To not fancy holidays abroad?

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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?

It’s a personal thing OP .
Do what makes you happy 😀

I have traveled extensively across all continents ( split of holiday and business)
Ive lived overseas , went to school in other countries and studied at universities abroad .
I love the U.K. also and seen quite a bit of that too .

To me , this world is vast , made up of many , nations , cultures , people and I’ve enjoyed learning so much about how people in different parts of the world live their lives .

Ive found it enriching but it’s not for all ..

What you are doing sounds like it gives you pleasure so why not ??
Though as a PP said , your cultured out look suggests you’d appreciate some of European history etc.. maybe try one of the cities as she suggested and see how it goes ?
I agree with her Copenhagen is a gem !

I'd love to see the world but we can't afford holidays abroad. I'm kinda hoping I might get to see more of the world when the kids have grown up, til then we are #makingmemories in UK caravans and cheap hotels 🙂 to be fair, we have had some banging UK hols

I think try and find a balance - some pottering around the Uk, some exploring new places.

50s is an age where you either decide to open up and keep experiencing new things in life in the decades ahead - or you start to really close down.

The familiar can be comforting and should be valued, but the new is importance - else you might wake up at 65 and realise you’ve made your life tiny.

Experiences new cultures isn’t the be all and end all, but it is a huge part of staying open.

It's much better for the environment and climate than hopping on a plane! Do what makes you happy ignore society pressure

I think there is a lot to be said for finding happiness and small pleasures in wherever you are and not having to travel abroad for it. Great if you are interested in different cultures etc (which I am) but a lot to be said for enjoying your home.

I wouldn't worry about it. Do what makes you happy.

Personally I love foreign travel and am gradually working through my bucket list.

Unless you are independently wealthy and have no responsibilities, holidays are very special. You save up resources in order to go somewhere else for a little bit of time, and focus on doing things you enjoy. It is not the time to be worrying about what other people think of you. Please use your time and money on holidays that you actually want, rather than holidays that you think you ought to want.

@Holidayfinder yes, I do have children but I don't see how it helps to have an 'in for a penny, in for a pound' approach to being mindful about these things. Should I just stop using bags for life too?

As it happens, I do hope to go abroad and see many places, but my main point was that I think foreign holidays will become less of an annual fixture than they had come to be for many families in the 90s-10s for instance.

Maybe you could try it once (something affordable and for a short amount of time), just in case you do like it? Nothing ventured, nothing gained? And if you're not keen you know holidays in the UK are your best option.

My mother is like this. Almost no desire to go anywhere other than stay at home. Has tolerated some short trips to lots of countries in the past.

she won’t die regretting not travelling more.

horses for courses, it’s fine

If I had the money there are some very specific places not in the UK that I would love to visit. But I don't have the money so they are just fantasies.
I don't have a desire to go on holiday abroad just "because it's abroad".
My holidays are usually spent staying with my mother in-law. I chill in her garden (I don't have a garden). I go to antique shops and car boot sales (because I am a bit of a collector). I walk in the countryside. This year I discovered that if I get a bus to a certain point I can change to another bus and go to a place that I am interested in the history of so next year I plan to do that.
I did go on holiday abroad in my 20s. The holidays were ok but I much preferred the holidays I have spent in places like Weymouth.

Travel can be amazing even if it is in your own country. If you can get accommodation then try the Scilly Isles. Such an unusual place but still in the UK.

DS and I do Europe a lot in the car. Once he's off to Uni, I have a wish list of places to go / return to that I can do my own way, at my own pace.

Already researching flights. And they don't have to be in school holidays either.

But each to their own.

I'm not that bothered either. I don't really do hot so Iceland, Norway, Switzerland appeal to me but way beyond budget for now.

While travel does give you new experience, I feel that many people have no idea what there own country is like. If you've never seen the west coast of Scotland, ullwater, Whitby etc I feel it's a shame.

Too of my list are northern Ireland and Orkney to do at some point

Entirely up to you.

When I was young I had almost zero interest in going abroad - I’d been abroad twice by the time I was 40. By choice.

Now I’m older I want to see more of the world - so will be doing so in the coming decades.

I think you’d like Vienna, nice coffee shops and lots of architecture.

In the UK, Northumberland is fantastic for history and a relaxing time.

Each to their own. The UK and ireland (closer to me in Scotland) has many beautiful places that some with never see, and there is nothing wrong with preferring to explore them.

We did a few far flung holidays on our 20s and while some were enjoyable I didnt like the commercial touristy ones, others the level of local poverty made me very uncomfortable as a tourist.

I had no great yearing to keep doing it and don't feel I would have missed much if I hadn't. I've had some uk holidays that have been much more satisfying.