I don't know too many families with young children who would do a day trip to the Sierras for skiing. Add in lodging, equipment rentals (because anything you buy they're going to outgrow), food (also expensive unless you pack it), lessons, lift tickets, equals $$$$$.

FYI, a season pass for a family of 4 (with small children) will run about $4,000 this year.

2009 will be a busy travel year, one of my busiest I think. I have an Asia trip/Cruise Beijing - Bangkok in April, then Amsterdam, Paris and Venice end of May and a 1 week Mexico cruise in October. These trips are fairly budget friendly. I definitely look for value. I save ahead for trips, no credit cards for the travel/acommodations, prepay all possible. These trips have been carefully planned for quite some time.

It is likely I will do a weekend trip within California during the summer as well, but have no plans at the moment. (especially if the gas prices stay low :)

Not cut back, but changed. We've not been out of the country since Spring of '07. '09 is wait & see. If no big trips, more trips to the beach(es) & Mts. I also have a new job, which will also change/alter our flexibility.

true, i'm not planning a trip to Europe any time soon. only beachy vacations like Mexico or Hawaii.

I too think we're traveling more than we did in the last year. Just got back from Tampa, going to Nashville this weekend, Miami at the end of the month. Mexico in February.

Haven't planned anymore than that, but New York will be some time in the fall of 2009 with one of our grandsons.

I mostly travel on my husbands ff miles so just have the tax to pay. We also try to incorporate a vacation with his work (Tampa and Nashville were both work related) which also helps on the vacation budget.

Travel doesn't have to be expensive. You just have to plan, look for bargains and BE FLEXIBLE. I'm taking my son skiing this year. We don't go to big, expensive resorts but a cheap place where locals, not tourists, go. I buy food at the grocery and brown bag it to the slopes. Got a car on hotwire. I got free airfare because my luggage got lost for a day last winter. Part of the fun is finding ways to do it.

We are cutting back our travel plan for 2009. Too big of a hit to the stock market to take the trips we took last year. We took 2 ski trips in 2008. This coming year, we hope to take one if I can find some last minute deals late in the season. Being from Atlanta and not owning ski equipment, skiing is the most expensive vacation we take.

I think our "planning" is on hold. We so enjoyed our October trip in the Sierras that we cleaned up the camping equipment with the intent on re-exploring great backcountry in California, Oregon, Nevada, etc. Beyond that type of outdoor enjoyment, we will just have to see what's happening with the world-wide economy and various air fares, etc. We will likely change from moderate travel toward budget travel.