Senior Single Men Seek Travel Tours

USA Today recently wrote that Seniors who love to travel have many options for exploring the world, even by themselves. Several companies offer trips geared toward senior single travelers.

Special features like a slower pace, tours that aren’t too physically taxing, and social gatherings like nightly dinners and dances with other tourists near the same age make the tour attractive to senior single men.

From Mediterranean cruises to escorted treks through South America, travel opportunities for single seniors cover a broad range.

Senior single men, Vacations To Go offers a cruise for singles. Each year, they  select several itineraries in different regions of the world, on various cruise ships, and negotiate an extremely low rate for single customers.

Trained hosts from their headquarters organize get-togethers, cocktail parties, dinner seating and more, allowing individuals or friends to travel as part of a large and fun-loving group of singles.

 Senior Single Men Enjoy Road Scholar

Road Scholar is a premier program with many solo travelers. I have had the pleasure of serving as a Tour Group Leader with this organization and they are first class. They are trusted and well known for offering a warm and welcoming atmosphere for couples and solo participants alike. The atmosphere you’ll find is of learning in the company of a small group of individual friends, rather than traveling with a collection of couples.

 If you are single and over 50, traveling by yourself may seem daunting. If Cancun was the go-to destination when you were 20, it may not be your scene anymore.

At Stitch, they have scoured the globe for the 5 best travel destinations for singles over 50 that will give you the best opportunity to enjoy your travel.

 Tips For Senior Solo Travel

Allianz features 11 Secrets for Successful Senior Singles Travel.  Looking for a travel companion who shares your love of river cruising, fine wine and Paris flea markets? Look in the mirror. Traveling solo might seem daunting, but it’s easier — and more rewarding — than you think. These 11 tips for senior singles travel can help you create the perfect solo vacation.

About Travel has an article called Tours and Cruises for Single Seniors. They list several companies and organizations that provide single seniors tour information. This is one of the best sites I have found that addresses the topic and provides so much help. So “O Solo Mio” and get going.

Lastly, Fodor’s has a link on Single Senior Citizen Travel with comments made by single folks who experienced solo travel. This blog is simply a step in helping you to make some choices on your own.

Talk with your travel agent who is experienced in travel for those who prefer to travel alone, but not be alone on the trip. Enjoy making your plans, and better yet, enjoy your solo adventure wherever you choose to go. -jeb

Senior Women Enjoy Travel Options

We are often asked about programs that feature senior women who can travel with other senior women. Yes there are programs all over the world that cater to solo female travelers. Sorry men, this one is just for the women.

There is often comfort afforded to women who prefer to travel with other women and usually it is of the same age range.  Today we highlight programs that focus on travel for women as the French say “d’un certain age.” That is a nice way of saying “older.”

Journey Woman notes that if you’re an older adventuress, this is an absolutely wonderful time in your life to be traveling. In most cultures, age brings respect. Children will gravitate to you.

Local women will be protective, you’ll suffer less from pesky unsolicited male advances, and your travel budget absolutely expands with all the lovely discounts your age group is offered. The possibilities are endless. Take advantage, ladies. You’ve earned the right.

Senior Women Travel Solo Together

Women Traveling Together was started in 1997 by a 40-year old business woman who desperately wanted to do some vacation traveling, but didn’t want to go alone or travel as a single on a couple’s tour.  Unable to find a ready-made solution that met her needs, Debra Asberry spent seven months interviewing women in order to design a travel company that catered to the needs of women traveling solo.

Women Traveling Together (WTT) has a large and loyal repeat client base that has grown year after year since 1997, making it possible to offer more than 60 trips a year.   “80% of WTT travelers come solo. We really should have named the company “Women Traveling Solo Together” because that’s in a nutshell what we’re all about. Select your tour and be assured that fellow WTT travelers are as interested in and excited about the destination as you are.”

Senior Women’s Travel Days Not Over

Why travel alone when you can connect with like-minded women on a trip led by knowledgeable, local guides? At Rio Grande Travel, senior women can find thoughtful and well-planned vacation packages. Women can choose pre-planned trips alone, a travel group for senior women or perhaps embark on a journey with a bunch of friends!

A while back we featured a travel blog for Senior Women. Please check out the programs on that site and learn about the various opportunities that are available.

 Senior Women’s Travel focuses on trips for 50+ women with a passion for travel. “It was founded on the premise that your travel days are not over.

Senior women — widowed, divorced, or with a mate who no longer wants to travel — should still be able to travel with zest, comfortably and safely. No-hassle travel, everything is done for you. No single supplements, exciting destinations, culture, good food, and interesting companions.”

So take you pick ladies and enjoy the trip. -jeb

Seniors Explore The World

This senior was curious to find out the largest cities in the world by population and the largest countries by surface area. Get your coffee and let me show you what I discovered. I figured that China was the largest both by population and surface area. I was wrong, very wrong. What do you think the two or three top would be? I’ve been to three of the largest five cities.

Tokyo is far above New York Metro with 33,200,000. I remember trying to take a photo of Tokyo and found that it is impossible. NYC came in second with 17,800,000 and Seoul, Korea missed NYC by only 100,000 and Mexico City by 300,000. You can look these up yourself and many are surprising, at least it was to me. Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata), Delhi and Chennai are huge in India.

Now let’s consider the largest countries by total population. China, right. And who follows by only 100 million? Yes, India. But did you know that the USA ranks third just ahead of Indonesia and Brazil.

Seniors Explore The World Some More

So, how are you doing? Now let’s explore the largest in size by area. Any ideas? China? They came in #4 behind Russia, Canada and the USA. Any idea of #5 or #6? Try Brazil and then Australia. They have a lot of land and like Russia, Canada and China, lots of the area is unused and desolate. Not so with the USA.

Russia encompasses 17,075,200 sq. km. Seniors, do you know how much a kilometer is? Well, it is 0.621371 miles and 1 mile equals 1.60934 kilometers. Voila, there you have it, that really helps a lot, doesn’t it? Canada has about half as much land as Russia with 9,994,670 sq. km. I always wonder who is able to figure out those stats right down to the last kilometer. Just 9.7% of the land of Canada is privately held and of course Russi has Siberia.

 Seniors Explore The World Even More

Well, perhaps you are totally bored with all those figures by now. I will depart today’s blog with one last piece of information for those seniors among you who are still reading this article. Curious what the largest bodies of water in the world are?

As you may already know, the Earth is often referred to as the “blue planet.” This particular nickname was given due to the immense volume of water covering the surface of our planet; more specifically, 70% of the Earth is covered by water, making up  326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons. Now who did that calculation?

The Pacific Ocean is not only the largest body of water, but it is also the oldest. I’ll let you go figure that one out… I had no idea.  See you back at seniorcitizen.travel tomorrow. Ciao. Au revoir. Auf  Weidershehen. Arrivederci. Aloha. Adiós. Sayonara. Shalom. Totsiens. Vale and Zàijiàn. -jeb

This Senior Enjoyed La Antigua

La Antigua Guatemala (Ancient Guatemala) is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala, a famous Spanish colonial city with a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches. This senior read someplace that it was selected as the Top City in the World just ahead of Kyoto, Japan.

A flourishing expat community has evolved over the years, seduced by the charm and easy living in Antigua. I could live in Antigua. I found it to be a highly civilized, lively and culturally rich city that is also a World Heritage Center.

Antigua was founded in the early 16th century. Built 1,500 m above sea-level in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins.

Senior Travelers Enjoy A Colonial City

In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments and abounds in colonial history. The many churches and monasteries in Antigua testify to the influence of the Christian church during the colonial period.

Barroco antigueño developed in this area, a regional adaptation of the Baroque style designed to withstand the earthquakes common in the region. Our group on a Medical Group Mission to Uspantan, Guatemala, stayed in an historic convent in Antigua. What a neat experience that was.

Antigua offers accommodations for every taste and budget. On the street, vendors are selling many types of hand crafted items.

When seniors visit Antigua, you will see the locals wearing a wide array of very bright colors with highlighted details.

Our group took a side trip up to Lac Atitlan that has Pacaya Volcano, smoking and active. The BBC notes that Guatemala is a Top Cultural Destination. Antigua makes one feel that time might have stopped some 300 years ago.

Seniors Experience The Splendors Of Ancient Times

With its colonial architecture and beautiful surroundings, senior visitors just strolling through town on the cobblestone streets will experience the splendors of ancient times on every corner.

The city had a peak population of some 60,000 in the 1770s; the bulk of the population moved away in the late 18th century. Despite significant population growth in the late 20th century, the city had only reached half that number by the 1990s. Today the city numbers 40,000 inhabitants.

This senior has been in many old historic towns in Mexico, South America, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Europe, and Japan, and memories of Antigua still remain strong in my mind.

Antigua hosts the largest celebrations for Lent and Easter in the Western Hemisphere. Put Antigua on your Travel Bucket List and research Antigua Guatemala on Google or duckduck.com. and you will be amazed.  -jeb