Do you think there is ever an age when you’re too old to travel? I absolutely do not believe traveling has an age expiration limit!
Have you ever heard, “you’re too old to travel or do that”? As an empty nester, solo traveler I’ve heard variations of it. As a woman, I’ve heard the usual “it is not safe for women to travel alone.” As a person with some health issues, I’ve heard “what if you hurt yourself?” Isn’t life a series of “what ifs” for everyone? The answer to that is an unqualified yes.
You’re Not too Old to Travel
You are never too old to travel! Age is not a barrier to traveling. I have seen seniors in their eighties and nineties enjoying themselves while traveling. In Antarctica, I was totally inspired by the number of senior travelers. I hope when I am in my eighties I am well enough to travel! These passengers on Lindblad NatGeo’s Explorer went ashore, kayaked, hiked, and even did polar plunges (a jump into icy antarctic water!).
The Viking River Cruise, Elegant Elbe, was filled with senior citizens. Most of them took part in the tours and activities. My fellow travel blogger, Suzanne Stavert of Adventures of Empty Nesters, was on the cruise with me. We had a great time with others both older and younger than us.
Travel Advice for Mature Travelers
Here are some reminders of what an older traveler should keep in mind!
- Make sure you have travel insurance! You may have travel insurance on your credit card, so check that out first. Many cards include travel benefits, including concierge and even booking services! Remember, you have to use that specific card to book your travel, or it won’t cover you. If you do not have travel insurance on a credit card, it is wise to purchase it.
- If you travel more than 2 or 3 times a year it is better to purchase a yearly travel insurance policy than to purchase it for a trip only. There are several companies, Vayama is a great source for insurance abroad.
- When you purchase travel insurance you will need to declare pre-existing conditions. If you don’t declare, the insurance won’t cover you if you get sick because of it.
- If you have Medicare and are traveling within the United States, you don’t have to worry about health insurance, you are covered!
- Do you take medications? Be sure you have a few days worth of extra medicine in case of delays, you don’t want to get caught somewhere for a couple of days without your medication.
- Need assistance or want to be sure your airline or hotel have certain first aid features? Be sure and check before you book!
- Booking a cruise of some sort? Make sure what health accommodations are on the ship and that you are satisfied with the options.
- Be cautious and know where you are. It’s unwise to go into areas you don’t have information on. Make sure the area you are traveling in is safe. Do your research!
My travels include wildlife both on land and sea. I make sure I understand the risks involved. Accidents can always happen! I was on a cage diving trip and a shark accidentally came into the cage. Thankfully I didn’t receive serious injuries, only a bump on the head, but you should always consider the risks. It’s more likely to get hurt in a car accident at home than on a wildlife trip.
I think that most people make the right decisions about their own ability to travel or be active. If you aren’t very mobile, you might be happy to stay on the ship, or take the slower route. I sometimes wonder how much longer I will be able to dive the way I want to. I know several people over 70 who are still diving, so I have plenty of time to wonder. I hope I’ll be able to dive for many, many years to come. I usually have eclectic travels, mixing luxury with diving, with camping, with cruises.
What kind of traveling do you love? Have you had any issues traveling because of your age?
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You’re absolutely right. I’m 78 and my husband is 88. Nothing can keep us down except for surgeries! Yuck. But yes I pick myself up and go traveling again.
That is wonderful. I’d love to hear more about your travels! And yes, surgeries are no fun, they totally interfere with travels!
Nice Post!!!
Golden Smith recently posted…5 Reason to Book Flights from United Airlines Number
I couldn’t agree with you more! I think it’s a shame when someone assumes that they (or someone else) are too old to travel or anything else, for that matter. Travel is a personal thing — how, when or where we travel. The important thing is to just go, determining the best way for you to do it and taking precautions as travelers of all ages should.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted…Sailing the Baltic Sea with Viking: Our First Ocean Cruise
Absolutely! Of course being careful is always a consideration, for those young and older!
That’s why my blog has been rebranded, dedicated to seniors over 70. I think there is a growing number of such people. It is now called Carolina: Cruising Past 70.
That is terrific! I turned 60 a couple of weeks ago! Still an empty nester and #over50 blogger #agingoutsidethelines!
It’s not age, per se, but some health issues and disabilities sure can put a damper on travel. There are also some financial disincentives, including the cost of some health insurance policies that increase considerably based on age:-(
The biggest issue I find is the cost of travel insurance when you declare pre-existing conditions. I won’t travel without insurance but a relatively minor heart condition has me paying a small fortune for insurance.
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields recently posted…Sculpture by the Sea 2019
I’m pinning this to my Travel Tips Pinterest board. I’m afraid your shark in the shark cage story just squelched any chance of my taking up scuba diving. Like you, I hope I’ll be able to travel well into older age. Even now, in our mid-sixties, my husband and I sometimes look at each other during trips and say, “We better travel while we still can”. During our recent around the world trip, we said this after running 2 miles through an airport to reach our next gate, and after climbing 700 steps to reach a mountaintop monument in Bulgaria. One note: there are some travel insurance policies that WILL cover pre-existing conditions if you satisfy certain criteria, such as when the policy is purchased prior to your trip. As we almost recovered lawyers say, “Always read the fine print!”
Suzanne Fluhr recently posted…Getting There – Eventually (And Some Tips for When Air Travel Doesn’t Go As Planned)
Oh, don’t let me put off your diving! After all, I went specifically to look at Great White Sharks! You don’t find them everywhere!
An inspiring post for those of us boomer travelers in the world. Just a couple of things to keep in mind: when buying travel insurance make sure you are traveling to an area where you’d be able to use that insurance. We live in rural Greece where medical care/emergency evacuation type just doesn’t exist. You might have the coverage but not the service. And know the rules for each country about bringing in even prescription medicines: we traveled to the UAE last year and were advised several times and places that some drugs are simply not allowed unless you have obtained prior permission from the government. A huge list was provided and many common drugs were on it.
Wow, good points! Especially for me, my husband had a double lung transplant and his medicine is a huge necessity.