How does travel change as you get older?

As much as we may want to deny it, as we get older things do change, and travel can be no exception. Let’s face it, the type of holidays we went on with friends at 18 are quite different than the ones we would enjoy now.

There are a few reasons for this, with age, budgets, maturity and changing preferences all being factors. Interests change and so do life circumstances. When you hit your fifties you may be a parent with teenagers, or perhaps you’re hitting the top of the career ladder and you’re driven by ambition. Not only this but what you may want to prioritise your spending on also changes.

When you’re young often you don’t want to spend loads on accommodation and travel when you’re going on holiday. You’re happy with something cheap and cheerful, even if it’s not the most comfortable. However, now you may prefer a bit of luxury and would be happy to splurge on a hotel room or villa with incredible views, an infinity pool and someone waiting on you in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. And why wouldn’t you? Life gets stressful as you get older, so what better way to treat yourself than to a relaxing getaway!

There are so many more reasons why our travel preferences and bucket lists change as we get older. Read on to find out more:

Convenience is key

When you’re younger cost often plays a huge factor as to whether or not you can go on holiday. This means people are more willing to take flights with layovers, take off at ridiculous o’clock in the morning, or stay in a hotel which isn’t in the best location. All these things can help to lower the price and make the holiday a lot more affordable.

As you get older, you may find you have more money to play around with when it comes to travel. So, you might be willing to spend more on a direct flight, or take off at more practical times. As for accommodation, you might want to spend extra on a four or five star hotel, be in a central location with beach or pool view and pay to be all inclusive.

Not only that but its all the little things like paying extra for leg room on the plane, getting drinks and food on the flight, going with a more premium airline and opting for a heavier baggage limit. When you’re younger and a bit strapped for cash, those kind of things just don’t matter as much and you just make it work with the budget you have!

Treat yourself

As we mentioned earlier, when you hit your fifties, often you can start to put yourself first again. Your children may be in their late teens, meaning they may have ‘some’ financial independence, or perhaps you have a thriving career and time to splurge on yourself. For the luckiest out there, you may even be considering early retirement or cutting back on work hours, so now is finally the time to treat yourself.

This means you have the extra money to put towards a well-deserved holiday, whether that’s a tropical destination, a stunning hotel or flying in business or first class. Whatever it is that you want from a holiday, chances are you are in a better financial situation to be able to do this than when you were in your twenties.

Health and mobility

With age unfortunately comes a certain amount of wear and tear (it’s completely normal and most of us are in the same boat). This may mean that you no longer want to hike miles to the nearest beach everyday, or ski 12 hours a day – and that’s ok. You might just want to kick back, with a mocktail in hand, relax on a sun lounger (that you haven’t had to get up at six o’clock in the morning to reserve) and just enjoy the day.

That’s not to say that many people in their fifties and sixties don’t shiver at the idea of sitting still for a week, and can’t wait to get their activity holiday started. It’s all about having a trip where you can do exactly what you want and what makes you feel relaxed and happy!

Spontaneous trips

As you get older and no longer have the family holidays every year with young children, it means no one is dictating when and where you can go on holiday. Gone are the days of paying the August summer holiday prices and going to a destination because they have a great waterpark or child friendly days out.

You can pick wherever you like based on your interests. That could be going somewhere rich in history and culture, or perhaps a destination renowned for their cuisine. You could go away and not even leave the hotel if you so wish. Just you, a book, your other half – what could be better?

You can go away whenever you like throughout the year, with little notice, snapping up the bargain holidays and enjoying the benefits of vacationing during quieter times of the year, when there won’t be children running around the pool.

At Holidaysafe we want to be there to cover all your holidays. Whether that’s romantic getaways, trips with the family, long weekends with friends – the list goes on and on. Wherever you choose to go make sure you stay protected with Holidaysafe. For more information, click here.

If you enjoyed this blog, why not read our blog on the 10 of the Most Romantic Holiday Destinations for Couples.