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I noticed that the Adirondacks in NY seem to have a bit of a class divide when it comes to who goes where.
The well-off people (from NYC usually) usually head up to Lake Placid, Saranac Lake or Tupper Lake and they seem to think that's all the Adirondacks is. (Also Lake George, but I don't really consider that the Adirondacks proper).
The working-class people spend more time in the southern Adirondacks, places like Old Forge, Speculator or outside of the High Peaks area.
What are common travel destinations for different social classes in your area?....
I think the "bargain bin" all-inclusive holiday package has destroyed many places that were once havens for the upper middle class or the very rich...or just the well-educated, conservative traveler.
Much of the Mediterranean coast that was once the playground of the socially prominent rich -- and not just cheesy celebrities, has become chock-a-block with singles and couples with children and not a large budget. The Greek islands come immediately to mind. The rich and selective fled to other places, e.g. Sardinia.
On the other hand, Ibiza, which has a reputation for being a tourist sewer, has some very quiet areas with lovely private homes owned by well off people who never set foot in the place's fabled discos and bars. On a plane trip last week I met an older wealthy couple who had two homes, one in the rural hills of southern Portugal and another, rather larger establishment, on a lake in an African country....Malawi, as I recall...next to a wild life preserve.
In the 90's I met a charming older couple, he was the scion of one of America's greatest fortunes and a well-known philanthropist. Their NYC home was several floors of an older "quiet" condo on upper Fifth Avenue, with a number of apartments in a nearby building for some of their servants. From his conversation I know that they vacationed in the U.S. at a couple of places in the American South at very, very, very expensive hotels in the country patronized by America's upper crust.
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.
In the Forties "exclusive" places meant "no movies stars." And I read a story years ago about the movie actor Victor Mature who was rejected at such a place, and responded: "I'm not a movie actor, and I have thirty films to prove it!"
I think nowadays, any place that gets a lot of rock stars, models, film actors, etc. is probably never going to see what used to be called the "quietly rich."
I think nowadays, any place that gets a lot of rock stars, models, film actors, etc. is probably never going to see what used to be called the "quietly rich."
I suppose that's what my grandmother was. I grew up going to her place in Siasconset (pronounced S'conset) on the island of Nantucket. Pretty different from Panama City Beach in Florida.
What are common travel destinations for different social classes in your area
Not being a social scientist, and not classifying people I know by their "class," I don't know how to answer your question, other than to tell you my travel destinations: all local -- that I can drive to within an hour's drive, and not spend too much once I get there. This weekend, I drove to the Rose Festival in Snohomish WA. A couple of weeks ago, I drove north as far as Lynden, WA to visit quilt shops along the way.
I travel all over Europe in a VW camper van or by cheap airlines.
Before I owned my van, I tented all over Europe.
I go to the symphony and art galleries.
I have no idea what social class people are from.
I can travel in pretty much any manner I choose, I make good money.
I like to travel as I do.
I suppose others do as well.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I've been on all sorts of holidays - although I try to budget wisely (but not too tight, holidays are meant to be enjoyed), both near and far. I would say there might be some correlation with those with more disposable income travelling overseas more. Within Australia, Bali, Thailand, Singapore, Fiji are the 'typical' destinations, I'd say Bali sometimes is seen as a bit 'low class' while middle and upper class people seem to favour Europe. I'd say it's as much education - people who are more educated about history and culture - tend to prefer Europe, older parts of Asia, while people who just want a break tend to go for the tropical beach or somewhere like that, but these are just generalizations.
It's probably more how one travels, and even that doesn't have that much of a correlation to 'class', as others have said the working class can save up a lot if they put priority on travelling. i'd heard caravaning or RVing associated with the lower classes which I don't think is true at all.
Cruises seem to be like Disney vacations, a once in a lifetime event for middle class families. Traveling to Hawaii or the Carribbean might be in this category as well, but anything abroad is a destination for upper middle class to wealthy families. That is unaffordable to most people.
My wife and I are squarely middle class and travel fairly regularly. Our travels can be from a two hour drive to Kingston, ON, the family cottage in Muskoka, to jumping on flight to Las Vegas or Manhattan. In May we took a week and got married in NYC, then spent an additional week on our honeymoon in Veradero, Cuba. Last week, we booked on a tour group to see the Packers trounce the Lions in Detroit this November. Before we met, I had travelled to Ireland and she had been to Japan.
I really don't get how destination is keyed to "social class". We choose our destinations based solely on interest level and time constraints.
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