Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I don't enjoy going on holiday

121 replies

sugarfreegum · 08/05/2023 19:39

There I have said it. It's not that I hate it, but I definitely don't get what the fuss is all about. And I flatter myself that I am open-minded, not unadventurous, etc. etc. I even like travelling for work, which I have done a lot. But when I go on holiday, it always seems like a lot of faff for a lot of money and not that much pay off. I would rather spend on little things that make daily life better, like good coffee, books, nice clothes to wear. Am I the only person in the world like this, because everyone else seems to be bonkers about holidays?

OP posts:
Tayegete · 08/05/2023 20:40

It is about finding the right holiday. I love seeing new things but do find airports a faff unless you are going for a reasonable length of time. Also hate the heat, so two weeks in a resort in Spain/Greece/Cyprus/Turkey in peak season in a hotel with hundreds of others camped out by the hotel every day sounds like hell.
on the other hand I love a UK holiday somewhere scenic and a bit quieter, with your own space and freedom to eat when you want etc

Starintheshow · 08/05/2023 20:40

I'm a bit like this. I didn't used to be I loved going away, so not sure what's changed.

I really dislike packing and travelling. Used to think of the journey as a bit of an adventure but not anymore.

Can't do what I'd really like to do on holiday because have two dc to keep happy. There's a feeling of same shit, different place. Only without all our home comforts.

UK weather hasn't always been kind to us in the past.

The truth is that there are so many different types of holiday that you can do, but we can't please everyone.

LaMaG · 08/05/2023 20:40

I hate family holidays with younger kids, nothing relaxing about hours watching a child in the pool. I have 1 who always managed to wander off no matter how vigilant we were so we had some very scary moments. I'm starting to enjoy them now the youngest is 9 but still we go to places for the kids that mean nothing to me. I don't care about the weather here, no interest in the sun and hate traveling never mind the stress of packing that goes on for weeks. To me they are an awful waste of money but DH lives for them and has a stressful job and likes to fully switch off. If we were close to home he would still be fielding work calls. I tend to not complain cos people are very quick to point out I'm lucky to afford it and wouldn't they love to have those complaints etc. But as we are all anonymous here I'm going to admit- I HATE GOING!! A weekend in a city of different culture without kids would be my thing but I'll have to wait another few years.

blanketsforall · 08/05/2023 20:41

I like holidays but they're not the be all and end all some people feel they are. My oldest friend has 'a list' of places they must see and is a real bore about seeing them and 'ticking them off' And be sure you don't mention a TUI holiday 🙄

Gtsr443 · 08/05/2023 20:43

YANBU I spent years travelling the world in my youth - now all I want is my own bed and no faff.
Hate airports. Hate flying. Hate wandering around trying to find food. Hate having to pack. Hate heat. Hate crowds. Hate lying on crowded beaches or being splashed by swimming pools. Hate being hassled by vendors. Admittedly I've developed serious health problems of late which might be the underlying reason why I'm so apathetic now but maybe not.

Starintheshow · 08/05/2023 20:49

Prisonbreak · 08/05/2023 20:04

We travel quite frequently. It’s a big part of our life together. However we don’t like sitting by a pool and lazing the day away. We are the exploring type. Seeing new places, new cultures, having adventures, getting lost and laughing about it. Making memories that we still talk about. We enjoy it

Out of interest, do you have children? If so roughly what age are they?

Only because this sounds a bit like how I would like a holiday to be. I'd like to do a bit of exploring the area, be it walking, sightseeing, finding quirky little places.

My dc are very much the opposite and complain a lot. Have a very what's the point attitude.

I can remember one year wanting to do a coastal walk to the beach, well within their capabilities (they are not small children), beautiful scenery, plenty of snacks and drinks for along the way and beach and lunch at the end. The moaning and complaining that they did ruined the whole thing.

Abroad last year wanted to hire a car, walk in a local beauty spot, hire bikes, visit a nearby town, drive or bus to another nearby beach. No one wants to do anything 🤷‍♀️

StayGoldenPonyGirl · 08/05/2023 20:49

Like previous posters, it's the faff that ruins it for me. I'd love to be in a wonderful new place, but I hate the organising, packing, planning, travelling, admin, the feeling you might not have got a good deal, the worry of illness/injury and sorting pets/house etc. and then the blues and unpacking once you return. It just makes it not worth it and i'd need extra AL at home to recover before being back to the routine.

We never had holidays as kids so it never became a routine thing like it seems to be for most people - something they HAVE to get planned and booked. I went mad at 18 and travelled the world because i felt like i'd missed out on so much. I had in a way but it got it out of my system and i've been away since but have zero wanderlust now. Caravans, Haven, Centre Parcs and camping - I have done and will never intentionally do again!!

Holidays to me now mean annual leave, sleeping late, catching up on tv, trips out for long local hikes and wine, occasionally a nice posh hotel and room service (as long as it isn't hours in travel).

Once cheap/free teleporting becomes a thing, I will visit the Blue Lagoon in Iceland...until then, I cba.

MullerInk · 08/05/2023 20:49

We could never afford holidays growing up so it just wasn't part of our lives.
My last holiday spiked my anxiety to such an extreme I was suicidal by the end of it.

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 08/05/2023 20:50

I’m with you, OP! In my twenties I used to have a job where I I’d travel all over, as well as (at least) monthly trips to my company HQ in Paris. I loved it!

Now I have two ADHD kids and an ADHD husband and we only dare go away for a maximum of about a week and even then, someone will have a meltdown / someone will have insomnia / overworked husband will get ill from sheer shock of rest / kids who wish they had something that’s at home etc etc. And you’ve paid a fortune to be there and you’re washing comity clothes in the bathroom sink!

We love a staycation!

blahblahblah1654 · 08/05/2023 20:51

Nothing wrong with enjoying where you are. Think how much cheaper it is anyway!

LoveBuzzz · 08/05/2023 20:52

I couldn’t agree more. The only holiday I enjoy is a skiing holiday…aside from that, I would happily not bother.

Crikeyalmighty · 08/05/2023 20:55

I like holidays abroad but I have to be honest I would much prefer to go for 5 days or so totally on my own, no one else to factor into the equation- read, potter and sit quietly in the sun

My H isn't much of a lie or even sit in the sun person and likes cities for that reason- I feel I've done my fill over the years . I'm happy not to spend all day walking round.

BeverlyHa · 08/05/2023 20:57

Do it as it brings you pleasure. Do days out or day trips. We do drive every weekend to the sea side or ancient churches plus holidays in England only.

thecatsthecats · 08/05/2023 20:58

Due to a series of unavoidable coincidences, I'm on my third holiday in eight weeks. (One wedding abroad that I absolutely didn't want to go on and that I hated because I was pregnant and sick, one normal holiday booked before rest was known about, and now away for an event)

It's exhausting!

I hanker back to a week off we had a few years ago. Two nights in a nearby luxury hotel, and the rest of the week at home catching up of life admin in a leisurely fashion.

Courgeon · 08/05/2023 21:01

I don't think family holidays are particularly enjoyable to be honest. When kids were little it was a horrendous faff now they're teenagers it's impossible to please everyone. Short UK based breaks seem to work, peak District/the lakes... Only go away for 4 days or so. The city I live in has everything we enjoy and we're only half an hour drive from the peak District for a countryside fix. We're doing a few short breaks this year, taking DC away separately rather than together. I used to love holidays but now I get severe anxiety and can't wait to get home.

Ilikewinter · 08/05/2023 21:02

Its a bit of a cliche but we traveled long haul 2 or 3 times a year right up until covid. Then we discovered the UK 😉. Having now got a 2 year old dog who I would never leave, our holidays have been spent exploring the UK and at the moment, I couldnt care less if I never got on a plane again. However, im now desperate to live by the coast.

kingtamponthefurred · 08/05/2023 21:05

I think you may be choosing the wrong holidays.

thecatsmeows · 08/05/2023 21:06

I travel for work, I review hotels for a well known site. Most of the time I got on my own, occasionally my boyfriend comes with me...but I much prefer going on my own. I live on my own and have never had a problem with my own company...I find having to 'worry' about someone else's experience on holiday while I'm trying to do my job exhausting. My boyfriend isn't a big 'beach' holiday type person and that's what the majority of my work is ... we just got back from a week on a Greek island, it was a major religious festival while we were there and most places were shut. Most of the bars, restaurants and shops were only opening up the day or two before we left. To be honest I was very glad to get home!

Oblomov23 · 08/05/2023 21:08

Nope. I really like it. Just got back from Portugal, fab time, perfect weather. I like it.

omnishambles · 08/05/2023 21:12

Er no. I love it. Mostly because of the not working but also being together all the time. I don't see a lot kf the children/dh normally as we're all doing our own things.

SocksAndTheCity · 08/05/2023 21:14

I'm not bothered at all either. I don't like heat, sun, travelling, crowds, staying in hotels and having to decide where/when to eat or staying in AirBnbs and having to shop/cook myself (although I prefer the latter) and I like my own bed.

If I could just ping around visiting the sights and going to events that I want to and then ping back home for teatime, that would suit me fine. I love New York, but I've been so many times (pre pandemic for work mostly) I find myself struggling to get worked up even about going over there for a few days because I can't be arsed with the hassle and expense.

Covidwoes · 08/05/2023 21:17

Each to their own, but I love them. With the kids (4 and 2) we did our first half board holiday last year, and it was great - super weather, no cooking, no cleaning, a lovely change of scene, and very happy kids. It actually helped massively with stress, as I find the daily grind stressful at times, and very wearing.

In terms of travel without kids, I LOVE seeing different places and experiencing different cultures. I'm currently abroad without the kids on a mini break, and some of the scenery I've seen has been incredible. The weather has also been so so good. I'm looking forward to the kids getting older so we can be more adventurous with where we go.

That said, holidays are a huge privilege and really expensive. We are by no means well off, but we save all year for our family holiday and make sacrifices elsewhere, as to us it's very worth it! Everyone is different though, and if home is less stressful for you, that's fine too! The one thing I do find stressful is travelling with a toddler - I won't miss that stage when it's over!

MavisMcMinty · 08/05/2023 21:17

I sometimes dream of a beach holiday in a luxury villa, mainly during winter, but don’t really enjoy going on holiday, I find it exhausting, and like I need another week off afterwards to get over it.

I miss my home and my cats and dogs, who are another reason I don’t like going away, having to organise care for them. I live in a place (Devon) that other people come to for holidays, and love and appreciate living in such idyllic countryside.

A 5* luxury holiday with my lottery winnings would of course be on the cards, including a cruise on a small exclusive yacht to see the Northern lights. And maybe that beach holiday in winter.

Covidwoes · 08/05/2023 21:18

Oh, and our holiday abroad booked for this year is a fair bit cheaper than the equivalent UK break - madness!

Bluebells1970 · 08/05/2023 21:18

DH and I have had an awful row this weekend about holidays. I don't enjoy them at all. I'm bored of booking/finding them; bored of arranging everything and soothing two unsettled dogs; and bored of trying to keep DH occupied with his "where are we going today". It's no break for me at all, I just take my daily life with me and put it into a hostile environment Hmm