Travel After 50

Approximately a 5 minute read

This post on Travel After 50 is from a member of the Voyageer Contributor Team, Jean. Find out how to have your post featured here!

You’ve saved, sacrificed, and dreamed. Now you’re ready to set out. The kids are grown and thriving. You’re happy with the way your home looks, your yard is well-manicured and looks perfect. 

Let’s go! 

When my husband and I were young, we loved traveling to faraway places. We traveled abroad independently and later did the typical road trips and the required trips to visit faraway families. As empty-nesters, we were able to set out on longer trips abroad. Our first foray, in 2012, was a family trip to Europe to share a few of our favorite memories with our adult children. It was a fabulous trip to France, Germany, Belgium, and the Dover coast of England. Revisiting familiar haunts gave us confidence and relit our joy of travel. Since then, we have visited approximately 40 different countries on 3 continents.

We have never availed ourselves of a travel agent, but I imagine an initial conversation might begin with, “Where do you want to go?” The ensuing chat might consider things such as budget, methods of travel, time constraints, and the like. 

The destination is not always primary

I propose a different conversation. After 12 seasons of travel planning–using tools available on the internet, I have learned a bit about myself and what makes a trip memorable and enjoyable. The destination is not always primary. Consider these things:

1. When at home, what brings you joy? What drives you crazy? For example; Do you love to purchase and cook your food or would you prefer eating food prepared by someone else? Do you like to stay super busy or would you rather read a book? Are you a people person, or do you enjoy quiet spaces?
2. Are you an outdoors person? What does that look like? Sitting and sunning by a pool or lake, hiking in the woods, wandering new neighborhoods?
3. If you had the money, would you have people cater to your every need or would you prefer to do things for yourself? Do you want a pro to plan your trip, do you want to join a touring group, or do you want to explore independently?
4. How’s your overall health? Are you comfortable lifting, carrying, bending, and walking for long distances, or do you need to take it easy and rest often?
5. Gastronomy is also important. Are you a foodie, do you plan your day around food, or are you most comfortable eating familiar foods? Do you want to pack your day full of doing, and grab quick bites on the go?
6. What is your budget? Is this a once-in-a-lifetime trip that you have been saving up for?

I’ve discovered that I am a creature of habit and don’t enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone–but I LOVE TO TRAVEL. How does that work? My goal is to see new areas, sights, and sounds. But when it comes to food, rest, and lodgings, I like to stick to the familiar such as branded hotels and recognized food chains. 

Where do you want to be?

The second part of a pre-travel conversation might sound like this, “Where do you want to be?”

Here’s a checklist:

1. I want to be outdoors. OK. Cool or hot? 
2. I want to be in a museum. Nature or history or both?
3. I want to be at a luxury resort. What does that mean? Lodgings or all-inclusive?
4. I want to be a tourist and do lots of sightseeing. There are so many choices-gardens, historical districts, ancient architecture.
5. I want to attend sporting events. Soccer, baseball, football, cricket, rugby?

Finally, let’s discuss where you want to go. Using the above checklists, you can narrow down your destination. 

Now that you know where you want to go, think about your mode of transportation. Do you want to see your homeland via rental car or RV? What about train travel? Going a long way? You may combine flying and driving with train travel thrown in. 

Then and now

In 1984, armed with a bright orange book entitled Let’s Go Europe, written by student backpackers, and Frommers Europe on $25 a day, we mapped out a loose itinerary in our Walmart Rand McNally Atlas of Europe. We purchased plane tickets to Brussels and picked up a tiny, black, Ford Fiesta. Loading our one suitcase in the trunk, we set out. We relied on our two books to guide us and the local tourist offices to provide us with housing. At the end of each day, we would ask, “Where do you want to go tomorrow?” 

Times and technology changes have made international travel more convenient but it also opens the door to a multitude of options that can be dizzying. Our experiences have been in utilizing three types of travel. We have been on four European bus tours and four cruises. We have experienced New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore on our own. Each vacation has allowed us to create memories, learn about ourselves, and influence our worldview. 

When you get there, whatever you do, take time to savor the moments, remember the good parts, and be sure to pick up a small memento that will make you smile.

Jean is a retired librarian who now spends her days traveling to the corners of the earth, revisiting old favorites and exploring new horizons.