If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
The same can be said for vacation planning. At least that’s how it is for Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who said as much on Tuesday’s Live with Kelly and Mark.
“There’s this really interesting news item today,” she shared. “You and I, we’re so American. Americans return to the same vacation spot over and over again, a new survey reveals.”
Consuelos called themselves “creatures of habit,” which Ripa echoed. Though she had another way to phrase it, too.
“We find a place, and if they’re nice to us, they have us for life. We are like the herpes of vacation,” she quipped. “We just keep returning. They can’t get rid of us. Right?”
As some laughs emerged from the studio audience, Consuelos replied, “Yeah… because when you have a wonky vacation, it’s not so fun.”
Ripa added, “When it goes wonky, we never return.”
Noting that they “learn immediately” which destinations work best for them, Ripa and Consuelos agreed “that time with your family is precious.”
Ripa continued reading, “They’re saying that American travelers delved into vacation habits and found that many Americans like the comfort and familiarity over the excitement of a new destination. 30% of respondents return to the same vacation spot year after year, treating it like a second home. We do that.”
Consuelos highlighted that “sometimes [they] venture off,” citing their trip to Iceland, which both he and Ripa “would go back” to. But he said that he and Ripa have friends, particularly when their children were younger, who would travel to more “exotic” locales, like Patagonia, the Galapagos, or Chichén Itzá.
“And I’m sitting there and I’m like, I wanna, but I don’t wanna,” he explained.
Ripa teased, “We literally ask the important questions: Is there a buffet?”
Consuelos added, “I’d like to do that stuff, but I don’t want to do it.”
Ripa reiterated, “But we need to know first, is there a buffet?”
Consuelos asked, “So that’s a very American trait?”
After Ripa confirmed that it was, Consuelos replied, “Well, we’re American.”
Ripa said, “Very on brand.”
Live with Kelly and Mark airs on weekdays. Check out their website for your local listings.