Exploring the world as a solo traveler may sound intimidating, especially if you’re in your 50s or 60s and have never traveled alone before. However, solo travel for single people in their 50s and above is just as fascinating as in their 20s or 30s. So whether you choose small group tours catering to singles or venture out as solo travelers alone, there is a great place just for you when you do the proper research.
Solo travel has become more popular, and many travel companies accommodate this newer class of older travelers.
As a matter of fact, singles vacations for people in their 50s are among the most widespread travel demographics. The number of people becoming single in their 50s or older is massive. Various studies have found that boomers represent the age group that is most likely to divorce. Single seniors are rising, and not having a travel partner should not keep you from exploring your ideal destination.
Apart from divorces, numerous other changes happen during midlife, including—health, career, and relationship changes. Going on an inclusive vacation at such times may help you deal with stressful life changes. In addition, there are singles cruises and singles getaway groups that help you decide on a popular destination and that offer the best options.
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Why Solo Travel?
Maybe you’re experiencing one or more of these situations. A solo vacation may set things right:
Are you newly single, either by divorce or loss?
Solo travel may help you make a comeback by allowing you to meet interesting people, make new friends, and form meaningful relationships.
Are you going through a midlife crisis?
Travel alone, explore sensational places, learn new things everywhere you go, indulge in different cultures, see magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and feel the beauty of nature without any influence from others.
Is your significant other not interested in traveling with you?
There is a saying—” I water you. You water me. We grow together.”
Two people love and marry each other so they can grow together. With that said, if your partner prefers staying in bed and resting over traveling with you, that is okay, and it doesn’t have to hold you back.
Travel alone, see the world and return refreshed to your significant other.
Do you have health issues?
One of the biggest reasons why people suffer from constant health issues over and over again is stress. Stress is a major contributor to most of your health concerns, and traveling alone can help break the stress and maybe even get rid of it completely.
Has your work life become dull, or have you retired early?
Waking up every day, doing the daily chores, finishing off work, and going back to bed to repeat everything the next day should not be called life. It’s life only when you’re living it to the fullest.
If your work is tedious or if you do not work anymore, the best way to get a rush of excitement back in your life is by traveling alone.
Traveling for older people is so much more than how the young ones perceive it. It is not simply just traveling, moving here and there with a backpack, having fun.
For older people, traveling emphasizes enrichment and education, comfort, great food, tranquility, the beauty of nature, magnificent animals, and activities that push our boundaries.
See: VOLUNTEER TRAVEL PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS AND RETIREES: 10 ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES!
5 Life-Changing Destinations for 50s Single Travelers
Traveling in your 50s can be even more adventurous than when you were younger, now that you have a little extra cash than you had in your 20s. Your travel style can be completely different with those added years of wisdom.
If you’re looking forward to a vacation with good food, new friends, local culture, top resorts, road trips, interesting people, and overall a good time, you’re at the right place.
Here are my top picks of fantastic destinations for solo travelers over 50.
Japan
One of the most beautiful and friendly countries globally, Japan is the best destination you can visit as a senior.
From the buzzing Tokyo and laid-back Okinawa to wintery Hokkaido, you can experience everything in Japan, including mouth-watering food, beautiful national parks, majestic temples and shrines, zen gardens, and rich historical culture.
Japan is also known for its high-tech world, traditional arts, distinctive gardens, and UNESCO world heritage sites.
See our article on the top UNESCO World Heritage Cities: Top 8 UNESCO World Heritage Cities to Add to your Bucket List!
If you are a nature-lover, visiting Japan during April is a must to get a glimpse of gorgeous cherry blossom trees in full bloom. These trees are also known as sakura, and you may end up with the most amazing pictures standing beside them.
Here are the top things to do in Japan:
Visit the Tsukiji fish market
The ideal way to start your day in Japan is by visiting the Tsukiji fish market. It opens up bright and early at 4 AM, and you can experience a frenzied buying and selling of the world’s largest tuna market.
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Devour fresh-caught sushi as your breakfast while looking at the fanatic atmosphere of the Tsukiji fish market.
Take a scenic train ride.
The most relaxing way to explore Japan’s scenery is by train. You can take a scenic train ride alongside the Hozu river; the views are incredible as you can gaze at mountains while passing through them.
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Stop by the Imperial Palace
If you are interested in learning a little about Japan’s history and culture, visit the Imperial Palace. It is the home of the Emperor of Japan and is surrounded by pretty grounds and parks.
Japan is an extraordinary place to travel. It feels different and marvelous, while it is safe, well-organized, and extremely clean. The country is the best for single travelers over 50, as you can easily find your way around even if you do not know a single phrase of Japanese.
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Costa Rica
Considered paradise by many people, Costa Rica, is home to 6% of the world’s biodiversity, with rich green forests, beautiful beaches, magnificent waterfalls, and more.
If you have never been to Costa Rica before, it is a comfortable country to travel to as an older traveler. Costa Rica is the gateway to Latin American culture, which makes it a pretty touristy place. Many backpackers and ex-pats like to visit this country, which is why you’re bound to meet fellow travelers here.
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Many tour companies, an easily accessible public transportation system, and many hostels and hotels making Costa Rica a simple place to travel.
Whether you are here to hike, make a yoga retreat, explore the green beauty, sunbathe, surf, learn about coffee, or connect with the greenery, this beautiful country has everything you want.
See: IS LIMON, COSTA RICA WORTH VISITING? FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Here are the best vacations and best places to visit in Costa Rica:
The Tree of Life Wildlife Rescue Center
The eastern coast of Costa Rica—the Caribbean coast, is stocked with a wide range of national parks, beaches, small islands, and incredible wildlife.
If you’re an animal lover, ensure visiting the Tree of Wildlife Rescue Center in the Limon Province for a heart-warming experience. Here you can find beautiful animals that have been rescued from unfortunate situations and brought to live better lives by improving their health and shelter. We have visited Limon, and I can attest to the natural beauty of this area.
See our trip to Limon:
The Monteverde Rainforest
Highlands in Costa Rica have abundant heavy clouds, making cloud forests very humid and incredibly rich in greenery.
Among several cloud forests in Costa Rica, Monteverde Rainforest is the most popular one. Make a day trip to come here, as you can participate in many activities, including zip-lining, hiking, taking shots of the biodiversity, and searching for long suspension bridges hidden in the brilliant views of the rainforest.
At the end of the day, you can eat up good food and rest in eco-lodges and restaurants, as many little villages are in the area.
Zipline through the rainforest
If the inner you is still adventurous and is hungry for an adrenaline rush, you HAVE to zipline through the rainforests of Costa Rica. It’ll take you to an impressive scenic drive through the jungle, plantations, and volcanoes to get there.
Greece
Designed by the Greek gods themselves, Greece is an utterly perfect country. It is one of the best places to visit, and tourists can come here in literally any season, any month, as Greece doesn’t fail to impress.
Exciting beaches, relaxing spas, thermal springs, and archaeological sites make Greece the best destination for solo travelers over 50. You can explore ancient Greece, cruise small island areas, let the local people enchant you with their stories, and discover beautiful landscapes and sceneries that will leave you spellbound for sure!
From the Greek architecture to the local culture, the beauty of this country does not need any introduction. So plan a trip to Greece, and it will make your vacation an extraordinary experience.
Here are the best things to do in Greece:
Try the Mediterranean Diet
Ranked as the most popular diet in the United States, the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest way of eating. On your visit to Greece, do not miss trying out the life-enhancing Mediterranean diet. Greece is at the top of my bucket list. I have heard from many friends that the food here is amazing and plentiful!
You may end up sticking to it, which is a good thing since there are numerous health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including weight loss, diabetes prevention and control, cancer prevention, heart health, and so on.
Don’t miss Santorini—Hues of blue and white.
Flattered with whitewashed houses, cute tiny colorful buildings, spiral pathways, stretches of azure water, and towering sapphire doms, Santorini looks nothing less than a fairyland.
You can visit and discover several ancient churches, monuments, monasteries, and buildings while staying in top resorts like the Vedema Resort, Mystique Resort, and the Kastelli resort.
Argentina
If you’re planning on a long solo trip, you can visit Argentina and spend a few weeks in its spectacular natural beauty. While Argentina is a vivacious and showy country, you can explore unique and diverse landscapes if you look beyond the sizzle.
Many tourists claim that they have spent over ten weeks in this amazing country and still couldn’t explore it completely. However, there is a lot to see and do in Argentina, including hiking around lakes and up mountains, seeing penguins, wine tastings, setting your eyes on some of the largest waterfalls worldwide, visiting museums and churches, riding a boat to glaciers, and so on.
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is stocked with tango passion and hypnotic music that makes your body move automatically. If you’re fascinated by the tango, take a day trip to Buenos Aires; you may even find a free performance on the street.
From the grassy Pampas plains and the snow-capped peaks of the Andes to vineyards and deserts, you’ll never get tired of exploring Argentina.
Here are the best things to do in Argentina:
Buy a ticket to the tango dinner show
Tango is part of the culture and a way of life for people in Buenos Aires. It is danced in the streets, or dance halls (also known as milongas), and sizzling tango dinner shows.
Some tango shows to see are Rojo Tango, El Viejo Almacén, or Esquina Carlos Gardel, and you can get a ticket for as low as $80 for an upmarket tango show.
Take a cruise to the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the marvelous natural attractions in Argentina. It is located 78km from El Calafate in the UNESCO World Heritage site—Los Glaciares National Park.
It feels exciting to get up close to this magnificent 18.6 miles long block of ice and learn that it is also the third-largest freshwater reserve on Earth.
Scotland
Train rides through lovely landscapes. An afternoon in a museum or a gallery. Rafting in white water. Spending a night at the theatre. An island-hopping adventure.
There are probably a million ways to spend time in Scotland, doing incredible things all your holiday. But, if you’re head over heels to explore several destinations with fascinating stories behind them, Scotland is waiting for you.
Scotland is a place of tartan-kilted Highlanders, lonely castles, the discovery of golf, the Loch Ness Monster, beautiful scenery, skirling bagpipes, and shaggy Highland cattle one of the best countries to visit as a solo traveler.
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It is easy to explore Scotland, as you can choose from numerous ways of going around the country. You can travel via boat, on scenic drives, on train rides, on foot along its trails, and each one of these ways will give you memories and experiences that you won’t forget for your life.
If you’re wondering where to start spending time in Scotland, here are the best places to visit in this country:
The Edinburgh and the Royal Mile
This one destination offers you a lot to see: Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, St. Margaret’s Chapel (built-in 1130), the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the National Museum of Scotland.
St. Andrews: the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews
The Scots are behind the discovery of many inventions, including bicycles, the postage stamp, tarmacadam, steam engines, telephones, and golf. Visit the golf course and see the British Golf Museum, which passes on the history of the “home of golf.”
Best Travel Companies for Singles over 50 —
Overseas Adventure Travel
Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T) is your best way to travel solo at 50, as it is primarily aimed at American boomer travelers.
You can select from a wide range of vacation packages to worldwide destinations, including Africa, Asia, Antarctica, and the South Pacific. The singles trips at Overseas Adventure Travel are ranked by activity level and accompanied by specific physical requirements that’ll make it clear exactly what you can expect from your trip.
OAT’s mission is to offer life-changing experiences worldwide—mainly by connecting travelers with locals who live in all the explored areas. The company is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), so you can feel confident that a trusted travel company would manage your tour, and the places you explore will be phenomenal.
Interested in an Inclusive Package? Stay at inclusive resorts, get help from local guides with O.A.T, explore in your comfort zone, and have fun with their singles vacation packages!
G Adventures
G Adventures are the leaders in small group adventure travel. They have been in business for 30 years. Not only do they offer great trips, but they never charge a single supplement. They will match you up with another single traveler to share a room. If you do want to stay solo completely, there is a small fee for your own room. The trip I looked at was only a $250 charge to opt for your own accommodations. If meeting people on your travels is your goal, this is a good value and offers a great experience with small group sizes. It is the perfect option for single people.
Road Scholar Programs
Is travel about exploring and learning for you? Are you looking for an authentic travel learning experience over tourist travel? Then Road Scholar may be a perfect fit for you. Road Scholar offers 5,500 learning adventures, serving more than 100,000 participants annually. Our programs combine travel and education to provide experiential learning opportunities featuring an extraordinary range of topics, formats, and locations, in every state in the U.S., 150 countries, and aboard ships on rivers and oceans worldwide. Road Scholar is more about education than travel in and of itself. Travel is just the way to get to your new journey. They also never charge additional monies for singles.
Benefits of Solo Travel over 50
We all need a tiny fraction of our daily lives to figure out things, make certain decisions, explore our own minds and bodies, discover our inner powers, and experience life better.
Traveling solo can rip off a lot of stress and help you find answers to questions you have had for a long time. But, other than that, traveling solo can be beneficial in so many ways:
You are completely free
Traveling with others means making plans that everyone accepts. However, simply going around checking out local museums, landmarks, restaurants, and other tourist attractions can be challenging when you want to do other out-of-the-box things on your vacation.
When you travel solo, you can be anywhere you want and do anything you like.
Meet new people
Traveling alone can allow you to bring something valuable to your life—new friends, independent knowledge, and inspiring locals. Here are some Facebook Groups where you can meet like-minded female solo travelers.
- Solo Travel Society
- Girls About the Globe – Solo Female Travel
- Solo Female Travelers – First FB Group for female solo travelers
Learn more about yourself
In the modern world, everyone is bombarded by stimulation. Either they fall towards connectivity to others or the Internet. As a result, it is infrequent to get the time or chance to sit with ourselves and learn what we want.
Solo travelers have the opportunity to be on their own in a new place and learn about things about themselves that they would have never learned with distractions and constant buzzing.
You step outside your comfort zone.
When traveling with friends, you often fix travel issues together. Something seems wrong? The solution comes right up after a bit of chat. On the other hand, traveling solo means you’ll have to learn to get out of problematic situations independently.
This provides you with an opportunity to learn problem-solving tricks, dealing with pressure, and developing confidence and self-belief.
It may make you happier than ever before
Traveling alone has the potential to increase your happiness levels. When you’re traveling alone, you’re away from every person from who you expect ‘joy.’
When you do not expect anything from anyone, you automatically feel free and joyful with whatever is around you.
See: 6 WAYS TO RETIRE IN LUXURY WITH LESS MONEY
Bottom Line
Traveling alone at 50 can be the most exciting thing in the world for you. With age, you have more experience with yourself, a taste for better things in life, and maturity that lets you feel good about the little things in life. Sixty percent of retirees intend to become Senior Travelers when they retire. There are many ways to connect with other singles, like online groups and singles group trips.
Traveling in your 50s as a solo traveler has the potential to offer you a wonderful experience. So do not back off this incredible time, and book your vacation today!
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