Just curious where everyone went their first time in a foreign country. I just got my passport and am anxious to 'see the world' . I live in Chicago.

The bad thing is my wife really has no desire to go other countries so I may have to go solo. She would probably go if I really wanted her to I guess.

Anyway, that said, any suggestions on where to go for a virgin abroad traveler?!

I have about 800k AA miles, about 100k SPG points and about 100k MR points.

My first trip to another country was to Canada for hockey. However, my first real trip over the ocean was to London in March. Visited Australia in May, and will be going back to Australia next month. Planning on Geneva or Zurich, Tokyo, Bangkok, & Frankfurt for next year..

Take a look at Australia or England. If those don't fit you, maybe look into Japan/German/France/Italy...

My first foray abroad was at age 15 when I went to live in Spain for 3 months as an exchange student. I lived with a family whose only word of English rhymed with luck and my Spanish was "Hello my name is Redhead and I am sick". But I feel in love with the adventure immediately and was speaking Spanish very well by the end of my time. I've been a world traveller ever since.

Go for it!

My first real trip overseas (excluding Canada and Mexico) was to the UK and France.

Turned out London was a good place to start. Foreign, but, they sorta speak the same language, and, certainly, lots to see. I still remember looking out of the bus from LHR and being amazed to see that they really did drive on the wrong side of the road.

By the way, IMHO, it is much better to go with someone you can share the experience with.

I'll second that. But not someone skeptical, to whom you have to keep selling the experience. If your wife really has no interest in visiting other countries and you'd be dragging her along, leave her at home, because that attitude wrecks the experience for both of you.

The very things you want to see, do and try -- different language, customs, food, history/culture, shopping, etc. -- will either frighten or annoy her. There is nothing worse than sharing an experience you find wonderful with someone who keeps up a volley of nitpicks and criticisms... this food tastes funny. This castle is stupid. Why do you want to go in there? Do you have to have a drink now? Can't we just stay in our room? It's one reason why many parents take a sabbatical from interesting travel while raising small children.

Your wife's attitude isn't unusual I'm afraid; I know otherwise smart people who traveled abroad once or twice, hated it, and quit doing it... including a friend of my wife's who almost starved to death in Italy because she was afraid to go out and order food. You can't force a person like that to enjoy herself. Nor is there much point in going a long way to recreate the comforts of America in a faraway bubble -- staying at Holiday Inns and eating steaks and pizza in the hotel restaurant, or seeking out McDonald's whereever you go. Might as well stay home.

My wife and I still laugh about a hideous tableau we once observed at the (ridiculously touristy but fun) Hofbrauhaus in Munich. We were into our second or third steins, while next to us sat another American couple. The guy had been allowed one-half of a stein by his angry and miserable wife, who toyed with a small flat Coke and stared daggers at him. He had come for the experience and wanted to link arms and sing Ein Prosit with all the other turistas; she was furious and obviously wanted to go back to the Hilton, then home to Cleveland. My wife and I decided he should drown her in a big mug of Helles, then come back and sit with us. Don't be that guy.

The UK or Ireland are fine first overseas destinations. We are divided by a common language, as they say, but life is different enough that you'll feel you have really traveled, and by and large Americans are welcome.

You should consider the places and activities she likes to see/do here and find a destination with some commonality to give some sense of comfort. To the countries listed previously, I would add New Zealand. It was my first overseas trip and to this day I still think back with fond memories.

I'm sure some will completely disagree but i would suggest the UK would be a good starting point for your first trip abroad...

If you can convince your reluctant SO to come along with you then you will have the benefit of speaking the same language, the food should be to your tastes (plenty of American style cuisine to be found), its 'only' 6 hours time difference to Chicago should you miss family, friends etc, 'only' 8/9 hours flight time into London, and there is plenty to do and see in London and the surrounding areas..

Obviously the main objective of a holiday/travels is to experience different cultures and to this extent the UK isnt the greatest leap, but i would suggest for your first time abroad, going somewhere that you dont speak the language especially with a reluctant traveller may be a bit of a reach...

*also as a sidenote, you will not need any form of visa to visit the UK as a tourist for <6 months, so theres minimal hassle involved in such a visit*

I agree. The UK was my first overseas trip as well, and I got to have all the excitement of the INTL plane trip, and the UK has much to offer. Once I got that first trip under my belt I felt much more confortable dealing with a place where I wasn't fluent in the language.

These days with the chunnel, its very easy to add a couple days in Paris or Brussels/Amsterdam to the trip.

Amsterdam is actually also a great first place to travel, since you can get along perfectly fine without knowing Dutch.

I don't really count trips to the US (I'm Canadian) as a foreign country, so I'd say my first trip abroad was to Russia (St Petersburg in '92), London and Paris. My dad took me along on a business trip when I was in my early 20s and it was incredible. First of all, I got my first taste of business class travel. Next, I got to spend about 3 weeks in Russia at an interesting moment in its history. I spent about half of it sightseeing and half of it accompanying my dad to meetings and mill visits. I'd worked for my dad in the past so I knew something about the business.

I spent about 2 weeks in an extraordinarily luxurious hotel with my dad and about a week (while my dad was travelling in the boonies) living in a Russian apartment with one our translators. So I got a taste of luxury and a taste of what it was like to live in Russia. On the way back from Russia, my dad dropped me off in London - with a BA miles ticket to get home, so I hung around in London and then went to visit an ex-boyfriend in Paris. The whole trip (about 6 weeks) cost me about $500. I was hooked ...

My first trip abroad was to Switzerland on business in 1999. Loved it.

My second trip abroad was to Miami, also on business, a few weeks later. I called my mother the evening before to say that I'd be away for a few weeks in Miami. She was in a panic, as she was sure I'd be gunned down in the streets. She begged me not to go as it was dangerous. Now this is the strange part - I was calling from England, and she was in Londonderry in Northern Ireland, where she had lived most of her life and where I had grown up. Just shows you how people's perceptions of other places is shaped by the news rather than reality...

Would suggest this is a definite area for the OP to look into, pretty straightforward to travel on the Eurostar from within London to Paris - very reasonably priced and only takes a few hours - no visa required for entering France on a US passport, so again very convenient for a first time traveller....

For a bit of personal opinion, my GF is a USC, and bar a few days cruise in Mexico, her first long distance travel was to the UK to visit and she absolutely loved it - the sights i take for granted were absolutely fascinating to her..

My first trip abroad was to Munich Germany. What a great place! It's clean, safe and well organized. The beer is out of this world. The train system is very easy to use and there is a lot to do, from visiting monastaries in the beautiful Bavarian countryside where the monks brew the beer, castles, Dachau concentration camp, take a train ride to Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg, etc.

IMHO Paris and Rome are really crazy, and although I enjoyed my trips there, I'd recommend Munich first. Just don't go during Octoberfest, unless you're into crowds.

I also think that if I went to an English speaking country first, it wouldn't feel "foreign" enough. It's easy to learn a few words in German, please, thank you, excuse me, do you have an English menu, etc. Wherever you decide to go, have a good time.

my first 'proper' trip outsite of Europe was to Florida in 1996 (age 13)

I'll never forget picking up the car and driving along the huge roads! Then arrving on International Dive late that eveing...incredible feeling relative to the small-town Irish comparitive.

Next time I felt the same was arriving in Bangkok in 2000 for the first time. Nothing like coming off the toll-way onto Sukhumvit Road and seeing all the stalls and bright lights. The smell from the food stalls wafting through the windows and the hum of the street noise adding more effect. something I'll never forget.

....had a great time.
I never needed to speak the local language to get comfortable, I just made my best attempt with a few guidebook phrases and made out just fine.
....I studied in the UK but I'd hardly call in foreign....in fact I feel that way about any place where white people are the majority and english is the first spoken language....so I vote against the UK - go somewhere with a little more adventure....I think you will come back with a better appreciation of your fist foray into this big world.

Yes, have to agree here that some place like the UK would be a good first time overseas trip for someone in the US.

Though if one wants to take even more baby steps first (perhaps for a hesitant spouse), a couple of trips to Canada might be in order. One to Toronto or Vancouver or other place in Anglophone Canada, then one to Montr�al or other place in Qu�bec.