The shine has come off going abroad for me, has it for you?

[cornplant]

I've read a few posts on here and I've been feeling the same way, that going abroad really isn't all that enjoyable.

People complain of being too hot, mosquito bites, spots from sun cream, fizzy hair etc.

Since I've had my son I've been abroad twice and have mostly hated it.

Maybe I should just go to Cornwall every year instead!

[cardamoncoffee]

YABVU. The world is a massive place and travel is not just in July/August. Flights have never been cheaper. I have just booked a flight to Portugal for £4; I couldn't get a bus into town for that. The UK sadly is too expensive for us to explore properly as accommodation is so expensive.

[perplexedagain]

With young children UK is definitely the way to go (and not too long a drive). We've had some fab holidays and have been extremely lucky with the weather too. Really couldn't be faffed with going abroad as all DC want is a playpark, green space, beach, some activities. Far to young to enjoy a city break and would get bored, hot and irritable on a traditional summer holiday

[PotatoShape]

I also just feel that book-ending your break with intensive stress, massive consumption of fossil fuels and 'dead time' spend driving to/from airports just ruins it.
I like giving my money to the uk tourist industry. And, being able to speak the language means I can learn about the place properly.

[OkMaybeNot]

We've enjoyed it much more since we stopped expecting the kids to 'suck it up' doing certain things we knew they wouldn't enjoy.

We'd get there, they'd be bored out of their minds so then we wouldn't really enjoy it either. No-one wins.

We've just accepted that holidays abroad need to be 100% child-friendly until they're teenagers. That means minimal time walking in the heat, no sightseeing (they hate sightseeing) and let them eat what they actually want, not what we want them to eat, "because why eat nuggets and chips when you're in Spain and could eat paella?"

Last holiday was just that and it was so much fun, and way more relaxing.

[hopefulhalf]

I am afraid YABU unreasonable.
I love, love , love Southern Europe for so many reasons but a few are;
1)Warm evenings allowing eating outside and DC running about
2)Cheap delicious local food
3) No need for layers/ waterproofs just little dresses and shorts ( also if washing done dry in 20 mins)
4) Great for Dcs water confidence and learning to swim as so much warmer.

[PotatoShape]

I will admit to being a total holiday control freak, and plan our holidays around events, festivals, traditional cultural happening etc.....if a town suddenly decides to host a thing, I'll know about it and be booking up a spot up to a year in advance!
I've missed my calling as a uk travel agent

[berlinbabylon]

Certainly I think the hassles and inconvenience of flying will gradually turn more people to holidays closer to home, if not in the UK, within near Europe like France and Ireland where they can go by ferry or train. The last time I flew it was one long hassle from beginning to end.

[minipie]

Nope I love sun and the UK just isn’t reliably sunny. Also DC1 gets car sick so Cornwall or similar multi hour drive places are no go for us.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Well Neilsons are part of Thomas Cook so that's out unless someone swoops in to buy that section of business!

Neilsons hasn't been owned by Thomas Cook since 2013!

https://www.ldc.co.uk/news-insights/2018/08/neilson-active-holidays-set-to-make-waves-with-ldc-investment

We had several holidays with Neilsons when DD was 11 and up, they were excellent if pricy. Apart from that, we didn't go abroad till she was 10 and then it was to specific places - Sorrento (at Easter) to see Pompeii etc, Paris and Rome at Easter or October half term.

We had great holidays in the U.K. - Cornwall, North Wales, Northumberland (inc hadrians wall), the Lakes, a couple on Mull (May half term is perfect for wildlife but before midges, and statistically likely to be decent weather).

DD is a student now, we've just had a lovely week with her in the Peak District. Of course, part of the loveliness was that we were very lucky with the weather. That's the downside to the UK. One of the advantages of North Wales is that as well as some gorgeous coast it's got lots of castles, good walking etc whereas Cornwall in the rain you can run out of tin mines.

[painauchocolat84]

No way! I love it!

[GCAcademic]

I spent years travelling and living abroad and have now pulled my neck in like an old tortoise.
I cannot bear the thought of it. Even holidaying in the UK seems like too much hassle. I spent my last two week holiday in the comfort of my own home with the cat.

You could really treat yourself next year, and stick to one room for the whole fortnight . The way things are in this country at the moment, I'd love to just hide under the duvet for two weeks!

[ShanghaiDiva]

I live 'abroad' and frizzy hair, super hot weather (40+) and mozzies are part of my normal summer and I enjoy getting away from that!
I think holidays with young children are hard work. When mine were younger we lived in Germany and Austria and it was easy to drive to the Netherlands/ Italy/ Czech Republic etc - and we always rented a house or apartment so we had plenty of space.
We also managed to get some good deals with school holidays in the Netherlands eg ending before the Austrian holidays and paying one third less for the same house.
Now my dcs are older it's also very easy as they can entertain themselves while dh and I go sightseeing or out for a meal.

[soulrunner]

I’m British but lived in Asia for 10+ years and my dc were born here. Love a UK holiday as do the dc so I reckon a lot of it is ‘change is as good as a rest’. I feel a bit cheated when it’s more than 20 degrees in Dorset in July. I’ve looked forward to ‘shorts and a light sweater’ all year, damnit.

Tbh I’m happy to travel but at the same time my main criteria for perfect holiday now would be (1) good trail running (2) not many other people (3) good wine. Sadly dc disagree on all three.

[LakieLady]

I don’t like Cornwall. Never understood the obsession with it! It’s overcrowded, expensive, with nowhere to park.

Out of season (well, just outside school holidays really) it's delightful and no more expensive than where I live in Sussex. Even in July, we've been on a mile-long beach with fewer than a dozen people on it (and dogs were allowed and parking was free!).

We've never had trouble parking, either, despite being in a motorhome that is a bastard to park. In one tiny little fishing village, we got a space right next to the pub, despite there only being about 10 spaces in total.

[LaVieilleHarpie]

Nah. Holidaying in the UK? Fuck that noise.

Cold, rainy, expensive (if you want to stay somewhere reasonably nice, that is. Budget options in Britain make for a miserable experience). And mostly boring and overcrowded. Tourist 'attractions' usually fall flat. The idea of not going abroad and staying in Britain all year long fills me with dread.

I prefer going abroad. The weather is usually better, there are new and interesting things to see, and well, it's easier to find places abroad that don't look utterly miserable even in broad daylight. Aaaand the food is far superior.

I'd rather go abroad. It can actually

[LakieLady]

The thing that puts me off travelling abroad is airports. I practically get a migraine just thinking about going to an airport.

Touring France or Italy by rail or road would be fab though, and I love a city break. It's just a shame rail travel is so damn expensive.

[sugarbum]

I absolutely love going abroad. However when the kids were younger we didn't attempt it (DS1 was Really. Hard.Work) So we started out more local (Norfolk, the Lakes), branched out a bit into Isle of Wight and Devon/Cornwall, and then finally when DS1 was 7 (and DS2 was 4) we went to Lake Garda which was mostly a great success (gelato and swimming pools, but not sightseeing) To be fair that hasn't really changed. I mean they require wifi now, and they want slides as well. But the basic premise remains. I want them to experience different countries, even if we are just in holiday parks and restaurants. As long as we're lucky enough to be able to afford it as it can properly add up in the summer hols.

[tooyoungat40]

I love exploring both at home and abroad. We've only done local or shorthaul with the little ones, but now they are bigger, are setting off next month to Malaysia and Singapore. We plan carefully and account for local conditions. Never had a bad holiday yet, whether it has been city breaks, camping or beach holidays. It's all about going with the flow (whilst planning the hell out of it in advance) and doing stuff that suits you as a family.

[Span1elsRock]

I don't get the appeal of a 3 hour drive to the airport, paying a small fortune to park, security, check ins, sat waiting to board then all the same in reverse the other end. Can't bear it.

We went to Norfolk this year and loved it. This country is gorgeous and I'd rather put our money into the UK economy.

[milveycrohn]

I think it depends upon your circumstances and at what stage in life you are.
ie. When my 3 DC were young, we usually did self-catering in the UK. We did not have the money to take them abroad, and the self-catering gave us the greatest flexibility.
When they were older we then went abroad - self catering at first. Not so easy to do self-catering abroad, as it was harder to find the food they liked, or even locate the relevant supermarkets.
We then did bed and breakfast, and then half board.
I agree that flying itself is now more of an ordeal. I always aim to get to the airport 2 hours ahead, and allow 2 hours to get there, but waiting around - and maybe delayed flights, with young children is not my idea of fun.
However, there is always the Eurostar, and I believe there are still lots of cross-channel ferries.
I think the main problem with UK holidays is that you cannot guarantee the weather, and have to plan for wet days, which can make it more expensive than expected.

[Elphame]

Abroad is a big place.

There are many places you wouldn't get me to go if you paid me - sitting on a beach for a week or on a cruise or all inclusive resort would be my idea of absolute hell. I've never been to Spain or Greece and probably never will.

However exploring ruins in the jungle - absolutely! My next booked trip is hiking in Yosemite.

Horses for courses

[LemonPrism]

I go abroad about 4 times per year. Tbh, I'm just grateful to not be at work.

[everyonecaneffoff]

Your post sounds a bit like you feel you have to justify not wanting to go abroad. You want other people's opinions as to why you don't have to go abroad.
Do what you like. If you don't like hot/mosquitos either stay in the UK or choose one of the many places abroad which have a cooler climate. Abroad is not just lying on a beach in a hot resort surrounded by other Brits.
If you want to stay in the UK - do it. As a child we never went abroad much at all. I can remember several happy holidays staying in a rental caravan at the seaside less than 15 miles away. We had a great time.
I love the Brecon Beacons and have had a couple of lovely holidays there.
The Northumberland coast is beautiful - lots of castles and beaches. You could go to the Harry Potter castle - Alnwick castle. The Roman Wall etc.

I think people should choose the holiday that they would enjoy. What I don't like is the sneering attitude of some people who look down on people who choose to go abroad when "there's so much history and culture in the UK why would you go abroad?" I think it's important to have a knowledge of your own country but it's also interesting and useful to experience somewhere else too.

[AnnPerkins]

Nah

We stayed in the UK this year and had a nice time. We were amongst some truly beautiful scenery, really friendly people, no crowds - there was a lot to recommend it. But there's just something unexciting about finding yourself in a near copy of your own High Street, but 200 miles from home.

You don't have to travel very far into 'abroad'. We don't take long haul holidays. Last year we did a road trip through France, visiting a huge variety of places. We enjoyed spectacular sights, weather, food and wine. DS heard and spoke a different language, saw another culture, tried new things.

I'm already getting excited planning next year's trip back to France. It's a vast and incredibly diverse country, and there are still so many new places to discover. And if we get bored with France there's Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Spain... Spending my annual two weeks in the UK seems like a waste I'm afraid.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Span1elsRock Some of us live 30 minutes from an airport and a couple more and I can be in Spain/France etc and I didn't have to drive there

And it costs so much less.

If I want to go into a town and look round Boots or WHSmith or Primarl or Next I don't need to travel 3 hours to get there