Why do <b>you </b>go to Europe?

Kent,

one reason I go to Europe (particulary Germany) is that I spend less going there. A few years ago, I thought of going back to a resort in PA where we spent our honeymoon. When I compared the price of airfare and a week's accommodation in PA to airfare to Europe and two weeks in Germany, I found that it was less expensive to go to Germany.

Admittedly, my knowledge of German allowed me to book us into small, family run B&Bs, that provide a much more culturally rich experience at far less than motels in this country. That and my knowledge of how to get the most out of travel on German Rail made travel in Germany less expensive and more interesting.

Finally, I go to Germany because it gives me an opportunity, and an exciting challenge, to communicate in a non-English language.

Because of the great history, architecture, art, and last but not least, the great food and wine!

Thank you to Lee and Dean for taking time to answer the "why do you go to Europe" question. Part of Dean's answer was "because of the great history, architecture, art...." I was asking myself what reasons Europeans might give for touring the US (in addition to the fact that the euro is buying so many more dollars these days), and I was thinking that they might be coming here to see the things they do not have there (e.g., the Southwestern US national parks such as Bryce, Arches, etc), whereas we go there to see the things we do not have here. Perhaps?

There are many reasons why we travel. They vary with the individual. Many more Americans go to Europe than vice -versa bcuz the US has made entry so difficult and many Europeans are scared of visa requirements and possible searches and inprisonments. In fact, travel to places in rest of world has gone up nearly 45%, while travel toi US is down 20%. These may be chimeras but they are fears and they are fed by the ridiculous airport security stuff that happens every so often, with some person held for hours over nonsense or somebody placed on a no-fly list for no reason that anybody can find or will tell.

Why do Europeans go to the US. Again Architecture - the Chicago skyline - wow ! It's amazing to go up to the top of the John Hancock and look out at the view and realise that there isn't a building that is more than 200 years old. It's the excitement of such a young developing country. The Grand Canyon HAS to be seen to be believed, so do the national parks in Utah. If you stop and think about how much the US shaped the global culture of the last century, it's hardly surprising we would want to experience it at first hand. You want to see Shakespeare's Stratford, we want to see John Wayne's Texas. You want to ride on a London double decker bus, we want to ride in a New York taxi cab. You come to Nottingham for the Robin Hood experience, we go to Chicago for the Al Capone experience. We've got the intricate beauty of the Cotswolds, you've got the big skys of Montana. You come to us to experience things you don't have, we go to you to experience things we don't have.

Personally, I like to travel to Europe for many reasons. I enjoy traveling period. I have visited 49% of the states (and some several times) in the US and several Canadian provinces and Mexico.

As with perhaps a large percentage of Americans my ancestors are from Western Europe. It is good to see where they came from and how they lived.

European history has always interested me since I was a young girl.

I have said so often, "I am ready to go anywhere anytime....just give me 2 days to do laundry and pack".

we go to germany twice a year. we clean the family graves and enjoy the food, the wine, and sitting in sidewalk cafes. we also walk a lot, which is easier in germany than in some parts of the u.s.

and my college major was anthropology/archaeology. certain places in europe are so filled with the past that they give me goosebumps.

if our family didn't live in the u.s., we would probably spend a lot more time in europe and become expats, not tourists.

What a great question and good replies. My husband just asked me this (we are going to Italy in October and I promised our next big trip would be in the US) Besides the history, architecture and food etc, I enjoy the little things; the different pace of life (always slower) listening to different languages or accents, learning about family life, the schools, meeting children and generally absorbing how we are different and how we are the same. And, even though there is fascinating history in the US, you can't beat looking at ancient archeological sites in Ireland, or standing inside a 500 year old church...can't do that in America. I love it all!

Plus think about this. Where I live, in San Diego, CA, if I go 200-300 miles to the south, I am in Mexico, which is a very different culture. But 200-300 miles to the north is still California, and 200-300 miles to the east is Arizona, which is still very similar to CA. But if in France for example and I go 200-300 miles in almost any direction, I could be in a very different and unique location. Depending on where my starting point is I could end up in Amsterdam, or Germany or Switzerland or Italy...
You get the idea.

I initiated this topic and want to thank those who have taken the time to share their thoughts about this somewhat philosophical question. At first I was hesitant to post this type of question on the website, because it is different from the usual "how do I do it" nuts-and-bolts type of question normally posted on the site, and so I am glad that at least a few of us found it worth answering. It seems that one reason we expend the time and money to go to Europe is to experience the differences between here and there. It may be that differences are more interesting than similarities. My time in Europe has been, among other things, a process of being fascinated by, and still surprised by, the depth or degree of difference between here and there; it is different in ways that are not altogether obvious on the surface. On the other hand, there are many similarities, which makes sense because, after all, Europe is where the Anglo-European part of our American inheritance came from.

I really love this question. Especially because I think that in the midst of planning a trip to Europe we tend to forget what it is that is bringing us there in the first place.

For me, traveling anywhere, not just Europe, gives me a chance to evaluate what is important to me. It is less about seeing sights and more about being aware of my surroundings and of my place in this big, scary world. Travel is humbling, intense, spiritual, and daunting. It forces me out of my comfort zone. Traveling to Europe is a pilgrimage for me. So many of the things that I hold very dear to my heart- literature, art, music; all have strong roots in European culture and to go first hand to experience these pleasures is a privilege that I am so grateful for. Regardless if you go to Europe for a vacation with your family or work with relief crews in Africa, you come home with a greater understanding for humanity and that can make an immense difference in our sometimes solipsistic communities.