When I first got my licence I used to go somewhere at the weekend, usually with one or more passengers, whenever the weather was manageable. Then I started to collect extra skills, so I did complex, IMC and night.
Now I commute most weekends and regularly go places UK and continental. So far the money and time to get a full IR have eluded me, so I'm still fairly weather dependent for continental flying which tends to be enjoyable only in the summer anyway.