Retirement is a perfect time to finally take that trip you’ve always dreamed of—now comes the challenge to make sure your traveling adventure is safe, comfortable, and a lot of fun! Here are some travel tips for seniors that can get you on your way.
Anytime can be a good time for a vacation!
Once you’ve discovered the freedom that modern senior living provides, such as you find at St. Mark Village, you might just get the itch to explore those ancient ruins or stroll through the streets of Paris. And you want to do it without the stress that can come when you haven’t planned as well as you could.
Travel tips for seniors: how to leave stress behind
First, it’s a good idea to consider just how much traveling have you done up until now? If it’s been quite a while, you might want to also listen to the advice given for beginners. The reason is things change all the time when it comes to traveling, and you don’t want to assume you know the best way to go about things.
In addition, remember that your traveling experience actually begins far ahead of the actual trip, and can continue well beyond. So, it’s worth it to pay attention to even the slightest detail and make several lists. There’s a lot to keep in mind; you’ll be glad later if you check every list of tips offered now, from travel tips for beginners, to travel tips for seniors, to just plain travel safety tips. The more you know, the better it will go!
Related: How Seniors Keep Busy in Independent Living Communities
Travel tips for beginners and beyond
1.Be realistic.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, so it would be best for your comfort and health to not try and see all of Italy in one or two days. Pace yourself so that you can truly enjoy what you are seeing and doing, without ending the day totally exhausted. Be sure you don’t give yourself a challenge that might take the joy out of the moment (too many steps to climb to get to the top of a monument or rafting a raging river when you don’t know how to swim). Easy does it makes for a happy camper.
2. Visit your physician before taking off.
This easily goes on both the travel tips for beginners and travel tips for seniors list. You might be wanting to visit a mountain range but are unsure if you are up to the higher elevation. Or a cross-country bicycling trip is calling your name, but you would like to know if you’re in shape.
A physical exam gives you the information you need and is also a good time to make sure you have any vaccinations that might be required just in case you want to volunteer with a nature expedition through a tropical rainforest. While you’re at the doctor, make sure to have all your prescriptions refilled and will have enough with you during your travels.
Related: Why You Should Travel with the Grandkids
3. Find 55+ discounts.
Getting older brings many benefits. When it comes to travel tips for seniors, don’t forget to check if your intended hotel, tour, airline, museum, or expedition offers lower prices for senior adults. Even if you don’t initially see any offers, be sure to ask along the way as you travel. You never know what you might find.
4. Investigate travel insurance.
Without a crystal ball, you can’t know what lies ahead, especially when you travel. Having travel insurance is high on travel safety tips for many reasons. One is making sure your policy includes evacuation insurance, so that in the case of a medical emergency, you will be able to get the medical care you need.
5. Carry on your medications.
No one wants to go through the anxiety of realizing their medications are inside a checked suitcase on its way to the opposite side of the world—but you are not. If you are taking a liquid medication, talk to your physician about giving you a document that you can carry with you that explains you must always have the medication with you.
6. Keep moving.
Traveling can wear you out, and it’s wise to take frequent breaks. But be sure you don’t sit too long. If you do, you run the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which is caused by prolonged lack of movement. That’s why many seniors book an aisle seat on a plane or train so they can stand up and move around occasionally. Stretch when you can. You’ll feel better.
7. Pack light. Really light.
Early on, lay out everything you think you will need on your trip. Then try to cut it down by at least one-third, if not more. That’s because you want to travel as light as possible. You don’t want to be lugging a heavy suitcase around on uneven pavement or on and off a bus.
You probably can choose a few staple pieces of clothing and get away with fewer extra pieces than you think. For international travel, it’s best to try and get it all inside a carry-on. It’s safer, easier on your back, and less to worry about.
8. Know what you need for TSA.
When you think of travel safety tips for airplane travel, TSA is definitely at the top of the list. There are some medical conditions that can cause a senior to be delayed at a security checkpoint (hip and knee implants, for example). Be sure to carry a report from your physician or a card that describes the device in question when traveling.
9. Get there extra early.
Whether you are taking an airplane, train, bus, motorcoach, rental car, or riding on the back of a yak, be sure to arrive extra early. Especially around holidays, when weather is a factor, or at any other times when travel may be disrupted. If needed, arrange the use of a wheelchair in advance (airlines will usually help with this). In case of a lengthy delay, have some easy-to-consume energy snack with you, as well as a charger for your phone, your medications, water, and of course, your travel information.
10. Drink water.
It may sound obvious, but remembering to stop and drink water as you travel is key to a healthy and enjoyable trip. Airplanes can be dehydrating. It’s also hard to take medications without water. Plus, you can get a lot of water by consuming the right foods, such as grapes, apples, and other fruits. Fill up a water bottle after you’ve checked into your plane or train if possible and remember to stop during the day several times and take a few sips. You’ll feel better in the long run.
11. Remember to have fun!
Once you’ve done your planning and preparation, and you’ve arrived at your destination, let yourself relax and enjoy where you are. Getting away and seeing new sights, meeting new people, trying new things…it’s all great for your mental, emotional, and physical health.
Much like what we talk about in our Wellness Matters program at St. Mark Village—done right, traveling can be an adventure in wellness focusing on the whole person.
And if a staycation is more your cup of tea…
You’re in luck! Residents of St. Mark Village have a world of vacation possibilities to explore, right here in Palm Harbor, Florida. Festivals, nature preserves, championship golf, art museums, concerts, gorgeous beaches, historical sites, fabulous dining—it’s all right here. We hope you’ll come see what we mean.
Take our Lifestyle Quiz to help discover what matters most to you in senior living or contact us. We’d love to hear from you, learn about your interests and passions, and share about our community which offers seamless access to future health care options.
