I’m lying on my back. Directly above me is “a vault of heaven” with great wooden beams. I’ve never woken before under such a high ceiling – but then I’ve never gone to sleep in a church before.
The Golden Rules of Retirement Travel
30.03.2024 - 12:25 / cntraveler.com / Art
This is part of a collection of stories celebrating the many shapes retirement travel can take. Read more here.
Bonni and Bob Gumport travel regularly in their retirement. Not beholden to one short vacation a year (they average seven big ones), their compounding experience has allowed them to develop a code of rules by which they abide—tips and tricks to use wherever they go. After one too many of the small rooms common in boutique hotels, for example, they’ve cut them out entirely. Also out of the question are walking tours within two days of arrival in a new destination, as they prefer to settle in. Their daughter Lauren describes them as “pros on retiree travel,” but they are not the only ones with advice to give.
There are former museum curators who have learned not to overbook themselves; solo travelers who always learn a little of the local language. Adherence to anyone’s rules will never ensure a vacation free of hiccups, where no flight is ever delayed, every tour is worth the hours put in, and every meal sublime. But learning from others may improve your chances of a good time—even when things inevitably go sideways. We’ve spoken to over 20 retired travelers to hear how their Golden Years have informed the way that they travel. Below, find some of their savviest secrets for better trips.
If she’s traveling in a city that offers one of those double-decker hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours, Denver-based Heidi Burtoni, 65, who goes on multiple trips per year, is definitely stepping aboard. Burtoni says it’s a great way to figure out the rest of her itinerary, get tips from other travelers and the tour guide, and get a feel for the new city. “It’s the first thing I do to get the lay of the land,” says Burtoni. Her previous career in sales means the frequent solo traveler will “talk to anybody,” so these tours also open the door for socializing and making connections.
Know what to skip—“whether that means avoiding tourist traps, the most sweltering hours at fairs, or not putting yourself in danger by flagging a taxi when it's unsafe," says Lynn Zelevansky.
For Paul and Lynn Zelevansky (77 and 76, respectively), travel is less about hitting all the top spots and more about learning where not to go, “whether that means avoiding tourist traps, the most sweltering hours at fairs, or not putting yourself in danger by flagging a taxi when it’s unsafe.” They visit the Venice Biennale in fall, now, rather than at the opening, to avoid the worst of the crushes—it also helps them more effectively skirt the city's infamous pickpockets (Lynn's wallet was stolen on a crowded vaporetto ferry in 2022).
“Toilet paper in Europe is very scratchy … not good for sensitive parts,” says Florida native Karen Butera,
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