AIBU to think £10k is enough for 10 days in Boston?

[1ladybird]

Family of 5. 2adults 3 kids. Is £10k enough for flights and meals out for 10 days in US summer 2027?

Staying with friends who like to eat out- Boston. Possibly need car hire.

I thought this would be plenty as flights available £3k and we can stay with our friends.

However, we visited NYC (just me and DH). SO SO expensive!!!

US vs Uk economy reminds me of how rich British ppl felt visiting Eastern Europe 20+ years ago..! Now we’re on the receiving end!! Our economy is so poo and London seemed so cheap after visiting NYC Nov ‘25 😬.

After advice from families who travel to US regularly/ recently. TIA xxx

It’s in original post. We’re visiting friends who live there so that the purpose of our holiday/ location. They’re American and they live in Boston.

Looks a great holiday destination though in my opinion. We do the odd package/ beach hol but like to try different places too.

It’s in original post. We’re visiting friends who live there so that the purpose of our holiday/ location. They’re American and they live in Boston.

Looks a great holiday destination though in my opinion. We do the odd package/ beach hol but like to try different places too.

Yes we are fortunate we have zero accommodation costs. Would be a lot with hotels for 5.

Where did you go out of interest? Hope you had a great hol!

Four. Two adults, two teenage boys who eat as adults!

My colleague just paid €10,000 to fly back from Hyderabad. Two adults, two children.

I really do get it. When we were in NY we met up with various friends who thankfully took us out for meals (we stayed in a hotel) because the places they chose were mainly pretty expensive. Breakfast out for 4 of us one day was almost $500 (we had eggs and a hot drink each!!).

I hope you have a brilliant time. Maybe you can offer to cook once or twice - use the excuse that you love to explore food shops in other counties (which I actually do!)

We did a 6 week trip on NYC, Cape Cod, Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine with 5. Boston was where we spent the least . Was a bit underwhelmed with the place ( ditto Salem) if I’m honest. Not sure how you’d spend £10 k or 10 days there. Much of what we did in Boston was v low cost and could be done in a couple of days. NYC, Vermont, Cape Cod and Maine were amazing. Can you not just spend a few days in Boston and a week on Cape Cod

I just can't wrap my head around moral stances on tipping meaning you make an actual person have a worse day than if you'd just gone somewhere else

It's not a moral stance, it's what I personally am prepared to tip. So if it's going to spoil someone's day because I leave, say, $15 rather than $20 then they will be compensated by our wealthy American friends tipping 25%.

We spent: £3500 flights (4 x business class with Avios redemption)

£4686 accommodation (included some Hilton Honors points redemption towards the stay in Cape Cod)

£600 car

£4000 spending money including fuel.

So we did the whole trip for just over £12k including spends.

Go down to the cape - the islands (Nantucket in particular) are fabulous. Not cheap but you can get there on the bus from Boston, doesn’t take that long. Then get the fast ferry over - you could do an overnight but accommodation is VERY expensive there. Boston is great but 4 or 5 days and you’ve seen most of it, it’s not massive.
also those saying £20,000 for 10 days are mental - flights aren’t that bad ( we went last year for £320 each return, they haven’t gone up THAT much) and if you have no accommodation costs you’ll be fine. That’s way more money than we have ever had with teenagers who eat a lot and we’ve always been fine, even in NYC which is very expensive for food.

Funny how times change.

When I was a student in 2007, I pretty much traveled around the entire US for several months for not much more than £10K! I wasn’t staying anywhere fancy but I certainly ate well & saw most of the big sites. Even a hotel in Vegas back then seemed cheap.

Funny how times change. When I was a student in 2007, I pretty much traveled around the entire US for several months for not much more than £10K!

Funny how costs increase over 20 years ...

But why? Why are you insisting on tipping 15% when everyone is well aware the cultural norm (particularly on the east coast) is 20% at minimum? If you are working on a budget you just choose a cheaper restaurant and that solves the problem.

I haven’t been to New York in decades (but grew up there) and it sounds like we won’t be going any time soon! Not sure I’d cope with breakfast for $500!

You wouldn’t need to spend £500.

£10k to see Boston is a ridiculous amount to spend and a waste of money. It can be done sooo much cheaper , staying with friends is actually costing her more money.Op would be better of spending a couple of days in Boston and moving on elsewhere.

They’re going specifically to see friends and their friends live in Boston.

Don’t think that has much relevance to my post?

The main/ sole purpose of our trip is to visit our friends who live in Boston. We will explore lots of places day tripable from theirs with them.

No of course not - that was directly related to the post above that said that’s what she spent.

The question from the OP is if 10K is enough for 10 days for flights, a car and entertainment with wealthy friends. So if the OP wants to treat the other family or go to fancy restaurants, it won’t stretch. If the OP wants to go grocery shopping and get takeaways it will be more than enough. I think most people were just trying to say it’s not enough to treat 9 people to meals and activities for the entire trip.

I am going to Boston with sole purpose of spending time with our friends so another location in US is pointless for us. It’s in the original post. We will do lots of day trips from theirs with them. Plenty of places 1 hour or so drive. So the trip wouldn’t be happening if we weren’t seeing our friends.

We’re very well travelled (in a past life pre kids). So if I was choosing a place for destination I wouldn’t even pick the USA.

Im planning a year ahead. Happy to spend £10k on 5 people for 10 day break. That is only £1k more than our 2 week Malta all inclusive break last summer (including spending money). That’s why we do it every other year. 5 people in school hols isn’t cheap. We’re very happy with our UK trips the year we don’t go abroad. Love Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and Lake District.

I was checking out of if I actually need more as have a year to add more to the pot. Seems on balance not if we don’t go too wild eating out at expensive restaurants each day.

I’m aware we could have a totally different holiday if we wanted to 😆🙈

But realistically even if the other family likes to eat any nice restaurants they aren’t all going to be doing that 2-3 meals a day. That gets old really fast, takes up too much time and leaves most people feeling full and gross. I’m sure breakfast at home, quick things for lunch and a nice dinner would be what the host family have in mind anyway and the budget totally allows for that.

I'd have thought it would be fine, but that's based on a few days in New York with my daughter in 2023, so a little out of date. Food wasn't as expensive as I expected - not much different from London. But we were relatively careful rather than trying to keep up with high spending friends. But rather than going on my hunch, or anyone elses, why don't you talk to your friends about plans/expectations/budgets? And/or look at the price of nearby restaurants by checking online menus? Could you offer to cook for them some nights rather than eating out all the time? And surely if you are staying someone, then a decent share of breakfasts/snacks/drinks/lunches will be taken at home, much more cheaply than having everything out?

Have spent time in Boston. You’ll be fine with £10k for a family of 5 inc £3k flights and a few pricey restaurants. Budget £12k if you think it’ll help you relax more but I’d expect you to be surprised that you’ll return with change even with the increase in prices. Have a great time!

We’ve recently been to US so the three kids albeit West coast rather than East.

We found eating out a bit more expensive than nice restaurants in England. It’s very much in your control though - just like England, there’s a whole range of restaurants, the kids could have kids meals rather than adult portions, we generally just had a main course and shared desserts, or wandered to an ice cream shop afterwards.

Have a look on Tripadvisor for some restaurants local to where you’re staying - many will have menus online and that will give you the best idea.

tipping was generally 20% for table service.

Absolutely all of that common sense stuff we have done/ are doing.

I’m just after the experience of people who have recently been to the area as a family and how much they spent doing touristy things and eating out etc. We’ll defo be eating out a fair bit. A main meal or a sizeable snack most days as well as shop bought and meals at our friends.

DH and I were in NYC Nov ‘25 for a few days and it was a lot more than London now. $80 for two for breakfast/ brunch in pleasant but simple eateries. $150 for 2 for main meal out with sides and one soft/ one alcoholic drink each. Midrange not high end restaurants.

I go to London a fair bit and in comparable restaurants to the ones we are in in NYC it’s a lot cheaper.

I’d been hoping maybe Boston tad cheaper but it’s not. So that’s super useful to know a year in advance.

Looks on the whole it will all work out fine so that’s good.

Great, thanks 😊