Has anyone's views on holidays totally changed as they got older?

[twoglassesplease]

I used to charge about ticking off sights and have definitely, preciously, twattishly said that I could never do a beach holiday.

Now I will do one or two sights in the morning, by the easiest way possible, thoroughly enjoy a big open top bus, and spend my afternoon reading.

Funnily enough my mum has gone the other way!

Yes - probably similarly to you. When DH and I first got together I don't think we ever sat down for more than 5 minutes on holiday . Holidays abroad were all about sightseeing and in the UK we did outdoors activities .

Nowadays we tend to have a wander around our resort town or nearby town, have a lazy lunch and then go back to our accommodation where I will sit by the pool or on the terrace and read and DH will have a nap .

We've also had many years in between where we've made sandcastles, played crazy golf, gone to parks etc

My opinion of holidays has changed since I've had 2 teenage boys - I would absolutely never have thought I'd go on an all inclusive pool and beach holiday, but we did it last year and it was so nice not to think for a week and to have everything paid for in advance, so we're doing it again.

Dh and I will never do that kind of holiday when the boys outgrow coming with us and when they were little we did wholesome camping holidays with castles, coast walks and national trust properties!

Before I retrained as a teacher we did very busy road trip or multi-centre holidays, never staying more than 2 or 3 nights in one place.

Now, after finishing the summer term, it's straight on the plane for 2 weeks adult only all inclusive where I lie on the beach all day and drink possibly slightly too many rum-based beverages.

We booked a camper in New Zealand, flew there and picked up the camper at the airport and set out to discover the country. No maps just food and fuel for six amazing weeks.

I've never seen it!

Yes. I can't imagine choosing to fly now with the exception of Australia. It didn't really occur to me 20 years the damage flights were doing to raise CO2. I haven't been on a plane in nearly a decade now.

this is so bloody true

My mother was obsessed with "using the day" on holiday you had to get up and out and never ever do anything you could do at home.

It was a long time before I realised the pleasure in a long leisurely breakfast which hardly ever happens at home anyway

It used tombe all about getting the maximum holiday for minimum cost.

Now I go for the luxury cottage or the 5* hotel. If they are too expensive I go for a shorter break.
I pick the local airport at a civilised time, no more driving to amajor airport hours away for a 5am flight.
And taxi transfers, always.

I used to travel abroad any chance I had when I was younger, but it is a few years now that I actually hate catching an airplane for hours and it tires me more than excite and re-energise, so I have developed a tendency to stay in UK, locally. I will happily spend long weekends or day trips around and feel like I have actually used my holidays, rest, enjoy and chill with the family, instead of pushing suitcases around.

When I was younger, I used to enjoy camping. I now prefer warmth, comfort, proper beds & proper showers. Also, in fairness, I can now afford to stay in nice hotels rather than flimsy tents. With age comes wisdom.

I think we choose holidays that feel relaxing even though we have dc

So no mega early flights, transfers to resorts, kids club and good food, hot weather that’s pretty much guaranteed

I know it’s the easy option but it’s the best way for us to enjoy it atm

Quite different to travelling when younger

No, we love our holidays and can't wait for the next one. I enjoy travelling, DS loves aviation, we all love being abroad.

As a couple DH and I used to go exploring, spend time on the beach reading then snorkelling in the sea, or by the pool reading then cooling off in the pool, a day at a water park, a day in town looking at the tourist tat shops and having lunch in a taverna, a visit to museums or ancient ruins. Now we have DS we do exactly the same but maybe two water park visits and we spell each other playing with him in the sea or the pool.

The main difference now is having much nicer accommodation because we spend more time in it - we used to be out all day and only come back to our rooms for showering and bed. Now we have relaxing days reading on the terrace or balcony, use the washing machine (we go for three weeks), just chill in our lovely apartment. We go self catering but mostly eat out, just have breakfast and an occasional lunch in. I don't mind this because it's not all left to me, everyone chips in.

I don't even mind the time spent at the airport, it's part of the holiday. Looking forward to going again!

I have more groundrules now I'm older.
For example, I will not go camping in tents. Ever. Happy to be in a caravan.
And, I avoid cold places. If you said let's go to Finland or Alaska for example I wouldn't be keen. You'd have to pay me to visit Vancouver in November.

I get so fed up of having to put sun cream on abroad, I’d much rather just stay at home.

My DM (bless her) has always been a bit of a snob about all-inclusive beach/pool holidays. So before I met DH and had a family I’d have said those were boring.

However, once we had the DCs we suddenly saw the point of pools, beaches and Disneyland Paris. Let’s face it, the last thing most 5 year olds want is being dragged round galleries and museums all day. And the last thing most mums want is doing the week’s shop in a foreign supermarket and cooking in someone else’s kitchen with inferior facilities to home. AI is useful if anyone’s veggie too as the hotels have to cater for them.

I see nobody’s mentioned cruises yet - still don’t quite see the appeal of those, but who knows how I’ll feel in 15 years’ time?

Never got into camping or caravanning, though.

Cruises appeal to me for getting to see lots of different places easily but the sheer size of the ships freak me out. Those massive communal tables you see on the adverts are also not me.

I’m hoping for more holidays as I get older , and will be on my own. Not interested in anymore UK holidays, too much driving , but enjoy city breaks with dd and looking forward to some adventures on my own

DD and I have never done sea and sand holidays (she’s not interested) and I don’t think I could return to those now. But sights - yes!

I hear you OP. I am losing my taste for excitement and adventure. Comfort, an easy journey without undue stress and just chilling are becoming my new goals. I find airports more and more stressful.

I've stayed in some awful cockroach infested places that I refuse to do it anymore. I'd rather stay at home if I can't afford anywhere nice. No more cheap stays with uncomfortable beds where I don't sleep well.

DH still wants to go to sunny places with beaches. I just want to be somewhere where I feel at peace. I’ve discovered more of Scotland in the past few years, and I love walking holidays.

We have friends who did that. They had planned for it for years but didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as expected. They found it very expensive and the lack of culture got to them .

Had exactly the same experience in Greece last year. It really put me off.

@Ishouldbeoutside you feel every bit of the benefit of your holiday seeping away from you and by the time you stagger home and to bed, you’re thinking, why did I do that, never again. It’s colouring my decisions about where to go, if at all, even now. And the flight itself was only 4 hours!