The 2024 Best Resources for Seniors Who Love to Travel

Seniors are voracious travelers including single older women. If you love to travel, you know that careful trip planning is important to have the safest, easiest, and most enjoyable vacation.

An AARP survey shows nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans ages 50-plus plan on traveling in 2024. Most senior travelers will stay within the U.S. (63%), while 37% say they will take at least one international trip.

Visit my Los Angeles Travel Blog

My hometown is Los Angeles I started another blog where I write about fun places to see and do in L.A. at any age. Click here to visit Booming in LA.

You are never too old to travel

Those of us who have reached retirement age and are not ready to be put out to pasture are looking for new adventures. Our kids are gone and we have more freedom. Senior travel is a huge industry. The trip-planning websites and resources that I have listed in the resources below will help make your next vacation more exciting, easier to deal with, and memorable.

Having tea aboard the Queen Elizabeth - travel products and resources for Baby Boomers — In this photo, I’m having high tea on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth when I cruised the Mediterranean from Rome to South Hampton.

Before you book anything, get your paperwork in order

If you are planning a trip in the future you must have all your documents in place well before your departure. That means having a valid passport, necessary visas, vaccinations, and other items that can take weeks or months to receive.

Check your passport’s expiration date

Your passport must be good for at least 8 months after your departure. To check the status of your passport if you are in the process of renewing it, click on the following link.

passportstatus.state.gov

Expedited processing may take 12-18 weeks. Click here to see how to get your passport faster.

You can quickly get passport photos taken by walking into your local drugstore.

Have the proper Visas for the countries you visit by checking with the Department of State.

Travel on the CHEAP so you can enjoy your experiences rather than stress out about the cost

As a senior travel enthusiast on a limited income, there are several ways to cut costs if you practice smart trip planning.

Don’t forget to redeem your senior discounts

I know it’s hard to think of ourselves as seniors, but if you are over 50, you are eligible for terrific senior discounts. Affinity groups, like, AAA, Senior’s Coalition, AARP, Veterans Organizations, Alumni Groups, etc. offer tremendous savings opportunities for seniors. If you’re not part of an affinity group like those mentioned above, join one.

Earn points to get FREE flights and hotel stays

Save money as a senior traveler using points programs from airlines and hotels. Points can get you accommodations and flights for free or discounted when you plan your next vacation.

Free programs to track your points include Traxo.com, AwardWallet.com, and PointHub.com.

As a rule, credit cards offer more benefits overall for points than airlines do especially if you do not fly frequently. What card you use depends on the location in which you are flying. Recommended credit cards include Chase Freedom, Citi Double Cash, Wells Fargo Active Cash, American Express, Chase Sapphire, and Capital One Venture.

Travel and get your accommodations FREE as a pet or house sitter

If you are an animal lover on a budget you can pet sit at someone’s home in exchange for accommodations. Trusted Housesitters can book you into many locations all over the world. The pet’s needs must come first but it gives you a chance to live among locals to soak up the culture.

Travel insurance IS A MUST if you are over 50!

Travel as a senior is incredible but the last thing you want to happen is to get sick or hurt when you are away from your regular medical providers. Don’t take chances! Get covered for any incident that could occur by purchasing travel insurance as Medicare does not cover travel abroad.

AARP has excellent information on what to look for in travel insurance for seniors, here.

Here is a guide on Trip Cancelation Compensation you may find useful.

The BEST online travel websites to book hotels

It’s always a good idea to employ a travel agent who can help you with trip planning. You can also check with the online sites below to get the best price.

TripAdvisor – Before you go anywhere check with TripAdvisor to find reader reviews for hotels, restaurants, and activities. I never go anywhere without consulting them. The site also offers amazing deals on hotel reservations and flights. You’ll find great ideas for activities, restaurants, tours, and hotels, domestically and abroad.
Google/travel/hotels – Google has become the fastest and easiest way to find the best prices in real-time.

The BEST sites to book flights

The search engines below are tops for booking flights. Why spend more on an airline ticket than you need to? Save money to enjoy your vacation instead.

Skyscanner – This travel search engine uses exclusive technology with access to hundreds of airline, hotel, or car rental sites to give you the lowest prices They also have a free and easy-to-use smartphone app.
Trip Advisor – This site has become a one-stop travel booking site for almost everything and you can also get great deals on flights.

Cruising makes it easy for seniors to travel with ease

Cruise ship lines have implemented strict health protocols since the pandemic.

Senior travelers with mobility issues often enjoy staying on board the ship the entire time, while others can’t wait to get off and explore. Excursions from the ship are designed for active and less active people of all ages.

River cruises are more intimate and land at smaller and less crowded ports. They are my personal favorite. Enjoy a relaxing float past medieval castles and picturesque scenery. Have dinner on the ship, go to bed, and wake up in another charming town. Being on a river gives you less chance of getting seasick than on a standard cruise ship.

Because the passenger load on a river cruise is much smaller, health protocols are easier to enforce to protect passengers against contagious diseases.

If you are adventurous, you may even want to try sailing. I wrote a post about my 3-week sailboat trip to Saint Vincent of the Grenadines and Grenada, here. It was amazing!

Transportation

Uber is available in many countries and is an affordable and easy way to get around. However, not all airports allow Uber to pick up and taxis can be iffy.

Welcome Pickups is an airport pick-up service you may want to consider. It is active in 282 major cities abroad including 21 major cities in the U.S.

The company says, “We selected one of the best, most trustworthy, and convenient 5-star airport taxi companies for your airport transfer based on user reviews across various platforms such as Google, Tripadvisor, and Trustpilot. Welcome Pickups offers a great experience and safety to its travelers.

Local English-speaking drivers
Flat, pre-paid fee
Flight monitoring for delays
24/7 Customer support “

Tours, sightseeing, and fun activities

I love going on tours whenever I’m in a new city but you always want to deal with a legitimate tour operator. Some tours are designed for seniors who want a slower and easier travel experience.

Get Your Guide is a third-party aggregator that arranges locally guided tours in the U.S. and abroad with local providers. It is Berlin-based and can be accessed via a smartphone app so you can easily find tours in the area you are visiting. The company has over 23,000 tours available in 150 countries with 22 languages and 40 currencies. It offers booking protection, and great customer support, and will work to give you the best experience possible.
Big Bus Tour – I LOVED LOVED LOVED the Big Bus Tour we took in London and Rome. It’s the best way to get around the city to get your bearings. There are Big Buses throughout the U.S. and the world. Hop on Hop off buses will give you guided tours (sometimes conducted live) that highlight points of interest and are entertaining and informative. Read my review here.

Travel gear

Look amazing when you travel with easy-to-pack clothing and just the right travel gear to suit your needs. I wrote a post about how to travel light and nifty over 50. I also interviewed meteorologist Cheryl Nelson about packing for winter travel.

Where to purchase the best travel gear

Zappos is known for its shoes but also has a section dedicated to travel products that include clothing, shoes, accessories, and more.
Amazon has everything from packing cubes to RFID bags including major brands. Click here to view its BEST SELLERS.

Travel clothes

My favorite brands for travel clothes include Columbia for outdoor clothing, Chicos for leisurewear, J.Crew for classic style, Mango for street style, and Zappos for shoes.

Below are some examples of chic travel apparel.

Learn the language for a better travel experience

Babbel is a leader in the online language-learning industry. It has been an international success with millions of active subscribers and is ranked as the world’s #1 innovative company in language education.

The Vasco V4 translator is a device that is the size of a smartphone. It comes with its own SIM card to avoid roaming charges and is ready to go out of the box. Easily translate speech, text, and photos.

Watch my video below on how it works.

Travel Trends for Baby Boomers

If you are a Baby Boomer, you will find the information below on travel trends for this demographic valuable when planning your next trip.

The top domestic destinations for Baby Boomers in 2024 include Florida, California, and Las Vegas. Chicago and Michigan, both at 4 percent, joined the list, while Texas fell off. Europe is the most planned international destination, with Italy, Spain, and Great Britain in the top three spots.

Now that Baby Boomers have children who have left the nest and parents who may have passed on, they have more freedom to travel and some take up to 4 trips per year.

Age hasn’t stopped Baby Boomers from adventure travel. They are hiking, biking, walking, mountain climbing, scuba diving, skiing, motorcycling, camping, glamping, RVing, and even flying through the air. There are no limits to what they can do if they want it bad enough.

It also hasn’t stopped seniors with disabilities from venturing out into the world. They are cruising, riding the rails, sailing, and relaxing at wellness spas.

Experiential travel

One aspect of travel trending with the Baby Boomer generation is interacting with locals and immersing in the local culture.

Senior travelers as a general rule prefer to stay in hotels or cruise ships as opposed to rented homes and hostels mostly for comfort and service. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a given that they book rooms at large and familiar hotel chains. Some opt for locally-run boutique hotels, which are unique, smaller, and provide a more authentic experience. Likewise, some take eclectic small group or private tours to soak up the local flavor rather than crowded tourist excursions.

Purposeful travel has also gained popularity with Boomers who have time on their hands. Some take nature or wildlife expeditions to learn about conservation or cultural explorations where they volunteer as part of their trip package. Discover Corps is dedicated to just that and was founded by a former Peace Corps volunteer. Read this example of purposeful travel to Guinea, West Africa, here.

Senior travel spending

Mature travelers spend more money than younger people. One reason is that they desire comfort. Unless they are in great shape, they don’t want to climb into the upper bunk of a sleeper car, squeeze into a tiny Tokyo cubical, or hang out in a hostel when they could get their Z’s sleeping on a luxury hotel bed.

Seniors who love nature and camping but prefer not to rough it, go glamping, and rent houseboats or RVs to make camping easier and more comfortable.

If you are over 65 and love the outdoors purchase a National Park Senior Pass because the National Parks are magnificent.

Where there’s a will, there is a way

A retiree is often free to travel on long-extended trips without worrying about going home early for a job. Others, who never saved up a large nest egg, are finding creative ways to travel for little or no cost. Some seniors have left life-long careers or businesses to become travel writers, private tour operators, or seminar speakers on cruise ships.

Connecting with family far away

Not every senior dreams of seeing the entire world and would rather travel to visit family members who live elsewhere. They may also choose to give their children who are parents a break and take the grandchildren or other relatives on trips.

Multi-generational travel is another way seniors can spend quality time with their families. They may rent a lodge to enjoy a ski vacation, an inclusive resort, cruise, or gather in an ancestral location for a family reunion.

Health and travel

Health is always a concern for seniors who love to travel. Sufficient travel insurance is a must. Not every insurance company offers emergency services for people 65+ and Medicare doesn’t cover all expenses overseas. If you are on Medicare, make sure to do your research to know what coverage is available in your destination.

Wellness travel is also a trend with seniors. Destinations are often chosen as retreats to restore physical or mental health. Some older travelers venture to foreign countries like Costa Rica to seek alternative medical treatments. I went to Miraval Resort and Wellness Spa in Tucson, Arizona with my daughter and recommended it.

Solo or friend travel

Senior women, who may have lost a spouse or never married, enjoy solo travel or travel with a friend. The advantage of solo travel for women over 50 is that they can take their time, tour at their own pace, and seek experiences that pique their interests. Traveling with a girlfriend is practical because each woman can look out for the other in case of an emergency.

Vacation selfies are not just for Millenials

Twenty-somethings aren’t the only ones who are posting their vacation photos on Instagram. Seniors are also memorializing their travel and posting photos on their IG accounts using their smartphones or lightweight camera.

They may not be showing off their bodies like their younger counterparts (although some do) and may choose to find objects to hide behind, but they aren’t afraid to be their authentic selves in photos.

Just a caution as I found out on a trip to Mexico; don’t try to take a video while walking backward on cobblestones. I almost fell flat on my face but caught myself and will never do that again.

Places I’ve been in the world

I’ve been lucky to have enjoyed several dream trips in my lifetime and have written about them in this blog. A few of these posts were written by guest writers who have had amazing experiences.

Here I am in Old Town Krakow, Poland surrounded by colorful street musicians. If you ever get a chance to go to Poland, make sure to visit Krakow’s incredible medieval Market Square.

Enjoy your next trip!

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