Holidays - familiar or new places?

We’re 67 and 70 and normally have 3 holidays a year . Long haul in the winter and Europe or the med in Early June and September. We like different places as the world is a big place . We do kept returning to Greece and Turkey but always different areas . My sister and her DH go to the same place every year, often to the same villa . They like the familiarity and that once they get there , they can relax . Although this year they said , there’s been a big building boom and prices have increased a lot . Their small quiet Greek fishing village is no longer small .

I would alternate, one year continental tried and tested and UK New, the reverse next year, you may go back somewhere and think it boring after two visits. Sometimes when I go back somewhere it can be nice to try a different hotel as that can give you a different perspective on the area. Although we all have a favourite hotel and places.

I don’t feel torn at all. I want to see new places whilst I can.

We like it so much that DH and I return to the Miramar Hotel in Puerto Pollensa every three to four years. However, I do like seeing new places too and my bucket list needs addressing as I'm now mid 70s. So it's a Norwegian Fjord cruise next year.

Close to home in Spain at the moment ..

We had to cancel our trip to the Bosphorus (Istanbul) due to the unjust war on Iran.

The northern coast of Spain ( 5 hours from Madrid ) via High Speed AVE Train or with our dear friends who have a car.

I can only go on holiday in GB and always by train with travel assistance. But I never go places I went to with my husband those memories are precious.

I love deciding new places to go . Because of disability I stay in Premier inns except when I visit my brother and sister in law and stay in a Travelodge near to the village they live in.

I don't visit the same place twice and only been going on holiday since 2024 when I didn't worry about money anymore. May went to Lancaster ,July Sleaford, August going to Lewes and September Dundee. The hotel has accessible rooms for walking and wheelchair disabled and are perfect for me . I have the meal deal in Premier inn but not at the Travelodge as I have all my meals at my brother's. Always have early check in and pay the flexi rate which is more expensive but you can cancel your booking up to 1pm on arrival day and get a full refund. If you pay standard to get full refund you have to cancel 28 days before arrival .

Already booked my room for Aberystwyth in May .

I love exploring new places and having new experiences. I go on holiday on my own and do what I want. I have meet really interesting people on trains and where I explore. Love trying new foods and non alcoholic drinks.

But I love hearing about the far flung places others visit . And things they see and do.

Every new place makes new memories.

Compromise - 1 of each type of holiday ‘

We go the same place now. We're in our 70's.
Husband is severely sight impaired and feels safer in our happy (quiet) place.
Playa honda, lanzarote

It might be good to think if there is somewhere that you have always wanted to visit, but not got round to yet. Then see if that is a practical possibility , given state of health etc. We never know when life changes and we perhaps cant manage to do as much as we could. This way, at least, you have enjoyed that special place and will have good memories to look back on, rather than regrets of never getting there.

Do you both enjoy the same thing, or might you have some hobby that you do alone and enjoy going to a few days workshop individually and then going to your favourite place together at another time.? There just might be specific one off things that you might like to accomplish, such as a glider flight or balloon flight, while you feel able to enjoy it, and you might be able to go to your favourite place and find something like that to try while you are there. Nothing gets any cheaper, and so I think it is worth going for something that is special, while you can. Again great memories.

I went to Glyndebourne many years ago, and it was an expensive treat at the time, and I was working then. I was a singer and my mother had sung all her life but never been there, so I gave her a ticket as a birthday present. Now many years later , I cant even remember what I paid for the tickets, but still have the old programme of wonderful Cosi fan Tutti, with great singers . We did the lot, went with friends , dressed up and took our picnic etc. It is still one of the standout memories of my life and an so glad that we did it I have only to look at that programme and it brings back such great memories of the day and my mum etc etc., so whether it is a day at the races, or a trip to an art gallery , whatever floats your boat will give you a happy day and wonderful things to look back on. Enjoy whatever you can

We live in London so just like to get out to the countryside sometimes, we like the South Downs and any part of Wales or the Lake Distict. We used to travel abroad a lot and did return to the South of Spain and Southern France a few times but also travelled to new places as well, but have put our passports away for now due to DHs disabilities and are happy to stay in the UK.

Now that it is I, not We, my holidays are different. I used to a lot of research to ensure suitable holidays for DH who had a number of health problems, so self- catering worked best, but he was able to drive a fair distance. We have been all over the British Isles, Ireland and France.
Now I won’t be driving long distances on my own, nor am I keen on being in remote rural areas ( with narrow lanes) so I enjoy going to small cathedral cities, for example, either by train or car, depending on distance and convenience.
I also go on coach holidays, choosing those going to places I have not been to before. Even though I go alone, it is nice to be able to chat to others about where you have been and what you liked about it.

We enjoy travel. We tend to travel in Europe.

We ski in Germany and Austria at least once a year, we also like Christmas Markets. We enjoy The Vatican as often as possible.

We like the National Parks in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. Spectacular wide open spaces, gorgeous scenery.

We travel to both loved places and new, whatever suits us.

Monica Norfolk coast is lovely. Which part of Norfolk are you going to?

I meant to add, yes we've started to return down to the west country of late, but I think I've seen a lot of the wider world, so I'm happy now to return to a personal favourite corner of England.

Right now we're holidaying in South Hams, Devon. We started off in Dartmouth for a few days and now in a hotel, practically on the beach in Salcombe. This part of the world is scenically very beautiful and although I love both Cornwall and Wales for their also ruggedly lovely coastlines, Devon's not quite so far for us. This year, we've had almost wall to wall sunshine, interspersed with sea breezes being on the coast, which makes the intense heat so much more bearable. Such a run of good weather reminds me of our many holidays we took in various coastal parts of France when the children were young. I feel fortunate because I hate, but have to expect that may be there will be gloomy, rainy bad weather in our small island, I think however this corner of England is more fortunate than other places for a warmer climate.

We've had our fill of long haul, even short haul can be a nightmare if, like me, of late I don't like the whole flying/ airport experience, and as much as I love mainland Europe, I don't envy them as to the intense temperatures they're experiencing right now. Particularly the awful fires in Spain. Although I'd never say never once the bad weather sets in we may venture further afield as I long to experience the sunshine again once the dark shorter days are upon us.

I used to wonder why people went back to the same place year after year but I understand it now and am happy to revisit some places I have been to.
Unfortunately my DD lives in Australia so we try and get there every year whilst we still can. It’s lovely when we get there although I’m not sure if I’d class it as a holiday! The journey I could do without.
Enjoy Norfolk Monica, it’s a lovely county.

We had a holiday home in France for 30 years. I loved going there, we went for short and frequent visits, it was an easy drive and ferry trip from home.

I now feel that France, specifically Normandy is my second home. I speak the language, know how life there works, I talk excellent bricolage (DIY) and converse in French in restaurants and shops. I am as at home there as I am in England.

We did, however also have one holiday a year elsewhere - either the UK, or abroad. The thing we did notice was that short trips to new countries, seemed very superficial unless you were going for something particular - going to Jordan to see Petra, going to central Asia, just as the USSR was breaking up.

For a long time now we have avoided long-haul flights. We used to travel by train, but like others train holidays are no longer practical because DH's health problems means he can no longer cope with lugging luggage around himself.

This year we are off to the Norfolk coast for a week - new to us and hope to spend a week in our beloved Normandy in September-.

I like a bit of both really. There are places we've been returning to for many years but, equally, we've tried new places too. These days I can't really face long haul flights any more and its not as though I need a break from work. My retired life is pretty leisurely.

Yes, both.
Am planning a holiday for next year as it’s been a long time since we had one.Happy to go abroad or stay in UK.

We go to familiar places now we are in our seventies. I would love to visit new destinations and I do regret not being able to see places I've always wanted to visit but my husbands has significant mobility problems so we stick to familiar hotels that I know will meet his needs.

I like new places each time, in general. Something new to see and experience.

A bit of a mix here. I find it quite difficult to go back to places I went to with DH, so I have opted for mainly new places since he died. Or familiar areas but new sites/ sights. But there are places I would like to revisit as I enjoyed them so much.
I don’t think I am going to go abroad again though.

We’ve travelled widely to most of the world’s continents, but although visited some fabulous places, we rarely go back. There are still quite a few new places on the list and diminishing years to get to them all!

A little bit of both here.

Back to close to our former family home (abroad) at least once a year.

Visit a new to us destination here and abroad once a year and all being well we’ll revisit a much loved former holiday destination.

I appreciate we are fortunate, do not take anything for granted as none of us know what is round the corner.

A bit of both would suit me best. I’m looking at perhaps a couple of city breaks next year with a friend, so maybe 5 nights to get a flavour of places. So far, apart from Florida and Spain, I’ve only done Belfast, Dublin, Paris and Berlin with my late husband. I’ve never been to Portugal so Lisbon (or wherever) might be might be our first booking.