To not understand why people go abroad on holiday in the summer?

[Dogscanteatonions]

My social media is full of people on holiday abroad at the moment. It's glorious here and I've got a few days off work so I've just been for a walk round my village and will spend the afternoon in the garden reading in the sun with a couple of glasses of something.

Britain is lovely in the summer - I'd far rather go abroad later or earlier in the year when the weather is not so good here and make the most of the weather here while we have it.

I've never really understood the desire to go abroad while it's nice here. Anyone else with me?

YY @Crikeyalmighty DS has just left school so I am feeling very smug on my balcony right now! We'll hopefully get an OK summer at home then book something else in Sept, and meanwhile the temp on holiday is perfect for me (I don't like it too hot).

There’s nothing enjoyable about the British heat. I don’t have air con or a swimming pool and don’t have anyone cooking and cleaning for me.

its not that hard to understand surely? You go on holiday for a break and actually have time to enjoy the weather/ have opportunities to co yourself down.

Apart from the unpredictable weather situation, most of us on here have children who need entertaining for 6/7/8 weeks over the summer, so a two week holiday really helps to break the monotony of a looooong time away from school.

I don't go on AI sun lounger holidays so I don't chase hot weather. I don't really like it super hot if I've got to do anything other than waft about around a pool so if anything it's a hinderance.

I travel for the food and the culture (mainly for the food). You do you though.

Different cultures, food, and geography.

I don't like sitting around a pool or going somewhere with sports bars and English food but I can still understand why people will go to benidorm. To pretend you don't understand why people want a break away from their home life is just dumb.

I actually prefer to go abroad in the late May/June half term - would that we got two weeks off then as some areas do, it would be much more helpful.

Lately with teenagers we've only been able to go away in the summer due to May being exam times, but we used to go abroad April/May/June and stay in the UK in summer and go to the Isle of Wight or something.

I'm slightly worried about the temperatures in Italy in July but the kids are older now and can cope with it much better. We went to Portugal last year and it was 38/39 degrees in August for a couple of days but we had a lovely time.

And I'm on the edge of the Pennines. When posters moan on here about the "heat" I'm thinking "what heat?"

It is warm here today, but warm not hot. When I last looked at the weather forecast for today London and the south east was forecast to be 6 degrees warmer than here.

Maybe the OP needs to brush up on her geography. Britain has a huge variation in weather depending on the latitude, altitude and local topography.

I go abroad because a lot of the things I want to see happen to be located abroad. We don't have a Sistine Chapel or a Taj Mahal or a Great Barrier Reef available locally.

Yes it's nice now, but in NE coastal England not quite hitting 20°C so hardly pool and bikini weather.
It's only forecast for 3 days.

I want 2 weeks in the sun, preferably with cocktails and pool and a bit of sight seeing. I love exploring new places and cuisines.

Pre dc we always went abroad Spring and Autumn but for now summer school holidays are the only sensible option

We like to go for 3 weeks and have school age kids so….

This is similar to my experience.
I took the kids to a caravan in some place for a week, it rained solidly for 5 days, then hailed, snowed and rained some more. On the final day as we were packing, a very weak sun came out. the following week whilst back at home, it was glorious warm sunshine.
Every year after that we went abroad.
Picking a good weather week is a lottery in this country.
Now the kids left home and I got a dog like a bloody fool. I'm stuck holidaying in the UK for several more years.
Yes I know I could put her in a kennel but that's not my way so I don't.

So basically we go abroad for decent weather and food and a swimming pool. Plus to travel I guess but watching the news recently I'm happy to not currently be going abroad.

Like a few others, we did UK holiday last Summer to coastal town, accommodation per night was more expensive than 5* all inclusive abroad yet no breakfast included, let alone other meals. Eating out super busy and expensive. Had to walk down steep cliff to beach with all our stuff and back again at end of the day, need to make sure don't forget anything to avoid the trek back to hotel in middle of the day. Beach so busy that get a small space to yourselves and with view of someone's beach tent in front. Evenings need to find a restaurant and then back to accommodation/hotel with not much to do. When weather is poor (which is common in UK), every soft play/farm/cinema is absolutely packed and pay double the price for worse entertainment than near home

In comparison, go abroad and we get hotel on the beach, all food and drink included, beach beds available and huge stretch of beach empty, waiter comes down to beach to bring food and drinks, can walk back and forth to room/resort as often as we like. Children can join kids club if they wish, otherwise they enjoy splash parks and play areas. Evening time we shower, get ready and lovely dinner all included followed by entertainment for children. Day trips from hotel are easily done to see local area. Most of all, sunshine is guaranteed!

It is a no brainer from where I am standing

We went to Devon last year, first week of July. It rained every day apart from one. Not exactly amazing weather… I’ll be going to Greece this year!

Too unpredictable. Jubilee weekend was atrocious (SE), except for the Thursday. I've had many a UK break in the pissing rain - August Bank Hol, Lands End, photos of us in a windswept gale with hoodies and macs on. No thanks.

Give me a little Greek taverna, greek salad, crisp wine ... swimming pool nearby or a little boat trip, bliss. Plus the lunch would prob cost less than 10 euros.

Yep I agree with you op. If I were going abroad for guaranteed good weather I would go in our winter.

It's lovely right now, Saturday and Sunday when I'm away in England torrential rain forecast. Plus some of us like to visit new places, I'm fortunate enough to have visited most U.K. destinations

It does seem a shame to waste the few weeks we have of usually forecasted good weather by not being here to enjoy it, I am in SE so usually pleasant July/Aug. When kids were younger we went May & October without fail every year so they could enjoy summer hols here when weather was good

it's expensive to do a holiday in the UK far cheaper to go abroad you can go somewhere

It's really not 'far cheaper' to go abroad.

I've just booked 7 nights in Cornwall for a family of 5 mid August, for £730. Self catering air bnb place, absolutely beautiful place with top reviews. Petrol probably £200 on top.

I'd challenge you to find me 7 nights in Spain this August for 5 people, including all travel costs, for £930...or anywhere close to it!

Britain is lovely in the summer

But it isn't. It really isn't.

Also, people like things that aren't the same as the ones you like. Mad innit.

It depends what kind of holiday you like, doesn't it?

We're doing a European city holiday and to enjoy that city we'd like to maximise the chances that we'll get good weather when we're there, hence going in July. Where we're going the climate is not so wildly different from where we live (though it should be a little bit hotter), but we'll see new things, have new experiences. There are lots of other places in the world other than the UK that don't have great weather in the winter but are pleasant in the summer. Some of us like to visit those places. In many places there is also more to do if you go in summer as various things are closed or inaccessible in the off season.

And obviously summer is the easiest time to go for many parents as it's when the kids are on their school holidays.

If you just want a hot sunny beach a winter holiday would be great! But there's also nothing strange about wanting to make the most of your time off with some guaranteed high temperatures and sunshine.

I love UK holidays and I love our weather (winter, autumn, summer etc). But I didn't grow up here so there is a lot I haven't seen!

I generally go abroad to visit family. I do like European city breaks as well.

It's not just about the weather. It's about getting away and being in a different place, sense of adventure, experiencing something different.

A lot of people wouldn’t do that sort of holiday though. For us an outdoor private pool is a must, they’re trickier to find in the UK (but becoming more common). We also like to hire a housekeeper who cooks, again, not as common in the UK but often very very expensive in the UK, where as this tends to be much cheaper in touristy places abroad.

You said Britain but maybe you meant England?

Certainly not getting those temperatures in the Highlands.

I think a lot more people would do an air BnB in Cornwall than a holiday with a housekeeper that cooks!