How much on average do you spend on vacations annually?

[Germanauto]

I've prob already spent $7-8k this year. I take a 4-6 day trip every month. Planning for Pebble beach concours, NYC, and Italy before the year ends.

Chase sapphire reserve has been a good investment so far, but Priority Pass is sorta mediocre especially at LAX. Would get AMEX Plat but don't think I'd utilize a lot of their perks...

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Fuckin' eh.

Agree on the comments re. National Parks, it just feels like anywhere half decent is ABSOLUTELY SLAMMED now. Also I am too damn old to deal with camping, honestly the more this thread goes on the more and more the cottage we rent for $4K between two families for a week is absolutely ideal. Kids love it, there's fishing, kayaks, big arse rubber floaty mat, flying fox and a great fire pit. It's comfortable, low hassle, beautiful setting and kids swear by it. $2k ... done ..... why do we do anything else?

Because you're not the boss. You don't make the rules...

[Our03z4]

Originally Posted by ///d

National Parks have seen a steep rise in attendance since COVID and many had to go t oa timed entry system. It's unfortunate. It was hard enough to get campsite reservations before COVID, now it's next to impossible. Folks will book sites without even having a trip planned and without even knowing if they will go, and then never show up.

Go in November, that's when the wife and I travel. We hit quite a few NPs (10+) last year between Arizona and California and also the East Coast. We have the America the Beautiful Pass, best money saver by far. All the parks we went to we rarely saw anyone. Even the Grand Canyon was light. Key is is to get there as soon as they open the gates and during the week.

We had the Painted Desert Petrified Forest pretty much to ourselves. Also there are plenty of smaller NPs such as Montezuma Castle and Montezuma well, both very unique, and we literally had them to ourselves.

As far as camping I know in Arizona the Bureau of Land Management (they own over 60% of Arizona and quite a bit of other states) allow you to camp anywhere, for free, if you do primitive style...which is the best kind. That can be as simple as just pulling off a park road and pitching your tent. All the camp grounds are dead that time of year, if you want an actual spot. Of course some areas are closed for winter but there is still plenty to see and do...all without people!

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

Go in November, that's when the wife and I travel. We hit quite a few NPs (10+) last year between Arizona and California and also the East Coast. We have the America the Beautiful Pass, best money saver by far. All the parks we went to we rarely saw anyone. Even the Grand Canyon was light. Key is is to get there as soon as they open the gates and during the week.

We had the Painted Desert Petrified Forest pretty much to ourselves. Also there are plenty of smaller NPs such as Montezuma Castle and Montezuma well, both very unique, and we literally had them to ourselves.

As far as camping I know in Arizona the Bureau of Land Management (they own over 60% of Arizona and quite a bit of other states) allow you to camp anywhere, for free, if you do primitive style...which is the best kind. That can be as simple as just pulling off a park road and pitching your tent. All the camp grounds are dead that time of year, if you want an actual spot. Of course some areas are closed for winter but there is still plenty to see and do...all without people!

We went to Yellowstone & Grand Teton in the summer 2019 with the RV and it was horrible. We barely did anything at Yellowstone because of the insane amount of people and crowds. You couldn't even find anywhere to park to get out and look at stuff. Teton was a bit better I guess it's less popular.

Anyways in 2021 we went back on a family trip. This time we flew in but we went like mid April. It was literally the day after Yellowstone opened after winter. It was amazing! Yeah it was cold, but there was no one in the whole freaking place. We saw a ton more animals at Yellowstone than we did in the summer. Meanwhile it was kinda the opposite for Teton we saw less animals this time. Anyways these are two of my favorite places and whenever we decide to go again it will be around April when they open. I can deal with the cold, I can't deal with the bus load of people.

[M5Rick]

I remember fortnight in Playa Las Americas cost was £400 each, flights, hotel with half board.

[dscabra]

With this discussion turning to national parks and local sights, I'll toss in that my wife and I did a trip last summer from Colorado up to Wyoming and South Dakota. We visited Devil's Tower, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands National Park, and the town of Deadwood over a week. We stayed in hotels that we booked well ahead of time and I think the entire week cost us maybe $1,500. I think it is pretty cool to be able to see so much in such a concentrated area.

[TammySue]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

YOu Americans amaze me in your willingness to just walk away and move somewhere away from family.

My English husband moved away from his English (grown) children and sisters. He sees them almost as much now as he did when he lived there.