Tips for retirees beginning a travel adventure
Retirement brings big changes to your life. Things slow down. You no longer need to set your alarm unless you choose to. But what do you do with all that extra time?
For some, it’s time to travel. Here are some tips to make the most of those dream vacations retirees finally have the time to take.
Shirley Stine, 63, of Cranberry Township, retired from her high-stress job in 2022 after 27 years with the same company. In that time, she rarely took time off. When she retired, it had been at least 10 years since she had taken a week off. Once retired, she decided to make up for all the time she lost.
“I decided I was going on a life-changing vacation,” Stine said. “When I was working, taking time off was impossible. I even gave back my vacation days because I could not use them.”
Stine decided to take a two-week vacation in Hawaii, seeing all four big islands.
“It was the best decision I ever made,” she said.
When you are still working, vacations are nice short breaks, but some find it impossible to relax because they still worry about their jobs back home — What will I return to? How many emails? Did I forget to do something before I left? Vacationing when retired is a whole different ballgame.
Stine even went a step further and took that trip to Hawaii solo.
“It’s freeing because you don’t have to worry about doing things to please whoever is with you,” said Stine.
Following are some tips:
Stine used an agent to book her travel, which is her first tip for retirees starting their travel adventures.
“You want to make sure you go somewhere safe, and using an agent who has the knowledge of the areas was invaluable,” said Stine.
Pam Forrester, president of The Magic for Less Travel in Cranberry Township, agrees.
“In particular for seniors, they’re sometimes not as savvy with some technology and the sites that are out there,” Forrester said. “Even after you plan, you typically have to use some kind of technology for the check-in or whatnot.”
“We can guide them through that process, because we deal with this every day, we can make sure that they know all the little things to ensure they are booking with a reliable tour operator or a reliable cruise company,” Forrester said.
“In Haleakala (National Park), I did two sunrise tours. In order to get up there at sunrise, the tour picks you up at 2 in the morning. Who wants to drive two hours up switchbacks to a mountain at 2 or 3 a.m.? Take the tour,” Stine said.
But make sure to discuss the tours available and what they entail.
“People assume that because here in the states accommodations for disabilities or mobility issues that it will be the same when they travel to other countries, but it’s really different. An experienced agent will be aware of these things and will make sure your trip is as safe and enjoyable as possible,” Forrester said.
Travel agents also can help guide you to the best destination for what you are hoping to do on your trip.
“We look at each individual and discuss what their needs and wants are while booking the trips,” Forrester said. “That’s one of the advantages of working with a travel agent. We make sure we help guide them into the trip of their dreams. They’re going to meet their individual needs.”
“In the fall of 2025 I want to do the national parks in the northwest quadrant of the United States, so I am planning it now,” Stine said. “I’ll be doing Olympic, Cascades, Rainier — places like that. With so many stops, booking early is best.”
“There is always this concept of ‘I want to travel soon. Aren’t there last-minute deals?’” Forrester said. “It just isn’t the case right now. Especially with cruises because they are so popular, probably more popular than I’ve seen in many, many years. It’s true for a lot of suppliers that their best price is usually right when the itinerary is available to book.”
“Each policy is different. Some may cover medical, and that is really important, especially if you are traveling internationally on a cruise,” Forrester said. “And make sure it is purchased when the trip is booked, because many policies will exclude preexisting conditions if the travel insurance is purchased within a certain period of time of when the trip is booked. That can be important for seniors.”
After years of avoiding vacations due to the fear of missing work, Stine says the bottom line is, have fun and relax.
“You no longer have to worry about what is happening at your job while you are gone and what may fall through the cracks. Enjoy that feeling,” she said.
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