How much do you like to travel/vacation?

[bczoom]

Mrs. zoom is going all out. Myself, I'm more of a homebody but will go on some.

We're retired, healthy and have the finances to do it but I just like staying home. She likes to travel so I'm good with letting her adventure.

In the 12-month period starting last fall, her/our travel has been or will be:
3 Caribbean cruises. I went on none.
Monthly trips to Florida. We have a place there. I go once in awhile.
A week on the Gulf of Mexico. Not me.
A week on the Carolina shores. Maybe I'll go.
A week in California. Nope, not for me.
A week in South Dakota. I'll be going.
A week in Yellowstone. I'll be going.

So, she spends around 20-26 weeks (nearly half the year) on vacation and traveling. I just can't (or don't want to) do it.

Should I adventure as much as she does or just stay comfortable at home?

What do you like?

 

[FrancSevin]

Mrs. zoom is going all out. Myself, I'm more of a homebody but will go on some.

We're retired, healthy and have the finances to do it but I just like staying home. She likes to travel so I'm good with letting her adventure.

In the 12-month period starting last fall, her/our travel has been or will be:
3 Caribbean cruises. I went on none.
Monthly trips to Florida. We have a place there. I go once in awhile.
A week on the Gulf of Mexico. Not me.
A week on the Carolina shores. Maybe I'll go.
A week in California. Nope, not for me.
A week in South Dakota. I'll be going.
A week in Yellowstone. I'll be going.

So, she spends around 20-26 weeks (nearly half the year) on vacation and traveling. I just can't (or don't want to) do it.

Should I adventure as much as she does or just stay comfortable at home?

What do you like?

I am with you.

We seldom go on long vacations tending to do 3 and 4 day weekends.
For a while, Crumpy went alone to Connecticut to visit grandchildren 3 to four weeks at a time, at least twice a year. I sometimes joined her.
I took virtually no time off for travel in the last 20 years or so. Pre 2000, a whole nuther matter. But then, we worked for other people and got paid vacation time.

 

[bczoom]

I am with you.

You're with me about staying home?

As noted, the Mrs likes to travel. Myself, I'm looking to buy another house and renovating it as my hobby/spare time activity.

 

[Ross 650]

During my working days I travelled every week. This lasted about 30 years. I would leave on Monday with 5 folders which usually meant 5 different states and be home late Friday. I made it to most states, Italy, Canada and Saudi. I have sure had enough travel. Now days I am happy to sit on the porch, smoke a cigar, have a brew, and work cross word puzzles. All that travel also cost me 4 wives. Maybe it wasnt all that bad!!!!

 

[pirate_girl]

I've seen enough of the US, Europe and Britain to last me a lifetime, both as a kid and an adult.

 

[Doc]

We rented an ocean front condo in North Myrtle Beach for a month. In less than two weeks I was home sick. I had had enough. So I guess I lean more to BC's side. Your wife travels way to much for my liking. The Navy helped me see a lot of Europe and SE Asia. I've visited some Caribbean islands and find I prefer East coast US beaches. I also love visiting the Smokey Mountains Tennessee NC Blue Ridge Parkway, all within a days drive of me. I enjoy a little get away every 4 to 6 months and that's enough for me.

 

[FrancSevin]

You're with me about staying home?

As noted, the Mrs likes to travel. Myself, I'm looking to buy another house and renovating it as my hobby/spare time activity.

Yes.
The wife liked to travel but both of us lately, not so much.

 

[Oxtagon]

Mrs. zoom is going all out. Myself, I'm more of a homebody but will go on some.

We're retired, healthy and have the finances to do it but I just like staying home. She likes to travel so I'm good with letting her adventure.

In the 12-month period starting last fall, her/our travel has been or will be:
3 Caribbean cruises. I went on none.
Monthly trips to Florida. We have a place there. I go once in awhile.
A week on the Gulf of Mexico. Not me.
A week on the Carolina shores. Maybe I'll go.
A week in California. Nope, not for me.
A week in South Dakota. I'll be going.
A week in Yellowstone. I'll be going.

So, she spends around 20-26 weeks (nearly half the year) on vacation and traveling. I just can't (or don't want to) do it.

Should I adventure as much as she does or just stay comfortable at home?

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It sounds like you and your wife have found a balance that works for both of you. It's great that she has the freedom to explore and travel as much as she likes, while you enjoy the comfort of home. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to adventure versus relaxation. If you're content with the occasional trip and spending most of your time at home, there's no need to force yourself to travel more. It's all about what makes you happy. Maybe you could explore smaller, local adventures or hobbies at home that keep you engaged while she’s away. What do others think?

 

[bczoom]

We just got back from a 8 day vacation, traveling through Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
Main focus was Yellowstone, Tetons and Cody. Had a great time.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Spent a large part of my working life away from home and traveling internationally. It holds no pleasure for me, especially if flying is involved. I still like to get away for short periods, either on car trips or in the motorhome, but generally I like being at the house and piddling around the place. I have no plans to be outside the USA ever again.
My wife also traveled a lot in her working life so the travel bug in her is pretty much burned out too. She does like going on cruises with her sisters and does that a couple of times a year. She also likes the motorhome. She doesn't like the traveling part but likes getting to our destination and exploring.

So, we are mainly home bodies these days with only occasional bursts of activity ... and I'm happy with that.

I'd like to mention that travel, especially internationally isn't all that safe anymore. When I was in my late teens, a long time ago, I used to backpack all over Europe and didn't think anything of it. It was great fun seeing new places and meeting new people. I wouldn't even think of it anymore. It ruins it when you have to spend a lot of your time looking over your shoulder and being aware of your surroundings. What kind of vacation is that?

 

[bczoom]

I had a major OOPS.
Left home for the airport. In line to go through TSA, I reached in my pocket for my drivers license and it wasn't there?!?!? Round trip to home and back is over 2 hours so no chance of doing that. Thankfully, I was using the backpack I take everywhere so my passport was in there so I was able to board the plane.

Next foreseen problem is the car rental. I don't have my license and I'll be damned if I'm going to let my wife drive since many roads came with a sever pucker factor and we'll be driving over 1000 miles.

Called my daughter from the airport to start searching home for my license. She eventually found it in the driveway. Apparently it fell out when I was loading luggage. She sent me a pic of my license.

To my relief, every place I needed to show ID (besides TSA), including renting the car accepted the picture of my license from my phone.

 

[Doc]

I'm curious. What was your favorite of all the places you visited in the northwest?
What was your least favorite?

 

[bczoom]

Favorites
Yellowstone and Tetons are "must see" in your lifetime if you can. The parks are side-by-side so go see both.
Yellowstone is incredibly interesting with everything going on. The park is around 2,500 square miles but you can hit the highlights in 3 days. Make sure your legs are in shape. You'll be doing a lot of walking on hilly terrain.

Tetons may be the prettiest place in the USA.

I took a new route into Yellowstone, via the Beartooth highway. The roads and views are incredible. Click here for pics.

beartooth highway at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

We made a 2-day side trip to go to Cody Wy. Town is named after and has a strong focus on William Cody (Buffalo Bill). Last time I was there, it was a quaint little town with plenty of history. I think the town has at least tripled in size in the last 15 years (since my last visit). It's more commercialized which is disappointing but the Museum has also tripled in size making it worthwhile to visit. A huge gun museum section focusing on older guns is a highlight. Link to museum.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West | Cody, Wyoming

Discover the rich history of the American West at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, WY. Explore our museum and experience the Wild West.

centerofthewest.org

Not favorites
The Cody Rodeo used to be fantastic. The clowns would have everyone laughing and entertained for hours. Now the clowns barely talk and they just blare music instead. That was VERY DISAPPOINTING. We spent big bucks to stay in Cody just so we can spend the night at the rodeo and get great entertainment. We should have just went to the aforementioned museum then got out of town.

Everything is beautiful out there but things I DIDN'T LIKE
It's tourist country. Be prepared to pay double or triple for everything.
They don't seem to allow any national chains in their area (especially around Yellowstone). I saw one McDonalds and no other chains for about 100 miles.
Hotel rooms for a mediocre hotel are around $300/night.
Local grocery stores charge $50 for a case of Miller Lite. Hamburger and fries are around $20.

Jackson/Jackson Hole WY used to be a quaint but ritzy down (think Aspen CO). It's gotten too expensive, crowded and commercialized. The plus is that it had a couple actual stores (Albertson's grocery and Target) so we could stock up but we were in and out of there as fast as we could.

NEUTRAL
We did about 100 mile drive through eastern Idaho. For great scenery, you need to go more to the west. 2-lane roads that were in kind of rough condition but the scenery was nice if you want to see wheat fields as far as you can see and millions of $ worth of combines and related ready to go.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Incredibly beautiful pictures.

We did Yellowstone and the Tetons quite a few years ago and it was an amazing trip. I didn't even know about the Beartooth Highway. That would have just made an amazing trip even more amazing.

I'm sorry to hear you tell what has happened to Cody and Jackson. I suppose that some would call it progress. I wouldn't but some might.

 

[Doc]

Thanks for the informative write up and the amazing pics BC.

 

[tommu56]

I' living in my vacation spot in the Grand Canyon of Pa.
Vacationed here for decades when the plant I was working at closed I got a job up here and haven't looked back.
My only trips home was for my sisters funeral, and my grandson's cancer treatment in CHOP in Philly.
It has to be some thing major for me to go back to the traffic and idiot people down there.
I've become one of the old guy's living in the hollar.