Those of you who are travelling - or plan to - in retirement

[LornaDuh]

Where do you go? When and for how long? Where do you stay - hotel, airbnb, campervan, cruise ship?

Do you get homesick? Do you have pets? What about your garden?

What are your future travel plans?

Just curious as it's mentioned quite a lot of this board 😊

We’ll be planning to do a few long haul trips; Japan, Canada, Thailand, health permitting. We’ve been lucky enough to travel extensively over our working years so there’s no burning desire to try to cram loads of long haul in. We’ll likely fly and drive/stay in air b n b’s with the odd luxury hotel.

Almost all of our retired friends have motor homes which they use to travel around Europe. We don’t want to buy one but might rent one for the novelty value.

I have an EU passport but dh doesn’t. We’d like to spend extended time in the winter months in a warmer climate like southern Spain but haven’t looked into how this might work yet.

Make sure you have good travel insurance. IME an annual policy is good in retirement if you intend to make lots of trips. Remember to check your home insurance t and c if you will be away for more than 30 days. We have done several long trips and always get a house sitter, or at least a relative to stay over a few times and take photos on the relevent dates. We like road trips and usually hire a vehicle in the country we are in.

Next year we have the following trips planned

Amsterdam for 4 days in February for my birthday
Cape Verde in April for some sun - 2 weeks
Cruise with P& O to see the total eclipse in August - 2 weeks
Thailand/ Malaysia in November for 30 days.

We will also do some stays in the UK. I'm semi retired now but working freelance and my DP is self employed so we are very flexible.

I am never homesick and travel as much as. I can afford. I like doing guided tours - I did Portugal this summer and have two booked (one exotic) next year. I also enjoy visiting friends and going to an AI and sitting by the pool basically, I’ll do any holiday! I don’t worry about packing or travelling or my garden. You have to do it while you are still fit enough. Don’t put it off.

@@Rocknrollstar totally my mantra too. We have annual travel insurance, adult kids still living with us ( but working) so house is never empty. We don't have any pets and a very low maintenance garden. I'll go anywhere, hence our 4 very different holidays next year.

We are planning to go off to Thailand and Vietnam for a few months (4-5)and we will probably rent apartments.

We travel for at least 3 months in the winter, 4 if we feel like it. We were travelling around Europe but prefer hotter weather so did South America, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina.

Last year Thailand and Vietnam.

This year also Asia for 4 months starting in Singapore in December.

In the summer we are away May to September on our boat.

We have a townhouse with courtyard garden, turn the water off and go.

✋me!
We lost our pet about a year into retirement and won't be getting another.
Garden is an issue, we are considering downsizing this being the main reason. We do our long trips in the winter mainly though so just clear it up and leave it.
We get someone to pop in and pick up post / check the house fortnightly but have tried to stop all paper post as much as possible.
Have an annual insurance policy, but pay to extend for trips over 30 days.
We cruise, but also drive and stay in hotels / Airbnbs, campsites. I don't like packing/ unpacking too much, packing cubes help but it can be annoying. We might consider buying a holiday home later in retirement but for now, there are still too many places to see.

Your husband has spousal rights and is entitled to exercise those rights if he is travelling with you. He isn't limited to 90 days as a consequence.

@LornaDuh , my husband and I have been retired 3 years. This year in February we went to Costa Rica which was fab. In June we went to Africa on safari which was amazing then to Spain in July. In a couple of weeks we will be cruising the Baltic states. We have cruises booked around South America/Antartica for January 2026 and in March 27 we will be holidaying in Australia before embarking on a cruise to New Zealand, French Polynesia, Hawaii and California. Lots of gaps there which we need to fill and to start with are looking to do a little tour of Portugal May 26.
We worked long and hard and this is our time, we usually have one long haul trip a year and have so far been lucky nabbing BC seats with our AVIOS but would otherwise pay more for the comfort. We spend quite a bit of time planning our next adventure. Who knows how much time we have left on this planet and together? While we can we intend to have a blast! ☺️
We have a nice house on the river and enjoy spending the summer in the U.K. If necessary one of our sons lives close by and would come over to water our garden. I know we’re very lucky.

I think we'll probably do quite a bit of travelling in retirement, as long as our health remains decent. Currently, we have a cat and I think I'll probably always have a cat, but if we are between cats that would definitely be an opportunity for a longer trip. Otherwise, yes this is will affect our ability to go away on longer trips.. We're dual citizens, so I think we'll spend more time in our other country and I will definitely want to get away for at least a month in the British winter, which I hate. Mainly, that's what I'm looking forward to, plus not being tied down by work. Both of our work is fairly flexible though and once we no longer have school-age DC and the ties of terms/school holidays we will definitely enjoy that freedom!

I did all my long hauls pre retirement, and don't want to do anymore ever again! I now stick to Europe and a max 4/5 hour flight these days. Retirement means being able to go outside of the school hols/half term etc. when it's quieter and a little less expensive. Easier to get around the major tourist sites also.

Three or four times a year for me, February, May, September and a month at Christmas, which is spent in Southern Spain near Gibraltar. I go away with OH for Christmas and in May, the other two travels in Feb and September are usually solo, with maybe an extra trip with my sister if she's up for it.

Usually stay in hotels for the shorter trips (< 10days). I like having a balcony overlooking an interesting square/viewpoint and very central, I don't like being away from the action! For the month at Christmas we do use Airbnb, and spend the last three nights or so in Malaga city before returning home.

What are you planning - I love to hear of others travel plans!

We plan to travel once I retire for a few months a year for 3-4 years, Australia, far east, India, South America, Central America and Africa are all on wish list. We will be staying in hostels with private rooms, home stays or cheaper hotels long haul, in Europe we camp. How much we actually do will depend on health not deteriorating, costs and logistics. Won’t miss dc as they are independent but have no plans to have dc for a few years and won’t be gone for too long anyway, also considering selling up and moving overseas if that idiot Nigel gets into power

For the last 3.5 years my DH have gone abroad on holiday 7 (one year 8 times). We normally go for one to two weeks, we either stay in hotels or we go a cruise.
Fortunately our grown up DC still live at home so they are on pet and house duty.
We don’t have a large garden so it works out fine mowing it the lawn just before and after each trip.
I don’t get homesick as my trips are not very long. We may plan on doing some longer trips in the future when my DM who is in a nursing home is no longer with us and our DC have left home. I am in no rush to do these yet as I am in my mid 50’s so hopefully have time in 5/10 years time to be away for longer durations.
I always try to see my friends and definitely my DM just before I go and as soon as I get back home.
Once a year I have a solo trip. This year I booked a holiday and flew the next day on my own which was fun!
I went to China earlier this year and Cambodia and Vietnam two years ago and definitely want to see more of Asia.

I retired a few years ago. We usually have a 6 week trip to France either Spring or Autumn and a 2/3 week European trip but staying nearer to home e.g Netherlands or Belgium or Brittany/Normandy. Maybe a week somewhere in UK and also a couple of long weekend trips in Wales

we have a 5 yr old dog (who comes with us) and a Motorhome. Off to France and Italy tomorrow

I don’t get homesick, have no pets and am not interested in gardening…
We like river cruises, ocean cruises, cheap weekends in a premier inn, package holidays..anything really. Self catering is fine, absolutely no camping, caravans or motor homes, hotels ideally no under 16s, no safaris and cruising with maximum of 900 passengers.
On my list: Uzbekistan, Peru, Jordan.

Thank you for your replies - some of you are very adventurous!

I can't imagine not having a dog in retirement but couldn't bear to leave them in kennels for longer than a week.

I always planned to travel in retirement. I never had a gap year when young so planned to go off for 6mths or however long I wanted . Then I got dogs in lockdown and now I can’t ‘ travel ‘ but go on 2 main 2 week holidays a year and as many weekends away as I can . They both go to dog sitter but it’s hugely expensive so I factor that in . I also live miles from the London airports and public transport is difficult so I use private taxi’s . I spend about £1000 / £1200 before I’ve even started on the holiday costs and spending money . Still it is what it is and I’m keen to visit different countries whilst I have my health and mobility . Only going for 2 weeks at a time means I don’t get homesick and I’m not worried about the garden . I’m going to Japan next month and Thailand in Feb 2026 and Canadian rockies in Sept 2026. Always in hotels

I retired 6 years ago but DH only retired the end of last year. We have a holiday home in France we like staying at out of season in Spring, went in May and Autumn, just got back from 2 weeks holiday. I'm going for 2 nights in Venice then 6 night cruise in November with my sister. DH staying home with cats and dogs. Often my adult DS will come and stay in house with our cats and dogs when we both go. DH and I go on 3-4 night breaks in UK. We went to Oxford in July and visited Blenheim Castle. We're hoping for Australia in just under 2 years time, probably for 3-4 weeks.

We did a round the world trip when we first retired, away for almost a year, to North and Central America, Cuba, Japan, SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand. We stayed in a mix of hotels, hostels, self-catering and friend’s & family’s places.

Then we had a spell of three or four one month - six week trips to Europe, South America, parts of Asia. Again a mix of accommodation, including camping.

For the past couple of years, we’ve done several shorter (two or three week) trips in Europe each year, alongside two or three days a month away in the UK, as I’ve had some injury problems.

Hoping to travel overland from China to eastern Turkey next year, over several months.

No pets, helpful kids for the garden/house checking, and no, I’ve never been homesick.

Won't be retiring for another couple of years but starting to make travel plans.

We don't do long haul Usually due to dh's health issues and I still have a long list of places in Europe I've not been to try. Could easily
spend a few weeks in Italy.

I am planning a solo trip to NZ to see family. A young person in the family has recently spent several months in SE Asia and I'm now thinking of stopping off somewhere there for a week or so en route. It's an area I'd researched with a view to visiting several decades ago but life took a different turn at the time.

I like seeing my DC so would never go for a year. We have friends who went for 7 years. We are all different. We have a list of places we like to visit and find 3-4 weeks is our max.

Never ever go on a huge cruise ship. We do go on 90 place smaller expedition ships. When we travel on land we usually hire a car or do trains , as in Japan. Mix of hotels and self catering. We prefer a trip to be Abta covered if anything goes wrong. We also do some holidays here and just drive at our own pace.

Had a dog and he had a dog sitter. Currently no pets as dog died. We have a gardener. None of our friends went off for more than 4 weeks except 7 year absent friends. Even they settled down when grandchild arrived!

We do big campervan trips in spring and autumn (4-6 weeks each) and smaller trips in the UK in between. Once DC are finished at university, we’ll do holidays in winter to India, S America, Aust/NZ etc. and extend the campervan ones. They can join us for shorter periods if they fancy a holiday and can take annual leave.

In spring, I pot up the dahlia tubers and my lovely neighbour babysits them - otherwise, the rest of the garden has to take its chances with the weather and slugs. No pets for this reason.

We travel a lot, but max two weeks at a time, more often a week. We love our regular life and spending time with our adult DC and GC, plus we still have some eldercare responsibilities so don’t want to be away for weeks / months. But we do like to escape every 6 weeks or so.

Now the kids are a bit older, and once I've retired in a few years, I'm going to do the big trips - Japan, South Korea, Iceland, New Zealand etc and they'll be invited along if they want to come. Those I'll do as package tours I think.

Then for me, once the cats have popped their clogs, I'm going to get a little van so I can car camp and just go on little pootles - either sleeping in the van, or in a hotel as I feel, following wherever I feel like going for a little month or so long Odysseys..

Then, depending on where the kids are living, I might go and stay places for 6 months or so - like somewhere warm in the winter etc. just for the experience and to learn specific things (eg. I'd like to make one of those wooden Finnish cups, and learn to spin Flax, or go and see if I can dig up an Opal)

Basically, I'm in the happy situation of having enough income that with careful spending I'll be able to do basically what I want, when I want, and I intend to take advantage of that.

Edit - I should mention this isn't pie in the sky - pre-kids I didn't stay in the same place more than 6 months - I'm very used to moving to new places/keeping all my worldly goods in a suitcase, so actually having a base to come home to will be an interesting change from that.