Are you constantly planning the next vacation?
 

Just thought this might be an interesting topic. It seems like I'm always looking to the next vacation. Right now we are a little low on funds and its killing me because I keep searching for a great deal to somewhere, anywhere! So even though we shouldn't spent the money right now, I keep searching! It is VERY addictive. Some days I spent 45 minutes looking at different travel sites for deals, anyone else like this?

YES!!!

45 minutes -- that's all? I spend HOURS on the computer sometimes, looking at travel stuff :)

We are going to Hawaii in August, I am surprising my husband with a long weekend in Vegas for June, my cousin and I are going to Florida in April...And I am already planning our Europe trip for April 2006, and a friend asked me today if I wanted to go to St. Martin next Feb. I want to do it all, and I spend a lot of time planning and figuring how to pay for it all!

Oh, well, I figure we should do it now because one we have kids, it will be a lot tougher!

I seem to spend almost all my spare time thinking about my next vacation, where to go, when to go, can I use my frequent flyer miles to get there, and so forth. I love looking at hotel websites. My husband thinks I'm nuts - except once we get to where we're going, he's glad I did all that.

Yes, I am a bit OCD about travel. But mune is about 90% corporate travel.
I agonize about hotel selection mostly.
:O

You are not alone....Ahhh to live on vacation...or plan...or look forward to one (or more) is what I live for.

Last year we went away a lot - 8 vacations for a week or more. This year I have 3 planned already. The other problem we have with vacation is not wanting to go home, so my husband and I ususally extend our trips on the last day until we are dying to get home. I think it is a disease :)

Not only do I love to go on vacation, but am obsessed with all travel related products.....luggage, travel sizes of my favorite products, sun tan lotions, bathing suits, well you get the idea. I have a bedroom that has been converted into a walk in closet so to speak that is filled with this stuff. I even have disneyworld/universal shoes and clothing....sooo not normal.

So while I have vacations planned, I also am constantly shopping for them. I may sound nutty, but I do have packing, dressing, travelling down to a science. I even have limo drivers, favorite restaurants, AmEx travel etc in my phonebook on my cellphone. I really have the travel bug and I love love love looking at travel websites, espically ones with 360 views of everything. I always try and get the best price as I can as well. I use AmEx points, and since we have no children, we do not have to travel during high seasons when prices are the highest.

I just feel sorry for my husband sometimes!

Yep, always planning something. Some short stays as well as long range trips farther afield. Right now it's a couple of days in New Orleans for Jazz Fest in April, a long weekend at Seaside, FL for the Wine Festival in May, a mid week visit to Callaway Gardens in July with my mom for her birthday (sh-h-h, she doesn't know yet), the month of Aug in Vermont, Naples, FL in Nov, and a cruise for Feb '06. Tentative plans for Tuscany in Sept '05, but still keeping an eye on the euro.

the planning and the anticipation is always the best part of any vacation for me; I never stop. Its' like a chess game....always planning 2 or 3 moves ahead. lotsa fun...

Yes - we usually plan at least 3 or 4 trips ahead. But it's mostly refining itinereries - if we have 12 days what or 16 days what - and picking ideal hotels. Don;t go further than that until we have dates fixed.

ALWAYS!!!!!
That is not to say I actually go on all the ones I "plan". sometimes a new roof, or the private school tuitions get in the way.
I am not happy unless I am actually researching some destination. right now I am thinking towards going to the Olympics in Italy next Winter.

Glad to know it's not just me! Right now I am working on a 1-week cruise (April/May), a 2-week trip trip to Yellowstone/Tetons in August/September and a 3-week trip to a Caribbean island in January/February 2006. We're retired, so time isn't an obstacle, but it does get expensive!!

Boy, I feel right at home with this thread. Travel and travel planning is my life! I have a folder called "upcoming travel" - if it gets too slim, I start to get antsy!

Oh yes, me too! Right now the only set vacation is Atlanta and Charleston.

But will go to Portland OR and Santa Barabara this year, just do not know when.

And did plan on going to Italy this year but think I will probably wait until 2006.

But I am always thinking and dreaming of vacations. And obviously I am not alone. But it is fun, isn't it!

Yes ~
We have not left for the Paris trip yet, I am planning some spring and summer trips. Also thinking about the fall trip.
This way I don't get depressed about staying in one place too long :D

Yes. I've always got something in the works.
-Bill

Funny! I had the same thoughts when I posted in "other topics" this thread.
Titled "addicted to travel-how much is too much?"


Author: wtggirl
Date: 02/20/2005, 08:36 pm
Message: My name is --- and I am addicted to travel. Is this a good thing? I have never regretted a minute or dollar spent on travel. I have taken my kids to see the world and have always felt the experience they have gained is well worth the sacrifice of material items they could otherwise possess. My problem is I spend money in such high proportion on travel versus anything else. I put off household repairs, new furniture, even a larger home in order to travel. We planned on putting our house on the market this spring until I realized I will be gone the most of April! I call family babysitters for my kids and even leave my husband at home because they can't travel enough to suit my desires. I always have a trip planned at all times to look forward to. Noone is starving in my home, and we live on the good side of middle class. But, when I count how much we spend to travel each year I realize we/I may be out of control. Am I obsessed? How much is too much to spend on travel? I would be interested in knowing how much others budget (percent of income per year) to travel?

Sometimes I think I spend more time researching trips than actually on them. It's like going on the trip twice!

Has anyone else here ever contacted all 50 states' travel and tourism boards and requested their standard tourism information packet? I'm like a kid in a candy store!

I also subscribe to Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, Conde Nast, Travel and Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, Oregon Coast, and Northwest Travel.

So in a word--yes.

I think I need an intervention....

Husband says I spend about 40 hours researching each hour of our vacations. I am sure his number is too low!

I am either planning a trip, deciding on a trip or actually on one--so yes, I am a travel addict. My husband and I don't go 2 days without fantasizing about some destination...if we were indepedently wealthy and didn't have to work...ahhh...

It's pretty obvious to the rest of the world that I'm travel obsessed. My sister-in-law asked me where our next trip is when I called her to say we had arrived at home safely from visiting them. People are disappointed if I dont' have something in the works and I hate to let people down ;-)

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I'm not the only one obsessed! hehe I wish I could travel as much as some of you. We are early 30's with no kids, so time off from work is an issue. We usually take a two week trip each year, along with one week around Christmas and then one or two long weekend trips. Like some of you said, sometimes planning is almost better than the trip!

Oh, and beachgirl86, there are some days I definitely spend more than 45 minutes looking, I'm just trying to curb my internet time right now.

Yes, Yes, Yes...I think the planning is just as much fun as the trip. We like to take the road less traveled, so to speak, so our trips seem to take a lot of research. We just spent the entire weekend planning a long weekend trip to Little Rock. In October we're planning on going to the Keys and then next July to Yosemite. I've got travel books, brochures, maps and just plain travel stuff everywhere.

Yes! Yes! I just came back recently from a trip and just as that trip was ending was starting to plan the next one.
Ask people about where they've been and what they liked (like hearing others' stories, like on Fodors!).
Like researching, planning, and reading about places (including historical fiction & fiction set in the area) and hunting for bargains. Enjoy dreaming of things to do and see.
Once travel plans are complete (air/hotel), enjoy the process of getting ready for the trip (activities, any equipment needed, special clothing, etc). Also frequently look for bargains for any special clothing or equipment needs for traveling (extends the pleasure even if nothing is concretely planned yet).
Am constantly squirreling away money (don't shop too much except for travel-related items) in my special travel savings account so I can go somewhere as soon as I have vacation time.
Am I obsessed with traveling? YES!

I am so glad there are others like me!!!! I am obsessed with travel and travel planning and travel related items! I love luggage and pocketbooks and totebags! I love jackets that can pop out of a pouch, etc... I like getting my new issue of Travelsmith mag. (although I haven't bought anything yet!). I do get travel catalogs and state information from everywhere. I spend a ton of time thinking about where I want to go and what my husband will cave into!! He knows I am obsessed with traveling and tries to put a cap on my trip planning. There is always something in the works. I am always juggling points for airlines and hotels. If I am not planning a trip, I feel a little depressed and I don't know if I completely enjoy the trip as much as the planning! Strange!!! I have to laugh at all of our confessions. We need to call the Fodor's Travel Chat-TAA's Travel Addicts Annynomous. Welcome!

I definitely fall into this category. Just this week I confirmed with my husband where our next family vacations will be, for Spring 2006, Summer 2006, Spring 2007 AND Spring 2008!

(We're planning, in order: Florida, Alaska cruise, Southwest and spring skiing Utah.

Definitely!!! I ALWAYS have a trip or two in the works. I find planning the trips to be almost as much fun, if not more, than taking the trips! Oy!

Got three trips planned this year (Florida, CA/OR/WA coast trip & Ireland) and already thinking ahead to 2006. Just wish I had more vacation time! We could probably do a lot around the house with the money we spend on travel but because we plan ahead, our trips are usually very reasonable. Besides, in the end I'd much rather have memories than stuff. Happy traveling!

I *WISH* I could constantly plan my next vacation, as I like to have trips to look forward to! However, my boyfriend can't plan ahead for a vacation because of his demanding job, so we never have more than a week or two to plan! Which I hate...everything is so last-minute and airfare can be high. Plus we don't often get to go to places that are high on our list, and we wind up going to DC or Vegas or Florida...AGAIN. But what can you do. We decided two days ago to take a trip to Los Angeles (because he has to be there for work anyway) - we're leaving in 5 days!

It looks like we all have company!!!! Happy Travelling!

I am new to fodor.com but have enjoyed the last few weeks reading all the posts. I love to travel and have to plan and dream alot more than I actually get to do. I am planning Bayse VA in March and Las Vegas in June for my daughter's 21st birthday.
I am very happy with my life and home and job and family, but love to plan and go on vacations. I tell my husband I would never want to win the lotto because you hear about so many people who's lives are ruined when that happens. But after saying that, I rememeber, I could see the world!

I find it easierand simpler to plan my "work breaks" than vacations.

We call our little annual trip to Kauai as "3 weeks of reality surrounded by 49 weeks of a nightmare!" ;)

Oy, I admit it. I am *definitely* OCD about my travel and all that goes with it, including the hotel points and frequent flier miles. We usually only have time/money to take one big vacation a year, but I start planning the next big trip almost the minute I get home and finish my trip report. DH thinks I'm totally nuts, but he hates to plan so it works out perfectly for us.

And then, of course, there's always the task of finding the perfect flights/hotel for my next business trip. I'm on the road at least once a month so that helps keep the vacation demons temporarily at bay. People at work don't bother to look up the travel regs when they have a question--they come to me, LOL. I think I need a 12-step program...

My hobby is planning my next vacations, down to the exact hotels / lodges, exact locations, time of year I will be visiting, costs, etc.

Really, I am a tour operators worst nightmare. While I will eventually book with someone, it is not before I talk to 25 different tour operators, hotels, lodges, etc.

And what do I do after I book a trip...I start planning the next one! :)

Roccco, your post tickled me. About 20 years ago I was a navy wife who "just for fun" planned the wives groups overseas to meet the navy husbands. I have always enjoyed planning travel ever since I was a little girl and would obsess over any trip I took even if it was a trip to the amusement park (I would get the park map and plan my ride sequence). Well, during this time of planning, I was like "OCD" so bad I would literally drive the travel agent crazy. Not to mention that I had a pretty lame travel agent. I did not realize that all clients were not the same as myself. This is how I became intested in a career in the travel industry. Have any of you thought about travel as a career? It is not as financially rewarding (can be, but not usually) as it is mentally and spiritually- but it would certainly satisfy the travel freak in many of you. Not many people can say that their job is personally satisfying. For example, why do we love this forum? We don't get paid to be here and I don't even see many travel agents "advertise". Most do it out of love for travel.

I too am a travel addict! Must read the Fodors boards every morning and at night before turning off the computer. I have a folder in my "in" box where I e-mail myself interesting threads regarding upcoming possible trips. Always have a future trip or two on my mind. When I was about 12 years old.....way,way before the internet,I would cut out the little coupons in the back of National Geographic and send for travel brochures. I just love to travel and learn about new places! My husband enjoys travel once we get there,but he is perfectly happy with me doing the planning.

Wow, a bunch of addicts!!! How come most seem to be women and I have to do all our planning? Have I been had? Anyone want to share some of their favorite travel sites with us? Besides Fodors,Cruisecritic, Cruisemates, Frommers, where elso do you find chat boards on travel or travel subjects, particularly land based vacations? Trying to plan next trip to Hawaii, and one more for year. I think you'all have gotten me hooked!!! Oh no. I even stopped at AAA and picked up five travel books. Help me!!!!

OMG...just what the doctor ordered...a travel junkie's support group thread! ;) I'm going to have BF read this so he realizes that I'm not the only travel-obsessed person!

We just got back from Maui about a week and a half ago and I spent every free moment since being back either working on my very elaborate trip report (turned out to be 11 pages!!) or doing research on the next island I want to try...Kauai.

Thank you thank your for letting me know that I'm normal! (Well, somewhat normal.)

wtggirl--I can relate to the Navy wife thing and getting the ladies to go overseas to meet their husbands. That got me hooked on Europe! The first time I went, I had the kids with me, who were 4 and 7 at the time, and when I got on the plane I thought "what in the world am I doing? I do not know the language and I am alone with the kids". An adventuresome spirit will get you through though:)

Hi. My name is Pdxgirl and I'm a travel addict.

I live to travel. I want to travel. Please, please may I travel some more?

I don't know why I love to travel, I just do. Perhaps some of us would have been explorers hundreds of years ago. But now, I'll go just about anywhere (no war filled countries please, I'm not that brave).

Right now I'm thinking about my upcoming 25th anniversary in September and trying to decide where we should go.