Even though Baby Boomer travel is limited these days because of the pandemic, it’s still a passion for many of us. It took me a while to get started because life got in the way, but once I was able to get out and explore I couldn’t get enough of it.
Remember, this too shall pass. Read about the Future of Travel here.
Come with me to Ireland
As a perpetual optimist, I’m planning a small group trip to the Irish Countryside that will take place Oct 2 – 11 with Collette Travel and would love for you to join me. We are having an informational Zoom call on Mar 23rd, 2021 at 11 am PST. You can register and join us on the call here.
Where I’ve been and blogged about
I’ve been lucky to have gone on a few dream trips in my lifetime and wrote about them in this blog. Some posts were written by other writers who have been places I haven’t been to yet and shared their experiences. Enjoy our posts and let’s hope we Baby Boomers will get to travel again soon.
Click on the images below to read posts about destinations you want to learn more about. You can also browse my travel photo galleries, read useful travel tips, and check out my recommendations for booking hotels, flights, tours, and favorite travel accessories. I’d love it if you’d also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Baby Boomer Travel – Abroad
I’m ready to go just about anywhere but I especially love traveling to Europe. I love visiting small villages, old town centers, and historical locations. On my journeys, I discovered that I have an obsession with old doors. I hope my posts open you up to new experiences that you’ll want to put on your travel bucket list.
Baby Boomer Travel – USA
As a citizen of the United States, I’m proud to live in such a beautiful and diverse mixture of cultures, scenery, and people. Check out where I’ve been in America the beautiful.
I live in Los Angeles and love to write about my hometown
I’m an LA girl through and through. There’s so much to do in Los Angeles and the weather is almost always perfect. When I’m not out of town traveling, I get a kick out of exploring my own neighborhood.
The Best Ways Baby Boomers can Travel
Click on the images below to find posts about travel tips and travel gear that I’ve learned from experts and along my way.
Photo Galleries
As a Baby Boomer blogger, I can’t go anywhere without taking a ton of photos. Thank heavens for smartphones. I don’t know how I survived without one. I also like to take my Canon Powershot camera along for Zoom shots because it’s light and easy to carry.
My Favorite Resources for Baby Boomer Travel
Recommendations to Plan Your Next Trip – Click the link to find websites and resources for flights, transportation, hotels, tour companies, travel gear, insurance, and more especially for Baby Boomer travel.
Travel Trends for Baby Boomers
Traveling when you’re over 50 is enriching and stimulating. It’s always exciting to discover new destinations and explore other cultures. Baby Boomers, who are focused on remaining active and healthy aren’t content to just sit on a chaise lounge and let ships pass them by. They’re on the move and ready to see as much as they can in the world. I know I am. How about you?
The Baby Boomer travel trends below were written just before the pandemic but still reflect what we have in mind when it comes to how we want to travel
According to Google, the most popular places for Baby Boomers to travel are:
- Hawaii
- Australia
- Italy
- Alaska
- U.K. and Ireland
- France
- California
Now that Baby Boomers have children who have left the nest and parents who may have passed on they have more freedom to travel. According to AARP, people over 50 take an average of 4-5 trips per year both international and domestic.
And just because we’re older it hasn’t stopped us from being adventurous. We are hiking, biking, walking, mountain climbing, scuba diving, skiing, motorcycling, camping, glamping, and even flying through the air. There are no limits to what Boomers can do if we want it bad enough.
Even if you have physical challenges it doesn’t mean you can’t venture out. You can take a cruise, ride the rails, sail, go road tripping in an RV, or relax at a spa. I’m always ready to drop what I’m doing to discover new places and things to do.
Experiential travel
One aspect of travel that’s trending with Baby Boomers is to interact with locals and become immersed in the local culture. Our generation as a general rule prefers 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 we book rooms at large and familiar hotel chains. Some of us opt for locally-run boutique hotels, which are unique, smaller, and provide a more authentic experience. And likewise, some choose to take eclectic small group tours 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. You can go on nature or wildlife expeditions to learn about conservation or cultural explorations where you volunteer as part of your trip package. Discover Corps is dedicated to just that and was founded by a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Baby Boomer travel spending
Older people tend to spend more money on travel than younger people. One reason is comfort. Unless you’re in great shape, you probably 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 you can get your Z’s sleeping on a nice cushy hotel bed. And think about it, do you want to clean your sheets and do dishes when you’re on vacation? I sure don’t.
For those who love nature and camping but prefer not to rough it, there are glamping, houseboat, and RV experiences, you can enjoy that make camping easier and more comfortable. Don’t forget to purchase your National Park Senior Pass because there’s nothing so magnificent as National Parks.
Where there’s a will, there is a way
Baby Boomers who are retired enjoy long-extended trips without worrying about going back to work when they come home. Others, who never saved up a large nest egg are finding creative ways to travel for free or at a low cost. Some 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 everyone has dreams of seeing the world and would rather travel to visit family members who live elsewhere. They may also offer to give their children a break and take the grandchildren or other relatives on trips.
Multi-generational travel is another way to spend quality time with multiple family members. The entire family may choose to rent a lodge to enjoy a ski vacation, enjoy an inclusive resort, a cruise, or gather in an ancestral location for a family reunion.
Health and travel
Health is always an issue with Baby Boomers who travel so it’s important to purchase adequate travel insurance. Not every insurance company offers emergency services for people 65+ and Medicare may not cover you overseas so make sure to do your research to get the coverage you need.
Wellness travel is also a trend. Boomers with aching bones are enjoying relaxing wellness retreats or traveling to foreign countries to seek alternative medical treatments.
Travel alone or with a friend
Solo travel, as well as girlfriend getaways, have become popular with older women, especially those who have lost a spouse or just need a getaway. The advantage of solo travel over 50 is that you can take your time, tour at your own pace, and seek experiences that are of interest to you and you alone. Traveling with a girlfriend is practical because you can look out for each other in case of an emergency.
Ride the waves
Cruising has always been a popular way for older people to travel. It’s easy because you only unpack once and the ship will take you to visit multiple ports. Tours and activities are provided to please everyone’s interests.
I personally prefer River cruising because the ship capacity is small and intimate rather than vast and overpopulated.
You can walk out of the ship into a quaint little village and return without going through crowded security checkpoints like you do at big ports. You’ll get to know your shipmates because everyone eats together in a smallish dining room. And rivers are smooth, so you don’t have to worry about getting seasick.
After experiencing the pandemic, Baby Boomers may find river cruising preferable because there is little to no chance of a disease outbreak on board that could turn into a crisis.
Taking vacation selfies
20 somethings aren’t the only ones who are posting their vacation photos on Instagram. Boomers are memorializing their vacations and posting photos on their IG accounts using their smartphone or light-weight camera.
They may not be showing off their booties like some of the younger travelers do and may choose to find objects to hide behind, but they aren’t afraid to be their authentic selves in photos.
Happy traveling!
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