Dilemma --

Return to a destination that you love or try something new? I struggle with this one all the time. I spend countless hours planning trips, researching, etc. and that has paid off with some really wonderful vacations. There is always the temptation to want to return "next year" -- but I'm afraid to do it because I think the magic will be missing the second time.

We had an amazing vacation to the Big Island two years ago and my husband really wants to return -- but I'm torn - I'm afraid it won't live up to my memory and I'll miss not having a new advenure. But, then again, there is something comforting in returning someplace familiar - - so, I'm conflicted. What do you think?

When you find a place you truly love, there's nothing wrong with going there over and over. You can always find some new things to do to keep it different and adventurous. The return trips can actually be better - you know what you're doing and where you're going.

Hmmm, that is a totally subjective question! Depends on you, I guess. My boss goes to the same place to vacation with his family & friends, year after year after year (although our job enables us to travel to other places anyway).

I have a friend who hates to go visit the same place twice. She just wants to see as many places as possible.

I'm a little in between....I like to discover new places, but I try to stop in and visit my tried & true favorites during the trip. That way I can feel comfort and discovery in the same vacation!

We went to the same place for our holidays for 10 years in a row.That was to San Leonardo in Passiria in the north of Italy called SUD TYROL.Two mountain passes end in the valley in this village.We can easily say that we hiked every squar foot of that region.It's beautiful,the weather is always nice(you are sheltered by the high Alps)and we always stayed at the same wonderful hotel.Going to and coming back from this Eden was always different.Usually some cultural excursion along the way.Venice,Nurnburg...Paul

I agree with others: This is totally subjective!

We just got back from a return 3-day visit to a lovely B&B in midcoast Maine for our anniversary. Fabulous accommodations, wonderful breakfasts, etc.

OTOH, it's also nice to visit new places! You just have to think about what you really want.

Good luck.

There are many places that we revisit, & will continue to do so. I've been going to Holden Beach, NC for 40+ years & have problably only missed being three two summers in my life. This is a family tradition that has been passed down & will continue w/my children. The same can be said for Key West, New Orleans, Cali Wine country, Amelia Island & others. All of which I have been to between 5 & 15 times. In addition, we still find time to explore new locales - Montserrat last year, Saba & hopefully Iceland in 2007.

Can be. Or could be lots better, or possibly worse. To throw a different spin on this, what if you were going back to a place where you hadn't had a good time... Why would you automatically assume that you'd have an equally bad time? Every trip is different, every one an adventure, you meet different people, eat different food, see different places.

What's good on a trip may not have anything to do with the location (notice I said may...) it's usually the total experience that you remember. So will your vacation to Hawaii be as sweet? Most likely, but just in case...make sure you eat lots of chocolate covered macadamia nuts to be sure.

tovarich,

Now I'm curious - what hotel in San Leonardo. Part of what is so wonderful about this forum is getting new and varied ideas and recommendations about travel.

Sorry if it is a repeated question - it is impossible to monitor every post.

We went to BI in 2004 and again in 2005 and after having what seemed like the perfect vacation in 2004 I was a little concerned about returning just one year later...
So, I mixed it up a little with a couple of nights on Oahu at the start of the trip in 2005. This part was my "new adventure".

Everyone enjoyed the second trip and some things were better ( I unexpectantly LOVED Oahu and we explored a few new areas on BI; hiking down to the sea from the Polulu lookout) and some things weren't as good such as the water temperature wasn't quite as high as the year before and we had a few hits and misses with our dinner choices.

Overall, we're all glad that we did BI twice but this year we're going somewhere new...

We went to Germany in March and loved it so much we going again in Oct. I anticipate at least 2 more trips to Germany after this one.


I never tire of visiting No. Calif. It's beautiful, there's plenty to do and I feel totally at home. There is a point on the 101 that whenever I round that bend I feel like I'm going home.

In some ways I feel the same about Germany. I grok it.

Subjective, absolutely, but I HAVE been disappointed with a second trip. Sometimes everything just melds within a location/time, and at other times, it doesn't.

I do have this dilemma, all the time! We went to Rome for the first time about two years ago. We love it so much that we've been back twice since then. We weren't dissapointed either time, because we just seem to connect well with the city.

However, each time we went back we combined it with a different part of Italy that we hadn't been to so we were visiting new places.

I have such a long list of places I want to visit, but I consider myself lucky to visit places that I loved so much that I want to return. Its better to leave wanting more then to leave happy that its over with!

Tracy

I return to my favorite places over and over because I know I'll never be able to see and do everything they have to offer.

I also try and hit new places.

Instead of seven to fourteen day vacations, we do many four and five day.

Even Europe isn't a bad five day jaunt from the east coast.

I think you will be happier, even if you return to the same place every year, if you look forward to enjoying a new experience rather than in repeating a previous experience.

So true, BUT sometimes the weather, the people you are with, how much you can mix with native populations- or if you spend more time in high tourist percentage locations- all of these can make it meld differently.

I love change and variety, so subjectively I'm never looking to repeat- but more like Go Travel states-find other aspects of the most congenial places for me. Most cities, for instant, it would take many trips to experience a fraction of what they have available.

I wanted to add to my previous post.
We aren't planning to go to the same places in Germany in our subsequent trips.
Does that count?

Visiting different parts of the same country is a different trip (IMO)-- by repeating a destination I mean same exact location, rental house, etc. We've been to the Caribbean many times - but each time a different island. We only repeated once (St. Barts twice) and the second time was a little bit of a let down since the weather wasn't as good and we didn't have that rush of first discovering the charming beaches, etc.

This is a sidebar, but L84SKY we too fell in love with Germany. We spent a week in an adorable apartment in Bavaria (near Berchtesgaden and Salzburg) last year and loved it. The towns, the people, the food, the beautiful scenery. I may love Rome, but I want to move to Germany! That was, overall, our favorite vacation.

Tracy

YES, YES, YES,,, We are going back to Bermuda for the eleventh time in a month by cruise ship and each time we discover something very different..Last trip discovered the side streets and the secret gardens..In February we head back to our favorite resort in La Romana, D.R. for the fifth time.. WHY, because it's comfortable, we feel like family, the staff is just wonderful, the resort is clean, the food is enough to gain alot of weight...and the beach.. the beach is my little dream beach with lots of palapas, chairs, lounges and the warm Caribbean blue water.. Yes, we could go to othr countries and we have..but this resort feels like home...

tcreath,
Yes, we've had the same thoughts about moving to Germany. There was a lot of snow on the ground when we went in March and it was awesome. Everyone told us how lucky we were to have missed a big storm. Since M84SKY or I have never lived in snow, it's a nice rosy mdemory.