World to the Wise: Luxury Experiential Travel Tips for Seniors

And while seniors often have special travel considerations, planning ahead and being mindful of health and safety concerns can ensure you enjoy your travels to the fullest with minimal risk and inconvenience.

So, whether you’re revisiting favorite locales or setting off to explore new destinations, these tips will help make luxury traveling easier, safer, and more rewarding.

Planning Your Trip

Indulge your interests

Seek out experiences that excite you – the more personally engaged you are, the more rewarding your trip is likely to be. Even if you already have specific destinations in mind that you’ve always wanted to visit, your itinerary can be structured around themes and activities that interest you, like history, nature, shopping, dining, or cultural events.

Looking for a destination especially suited to seniors? Locations with good healthcare facilities, easy access to major attractions, and a reputation for safety are ideal. These options offer a blend of luxury, culture, and convenience, making them perfect for older travelers:

• France– Sip your way through beautiful Bordeaux wine country
• Alaska – Set sail on a breathtaking luxury cruise exploring the icy coastline
• Martha’s Vineyard– Enjoy true VIP treatment on this New England island getaway
• Japan– Embark on a journey exploring Japan’s rich heritage

 

Ask the experts

Consider booking your trip through a luxury experiential travel operator or a travel concierge company. One major advantage of planning a trip with a travel concierge is that they can create an itinerary that caters to your specific preferences or needs. For example, if you’re not as sprightly as you once were, you can book private guided tours that move at a slower pace. You might wish to dine at restaurants with extra-comfortable seating or visit destinations that are close to quality healthcare services.

The sophisticated travel aggregator website Travelstride can also be a good place to explore, as its database provides convenient search filters for things like age, trip style, mobility issues, and level of luxury.

These types of websites can connect you with international upscale travel companies like Jacada, Audley, and Pelorus, which offer tailor-made luxury travel packages at a variety of locations worldwide. There are also more localized luxury traveling companies like Nancy Aiello Tours, which specializes in customizable travel tours across Italy, or Campofrio Safaris, which offers African safari packages that blend opulence with adventure. Most of these companies are highly experienced in taking senior luxury vacation accommodations and needs into account when trip planning.

Many upscale travel companies, like Virtuoso and Cadence, offer one-on-one travel advisers to ensure a highly personalized experience. Luxury travel concierge companies, like Inspirato and Incognito, and lifestyle management groups, like Quintessentially and Nota Bene, provide unparalleled individual itinerary planning, transportation arrangements, and other elevated travel resources and services.

Timing is everything

Take into account what time of year promises the best travel experience for your destination. Caribbean locations like St. Barts make for a relaxing beach getaway in winter and spring, but summers are dangerously hot, and autumn trips risk being ruined by hurricane season. Also keep in mind that special tourist-attracting events like Carnival in Brazil or the Olympics in a host city may add extra complications to travel plans.

If you’re not traveling for a specific event or season, spring and fall are often the best times to travel. The exact timing will depend on your destination, but months like October and April will ensure you’ll miss the hot summers and cold winters of both the northern and southern hemispheres. The summer and winter months also tend to be the most popular times for Americans to travel overseas, so you’ll also be avoiding large crowds, long lines, and higher rates for airfare and accommodations.

Expedite your experiences

Look into ways to lessen wait times and hassles at every step of your trip. Enrolling in TSA PreCheck and other pre-screening Trusted Traveler Programs allow you to pass quickly through airport security without the hassle of long lines or thorough bag searches.

Premium credit cards like American Express provide a range of concierge services that can save you time on your travels, including planning itineraries, arranging transportation, making restaurant reservations, and securing tickets to VIP events. If you’re not sure what services your card provides, give them a call to ask for details.

It’s also worth looking into other time-saving options available at your destination. For example, cultural hubs like Paris often let you purchase prepaid passes for museums and other attractions that let you skip the long lines to get in. Some venues may also have special lines with shorter waits for seniors.

Health and Safety

Travel insurance

Consider getting senior travel insurance to cover cancellations, trip interruptions, health emergencies, and other unforeseen circumstances. Make sure you understand your insurance plan’s evacuation policy in the event that you need to be transported back home for adequate medical care.

According to Forbes magazine, policies offering the best travel insurance for older people include PrimeCover Luxe, Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Choice, and Worldwide Trip Protector.

Medications

Always bring a few extra days’ worth of any medications you need in case your trip is delayed or prolonged for some reason – finding the right prescriptions can be difficult and time-consuming, and even some over-the-counter medications may not be as easily available in other countries. If you do need to buy medications overseas, keep in mind that they may go by different brand names. Also, make sure to pack your medications in a carry-on, not a checked bag.

Accommodations

When selecting your luxury vacation accommodations, make sure to choose a place that is suitable for your health or mobility needs. This might include features like ramps for wheelchairs, railings for showers, or elevator access to all floors. Also consider the location – a resort located at the top of a steep hill can pose a greater health risk for some people, while a hotel located near museums and other sites of interest will require shorter travel distances during your stay.

Personal care

Stay hydrated at all times, especially in the sun, and make sure to bring sunscreen for warmer climates and extra-warm clothing for colder ones. When walking, take regular breaks to avoid overexerting yourself. Research your location to get a sense of any safety issues involving tap water or local food. Be aware of any diseases or pandemics in and around the countries you’re traveling to.

Security and belongings

Keep your valuables in a safe, if possible, and be aware of your surroundings in crowded areas – seniors can sometimes be inviting targets for pickpockets. If traveling abroad, make sure you know the local emergency numbers, and save the numbers for the U.S. embassy or consulate in the city you’re traveling to.

Make the Most of Your Journey

Luxury experiential travel should be exciting, relaxing, and full of memorable encounters. Planning ahead and taking your particular travel needs into account will make your trip more rewarding while also minimizing inconvenience and hassle. At a time in life when you should be enjoying every moment, a smart luxury travel strategy helps ensure that your next journey is crafted to perfection.