Good question! I had never been until I was out of college but before I was married. I went to Italy and I couldn't believe I had never gone with my parents! I am sure it's because of the $ but after booking a vacation with my family of four and driving 8 hours to spend 2 weeks at the beach, I swear I would have spent less on a well-planned trip to Europe.
My parents used to travel overseas a lot, and they never even said how much I would love it, or you have to see the world, nothing! I kind of felt cheated
I have promised myself that my kids will travel overseas and see the world

My parents live abroad, we got married abroad. My husband grew up in a family with very little money so it wasn't till college and afterwards that he was able to travel on his own (live and work abroad). For our wedding my parents offered to pay for everything for his parents and sisters, since we knew it would be a big expensive and I didn't want to change my wedding plans because of them. All they had to do was get passports. It wasn't that they couldn't afford the passports bc my bitch ass MIL called and said she had just bought a 60 inch tv and couldn't didn't have the money for the trip. Amazing. In her case I think it's that she doesn't like to be far from home for fear

cost.

People saying it's expensive doesn't know what they're talking about!

1. Parents didn't have the money to travel abroad when I was a kid.
2. I didn't have the money as a college student and my parents didn't have the money
3. Got a low paying job out of college and didn't have money to travel (nor vacation time outside of visiting my parents a couple times a year.)
4. Got married and went to grad school (no extra money outside of visiting family.)
5. Had kids
6. Have young kids and would rather travel when it will be fun for everyone.

I have a close friend from college who is highly educated, makes a lot of money, and does go on vacations--but has never been abroad. Occasionally she'll talk about it but has never followed through. Ultimately, I think it's just a case of ethno-centric standards--no matter where she went, she'd feel uncomfortable about different standards in service, cleanliness, etc. to the point that it would ruin her trip. She's been to NY and DC but hates them because of what she perceives as rudeness, etc. I'm sure if she actually did go to Italy (she talks about it) she'd hate it because the food isn't like Olive Garden, the service sucks, the hotels are old crap, crazy drivers, etc.

Personally I travel a lot, but I hear from people who don't that it's money. I think they don't quite realize the costs. A first-time issue of a passport is $135 for adults and it's good for 10 years. Tickets can be found on sale to places like London or Paris for not much more than a flight from DC to California. (The prices will be higher once you get there though, due to a weak US dollar.)

I think the major reason is that there's already so much to see within the US. You have the entire range of climates, from mountains to deserts and everything in between. There are also cultural differences between the regions, while at the same time there's a secure sense of familiarity.

1. Money
2. Overwhelming for some people. While others look at it as an adventure for others it freaks them out to be in a country with different currency, different language, etc.

No one in my family except me and my sister have passports. The rest of them would really like to travel abroad, but passports are expensive and international travel is more expensive still. I am pretty sure that is the only reason, though. If they received a massive check tomorrow, they would all get passports and go to Ireland.

I am terrified of flying, I would need to be drugged.

Can't afford it.

Terrible motion sickness.

No opportunity.

Don't like adventure--homebody.

money and time and distance.

1. it costs a shitload to fly to Europe with kids.
2. this is a big country. flying to Hawaii or Alaska is a very big trip, as is flying to the west coast or to florida from the east coast or the northeast. pretty much the same as someone from the UK going to Greece on holiday.
3. unfortunately, americans get little vacation time.

Some people aren't interested. Some people can't afford it. What else could there be, OP?

Some people don't have the money to travel.

If you have never been out of the country, what's the reason? Just curious and looking for an interesting discussion....