Golden Years: Travel Tips for Older Adults

Fay’s last guest post on here was so well received that she’s back with another guest post! I’m aware that many of my readers are traveling in their golden years, something I aspire to do too when the time comes. With that said, here’s what she has to say about planning for golden-year trips: “Just because you’re now a senior citizen doesn’t mean that you can’t travel. You can still enjoy a lot of places in the world even though you’re older. You just have to approach things differently than when you were a few decades younger. This way, you’ll have a blast on the trip and come back feeling good. If you’re interested in learning about scans for your joints before you go, this page may interest you.

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1. Make Sure That You Pick The Right Destination

When you were younger, you could be more experimental with your travels. Now, you want to make sure that you’ll both like what you see when you’re there and also be able to do any activities there. Do you like Greek or Roman history? You can go to historical sites – though you might want to be careful at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Do you like wildlife? Take a safari trip in Africa and take a lot of pictures.

2. Carefully Plan Your Itinerary

Researching your trip can be part of your fun. You need to figure out the best places … but you also need to figure out the best way to get from place to place without taxing your aging body. It’s better to travel when the sites aren’t crowded, which means it’s better to go during the off-season rather than the peak time. Off-peak also tends to be cheaper.

3. Travel With a Group

Yes, you want to avoid the crowds when you are there, but it’s a good idea to travel with people, especially if they share the same interests as you. This can create a sense of camaraderie. You’ll also feel more secure when you’re around these people. There are a lot of group travel options – you can talk to a travel agent about which ones will suit your needs.

4. Get Your Doctor’s “Okay”

Traveling can be strenuous. You need to carry your luggage to the airport. You could be doing a lot of walking. All of this is bound to be rougher on an older person. That’s why you should talk to your doctor and have them examine you before you even book the trip. If they give you the thumbs up, then you can go ahead.

5. Be Smart When You Pack

As an older adult, you really need to pay attention to what you put in your suitcase. Pack comfortable clothes. Put your pills and prescriptions in your carry-on, preferably in a dispenser. That way, if something happens to your luggage, you can still take your medication(s). Bring a light jacket even if it’s a tropical destination, since the nights might get cooler or it could rain.

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Read Next: Tips for Traveling With A Carry-On Only

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6. Get a Lot of Rest

You could bounce back faster when you traveled before. That’s not the case now, even if you have a good amount of energy. It’s important to build in time to recover from jet lag. Also, if you’re going to go on an all-day tour, you might not want to do anything the next day so that you can recuperate.

7. Take Advantage of Technology

A lot of things have changed over the course of your life. You can get a lot of information from the palm of your hand now through your smartphone. There are maps that you can access and apps that can translate things for you if you’re in a foreign country and don’t understand the language. You can even video call the people back at home so that you can tell them what’s going on.

8. Travel to Places That Have Senior-Friendly Accommodations

Check to see if your hotel will have things like grab bars in your bathroom or elevators to go up and down. Try to get to places that are near public transportation and restaurants. That will mean a lot less walking for you, which will be easier on your joints. Oh and by the way, if you’re a senior traveler with mobility issues and plan to visit Jamaica, these tips may come in handy.

Wrap Up

Take home message from Fay: Traveling can invigorate you at any age by allowing you to go out and have new experiences. However, be sure to do the above checks so that you can have a smooth and uneventful trip. That way, you’ll have a lot of good stories to tell people when you get back. As you can see, you might have to do a bit more planning when you travel in your later years. It will be well worth the effort that you put in, especially if you build in that extra rest time.

Read Next: A Jamaican Year Is Measured By Fruit Seasons

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About The Author

Fay Smith worked in communications for five years before settling down with her husband. She’s now a mother of two young children and takes care of three lovable Pomeranians. Fay Smith is a regular contributor on various health and wellness sites. She also works as a freelance writer and researcher on wellness topics, such as alternative treatments and CBD. If you would like to guest post on Adventures from Elle too, fill out this form.

‘Til next time.

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