To not want to spend £5000 on a holiday?

[roland83]

There's only me and my partner, we both earn 30k a year each.

When we look at holidays I hate the idea of going Turkey / Spain etc for £500-£1000, but everywhere I want to go such as Las Vegas, Canada etc are just ridiculous money! £5000 for around 10 days, not including food and drinks.

We are savings for our first house, so it's not really a big issue as the choice between house deposit and holiday is obvious.

I've been Turkey, Egypt, Spain and similar and I find it a bit crap. I don't want to sit by the pool/beach all day getting a tan, I want culture.. but all the day trips are rubbish and crowded. I want to go to Las Vegas and visit the Hoover Dam, Area 51, Grand Canyon but when you work out a realistic price it's astronomical!

So, is it me? AIBU to think all the decent holidays are overpriced and now I'm in my 30's £5k on a holiday seems crazy when I could get a lot more for my money on other things?

Absolutely! Although I'm 37 weeks with dc1, so the next time we travel further than Bognor Regis is likely to be when we retire

Oh! Just thought of another - Brittany. It's absolutely beautiful. And not too far - just hop on a ferry, take the car. You can get self catering villas etc fairly reasonably. Way below £5k and definitely, definitely worth a good long visit.

Fwiw we hoped that dc would be on the cards at some point for us and we tried to do long haul trips whilst it was just the 2 of us. I would really, really recommend travelling as much as you can whilst you can (although friends of ours have just done Sri lanka with a 5 year old without a hitch!)

Hi OP,

I think I get where you're coming from. I've been in a similar situation recently. We had an endowment policy mature that isn't tied to the mortgage any more and I've been spending the money in my head for, ooh, the last five years, probably. We'd always said that we would spend 5K of it (we got just over 30K) on a really good holiday. We have 2DD's so thought Florida, a cruise maybe, a really posh hotel somewhere interesting in Europe.... But once I actually started looking, what I really wanted was coming out at more like 7-8K. And even then I wasn't sure it would be what I was hoping it would be. Everything I looked at, there were too many uncertainties about whether it would be worth it...

So.... What have we done? We've booked to go to Windsor for a week at Whit (visit London, Legoland, Harry Potter Studio for DD1) and we've just booked to go back to our favourite place in Devon at the end of August (I have booked super-luxurious accommodation there though, as our school holidays seem to be longer than some and the price of it dropped so dramatically that it would be rude not to!)

In the end I just couldn't justify spending the kind of money we were going to have to, to get what we wanted with no guarantee that we would get it, IYSWIM. We'd paid into that policy for 25 fucking years and it's really important that we spend that money wisely. I've been thinking about my dream kitchen for so long...

By the way, NYC is just about my favourite place in the whole world, So much to see and do. Would love to combine it with Boston, Cape Cod, etc. We also did the West Coast USA when we were just a bit younger than you and, embarrassingly, we did it on a coach tour as we just weren't confident enough to do it ourselves! We were the youngest on it by about 30 years, but it was pretty good fun, actually, and that really is a fabulous holiday....!

And yes, yes, to half the fun being in the planning. I am obsessed with holidays and drive DH mad when we're looking/planning them, but I love it...!

You guys all make it sound so easy, maybe I've been watching too many scary Motel horror films

I think that's what we will do too, one last big holiday before children. I'm sure, like your friends, it's possible to do it with small children, not sure if I'd want to though haha.

Getting a car and just driving does sound good, and it's probably why I like Cornwall, because we can just do what we want, no holiday reps etc..

We could do a smaller independent trip like that in Europe, then maybe a bigger USA trip in a year or two.

Despite some flack, I'm glad I posted as I know travel knowledge isn't my strong point..

Gossip, haha, you did make me laugh.. I drive my partner mad too.. I mull over everything and look into detail into the hotel on Trip Advisor and by doing that I tend to talk myself out of it all!

We did a (very expensive) trip to London for my 30th, 1st class train to London, a Premier Inn for 2 nights and just took the tube everywhere and saw as much as possible. The weather was great and I love the Underground, and it was just brilliant. Would going to Rome for the weekend be as good? I'm not sure.. I think partly it is the language barrier, and the total contrast in culture that puts me off. Maybe I just don't relax in a strange place so easily.

Are holidays better or worse once you have children?

Enjoy spending that 30k, you earnt it!

Less than £10k would give a family of 4 booking 2 rooms each night an amazing 3 week trip to South Africa, including flights, top class accommodation, all meals (fillet steak all round), safaris, shark cage diving, bungee jumping, sightseeing helicopter flight etc, and all spending money. I reckon a couple could do the same on £4k all in.

I've driven across the USA twice, and New York, Chicago and San Francisco are brilliant cities if you like buildings, structures, bridges and so on. The freedom of the open road is fantastic and you can just go when and where you please. Or touring New England was another wonderful holiday, done that two or three times. Have been to Vegas and 2 nights was enough, but that was a side trip when we were driving Route 66, visited the Grand Canyon, also as a side trip. I think you should think about a driving holiday. As for Rome - one of the most fantastic cities in Europe with plenty of buildings, architecture and so on. The language barrier won't be too great in the touristy places. Spread your wings a little!

Isn't it a ball park figure that people spend 10% of their income on holidays?

So on a £60k income £6k on a holiday isn't unreasonable.

What about Australia? Uluru, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney harbour, blue mountains, the beaches, the rainforest.

If you love the Underground go to NYC an take the subway everywhere! brilliant and so easy, then you can drive (or take the train if driving out of NYC scares you!) to Boston, then drive up into New England - all that coast is great and you can go inland to Vermont - visit the Ben and Jerry's factory! there is so much to do and see. There is accommodation and food at every price point!
Vegas is fantastic for 2-3 nights - if you love gambling and/or drinking and/or dancing - or watching any or all of those! Otherwise there are probably better places to visit!
Once you are in the US internal flights are incredibly easy and usually very good value - you can book them from here (the UK) online very easily. Don't worry too much about Trip advisor reviews - unless they are 95% Terrible - everyone has different expectations, and some people just have bad days - shit happens! Just plan to only stay 2-3 nights in any one place, then you spread your risk! I would usually book some nights in lower budget places and some in nicer places (often these end up being more disappointing!) Overall I think you just have to commit to it one way or another - if you go with the mind set "I could have spent that 5k on my house" you will always put too much pressure on the holiday...

We did 3 weeks in Sri Lanka with private car and driver, his accommodation and fuel, our flights, hotels and safaris for £1000 each the country is amazing and the food is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo yummy.
We also did South Africa and Botswana for 3 weeks with internal flight between countries £1500 each We did a self drive in Kruger (had a cheetah right next to the car door within 30 seconds of going in the gate) and went walking with Rhinos in Bots.

I haven't read the whole thread but I don't get too excited by european hols anymore. You could book tickets to south america and back pack for a few weeks...plenty of culture, interesting places, people, still do a bit of beach etc. I am dying to go to the Amazon. And I have done 4 nights in Vegas and ti was sufficient. Celine Dion was amazing! Worth the money. To fly to the Grand Canyon and back by helicopter was $1000 for two people...I hate helicopters so probably chose the most expensive one but others weren't too far behind. If SA isn't your thing then do something similar in Asia - singapore, KL, Bangkok, china, HK, Vietnam etc all interesting places...

In two weeks time I'll be driving round the UNESCO Baroque towns of southern Sicily in an Alfa Romeo. Flights, airport parking, car hire, mixture of boutique hotels and agriturismo accommodation for a week, plus planned spends on lavish food including two 2* Michelin places, change from £1500 for the two of us. You need to develop some independence if you want great holidays for minimum spends.

Last year we went to Madrid. Never been to Spain before and don't speak Spanish, wanted to get the full experience though. So went online, and on out first night went on a tour of tapas and vermouth bars with a local, learned the ropes as it were and spent the rest of the week in fab little places off the beaten track we wouldn't have found on our own. You can do this in practically any city in the world - just google food tour, walking tour, whatever you're interested in.

I'm going to the Canada this year. One week Toronto/Niagara, one week Rockies, 5 days Vancouver. International and internal flights (Air Canada), car/SUV hire in Toronto/across Rockies, Airbnb houses in Toronto/Vancouver, hotel in Niagara, B&Bs/apts elsewhere. Less than £2k per person (less than £1500 per person if you replaced the lux Niagara hotel with a standard one).

I also spent less than £2k per person for 9 nights in Vegas, Virgin flights and hotel. Same again on food and drink, mind. And the same again on a private heli trip to the Grand Canyon

By contrast, I spent £5k on 5 days in NY two years ago. But £10k on 10 days in Italy and 10 days in the Canaries last year.

There is no need to pay more than you want. There is opportunity to pay more than you need, especially if you go for a package with Virgin. And if you want to see anything, don't book an all-in package in a tourist hotel. Spain is absolutely stunning. I've spent many holidays travelling around.

Reg beat me to it. I'd also recommend New York and Chicago for architecture and bridges as there are so many amazing buildings and bridges to see.

Have you been to Amsterdam? The tall, steep buildings and network of canals are beautiful although it's more of a long weekend destination rather than spending a whole week there.

Oh Maid I'm so, so jealous

If you get the chance, have dinner at the top of the CN Tower - it's absolutely stunning. Their wine list is hugely impressive (albeit a tad pricey) and they have the highest wine cellar in, i think, the world.

Somewhere else that is a bit "different" (also Toronto) - although it is part of a chain - is a restaurant called The Keg Mansion. It's an old, sort of gothic building and Dh and I had the best steak we have ever, ever tasted there. It's worth it just to go and have a look at the inside of the building!

Agree with others that you need to carefully plan and book everything independently, as package holidays are usually expensive for what they are.

Please don't do the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Las Vegas. We did this once and it is a long day on a coach (or in a car) for a very limited view/experience (luckily we had been there before as part of a big driving tour and our second trip was just to accompany friends who married in Vegas). Lots of good suggestions for fly drive trips from others, so definitely worth investigating further (Sedona is lovely and I definitely recommend Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, Monument Valley). Generally cheaper to do a circular tour as usually cheaper to fly home from same airport and some car hire companies charge extra to drop off at diff location.

We went to Andalucia in Spain last year and it was very good value. We hired a car and stayed in 5 different hotels so got to see some amazing places for a lot less than it would have cost to just lounge by a pool in Torremolinos.

Roland, yep, that's me too, I look into everything in the tiniest detail (Tripadvisor is NOT my friend!) and end up talking myself out of everything! It's why we keep going back to the same places, (this will be our fifth time to Devon, second to Windsor and we've been to Puerto Pollensa three times in the last four years!) not because we don't like new things, but if we went somewhere and it wasn't as nice as where we've been before, well, I would be gutted. Holidays are so important to me, I can't bear to think I might get it wrong....

DH and I actually had a weekend in London ourselves last year and did pretty much exactly what you did and it was great. First weekend on our own for over eight years!

I've never been to Rome, though DH has with work. He says it's a lovely city, though avoid in high summer - just too hot. We do love city breaks though, (not since DD's, mind you!) and have had some great ones in Barcelona, Prague, Vienna (really loved Vienna), Madrid, NYC....

Are holidays better with or without DC's? Ah, now, there's a question...! I suppose they're just... different (unhelpful!) Much easier without them, but all our holidays with them have been, just, lovely. Seeing them enjoying themselves and spending quality time with them is just great. I'd love to take them on a West Coast USA holiday when they're a bit older (DD1 is 8 and DD2 is just 2 - we waited a loooong time for them!)

Good luck, whatever you decide to do, in the end it's the company you're with that's the most important thing...!

Oh Maid I'm so, so jealous
Bugger off, you saw a bear.

Recommendations duly noted. Thanks

OP maybe you should try somewhere like New Orleans instead. I have been all over America and this was by far the best place I have been.

I do think that you make the most of where you are first and foremost though. Fun doesn't find you! You need to go make it yourself

You could have a fabulous week in a lovely hotel in Paris (loads of culture/restaurants/shopping) for £5000.

You can save loads but doing it yourself. I never go on package holidays anymore and do DIY It prefer it. It's not crowded by other people and it's a lot cheaper.
We are doing Disney and universal in April for four for 5.5k and that includes food at Disney. Disney and universal tickets Flights and a split stay at two 4* hotels so how can Vegas for two be 5k. Especially if you are going out of school hols!!

I've been in an independent tour operator who wants 2.7k more for the same holiday! Bugger that. I do it myself.

I just want to answer your point about how different holidays can be with children. Before we had children we were lucky to have travelled the world fairly extensively staying in 4 star hotels. Our holiday needs/preferences have really changed as the children are a major consideration; if they are happy, we are too. The expense can be huge and when they get a little older there is the consideration of accommodation (when you don't want to share a room with them but they are too young to be on their own). We have done a real mix of things with them though but not necessarily things we would have anticipated doing before they were born.

Agree with posters who book separate flights and accommodation.
Hotels in the US can be very cheap and I'm talking about decent ones.
We have stayed all over and Canada too and it's always been much less than £5000 all in-food trips etc for four of us often for 10 days- 2 weeks.
I've been to Vegas and whilst we loved it 4 days was enough, then we went elsewhere.

you think Europe is boring and sittimg by a pool, so you want to go to vegas instead?

I bet the grand canyon is wonderful but maybe check out some stunning interesting areas in Europe if youre trying to save for a house. Honestly, if all youre doing is staying in a hotel complex no wonder you think its boring, but there are spectacular amazing awe inspiring places practically on our doorstep in comparison

Op you have some amazing suggestions if I were you I'd plan a fab couple of jaunts before any Bambinos or big mortgages come along....

Hols aren't the same after that

Happy hols wherever you end up

Maid