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I think many older people till about 80 can handle a big trip requiring planes and even older people who may have a few mobility issues still love to travel, but maybe the plane trips are a bit too taxing for them. I think if it is possible a family can rent one of those huge house cars (Airstream?) and do a cross country tour, maybe not the whole country but parts of it - to be safe they can also have a list of hospitals for each city, town just in case. The older people can relax at their leisure in the house car but also have door-to-door arrivals at tourist sites. I don't know how much the rentals are for those Airstream cars
I have no clue what you mean by "house cars". Airstreams are relatively small trailers pulled by cars or trucks, not an ideal (IMO) way to travel for someone in their 70s. Especially if their vehicle is not optimally equipped for handling the tow.
Are you perhaps referring to RV's (recreational vehicles)? Again, not something to recommend for someone in their 70s unless they've had extensive earlier experience handling one. Even then, they can be damned tricky on urban and mountain roads. I doubt I'm the only one here who has gotten spooked by being behind an RV driven by an unexperienced senior driver .
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by biscuitmom
I have no clue what you mean by "house cars". Airstreams are relatively small trailers pulled by cars or trucks, ....
Motorhome, I would guess... Airstream has made many of those.
There are plenty of seniors who can handle a large motorhome well. You might be surprised at the number of 80 yr olds still herding 105,000 # of Semi truck down the road.
"preferred way to travel" should have been clarified to transport and lodging for extended stays (month or more.) Transport is minor issue (since I love to fly, ride, and drive). I greatly dislike hotels and resorts, so just seeing what people choose for comfortable options while out and about for a few months at a time.
I expect I will still be road tripping in my 50mpg grease burners, I can't imagine ever having to buy GAS! (ick,,, that stuff is dangerous, just ask NJ or Oregon!). Just passed 280k in my 'youngest' car, so I should be seeing a million miles on a few of my cars by the time I retire my driver's license. I already have trucks with 1 million + miles. I expect them to keep going for another 20 yrs too.
I luv traveling in my 'woman's MH', it is very handy to step back to the frig on a hot day, or brew up hot cocoa on a cold day. Fresh shower after a hike, and a nap anytime I feel like it! I can 'stealth camp' where ever I happen to be... from a National Park to inner city. Done plenty of both. I just have a hard time stomaching the poor mileage of the MH (20 mpg vs 52mpg in my cars). Stopping for fuel every 400 miles is a PITA... I can go 1200 miles between fuel stops in my cars. Doubt if I will be doing that in one stretch while traveling during my 80's and 90's.
I don't see what age has to do with it, it's all a matter of health status.
I'm 65, have COPD, so there's one limiting factor, and I've been having a knee problem for a year now.
I just got back from a 2100 mile road trip to OR, and, as a result of it, my knee swelled up like a balloon by the end of the trip! So, that may be my last big road trip!
So, I can live with that, being I've traveled all over the world and all 50 states, previously. Nowadays, a short flight to a city with some good light rail or subways lines. No problem with doing those kind of trips!
There are plenty of seniors who can hndle a large motorhome well. You might be surprised at the number of 80 yr olds still herding 105,000 # of Semi truck down the road.
Surprised? No.
Dismayed? Yes. Usually when we get behind one on the high road to Taos.
Not sure which is worse, an 80 yr old driving an RV or pulling a travel trailer.
I have no clue what you mean by "house cars". Airstreams are relatively small trailers pulled by cars or trucks, not an ideal (IMO) way to travel for someone in their 70s. Especially if their vehicle is not optimally equipped for handling the tow.
Are you perhaps referring to RV's (recreational vehicles)? Again, not something to recommend for someone in their 70s unless they've had extensive earlier experience handling one. Even then, they can be damned tricky on urban and mountain roads. I doubt I'm the only one here who has gotten spooked by being behind an RV driven by an unexperienced senior driver .
I just call them house cars because I couldn't think of the actual term - it is probably trailers/recreational vehicles. No, I didn't mean that the older people drive the vehicles, I meant to say that their families would handle the driving. The older people can just relax and they even have beds to sleep on and bathrooms on board. If I was 70 something, I would love to have my family driving me around and all I had to do was relax and look out the window. You don't even have to walk that far to get to the tourist site entrances because you'll get dropped off right there while the family member goes and finds parking. I would think that kind of traveling would be perfect for elderly people who still have the desire to travel, but maybe have a few issues that would make that difficult.
Motorhome, I would guess... Airstream has made many of those.
There are plenty of seniors who can handle a large motorhome well. You might be surprised at the number of 80 yr olds still herding 105,000 # of Semi truck down the road.
"preferred way to travel" should have been clarified to transport and lodging for extended stays (month or more.) Transport is minor issue (since I love to fly, ride, and drive). I greatly dislike hotels and resorts, so just seeing what people choose for comfortable options while out and about for a few months at a time.
I expect I will still be road tripping in my 50mpg grease burners, I can't imagine ever having to buy GAS! (ick,,, that stuff is dangerous, just ask NJ or Oregon!). Just passed 280k in my 'youngest' car, so I should be seeing a million miles on a few of my cars by the time I retire my driver's license. I already have trucks with 1 million + miles. I expect them to keep going for another 20 yrs too.
I luv traveling in my 'woman's MH', it is very handy to step back to the frig on a hot day, or brew up hot cocoa on a cold day. Fresh shower after a hike, and a nap anytime I feel like it! I can 'stealth camp' where ever I happen to be... from a National Park to inner city. Done plenty of both. I just have a hard time stomaching the poor mileage of the MH (20 mpg vs 52mpg in my cars). Stopping for fuel every 400 miles is a PITA... I can go 1200 miles between fuel stops in my cars. Doubt if I will be doing that in one stretch while traveling during my 80's and 90's.
Traveling by Airstream motorhome has got my imagination going now! I think when I get to my 70s I will go cross-country in one, sounds so comfortable and fun.
My 90-ish aunt and uncle, in southern WI, told my cousin they would no longer be flying out to see him in San Diego every year, because it was becoming too much of a burden to make the trip. So, they told him he needs to come see them instead. They are still doing well for their ages, but they are tired of flying.
My husband and I currently live in London but will be leaving in two weeks for our forever home in Tucson! We have lived here for 8.5 years and have enjoyed almost every minute of it. We were fortunate that my husband's job took him here. We have traveled all over the world both for his work and for our own pleasure. He just turned 70 and I am 68. We are both still active and get around just fine. But I was just saying to him the other day when it was 86 degrees out but hotter still in the tube that we were lucky to have done all this travel while we were still "young and agile". I don't think a lot of people realize when traveling that it takes a lot of energy to get around between using public transportation, planes, trains, etc. and what toll it can take on the body. Just using the Tube takes a lot of stamina just climbing stairs, esp if the escalators don't work or the lifts. Dragging suitcases all over from plane to train to taxi to hotel and then all the way back again. Fortunately, when the trip is job related we can use a taxi getting to and from the airports and the hotels are paid for. I definitely find myself getting tired of doing this and becoming anxious to get home. What we started to do a couple of years ago is doing cruises. We are pretty independent travelers and thought this wouldn't work for us but we found that after our first experience of not having to pack and repack every 3rd day was pretty great! Plus the itineraries were fantastic! We saw older people with walkers and wheelchairs getting around just fine. The only catch, of course, is getting to the port and for some that will be difficult. But, I would say for those who love to travel that you do as much as you can while you still have some money and the energy while you are still able. You just never know.
^^^THIS. We are leaving for an overseas trip and what's stressing me out is the dragging of suitcases onto a train, then changing trains, then onto a shuttle bus to the airport, then waiting about four hours in the airport, then standing in a long line, and THEN sitting through a nearly 7 hour flight.
THEN a six hour wait to change planes for a short hop to our destination. Then, pick up the rental car and drive. With jet lag. I would have hated this when I was younger and I don't feel as strong as I did before plus I have always tired easily.
I'm going to be completely exhausted when we finally arrive. Thankfully, dh has endless energy and pep and has promised to drag the heavy suitcases so I just have to lug my heavy purse, carry on, and his laptop.
I want very much to go on this trip to see my favorite country and dh's new grandson but what is MUCH easier at our ages (70s) is a cruise. Get taken care of, no constant deadlines and check ins, a private room to retreat to. Now if only we could afford a repositioning cruise across the ocean! Not in our price range because we'd have to fly to Florida to get it! That eats up a lot of the money. But just about anybody can manage to go on a cruise and we still got to make our own adventures--and got a lot of exercise walking around the ship--walking around when WE wanted to, not because we had to.
Flying is hard on just about everyone these days. Travel by ship is ideal, especially for older folks.
I have no clue what you mean by "house cars". Airstreams are relatively small trailers pulled by cars or trucks, not an ideal (IMO) way to travel for someone in their 70s. Especially if their vehicle is not optimally equipped for handling the tow.
Are you perhaps referring to RV's (recreational vehicles)? Again, not something to recommend for someone in their 70s unless they've had extensive earlier experience handling one.
Fortunately, most people are quite capable of making those decisions for themselves.
The vintage Airstream RVs are fun but the trailers you can get in just about any size you want these days. If I had a tow vehicle I would surely go that route.
As it is, I'm waiting impatiently for the end of the year so I can buy my new Roadtrek SS Agile.
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