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Teens with zero desire to travel

194 replies

LyricalBoudicca · 15/03/2026 00:45

Bit concerned that my 2 teens never express a desire to travel ever (NB they go abroad with me frequently but that’s always been down to me). They remind me of my grandparents who hardly ever left the county they grew up in which was probably due to lack of financial means. If I die I can see them perfectly content never to initiate a holiday. Has anyone else got teens like this? Or do mine have an unusual lack of curiosity?

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EmeraldShamrock000 · 17/03/2026 12:01

Happytaytos · 17/03/2026 06:50

Maybe they won't. I didn't. Travelling isn't a required life activity.

Maybe not. I mean who actually cares about these things. My DD most likely won’t travel she’s a home bird. It has never entered my mind as a problem.

lilkitten · 17/03/2026 11:51

As a teen, I always wanted to stay at home when my parents wanted a family holiday. As an adult, able to do it without the family, I must have been to 20 different countries, living in a few too. It's probably age and family holidays, rather than travel per se.

Happytaytos · 17/03/2026 06:50

EmeraldShamrock000 · 16/03/2026 22:31

They’ll feel different when they are in their 20’s. Do they have many friends?

Maybe they won't. I didn't. Travelling isn't a required life activity.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 16/03/2026 23:06

EmeraldShamrock000 · 16/03/2026 22:31

They’ll feel different when they are in their 20’s. Do they have many friends?

Or maybe they won’t. Point is that it’s not something to be concerned about, esp as they aren’t even old enough to go on their own.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 16/03/2026 22:31

They’ll feel different when they are in their 20’s. Do they have many friends?

Pinkmoonshine · 16/03/2026 22:29

My teens are also not very interested in travel. I was but grew up in the 90s and I think that was peak travelling time. The world has become a lot more homogenous since then. And it’s expensive.

they are less sheltered than I was with the internet and tv etc. food is more varied here etc.

im not sure it matters!

Thechaseison71 · 16/03/2026 22:21

Rhubarb24 · 15/03/2026 01:39

That's not travelling. That's going on holiday.

A lot of people don't know the difference.

My eldest has never been interested in travelling Think the last time she went abroad was 20 years ago at 15. It doesn't seem to bother her . Her eldest child goes away with her father so not missed out

pollymere · 16/03/2026 22:17

You take them away regularly. So why should they demonstrate any desire for travel? They are already doing it!

LegoLivingRoom · 16/03/2026 18:30

godmum56 · 16/03/2026 10:51

I was talking about now, because the OP is talking about now. People might enjoy going on a Maid of The Mist but I can't see how it broadens the mind? I am absolutely not saying that people shouldn't travel if they choose to but if its not something you want to do then why do it?

Exactly. I’ve been on the Maid of the Mist and my main memory is of the tackiness of Nisgara Falls. It was pretty, but so are numerous places in the UK and I would rate them higher than many overseas experiences.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 16/03/2026 16:31

newmenewwhatever · 16/03/2026 16:29

Honestly it’s probably because at the moment they are “ just going on holiday with their parents “
the adventure bug will kick in, once you are not needed and they go off on their own or with friends

Not in every case. It’s not like deciding whether or not to travel is a lifelong commitment. They may never go on holiday again - on the list of things to worry about with teens, that has to be fairly low down…

newmenewwhatever · 16/03/2026 16:29

Honestly it’s probably because at the moment they are “ just going on holiday with their parents “
the adventure bug will kick in, once you are not needed and they go off on their own or with friends

medwench · 16/03/2026 15:52

I wasnt interested when I was younger, but once I got marriage, career and money under a bit more control, I changed my mind. Also the way the world is and has been for the last few years, I dont really blame them. Give them time, maybe they will change their minds.

dottiedodah · 16/03/2026 15:50

We have travelled to the US and Europe .I love the UK and think I must be the only one who dislikes long plane journeys .foreign food(yes I know I know!)and being in hot countries /culture shock etc. My DD hates flying .DS has travelled widely .I am looking forward to a little break in Kent to "do" NT properties in that area.I do wonder if the cost, and also the "real life"experiences which dont always match up to the SM idealised version. may put young people off though

thesugarbumfairy · 16/03/2026 14:20

I never had any desire to travel as a teen. I went on holidays but i certainly never had the travel bug. A year out travelling certainly wasn't on my agenda. I was far more comfortable at home (and by that I mean in my home country)
Travelling is only recently something that I feel I would like to do - and I'm 51. I really don't think that its something you should be focusing on.

StrawberrySquash · 16/03/2026 13:07

They are still young - they may change their minds.

Or maybe take the words of Seneca.

“Are you surprised, as if it were a novelty, that after such long travel and so many changes of scene you have not been able to shake off the gloom and heaviness of your mind? You need a change of soul rather than a change of climate.” — Seneca

daffodilandtulip · 16/03/2026 13:02

I’ve got one of each. One couldn’t wait to go to uni, travels as much as she can with me, friends or boyfriend, never wants to move back. Other is applying to local uni, hates going on holiday and will probably need forcibly removing to his own home one day 😂
But they’re both happy.

camelfinger · 16/03/2026 12:40

When I was young, many of the people who went “travelling” were actually partying in Australia and Thailand etc. Perhaps the general downturn in drinking alcohol amongst younger people is a partial explanation?

Also, plenty of people years ago would travel extensively just to show off. Even though Instagram wasn’t around, it was definitely something that people mentioned as a badge of honour. Nowadays, queuing up to have your photo taken in front of a famous monument doesn’t seem particularly enriching to me. And the same people won’t even visit their local church or museum, and have no idea of the vast array of historical buildings all over the UK.

I have visited lots of places, but am more likely to prioritise comfort now. Same with my DC - they would choose 2 nights in a 5 star hotel over a longer trip exploring and staying in hostels. That said, at school their classmates are from all over the world so they probably get more interaction with people from other cultures from staying at home.

bridgetreilly · 16/03/2026 11:53

The travel industry is destroying the world. So, it’s fine. Get them to read mor3 books if you want them to broaden their minds.

Nipnap · 16/03/2026 11:42

I had no interest in travelling at all in my younger years.
When i hit my 30s I was a different person and wanted to travel.
Been all over the globe im almost 40 and no plans to stop.

godmum56 · 16/03/2026 10:55

Badbadbunny · 16/03/2026 10:48

Sadly I agree with how foreign travel has morphed into what it is today. Back in the 80s, when you stepped off a plane in a different country, you actually felt the difference. You felt the different culture immediately. You really felt in a different country. Currencies were different. Cars were different, shops were different, restaurants were different, markets were different, people were different. In places like Egypt, Gambia, Kenya, you really felt like you were stepping back in time.

Nowadays, it's all the same. Yes, there are still some "authentic" things but now very few indeed. And yes, the awful pretend "authentic" villages, etc - just like fake Disneyland attractions. The same chain shops and restaurants you get in the UK, the same cars, the same "mix" of people, etc. There's something not quite right about getting served by a Geordie in what's supposed to be an authentic Greek restaurant! Or seeing "nice" BMWs parked round the back of an "authentic" Turkish market!

I can understand why people today don't get the same excitement/buzz about foreign travel.

this absolutely. I was lucky in the 70's and did get to go travelling because of my husband's job. We did very little tourist stuff because he was mostly at work and yes there was a massive difference between the places I saw and being at home.

WhatAboutSecondBreakfast86 · 16/03/2026 10:53

Some people are a bit wanky about travelling. Reminds me of inbetweeners 2.

godmum56 · 16/03/2026 10:51

Badbadbunny · 16/03/2026 10:42

Yes, NOW that's the case, but it wasn't in the 80s when there were no websites! But even so, no matter how much you can see it in pictures or on video, seeing the "big" sites in person takes your breath away more. Photos/videos simply don't do justice to Petra, the pyramids, Grand Canyon, Niagara falls etc. Maybe a 3d/immersive/VR simulation may get you close, but we didn't have that either in the 80s! Also a proper local guide is always better than a book or website - someone who can actually show you things in person, explain the purpose of something, explain exactly what happened in a particular place, room, etc - it's priceless and far superior to reading a book or webpage. Even with the best VR, you won't ever get the same "feeling" as being on a "Maid of the Mist" boat sailing close to the base of Niagara falls - the sounds, the "rumble", the mist, etc -you certainly don't get anywhere near by just reading a webpage!

I was talking about now, because the OP is talking about now. People might enjoy going on a Maid of The Mist but I can't see how it broadens the mind? I am absolutely not saying that people shouldn't travel if they choose to but if its not something you want to do then why do it?

Badbadbunny · 16/03/2026 10:48

godmum56 · 16/03/2026 10:32

"understanding other cultures"

More like understanding other tourist industries!

True story from a friend of mine. part of a tour from a cruise was to go out and see a village. Fair enough its a nice money maker for the villages. They arrived to see villagers hand tilling the fields, were offered refreshments and given the tour. They overstayed in the gift shop (again made by villagers and sold by villagers) and came out to find that the field workers had downed tools and vanished until the next tour turned up!

Edited

Sadly I agree with how foreign travel has morphed into what it is today. Back in the 80s, when you stepped off a plane in a different country, you actually felt the difference. You felt the different culture immediately. You really felt in a different country. Currencies were different. Cars were different, shops were different, restaurants were different, markets were different, people were different. In places like Egypt, Gambia, Kenya, you really felt like you were stepping back in time.

Nowadays, it's all the same. Yes, there are still some "authentic" things but now very few indeed. And yes, the awful pretend "authentic" villages, etc - just like fake Disneyland attractions. The same chain shops and restaurants you get in the UK, the same cars, the same "mix" of people, etc. There's something not quite right about getting served by a Geordie in what's supposed to be an authentic Greek restaurant! Or seeing "nice" BMWs parked round the back of an "authentic" Turkish market!

I can understand why people today don't get the same excitement/buzz about foreign travel.

Badbadbunny · 16/03/2026 10:42

godmum56 · 16/03/2026 10:34

even then you will be shown an arranged situation. You will learn more bout the history of eg Petra by using decent websites.

Yes, NOW that's the case, but it wasn't in the 80s when there were no websites! But even so, no matter how much you can see it in pictures or on video, seeing the "big" sites in person takes your breath away more. Photos/videos simply don't do justice to Petra, the pyramids, Grand Canyon, Niagara falls etc. Maybe a 3d/immersive/VR simulation may get you close, but we didn't have that either in the 80s! Also a proper local guide is always better than a book or website - someone who can actually show you things in person, explain the purpose of something, explain exactly what happened in a particular place, room, etc - it's priceless and far superior to reading a book or webpage. Even with the best VR, you won't ever get the same "feeling" as being on a "Maid of the Mist" boat sailing close to the base of Niagara falls - the sounds, the "rumble", the mist, etc -you certainly don't get anywhere near by just reading a webpage!

Badbadbunny · 16/03/2026 10:37

ObelixtheGaul · 15/03/2026 11:14

I think there's a lot of truth to that. I know people say 'it's not the same' when we mention seeing it on TV and the internet, but from their point of view, they are used to seeing it all in real time, being done by their peers.

Foreign travel was way more exotic to me when all I had seen apart from books was Cliff Mitchelmore sat behind a desk showing pictures of exotic destinations, and later Judith Chalmers and Michael Palin. It was so much more of a mystery.

Young people today get to see the world vicariously far more than I did. When you are bombarded with it, I'm sure there's an element of feeling you don't actually need to go there.

Very valid point. I didn't go abroad until I was 24. My parents never took me abroad for holidays, in fact, we didn't even have UK holidays. In the 70s and 80s I always viewed the TV holiday progs (Wish You Were Here and BBC's Travel Show) as something magical and never thought I'd be able to experience/enjoy foreign travel. It was always something that "someone else" did, not us. Pictures/videos were hard to come by - yes, there were little travel guides and you could borrow bigger books from the library, but it all looked "inaccessible" and that's want gave it a kind of magic about it all.

All that changed when I met DH. He'd already been bitten by the foreign travel bug and had been on foreign holidays with his family a few times. His father had been in the RAF so he'd been born abroad in a RAF base and his father (sometimes with mother, sometimes alone, sometimes with his too as a chold) had lived in various foreign countries (RAF bases). When he left the RAF, his foreign experiences meant he had the "bug" and they started having holidays abroad as soon as it became more widespread and affordable in the 70s! We hadn't been together long and he wanted to go on holiday with me instead of his family (obviously!) and I took the plunge. Never been on a plane before, but he had lots of experience via his family (although he'd never been abroad without them), so we muddled through everything together and had a brilliant first holiday - just the Med but it was a learning experience especially for me). Very quickly, we graduated to the US, Canada, Kenya, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Gambia, Greece, etc. Within 3 or 4 years, we'd become seasoned/experienced travellers and we were loving it! I was experiencing all the places I'd seen on the TV programmes that I'd regarded as "outside my league". The only limitation we had was a very restricted amount of annual holidays from work. We both lived at home, so we weren't paying stupid rents and other costs (but both paid our "board", and were both working full time in decent jobs, so we had the money. We certainly "filled our boots" for a decade or so, before we finally settled down to marriage, family, buying a house etc. For us, foreign holidays were "our" special time together, all the better for seeing many of the World's top attractions/sights together.

Our DS is completely different, first foreign holiday at 2 years old, then "med" style holidays every year (or two per year) alongside UK holidays. It's just "normal" for him, and he regularly now goes away with various different friend groups for Euro city breaks, beach holidays, short breaks for European football matches or Grand Prix races etc - he thinks nothing about it - just buys a flight and an air BNB just like he's having a UK trip. I've often asked him if he wants to go to the "big" sights like Egypt, Grand Canyon, etc., but he just shrugs "meh" and says he can see them on the internet, pictures, videos and even 3D/immersive experiences, so doesn't see the point in actually going! Maybe if he had a special friend, it'd be more of a "joint experience" but he just doesn't seem bothered.

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