vs staying with them for a week. In accommodation that isn’t really big enough. It’s not what I would call
a holiday. Now we’re back and I’m no-longer an expat, and guess what? I still don’t want to spend a week staying at my in-laws. Nothing to do with people skills.
Do you enjoy holidaying at your in-laws? If not, why not?

Get on a bus or a train?

Yes it sound pretty rubbish,however you’re stuck so got to make best of bad situation
Youre a uk national and have only been in US yr so,it’s not wholly unfamiliar. Next time assert more control and don’t depend on sil who is school run dependent
Going forward you set out with dh changes you’d initiate at next uk holiday