If you are recently retired or nearing retirement, you have probably thought about how you will spend your free time. Retirement is the perfect time to start crossing items off your travel life list. You can finally start taking the trips you have been putting off for years. Whether you are taking the family on a river cruise, travelling with friends to Bordeaux, or taking a couple’s trip on an African safari, here are a few tips to help you start travelling during retirement.
Travel Slowly
One of the perks of retirement is having unlimited vacation days. Gone are the days of having to cram a year’s worth of vacation into two short weeks. Rather than speeding through sightseeing, take your time to enjoy and appreciate each destination.
Spread Out Your Travels
Taking your first trip during retirement is exhilarating, and you will want to start crossing items off your bucket list as fast as you can. Instead of taking all of your trips back-to-back, consider spreading them out, so you have downtime to relax and enjoy each of them.
Travel During the Off-Season or Shoulder Season
Popular destinations are always less expensive when you travel during the off-season. This means better rates, fewer crowds, and the freedom to roam around without feeling rushed. While some destinations are better during certain times of the year, try to avoid holiday weekends when people at work or school are also travelling.
Book Flexible Dates
Flights and hotels are notoriously more expensive on the weekends and more affordable in the middle of the week. As you start to plan your trip, consider flexible booking dates. There’s no reason you can’t leave on a Tuesday and potentially save a few hundred dollars on your travels.
Plan Ahead
The earlier you start planning for a trip, the better. Even though you have the freedom to travel on a whim, it is always wise to have a plan. This will help you avoid last-minute panic buying or sold-out destinations. It will also give you something to look forward to!
Use Travel Rewards
As you begin to travel more, you will accumulate a lot of reward points. Whether it is with an airline, hotel group, or your credit card company, travel rewards can be a great way to help you get upgrades and discounts during your trip.
If you are ready to start planning your trips for retirement, contact me today!
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