Where do upper middle class families go on vacation?

[Anonymous]

Disney world, Hawaii, skiing out west, Caribbean islands, nice cruises (I will only go on celebrity or small cruise lines), the occasional international trip since kids are small, california, maine, and family vacation homes in Vermont and Miami. UMC go everywhere and just generally stay in nice hotels, though sometimes the people we see at hotels we splurge on make us feel like they’re really only intended for the uber wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To a beach house they own. But they don't call it "vacation" there. They also do trips to Caribbean, Grand Canyon, Disney World.

We don’t go to our beach house for vacation. We use it for weekend getaways. Vacation is Caribbean, skiing out west, international trips.

We are doing 2 weeks in Europe this summer and have Costa Rica planned for winter break instead of the typical Carribean we usually do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To a beach house they own. But they don't call it "vacation" there. They also do trips to Caribbean, Grand Canyon, Disney World.

We don’t go to our beach house for vacation. We use it for weekend getaways. Vacation is Caribbean, skiing out west, international trips.

We are doing 2 weeks in Europe this summer and have Costa Rica planned for winter break instead of the typical Carribean we usually do.

You are not upper middle class. You are wealthy.

We go camping and maybe a trip every 3-4 years.

[Anonymous]

We go to N.Myrtle Beach for a week. Maybe a long weekend for a kids travel sport. That's it. We are saving to retire at 55.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beach trip - outer banks, Maine, Rehoboth, cape cod, Kiawah, Hilton head

Winter break - ski or somewhere tropical

Spring break - Florida, Mexico, Caribbean

Summer - maybe Europe, national parks

We just stay at nicer places when our income increased.

I consider this upper class not upper middle.

We are upper middle (makes about gross about $270k/yr) and take 2 vacations
one ski trip and one summer vacation- national park/Canada, hawaii, gave up on local beaches.

I don't know, we're at about 240K per year, and everything the OP lists are places we have been. We take one or two vacations a year, and just stay at reasonably budget minded airbnbs and hotels.

I meant more the 4 trips a year thing. The only people I know who travel/fly/take big trips for every break are more upper class.

Ah, ok, gotcha. When I first read it, I thought the OP meant those were examples of different kinds of vacations. Not that they went on all four in the same year. But re-reading, I see how you read it.

I always wonder where the upper class people, who presumably are working so hard to make the money they make, get the time to go on four or more vacations a year?

We are UC (or upper upper middle in dcum land). Our hhi is >1M but we both work), dh is a biglaw partner (can take “as much” time off as he wants as long as he gets his work done), I run a nonprofit and work from anywhere but make my own schedule.

[Anonymous]

Kennebunkport and Hyannis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: What are some go-to places for UMC?

So, are you a Russian spy? If not, why are you asking this weird question in this way?

[Anonymous]

I grew up UMC (dad a doctor, mom a teacher, attended private school) and we camped or did national parks, Niagra Falls, drove to visit family for our vacations. When with family, did extending camping or canoeing trips. Never did Disney or resorts or cruises. Oh, one year we rented a cabin in the Poconos and skied, and that was nice, but we aren't really a skiing family so it was just the once.

As a young adult on my own and with DH I did some foreign travel. Now we are raising two kids UMC and we still like to camp, stay in cabins in the woods, drive to visit family, and go to the beach. Ocean City MD is great. I recently went to a very high-end beach resort for a work conference and loathed it. Not my scene at all. There was a dress code just to be in the hallway. No thanks.

Everyone always raises an eyebrow when we say we're going to Ocean City and not Rehoboth but honestly it's great. I guess we will try Rehoboth some year to see if we're missing something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those criticizing the one week trips overseas, have you tried it? My kid is barely affected by time change. Not everyone has the flexibility to take more than one week off at a time.

It’s just so far to schlep for so little time!

It’s funny because I feel that about people’s trips involving long drives. People who drive to the Cape or Maine for the week - I can fly to Lisbon or Paris in that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those criticizing the one week trips overseas, have you tried it? My kid is barely affected by time change. Not everyone has the flexibility to take more than one week off at a time.

It’s just so far to schlep for so little time!

It’s funny because I feel that about people’s trips involving long drives. People who drive to the Cape or Maine for the week - I can fly to Lisbon or Paris in that time.

I totally agree. I think it doesn’t seem worth a long drive to go to a house that is inferior to my own home for a week. We still do it to hang out with friends or family but I much prefer flying to another country. It is the same time to fly vs drive to the outer banks, Kiawah, cape cod, etc. I especially was unimpressed with Kiawah.

[Anonymous]

Anywhere they want. They've got the $$$.

[Anonymous]

Our HHI just went over 500k this past year, but I don't feel like it's worth it to take my young kids on big overseas trips (we're West coast). This summer we're going to Alaska, next winter we're going to Florida. We've had great vacations in San Diego and Hawaii with the kids, and some local weekend trips, but most of our time off is spent visiting family. We might go to Europe in a few years when my youngest is at least 6, but I'm not good with jetlag so it would be a longer trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go to N.Myrtle Beach for a week. Maybe a long weekend for a kids travel sport. That's it. We are saving to retire at 55.

Can you walk me through this? When you’re 55, what are you gonna do for 30-35 years of retirement? Wouldn’t you prefer to travel a little more now and make those memories while your kids still live with you and just retire at like 60, 62, 63? I get saving but why exchange all those memories and experiences for 5 more years of an already VERY long retirement ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those criticizing the one week trips overseas, have you tried it? My kid is barely affected by time change. Not everyone has the flexibility to take more than one week off at a time.

It’s just so far to schlep for so little time!

It’s funny because I feel that about people’s trips involving long drives. People who drive to the Cape or Maine for the week - I can fly to Lisbon or Paris in that time.

Lisbon and Paris are significantly closer than where the PP mentioned they go for a week—Morocco and Argentina.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our HHI just went over 500k this past year, but I don't feel like it's worth it to take my young kids on big overseas trips (we're West coast). This summer we're going to Alaska, next winter we're going to Florida. We've had great vacations in San Diego and Hawaii with the kids, and some local weekend trips, but most of our time off is spent visiting family. We might go to Europe in a few years when my youngest is at least 6, but I'm not good with jetlag so it would be a longer trip.

You are upper class.