S/O of destinations that jumped the shark - has travel jumped the shark for you?

[Anonymous]

I live in a small town now and do love the feeling of being in a city again for the food and culture. But the hassle and expense is draining and I’m feeling less inclined to make the effort.

[Anonymous]

Atlantis
Iceland
Key west

[Anonymous]

I hate all crowds. I love not working. I love travel as long as I can avoid crowds.

[Anonymous]

It isn't necessarily travel, you just aren't pursuing activities you enjoy.

I'm a very hike/swim/bike person, so my personal Ireland highlight was a long hike. Museums are okay but it's not going to be my main focus on a trip. A bus tour would be a nightmare for me.

But there are people who are the exact opposite of me.

So sit down and think through what you want out of a trip. Do you want to sit on a beach and read? Do you want to climb a mountain? Do you want to take a train somewhere? Do you want to see a famous artwork?

[Anonymous]

For the record, it’s completely ok to not be into traveling, even if only temporarily. It’s turned into something you just supposed to love and show off, even if you’re not on social media. It’s pervaded the culture, especially post-Covid.

You might just want to embrace the comforts of home for a while. Maybe forever. Traveling is not required, even if you’re wealthy. Do what you want to do, be who you want to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all subjective.

Some love to travel, others love to stay put. Some want to relax on a beach while others want to explore. Figure out what makes you happy and just do it.

Fwiw, Ireland can be a bit of a let down. It’s very Americanized and much of it lacks the obvious charm you see in other European destinations. Add bad weather on top of it and I can easily see why anyone could be disappointed.

Others have pointed out disappointment with crowds, cost, heat, hassles, and grumpy kids. This is why a lot of us take easy vacations when traveling with kids and save the trips we are dying to take until the kids have launched. Heck, I know several older women who travel exclusively with their gal pals because their husbands aren’t interested in traveling the way these fun women are.

Figure out what would make you happy and just do it.

But OP is trying to figure out if things have changed or if she has changed.
It's like all those nostalgic food threads where we try to figure out if the food tasted better or if we were just younger (it's both).
OP, same. The variables are all there underlying the sentiment. The places have changed and we have changed. Travel is simply less pleasurable for so many reasons, and we are also willing to put up with way less crap for so many reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all subjective.

Some love to travel, others love to stay put. Some want to relax on a beach while others want to explore. Figure out what makes you happy and just do it.

Fwiw, Ireland can be a bit of a let down. It’s very Americanized and much of it lacks the obvious charm you see in other European destinations. Add bad weather on top of it and I can easily see why anyone could be disappointed.

Others have pointed out disappointment with crowds, cost, heat, hassles, and grumpy kids. This is why a lot of us take easy vacations when traveling with kids and save the trips we are dying to take until the kids have launched. Heck, I know several older women who travel exclusively with their gal pals because their husbands aren’t interested in traveling the way these fun women are.

Figure out what would make you happy and just do it.

Well, yes. I don't think anyone is disputing different strokes for different folks, more that the travel that once excited me now kind of feels like a chore.

Right.

So figure out what feels like a chore and avoid it. Or just stay home if you prefer.

Fwiw we quickly discovered that traveling with a handful of young kids (including a couple picky eaters) was a lot less fun than when DH and I traveled before the kids came along. I mean, duh. So we changed the way we traveled.

Now that they are older and we’ve conditioned them to enjoy certain things, travel is easy and fun.

FTR, I’m not taking my kids to Ireland. I don’t think they’ll enjoy it, and I can’t have fun if they aren’t having fun. I really think your destination, weather, and kids played a big role in your overall experience.

Would your kids prefer a week at a beach? Do they prefer chilling out or do they need to be actively entertained? Aim for the lowest common denominator and I bet your next trip will be more enjoyable.

And if it’s money driving this, then figure out a way to feel good about your travel investment (at whatever level you deem appropriate). I just booked an impromptu trip because I found a ridiculous deal. There’s no way I’ll feel bad about this trip simply because it’s such a bargain—it’s a real high.

[Anonymous]

Travel is interesting largely due to the people who make a place feel distinctive and special. Try being that person where you live for a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all subjective.

Some love to travel, others love to stay put. Some want to relax on a beach while others want to explore. Figure out what makes you happy and just do it.

Fwiw, Ireland can be a bit of a let down. It’s very Americanized and much of it lacks the obvious charm you see in other European destinations. Add bad weather on top of it and I can easily see why anyone could be disappointed.

Others have pointed out disappointment with crowds, cost, heat, hassles, and grumpy kids. This is why a lot of us take easy vacations when traveling with kids and save the trips we are dying to take until the kids have launched. Heck, I know several older women who travel exclusively with their gal pals because their husbands aren’t interested in traveling the way these fun women are.

Figure out what would make you happy and just do it.

But OP is trying to figure out if things have changed or if she has changed.
It's like all those nostalgic food threads where we try to figure out if the food tasted better or if we were just younger (it's both).
OP, same. The variables are all there underlying the sentiment. The places have changed and we have changed. Travel is simply less pleasurable for so many reasons, and we are also willing to put up with way less crap for so many reasons.

Ok.

Yes, some people become crankier and more difficult to please as they age. Menopause makes some people legit crazy…particularly in the heat.

And traveling with a family is very different than traveling with your hot 23 year old boyfriend.

This is why your approach needs to change. While you and your hot 23 year old BF didn’t need firm plans or to be constantly entertained, your petulant tweens probably do.

Tell us your ideal vacation and maybe we can help beyond pointing out the obvious (that perhaps you have changed as you’ve aged…and that you might be less fun, flexible, and easy to please).

[Anonymous]

Paris for sure. It’s completely ruined now.

Scotland in the summer. Most of Italy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate all crowds. I love not working. I love travel as long as I can avoid crowds.

I don’t mind crowds if they are for music or sporting events. What I can’t stand is hordes of tourists at once charming markets, bumbling idiots who can’t figure out public transport in an easy country, waiting in line to eat, etc. I’m just old and curmudgeonly now I guess. When I was younger and I traveled, I traveled light and very much stayed quiet and assimilated as much as possible. With a family, we just feel like bumbling idiots (mostly my spouse and one of my kids is like this) so I cringe and think we’ll stay stateside for a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paris for sure. It’s completely ruined now.

Scotland in the summer. Most of Italy.

We went this year and still enjoyed it. The key was taking private tours though. I knew to go into with realistic expectations. It’s not the same vibe of when I first visited with DH/my then boyfriend.

[Anonymous]

This topic is becoming the original topic.

[Anonymous]

I'm not there yet, but I can foresee a time I could be, which 10 or 20 years ago was unthinkable. I think what happens is when you're younger the cost is only money and vacation time, which were plentiful enough at the time.

Now the cost is more money because it's the whole family, two people's vacation time which feels way more limited with a family even if you technically have more, routines, events or relationships at home like helping elderly parents, not sleeping as well, headaches or other physical issues.

Plus watching my parents, I'm aware that time is running out, not just for travel but for any other goals or dreams you have. Everything you do has a cost of something else you may never get to do. That may have felt especially not worth it for a country you've been to before.

I'm not over travel but my list of must sees is smaller than it used to be because of running it through the filter of the whole list of things I actually value.

I also have a different view of safety and did some more adventurous (aka risky) things on long ago trips that I'd never do now.

[Anonymous]

I feel this way about cities. It’s always the same — restaurants, bars, churches, museums, architecture, shopping. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world these are the things to do. It’s started to feel monotonous to me. At this point I prefer nature focused trips. And sometimes an all inclusive resort that’s easy and keeps my kids busy.