Travel destinations and social class (cruise, cost, hotels, Paris)

[tvdxer]

What are common travel destinations for different social classes in your area?

Travel is one of those luxuries that depends on disposable income and number of days off.

Therefore, the lower class and working poor do not seem to travel much beyond visiting family members and occasionally going to an amusement park or nearby state park.

A popular destination for working-class families around here seems to be Wisconsin Dells. Other places that seem to attract much of the working class include state parks, the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota, and family members in distant states. Men go on frequent hunting and fishing trips to the woodlands and lakes within an hour or two. They may go on the once-in-a-rare-while leisure trip to Disneyworld or on a couples' cruise on one of the low-brow lines like Carnival.

Among the middle-class, flying the whole family out for a vacation is more affordable, or used to be. Popular destinations abroad for middle-class families in Minnesota are, or have included, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cancun, and the Playa Riviera of Mexico; within the country, they may go on regular trips to such places as Florida, the western national parks (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc.), as well as more close-in destinations such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. They may own a cabin "up north" (referring to Northern Minnesota), where they often keep a motorboat moored. Cruise lines like Carnival are popular with them.

This also applies to many of the more affluent members of the working class.

The upper middle class (and middle class youth) seems to travel the most out of all the social classes (except the upper class), both for business and leisure. Leaving business travel aside, popular destinations for upper middle class families and couples are Hawaii, Italy, Costa Rica, and upscale Mexican destinations like Cabo San Lucas. Closer-in, they seem to have an affection for Door County, Wisconsin. They would seem to cruise on more upscale lines.

I don't know much about the travel habits of the upper class.

[Jezer]

I thought that the US was a classless society.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by Jezer

I thought that the US was a classless society.

Heh. I guess it depends on your terminology. Plus some people are more conscious of this stuff than others.

We supposedly live in a country where any baby born in the US can become President, even if they grew up in a log cabin. But not everyone grows up with the same opportunity structure.

I live in a place where there is still manufacturing, yet it is a coastal community, and some people have second homes here. (I am not one of those people. )

[eureka1]

Don't feed the troll.

[LagunaShoresResort]

Totally depends on the reach of a person if someone can attempt the trip of some business class then it is beyond the escape of social class. Travel is an experience to rejuvenate our soul.

[Jezer]

Originally Posted by eureka1

Don't feed the troll.

I'm not trolling.

It was a genuine comment.

Our country is riddled with class divisions.

I thought you lived in a meritocracy.

[tvdxer]

Could anyone give me a serious response?

Obviously, the U.S. is not a classless society. All societies have elements of prestige that usually create different social divisions known as "classes".

As for the U.K., I've heard that Corfu and Benidorm are popular working-class destinations.

[Lubina]

What are common travel destinations for different social classes in your area?

Here in the DC Metro area travel depends on income and ethnic background. From my experience and observation people tend to travel back to their country of origin especially if they are first or second generation and still have family there, which because of how diverse this area is can be any country on any continent regardless of airfare or travel time. 30 and under may backpack through Europe, Southeast Asia or an "it destination" like Costa Rica.
People with money and/or who value travel go wherever. European destinations are fairly common. Within that has money money/values travel group there is a travel oneupsmanship set who love to brag about the exotic locales they frequent. Anyone can hop a plane to Paris or Jamaica. Bhutan, Patagonia or the Maldives takes it to another level.

[allenk893]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Heh. I guess it depends on your terminology. Plus some people are more conscious of this stuff than others.

We supposedly live in a country where any baby born in the US can become President, even if they grew up in a log cabin. But not everyone grows up with the same opportunity structure.

Excuse you? We live in the greatest country in the world. ANYBODY who was born and raised here can become the president or whatever they want to be through hard work, education, and perseverance. PERIOD. There are opportunities at every crack and corner of this country for every person of any race, religion, & sex. If you don't take advantage of it, that's no ones problem but yourself. You go to any third world country and compare it to the U.S. Come back and tell me what opportunity doesn't the U.S. have? Do not demean this country like that.

[elnina]

Not sure how to look at it. There are rich people traveling cheap. They are too savvy to spent money on lavish hotels and 5 star restaurants, but are eager to explore interesting places, mostly individual.
And there is a working class, people who saved money, or inherited, or won and some of them would make a trip of their life, everything expensive, best of the best etc. I see them in all kind of places. No class but money.
No one said that people with money are higher class, and there are lot of people with class but no money...
Both are traveling. They just have a different agenda.