Too old to travel (states, retired, vacation, friends)

[atlguy44]

I'm still active, in my early 70s, travel all over the US for part-time work that I do but people are always telling me to travel before I get too old to do it or enjoy the experience. I also find among my peers that even before their physical strength fails and prevents them traveling, they seem to lose interest in straying too far from home or just are apathetic about the whole travel experience, seeing new things etc. Are others finding the same thing as well? What do you think some of the reasons for this may be?

[eliza61nyc]

I think it's personal taste. My sister and her husband do not like to travel. you should see their back yard. they spend 100K turning it into a oasis because they are home bodies.


By the way, people are always telling others what they do is wrong. Folks criticized my sister when she started redecorating her backyard.


she gets it from my dad, he was a homebody. I really don't know many folks who love to travel and then didn't like it as they got older, most of my friends still loved it but health issues prevent them from going as much as they like.


One thing I noticed here is that there are a lot of folks who are scared for their future. so I think a lot of folks are too scared to spend the money to enjoy themselves personally.

[WellShoneMoon]

I'm 70, and doing a lot less traveling than I used to, for several reasons:

1. I'm no longer working and making money, and I'm being careful with the funds I live on.

2. Travel seems to have become much more difficult and unpleasant than it used to be, and I'm less willing to put up with the hassle.

3. I traveled a lot in my 40's and 50's (at least one international trip and several domestic trips each year), so I don't have the fear of missing out by doing less travel these days.

Although my daughter and I did take a wonderful trip to England and Scotland earlier this year, usually my travel consists of visiting family in different parts of the country.

[Spuggy]

No, many of my older friends, people in their 80's and 90's still travel overseas or across the usa. However there are some people who just don't feel the need to travel and enjoy their lives and saving their budget for other things. People can experience new things without straying far from home. Beside the fact that I have lived in two countries, several cities, several states and love trips when they come up ( like if my husband says do you want to go to x place, I don't crave traveling like some.

[Aredhel]

In my father's case, it's partly fear. In the past he's had one or two serious health scares while away from home, and he just doesn't want to take the chance of that happening again.

[Gusano]

My sister and her husband are great travelers. They are always on the go and seem to really enjoy it. I have always been a homebody, but years ago, thinking I was being too closed minded about traveling, I made myself travel once a year to someplace:Guadalajara, Albuquerque, Seattle, NOLA, a Caribbean cruise, Mt Rushmore area and Sturgis bike rally, etc.

I enjoyed myself well enough that I don't regret having done it, but I still feel no real desire to travel any more. I haven't gone anywhere out of my area for the last nine years or so and just prefer spending the money on home improvements.

[reneeh63]

I have an aunt and uncle who were both CPAs and retired in their mid-40's - they did very EXTENSIVE international travel through their late 80's.

I am hopeful that I'll be able to keep traveling late in life as well - hopefully by making adjustments in terms of maybe longer layovers on long flights, less hurried travel in general (fewer cities crammed into a trip), etc.

Not to hijack your thread, but it would be great to get specific tips here on what older travelers have done so they can keep traveling!

[Ceira]

As a lifelong global traveller, its more a case of 'been there, done that'. There are very few places left that are on my must see list, so yeah perhaps I don't travel as much as I used to, but its got nothing to do with my age.

[Mr5150]

I am 67 and never cared to travel. Went to Germany six years ago to a nontourist destination for my Army son's wedding to a German gal. Her English was good, but few locals spoke English and I didn't know German. We had a literal train wreck and were evacuated. It was winter. Nothing like buying groceries when you don't speak the local language. I'm good for foreign travel.

Fortunately I live in vacationland. I'm not a homebody, but the idea of traveling outside of North America just doesn't appeal to me. Mrs5150 wouldn't mind, but we don't have the money to spend on foreign travel. Plenty to see and do in our part of North America.

My FIL traveled into his mid 80s as did my uncle.

[GeoffD]

When I was 25, I could ski all day Sunday, take a shower, drive to the airport, take the overnight flight to London, drive to the office, and work all day. At age 59, I'd be a compete mess if I did that now.

For the last 15+ years, I avoid overnight flights unless it's business class with a fully reclining seat. When I go to Europe, I take the Boston/London-Heathrow day flight that goes out of Boston at 8am landing in London around 7pm. Give me an aisle seat in the economy section and I'm fine. On average, I do that flight once per year these days.

My girlfriend and I are going to Lisbon in May. I was last there a year ago. It's been a while for her. An apartment through AirBnB for 8 nights for less than $100/day. Portugal is inexpensive. With an apartment, we can control our food costs if we want to.