One of the most appealing hobbies for older people to have, especially those who are retired, is to go travelling around the globe. After all these years of working and looking after your family, the time has come for you to head out and see the world.
The world is your oyster, there are so many different places to see and explore. It’s hard to pick a select few that we believe to be unmissable, but we’ve given it our best shot and here are five places that you need to visit if you’re planning on travelling throughout your older years. For our list we’ve picked located from around the globe, rather than focusing on just one continent.
1. Route 66
If you’re looking for the ultimate trip than you need to conquer Route 66. This famous highway, the first completely paved highway in the US, is known as the “Mother Road” and takes you from Chicago across to Los Angeles.
Along the way you’ll come across iconic roadside attractions and famous American cities and towns that rely on the income of Route 66 drivers. Road Trip USA provide a look into the trip:
Route 66 passes through a marvellous cross-section of American scenes, from the cornfields of Illinois all the way to the golden sands and sunshine of Los Angeles, passing by such diverse environs as the Grand Canyon, the Native American communities of the desert Southwest, the small-town Midwest heartlands of Oklahoma and the Ozarks, and the gritty streets of St. Louis and Chicago.”
Travelling on Route 66 will give you a once in a lifetime look at the United States of America and it’s a trip that everybody should do at least once in their lifetime.
2. Rome
The historical city of Rome will provide you with some fantastic photographs, lovely food and unique culture. There is so much that you can learn whilst you’re travelling through this iconic Italian city, that you’ll be telling your friends all about Julius Caesar, Hadrian and much more.
You’ll see some amazing architecture from an iconic time period, such as the Colosseum and Vatican. The city is full of famous landmarks such as the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, although you’ll need to prepare yourself for busy crowds at the latter.
Alongside all of the famous buildings and landmarks, you will discover the delicious and highly-addictive cuisine. Restaurants in Rome and among the best in the world, serving up popular Italian dishes such as lasagne and Carbonara. You can accompany your meal with a tasty wine or refreshing Italian beer and for desert you can have some of the famous gelato ice cream.
3. Great Barrier Reef
This is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world and stretches an astonishing 1500 miles across the Eastern coastline of Australia. Across this beautiful stretch you will find over 3000 coral reefs, 600 islands and over 1500 types of fish.
Whilst on your visit you could take part in some diving and snorkelling to see the reef in all its underwater glory. Remember, you’re in Australia so there are some fantastic towns and tourist spots to visit nearby – such as Cairns, Hamilton Island and Whitehaven Beech. You could even take to the skies on an air tour of the reef to see it from a bird’s perspective, the view from up there is fantastic.
You’ll need to act quickly if you’re to see this landmark in all its glory though as coral bleaching, causing by rising sea temperatures, is threatening to destroy the habitat.
4. New York City
As soon as you step out of your transfer from the airport, New York will make you go wow!! Looking up at the tall skyscrapers around you like they’re something that you’ve never seen before… .you really will feel small in the Big Apple.
New York City is the place that appears on almost everyone’s bucket list, and it’s easy to see why. The city has its own personality, one that creates lifelong memories for you and your travelling party.
There is plenty to do too. Just a few of the popular options include:
- The Top of the Rock viewing platform (we advise going during the day to see the best views of the city).
- Empire State Building (The opposite to Top of the Rock, we would go at night to see Times Square and the landscape all lit up).
- Central Park.
- Statue of Liberty.
- Times Square.
- Shows on Broadway.
- Baseball at the Yankee Stadium.
5. Iceland
Our final suggestion is a little different to the other locations in this post. Iceland is becoming a popular tourist destination and it’s unique attractions are bound to entertain and provide lifelong memories.
This country is becoming more accessible as more airlines begin to fly there. Of course, the main reason for going is to try and catch a glimpse of the iconic Northern Lights. Its common for tourists to stay in the city of Reykjavik and travel with tour operators in order to see the lights.
Other popular attractions include the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal mineral spa which is azure-coloured with steam rising from the surface. You can also enjoy husky rides and go whale watching whilst you’re in Iceland.
Safety First
It’s important to look after yourself and your home whilst you’re away travelling. Don’t forget to arrange suitable travel insurance for anybody travelling within your party, otherwise you could be left with expensive bills should you require medical attention.
Remember to also do your research about the resort or city that you’re travelling too before you go, it’s best to plan ahead and know points of interests and areas to avoid. You can discover other tips on staying safe on your travels by reading our guide.
It’s also important to ensure that you’ve taken precaution back at home as well, the last thing you need is to return home to find that you’ve been burgled. You can follow our simply tips to help keep your home safe whilst you’re away.
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I’m coming up to retirement in 2022 and have always been interested in travelling. I would appreciate any information or suggestions you could give me. I live in a town called Mallow and it’s in County Cork, Ireland Looking forward to hearing from you soon
Hello Tadhg, Thank you for your comment. The first thing to decide is whether you wish to travel locally or abroad. There are a multitude of desirable destinations in Ireland alone. However, if you are planning to travel abroad, you will need to do extra preparation. In light of the pandemic, it is important that you check whether it is safe to travel to the destination. Furthermore, you should look into getting travel insurance. We have a Guide to Travel Insurance available on our blog. We hope this has been helpful, but please feel free to reply if you want any further information. Kind regards, LifeConnect24