To not fancy holidays abroad?

[Bookridden]

My ideal holiday is probably pottering around a town or city in the UK. I like to visit historic buildings, stroll around parks or coastlines, go out for meals and sit in coffee shops reading. I like to stay somewhere cosy and read, watch TV, chat etc. Basically what I do at home, but in different and maybe prettier surroundings. (I have travelled to the US, Canada and a few European countries, but this isn't a lot for most people in their 50s).

My concern is that this makes me feel a bit "little Englander" and ashamed. I feel I should have more desire to travel further, experience diverse cultures etc. I love to do this in my imagination (through books and films) but I just really like my home comforts.

Am I missing out on something life changing if I never visit, say, Australia, India or South Africa? AIBU for wanting to relax and holiday in the UK rather than exploring the delights and differences of other cultures? Will I get to 80 and regret it if I've never been to Australia?

That depends if you really want to go to Australia. Personally I have no desire to, but there are other places that I feel a strong desire to go to, and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.
In my fifties now, so no time to waste!
i would never holiday in the UK when Europe is on our doorstep!

Yes for me there’s something about a completely different culture, weather, food, religions, attitudes…and the essential sameness of people I love.

I want to see the great sights, and go to museums, snorkel in warm water, see the stars differently.

oddly though…not Australia so much.

I know what you mean and I think there will be a shift in the light of climate change. It has definitely been seen in the last few decades as uncultured to not have travelled overseas and I've heard people comment in a sneering way that only a third of Americans have passports.

However, it does increasingly seem quite frivolous to fly just for a holiday and I think people's mindsets will change and it will be seen as responsible to holiday in the UK, rather than being what you do as a second holiday, or because you can't afford to go abroad, which is how I would have percieved it when I was younger.

I'd still like to travel and take my children to some different countries, but i doubt it will be 1-2 times per year like my parents.

I've done a lot of Asia. It was fascinating to see totally different cultures. Walking in the Himalaya seeing the Buddhist symbols, prayer wheels, prayer flags.

The colours of India. The spices, elephants in the streets, just amazing.

Seeing the way that people live - and seeing how hard many people have it. It does open your eyes and no doubt just seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Will you miss out? I know that I enjoyed my foreign travels.

@glamourousindierockandroll You’ve got children. How many?
Travelling abroad a few times a year is a drop in the ocean, and has nowhere near the carbon footprint of having children!
FWIW, I intend to travel more not less going forward.
No school holidays to consider, less restraints on time and money.
I have three holidays booked for next year, two hotel trips in the UK, one music festival abroad, and plenty of campervan trips!
I will be booking at less to one more.

Looking to book one more!

I never really feel like it's a proper holiday unless I go abroad. I'm not a sun and sea person but I love the cafe culture abroad. France or Spain somewhere like Seville or girona sound up your street

DH and I book UK cottages holidays each year, we’ve had 3 this year and love visiting new places, go out for walks, nice meals etc, we also have a dog, so do not see us going aboard for a few more years. We did cruises for about 10 years, that way you get a glimpse of the different countries you are visiting, which was preferable than just going to one place.

I think there’s a time and place for visiting a country. 80’s America, 90’s Far East, 20’s Eastern Europe, now maybe Australia.
People travel for lots of reasons and lots don’t get anything more than a sun tan and a nice photos.

I love both. Staying in the UK means an absence of the stress of the airport and culture clash. On the other hand, it is exciting to see very different places. Ultimately though, I wouldn’t do something because I might regret not doing it later - that is really overthinking holidays!

I love travel. I always wanted to travel when I was younger but didn’t manage to get overseas until I was in my 20s. I am now in my 50s and would say I am well travelled.

But if you don’t want to then you shouldn’t feel like you should. I know a lot of people like say, running and I am sure they get a lot out of it, but I don’t fancy it so I won’t be partaking.

I've lived in several countries and have travelled to a lot of places but I think I enjoy UK holidays the best. The UK has amazing scenery and history. I love being able to throw things in the car and not having to worry about flying. I find Lot of places are too busy.

OP- you sound like the sort of person who’d love hopping on the Eurostar to Paris or Brussels for the weekend.

Of course there is nothing wrong with enjoying holidays in the UK. The benefits of easy travel can make a big difference in enjoyment. We are all different and all le different things. Carry on with what you like. (As you have been abroad you do understand travel and are making a choice).

I'd absolutely love to explore more of the UK, but the problem is any 'historic' cities are absolutely extortionate to stay in for families and it is cheaper to go abroad. Cottages can be £1500 per week, I've done a week in Spain all in for less than that!

I don't have any enthusiasm for exotic travel either! I find travelling generally quite stressful and in some ways the 'sameness yet different ' doesn't interest me much either.
I enjoy different food and culture and love being warm for a change, but much prefer UK holidays.

I have met people my age (60) who have very rarely left their home town, let alone the country. I've lived in three different countries and travelled widely, and there are places I'd still like to go to.
But in reverse of you I feel badly we haven't travelled that much in the UK. We've been to Scotland and Wales but only once. Yorkshire and Lake District but again only once. I took my daughter to Bath this summer and it was lovely - I need to do more of that.

Due to immigrant parents & all family abroad when young I never holidayed in the U.K. until I was an adult. I found with young dc throwing stuff in the car & exploring the U.K. has been great. It's really quite beautiful here.

Do what you love. Why travel around the world with all the expense and carbon involved if it doesn’t float your boat? The UK offers loads of interest so stay if that’s what you enjoy.

Op, you are actually quite well travelled ! I’ve met people who’ve never left their own city/ town (thankfully not many) I find that hard to understand!
Do what makes you happy, we are all different.
Even if I was a fan of UK holidays I find them far too expensive for what very often is a mediocre experience.
I like the heat as well, so it’s abroad for me every time.

The whole point of a holiday is that you get to relax, and do what YOU want. Sky diving or pootling around Durham Cathedral are equally valid.

I've done foreign holidays for years but not beach holidays which I find dull. I've been walking in Umbria, driving in the Rockies, diving in Egypt. My dsis would hate it. She needs her two weeks on a sun lounger by a pool.

If you want to try something a little different, why not combine the two, and try a long weekend in Copenhagen or Barcelona. Short haul flights, cathedrals, gardens but with different food and weather.

"pottering around a town or city... visit historic buildings, stroll around parks or coastlines, go out for meals and sit in coffee shops reading"

To be honest, not a clue why you'd do this in the UK when places like Avignon, Granada or Verona have so much better scenery, history, food & climate.

City breaks are my idea of hell- equally I’m not a traveller. I like guaranteed sun and all I can eat with the shortest flight possible. I’m sure this makes me uncultured but I don’t care.

@Bookridden
I've never been out of the UK!
I used to feel a little embarrassed about it, nowadays I actually feel pretty good - I don't drive, either, so my carbon footprint is something to be proud of!
Lol of course I don't mind what others do - unless they are very rich, have private planes & tell the rest of us what to do.. :-(

I would like to see Cornwall before I kick the bucket, & also the Orkneys & Ireland - I love history too. Do exactly as you please - & no hassle at airports / strikes / foreign currency etc etc!

One of the privileges of being in your fifties is knowing what you like, and not having a need to impress anyone

Foreign travel isn't impressive anyway, if it does not excite you, don't bother

I decided about 10yrs ago, age 40, that my long haul travel days were over. I find long haul air travel too stressful and unpleasant. You need to be really excited about your destination to put up with the delays, cancellations, unruly passengers, queues, waiting, being ripped off (airport parking) and last but not least the knowledge that it is so bad for the environment.

You do you Boo 😉 or whatever the young people say now 😁