Holidays. Are they important to you ?

I love travelling abroad but have noticed how much more expensive it is these days. We used to go abroad several times a year and would have already gone out to the Canaria by this time. But with our grown family struggling and needing help and bargain holiday prices no longer available, plus the cost of insurance at our ages, it is unlikely we will manage to go away more than once this year and that might be in this country, I know can be expensive holidaying here as well but we should be able to manage a few days rather than a week.
Is a bit depressing really.

Holidays aren't that important to me now. I've had a lot of holidays and seen many places. I tend to do short breaks these days which I find enough and I want to explore more of the UK rather than go abroad.
It cut out the airport faffing too.

I think that's true of us too Babs.Despite our DCs having good iobs and working hard they are finding things tough at the moment. Childcare is so expensive- hence we help out when we can.And one DD has split from her partner. Not for want or trying to make things work, and ultimately will be much better, but we want to help her financially evn though she hasnt asked.So I think that influences my ability to feel as carefree or even bothered about holidays.Sometimes when you feel everyone else is booking their next cruise,city break, long winter sunshine break you feel in the minority. When reality is were lucky to even have a holiday.And many have it far worse.

My late DH hated holidays. He worked away, often abroad and wanted to spend his ‘holidays’ at home with his dogs. He had no problem me going anywhere with the children, but it was difficult with kennels and he’d give as many of his colleagues time off during school holidays as possible! It was a nightmare trying to organise anything around him. His last family holiday was 1992 to Florida! He agreed to go to New York with me in ‘08 and ‘10 and we did a Nile cruise in ‘15.

Now, I’m on my own and I can’t get enough holidays in, given my age (74). So, 2 a year with a friend, 1 with DD2 and 1 with SisinL. Looking forward to this years travels.

No more holidays for me - my travelling companions are not well and will only travel with their family/children in case of a medical emergency.
Besides, I have seen most of what I wanted to see. Now, happy to stay in the comfort of my own home.

I used to have two abroad holidays most years but now I generally only fly to visit my son and his family. Managed to get really cheap flights in May so I’m going with one of my daughters. I too hate airport delays and it’s often weather dependant that flights can land and I’ve been diverted several times which then means a 3 hr road journey. I will probably take a couple of U.K. breaks this year.

I loved going on holiday , especially abroad but now the travel insurance is ridiculously expensive , so just go in this country.

I enjoy a couple of holidays abroad a year usually one in May and one in September and then a few long weekends and breaks away in this country. I find it hard to leave my DD 2 for too long as she is a single mum with two young children and a narcissistic difficult ex. We help with childcare and it is important to me to be around to support her. I also find it difficult to leave my garden in the summer months as the watering and constant care is time consuming. I think actually I am a home bird and since covid have no inclination to do long haul any longer. Thankfully DH feels the same.

Had holidays with my parents till DM’s Alzheimers got too difficult to manage a holiday. Was always such a fuss that it put me off. Have odd days out but for a holiday would have to put my cat in a Cattery for however long & he would not like that! He is a recent adoption & seems to have had a rough time previously so will not upset him. To someone who is not an animal lover will seem silly but I would only worry about him & want to come home early! So not worried about holidays.

Yes GrannyIvy that's me too with DD.Its not just the finances .I know when we're away DD would never complain- but does need help.Some grandparents I know take the attitude not my problem but I can't feel like that.And ditto the garden !When you enjoy it it's hard to leave it untended for long periods isn't it ?

We haven’t been abroad on holiday since 2018, conscious of climate change we holiday in the UK, a couple of short breaks per year.

I've been to all the countries that I've wanted to now. I've had holidays which have been a bit disappointing either due to accommodation, other tourists, poor food or the weather. [Not all at the same time/place!].

Mostly I've enjoyed holidays in this country. But now I have no one to go with and prices [hotel or self catering] for one person are so high now anyway.

I find travelling by road or train quite stressful these days with delays and crowded roads, and hate all the rigmarole at airports. So I'm ok to being in the comfort of my own home and have the odd days out, which I enjoy as I can be on the south coast in a couple of hours. I enjoy every day at home anyway....I don't feel any desperate need for a holiday so that's good.

Since retiring, I am not bothered about going away. When I was at work, it meant a real break, but I like being at home now.

Plus I have to do all the booking and sorting out, and I find myself fretting if we will be poorly either when we are due to go or when we are away.

DD lives in Oz, we are due to go there later this year, not having been for several years, but really don’t feel that enthusiastic, which sounds awful. We used to go annually when the GC were small, but all grown up now, all busy.

DD no longer our ‘little girl’, sometimes feel I really don’t know this forthright, capable, independent wife and mother any more, she is so much more than just ‘our daughter’.

Whereas we are now the ‘ageing parents’, who need to be entertained and looked after! The roles seem to be reversed, and it’s unsettling.

I used to go abroad a lot but now live in Brighton which has so much going on, and the big May Festival soon. I prefer to spend money on tickets for events.. and just go on actual holiday across to Wales sometimes

I’m similar, Washerwoman. I used to have seriously itchy feet, and would go anywhere. but increasingly nowadays, I really dislike the faff and hassle of airports and planes in general, especially anything more than very short haul.
I’m beginning to prefer home and my own bed to most places. And I don’t care if that makes me boring!

We have done a great deal of travelling in the past, though, inc. to several places right off the general tourist trail, so I do feel entitled to go off it now.

Dh still has itchy feet, but he’s quite happy to go off on his own, or with a brother, so that’s fine.

Glad to know I'm not alone!

I’d love to be able to go abroad this summer but unless husband makes a miraculous recovery we won’t be going. We always enjoyed our holidays and luckily always had great hotels etc.

My daughter and I did several holidays in the UK a few years ago but none of the hotels matched up to those abroad. We didn’t feel we got value for money and most were dated and nowhere near as clean as those abroad.

It gets harder to get travel insurance when you get older. This is quite off-putting.

For all sorts of reasons holidays can become more difficult as we get older. We too have travelled to many places over the years usually in Europe. Now with Mr J's health problems the chaos at airports and cost of travel insurance is off putting. What suits us now is usually a holiday cottage in the UK where we can come and go as we please. eat out or in as we choose. It is lovely to take in some wonderful scenery and coast and then put or feet up in a cosy cottage. It works for us.

we,ve always had our holidays in this country, the highlands of scotland,touring by car, lake district, and wales, which we have thoroughly enjoyed.we don't go anywhere now,,both in our 80's OH has alzheimers,so it's sitting under the parasol in the garden now...weather permitting..

Don’t mind if it’s just a few days. I just like time away with DH .

The OPs seems to equate holidays with holidays abroad, presumably somewhere hot and sunny, but there is much more to holidays than going abroad.

I have generally preferred to holiday in the UK. I am not a sea and sun holiday person. We do go abroad - we had a holiday home in France for over 30 years, but we prefer pottering around holidays, visiting places of interest, finding places thers do not go,

Now we consciously avoid holidays that require air travel and train is getting less easy because DH cannot handle his own luggage, but we are off to Suffold this year with all the family, whichIwill enjoy far more than jetting to the sun to spend the whole week or ten days sat in the shade on the terrace, because strong sunlight triggers my cold blisters and can give me migraine.

DH hated airports and flying so stopped wanting to go abroad not long after we retired. We always had a couple of holidays a year in this country, which suited us both, mostly driving but a few coach holidays. Now that he’s no longer with us I increasingly have no desire to go on holiday at all, but DD always tried to include me in their plans if they aren’t going abroad. I think that this year will be the last year that I accept, though. I’m happy at home, jogging around the Peak District in the car if I want a day out.

We still enjoy going abroad several times a year, but only out of school holiday times as the airports are crowded.
DH isn’t keen on long haul anymore or countries with high humidity. We’ve never been keen on beach lounging so tend to go to places with cultural and historic interest.