1. I enjoy seeing new places, so we just switched from anything requiring flights to driving or even daytrips. In the DC area we are so lucky to have so many options for daytrips if you’re motivated. Even NYC can be a (long) daytrip! Where I grew up, it was over 5hrs driving (with few different, cool things in between) before you got to another state!

2. We typically do one big, 2wk vacation/yr. Sometimes it’s an epic US roadtrip (we did one visiting a bunch of western NP) & sometimes it’s international. We did not do big trips until my youngest was 4 or so; I just was too tired/overwhelmed to plan or be game for anything before then.

Anonymous wrote:My grandparents did National Geographic.

Did NG sponsored trips (which are really expensive), or traveled vicariously through the pages of the yellow border NG magazine? My grandfather did the latter. He could certainly afford to travel, but was a child of the depression and a homebody.

Anonymous wrote:I reject the premise that international travel is more expensive than domestic travel. The US is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Yes, you have the initial expense of getting there, but if you go for longer your money will go much further.

This! And if you play the miles game, it's significantly cheaper. For example, we are flying to Romania this summer for miles + $600. Staying in cutest chalets for $60-70, a mid-range meal is $10.

I reject the premise that international travel is more expensive than domestic travel. The US is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Yes, you have the initial expense of getting there, but if you go for longer your money will go much further.