What % of your gross annual income do you spend on vacations?

[Max Power]

Less than 1%. Probably a lot less. Too little to include in a budget.

Same here. I don't get the travel thing.
I am not saving for material goods, but I am def saving and investing to free my time for hobby and not working on a schedule.
Recreation? For sure, but that doesn't cost much. A National Parks pass is $100, camping is $20/night most places.

Every place has some form of rocks, trees, water... what's the big deal? There are plenty of places and trails and parks to see right in your own town, county, state or neighbor states. Especially in the internet age with tons of pictures and videos, there is no need to go to the ends of the Earth to see various rivers or art or mountains or forests when they are just a short drive away also.

If I rarely leave USA, I usually do the places that are slam dunk to be a good time since they are popular: Jamaica, Bahamas, cruise ports of Mediterranean, Aus/NZ, Hawaii (basically international with costs+planning), etc. You know they are ready to entertain in those spots, feature much dining, and built to give the good experience since that's their industry. I usually stick to the mid or high end all-inclusives. The places less traveled are that way for a reason.

WCI was spot-on when he said the customs, the airports, cancellations, etc are more and more of a drag. Once you've done it, you want less and less of it. I also don't like the foreign language thing if I have the choice to skip it (ie, London vs Paris). I think the people who really really love travel must be trying to escape something?

[StarTrekDoc]

A lot of travel is about expanding one's cultural experience and knowledge.

[Kamban]

Same here. I don't get the travel thing.

Every place has some form of rocks, trees, water... what's the big deal? There are plenty of places and trails and parks to see right in your own town, county, state or neighbor states. Especially in the internet age with tons of pictures and videos, there is no need to go to the ends of the Earth to see various rivers or art or mountains or forests when they are just a short drive away also.

If I rarely leave USA, I usually do the places that are slam dunk to be a good time since they are popular: Jamaica, Bahamas, cruise ports of Mediterranean, Aus/NZ, Hawaii (basically international with costs+planning), etc. You know they are ready to entertain in those spots, feature much dining, and built to give the good experience since that's their industry. I usually stick to the mid or high end all-inclusives. The places less traveled are that way for a reason.

WCI was spot-on when he said the customs, the airports, cancellations, etc are more and more of a drag. Once you've done it, you want less and less of it. I also don't like the foreign language thing if I have the choice to skip it (ie, London vs Paris). I think the people who really really love travel must be trying to escape something?

I am glad that there are people like you who like this sort of thing ( I mean that genuinely, not sarcastically). It means there there are a wide variety of tourism choices for all rather than all chasing a few.

The thing and places you mentioned horrify me. Once in Bahamas was enough. Once on a cruise was a good education that I was nor born to cruise those mega-ships. One all in one inclusive made me realize that it was not for me. I liked Australia but the highlight was the red interior and not Sydney.

I have no problem enhancing my Spanish, try some broken foreign language or just use some sign language of waving my hands to communicate. I never had a problem with customs and coming in is a breeze with Global Entry. But you are right - we are trying to escape something - the boredom of same old, same old here in USA ( excepting the national parks)

[bovie]

...I don't get the travel thing...

Every place has some form of rocks, trees, water... what's the big deal? There are plenty of places and trails and parks to see right in your own town, county, state or neighbor states. Especially in the internet age with tons of pictures and videos, there is no need to go to the ends of the Earth to see various rivers or art or mountains or forests when they are just a short drive away also.

...The places less traveled are that way for a reason.

This should be the mission statement for those who "don't get the travel thing."

[Max Power]

... the boredom of same old, same old here in USA ...

Boring people get bored.

You can't take a vacation from yourself. Well...

[Tim]

I like a few material possessions but value travel a lot. As a percentage I spent much more on travel early in life as a resident in UK and US. But later in life I have spent the same percentage or less but much more dollars since my income and /or net worth increased. I recently have had sticker shock on how much hotel prices and airfares have increased in 2022. It would not surprise me if I start to spend 100K or more in travel from next year onwards.

https://youtu.be/rXqWCeB8Vto
The Wanderer, might have to do with how you matured. Its okay.

[FIREshrink]

You have provided your own answer on why we don't travel the way Europeans do. Our profession does not allow slow travel. Except for a few who hit FI early on, most need to work till age 65. Kids and other family issues get in the way. The culture of taking a year off to travel before college or after college and before a job is not a rite of passage in USA.

Two other points

USA is vast. The European countries are small in comparison. If you exclude European Russia, the rest of Europe may not even be half the size of USA. Many countries are like our states in size. It was as easy to go to another European country like we go from one state to another.

USA is isolated by two big oceans. Getting to and getting out require flying for the vast majority and that is expensive. The only things you can do by land is go to our 51st state, or go south of the border to the beaches. And for us to fly to Europe is like for the Europeans to come to USA for vacation. Many in UK go to the cheap beaches of Spain and Portugal for a getaway for cheap booze and partying. They don't do much in way of cultural trips. Years ago, when I mentioned to the nurses there that I was going to NYC, they looked at me with a strange and puzzled look. Some were envious that I could do this trip to such a far away place. Many older folk in Northern England had not even gone to London, let along abroad. You get a tinted glass view about Europeans and travel when you hear about stories of young Scandinavians going to Thailand. The reality is different for the vast majority.

But aren't we on this board also the "elite"? So why are we allowing ourselves to be gouged for a bespoke six day experience ? Rather than truly traveling? I don't claim to have discovered anything new under the sun, I was just struck by some of the comments plans and dreams here, running faster and faster and spending ever more insane amounts of money for ever more rareified trips in ever shorter amounts of time, all while calling ourselves among the wealthiest people in the history of humankind. Time is in much shorter supply than money and spending more money does not, at some point, compensate for not having enough time.

I am also speaking from personal frustration, trying to plan an international trip this summer, trying to squeeze so much into ten or twelve days and just not having the time. It's crap.

[wideopenspaces]

Definitely not elite though some of those I've met are college grads. But they absolutely have a different approach to work-life balance and that means they mostly have jobs as opposed to careers. Interestingly many have found a way to monetize their passions online, they're not getting rich but they can make a little side income to support their explorations - online tutoring, YouTube channels, vlog/blog, etc. Very small timey stuff, no one has hundreds of thousands of subscribers, but they can make a little money and of course - no kids.

The big difference is they don't view travel as a plug and play experience that you buy full price off the shelf, and squeeze into your "real life". Travel is real life.

I'll be honest, I love my real life where I am needed and wanted and rooted in connection with my children. Sure I like to go on vacation but I'm always happy to get back to my routine and real life! I wouldn't want some bohemian life where I ran around from place to place without any real connections to anyone. But that's why I married very young, had kids and chose the life I did. And I don't regret it. If I die now I'll be very happy with how I spent my time. I don't think the view those people you know is more "right". Like it is for them but not for me, you know? I plan to slow travel when my youngest finishes highschool but it's going to be a poor substitute for these years I have loved having my little ones at home with me. It's just who I am.

[Max Power]

I'll be honest, I love my real life where I am needed and wanted and rooted in connection with my children. Sure I like to go on vacation but I'm always happy to get back to my routine and real life! ...

Correct.

"I am not much an advocate for traveling, and I observe that men run away to other countries because they are not good in their own, and run back to their own because they pass for nothing in the new places. For the most part, only the light characters travel. Who are you that have no task to keep you at home?" -RWE

[xraygoggles]

A lot of travel is about expanding one's cultural experience and knowledge.

Yep.

You travel to get exposed to new cultures, people, food, languages, sights/sounds/smells, et al. It gives you differing perspectives, and opens your mind.

[Anne]

I think it’s funny how certain people can use something like whether or not someone likes to travel or not as a basis for character judgement.

I love travel. Am I escaping something? I don’t know, maybe American provincialism? Travel is not always for pure hedonistic enjoyment. It’s often a challenge. It’s also a skill, and like many skills it’s more difficult to master the older you are. I don’t like long airplane rides, whether in first class or economy, but I don’t travel for the airplane ride. I do it because I want to see the world from a different point of view. It’s taught me that people are essentially the same everywhere, but there are ways of living that are more in tune with my values than the standard American way of life. It’s made me more tolerant. But I completely get not enjoying travel and preferring to be home, because i also love being at home and in my routine. But I don’t get insulting people because they like things you don’t. Especially when physicians do it, you would think physicians would have a higher level of understanding regarding different strokes for different folks.

[Tim]

The EU requires a minimum of 4 weeks vacation.
Big tendency to take every day and acceptable to take them in bunches.

The US basically starts at 2 weeks vacation. Big tendency to make long weekends around holidays and a straight 2 weeks is discouraged. After 5 years 3 weeks, 10 years 4 weeks. And the culture actually encourages forfeiting unused vacation.

Cultural differences definitely play a big part. To get 2 weeks approved, I was required to hold a daily staff meeting online every other day while on vacation (out of the country). Just in case.
This was a company that treated employees well. My wife had a phone call at 9 am on New Years Day. I was appalled. The “boss” simply felt he had somethings he wanted her to get the next week. Vacation in the US is owner/company policy. Not near as much the employee, at the convenience of the employer.

[Kamban]

But aren't we on this board also the "elite"? So why are we allowing ourselves to be gouged for a bespoke six day experience ? Rather than truly traveling? I don't claim to have discovered anything new under the sun, I was just struck by some of the comments plans and dreams here, running faster and faster and spending ever more insane amounts of money for ever more rareified trips in ever shorter amounts of time, all while calling ourselves among the wealthiest people in the history of humankind. Time is in much shorter supply than money and spending more money does not, at some point, compensate for not having enough time.

I am also speaking from personal frustration, trying to plan an international trip this summer, trying to squeeze so much into ten or twelve days and just not having the time. It's crap.

I cannot quit my solo practice to suddenly do a 6 month slow travel. Other people's income depend on my production. I need to keep up with hosp privileges and insurances. Most importantly I have to take care of the patients who put their trust in me. Yes, they would like me to rest and rejuvenate, maybe for 2-3 weeks but not 3-6 months.

The other thing is that I get bored after being on the road for 3 weeks. Especially if it is a multi-city, multi-nation jaunt. Every palace, museum and church starts to look the same. I want to come home to familiar surroundings. I don't want to live abroad for a month or two or more. I just want to travel, see, interact and come back to USA. And since I have money and can afford to spend, why not spurge during those 3 weeks.

[FIREshrink]

It gives you differing perspectives, and opens your mind.

That's what some people are opposed to.

[medicoFIRE]

The answers on this site won’t be representative of physicians as a whole. People on this forum tend to scrimp and save more than spend outlandishly. Some people enjoy saving money and investing- almost like a hobby and it provides them enjoyment. They like to watch their bank accounts and portfolios rise. Nothing wrong with that. Also nothing wrong with people that like to rent a house on the beach for their family and drop 20k in a week in the process. I’m probably somewhere in between. I’m definitely not interested in only pursuing spartan vacations fishing/hiking but I also enjoy those things and do partake in them. I also don’t mind spending 10k on a trip to Tuscany to enjoy some wine and explore other cultures. Not sure why people like to judge others for wanting to spend money on travel.

“Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.” ~ Carl Jung

As per Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, “Although our conscious minds are avoiding our own flaws, they still want to deal with them on a deeper level, so we magnify those flaws in others.”

“When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself.” ~ Earl Nightingale

Human behaviour specialist Dr John Demartini refers to this phenomenon as “self-righteous” and “self-wrongeous.”