Are you Too Old to Travel?


No matter what age you happen to be, you can still love to travel. There’s never one year when you should just stop exploring the world around you. Elaine Schaefer writes a blog about senior travel and is in her 70s. She makes it pretty clear that traveling doesn’t have to stop at any age. She does concede that it can get more difficult, the older you are, though. That doesn’t have anything to do with you. It’s just the way the world views people of a certain age. Still, if you’re set on travel, you can do it at any age.

COVID Still Matters

The first thing to consider is the fact that COVID is still very much a real threat, especially to older people. The CDC states that 8 out of 10 COVID deaths were among people 65 and older. Travel means being around people and being around people increases your chances of catching it. It should always be in the back of your mind that you’ll still need to wear a mask whenever you can. There’s no telling where or when you’ll be at the highest risk for catching the virus.

Car Rentals

The other thing to spend some time thinking about is whether or not you’re going to rent a car. Many different countries have cut off limits at certain ages. In Croatia, that age is 70. In Greece, it’s 75. Portugal cuts you off at 80 and Finland won’t let you rent a car past the age of 97. It’s always a good idea to plan your travels based around what you can and can’t do in certain countries. The last thing you want to happen is to travel all the way to a foreign land and find out that you can’t explore it.

Be Honest with Yourself

As Schaefer puts it, “Ability to travel is not a function of age, it’s determined by your physical and mental fitness.” That means that you have to run an honest assessment of your health and physical abilities before you travel. She talks about a 93 year old traveler who was disabled, incontinent, and alone. Of him, she says “You can’t expect to ask a tour leader to nurse you as well, and be there for you 24/7 for medical care. Tour guides don’t have the time, skills, and knowledge for it. So, in this case, my advice is: he shouldn’t have traveled with us in this capacity.”

Stay Fit and Travel

So what it all boils down to is that, if you want to travel well into your old age, make sure you take care of your body and mind as best as you can. Start early and make sure you stick to it. That’s the only way that you’ll be able to continue exploring the world for as long as you want. There’s really no alternative to good health and you’re going to need it if you want to travel.