Aren’t you tired of seeing your kids and grandkids have all the fun, taking the best vacations and talking nonstop about how great this place was and that place is? So are we!
There’s no reason you shouldn’t be taking amazing adventures of your own, so we’ve put together a list of eight senior travel places across the United States. Between snorkeling excursions and ghost town tours, you’ll be the center of everyone’s envy. It’s about time the grandkids get jealous of you for a change!
Seattle, Washington
Anywhere in the Pacific Northwest will make the grandkids envious, but Seattle in particular will make them green-eyed beyond belief. Especially after you show them pictures you took of wild orcas while whale watching on the Puget Sound Express. There’s nothing quite like seeing a pod of orcas in their natural habitat. After you’re back on dry land, explore the underbelly of the city with a walking tour of Seattle Underground. It’s a network of underground tunnels and passage ways that snake under the streets of downtown Pioneer Square. Cap it all off with a stay at the Edgewater Hotel, and you’ll have some envious grandkids on your hands.
Paso Robles, California
The wine regions of Napa and Sonoma are world-renowned, but Paso Robles, California, is hot on their heels. This place is quickly making a case as one of the best wine regions in the country. Sip your way through this incredible town by signing up for an Uncorked Wine Tour. There are several different tour options like ones that come with lunch or involve a zip line called Zip’n & Sippin. If touring around in a shuttle bus isn’t for you, try seeing the town from above. Take a hot air balloon ride with Balloons Over Paso and snap unforgettable photos to show the grandkids.
Lahaina, Maui County, Hawaii
Even if you went to Hawaii and did nothing, your grandkids would be jealous of you because you’re there without them. However, considering you and your loved one enjoy adventure, you’ll be out and about. Book a snorkel trip with Sail Trilogy and spend half-a-day diving Molokini. It’s a semi-submerged dormant volcano that is one of the best dive sites in all of the Hawaiian Islands. When you get off the boat, spend some time exploring Lahaina Town. Be sure to take a few pictures in front of the gigantic banyan tree before making the 19-mile drive to the Mill House at Maui Tropical Plantation. Eat a delicious meal while enjoying stunning views of the Waikapu Valley.
Aspen, Colorado
What set of grandkids wouldn’t be jealous of a Colorado mountain getaway? And when yours get word that you’re off to Aspen, Colorado, forget about it. They’ll probably never let you forget that you left them behind! Anyway, their jealousy will be the last thing on your mind while you’re exploring the Ashcroft Ghost Town, an old mining town that dates back to the early 1880s. Only a few structures remain, but it’s still worth a visit. The grandkids’ envy won’t be a concern when you head back to town and eat at Matsuhisa and curl up by the fire back at the Aspen Mountain Lodge.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you’re looking for retirement travel ideas in the American Southwest, look no further than the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The cultural and economic center of the country’s 47th state is a perfect place to lose yourself for a week or so. Especially if you’re an art fanatic. With over 250 galleries in town, you won’t have a problem finding something you like. If you want to see something more unconventional, check out Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return. This place will have the grandkids pining away to accompany you on your next trip to Santa Fe. Taking art-walkabouts, however, aren’t the only activities to busy yourself with. Hop aboard a Santa Fe food tour to sample the best of New Mexican cuisine. Then round out your trip on a 4×4 vehicle with Santa Fe Mountain Adventures—the desert vistas here are unbeatable.
Coronado, California
Certain beach towns are great for younger and older generations, and Coronado, California, is one of them. This oceanfront suburb of San Diego is paradise for retired travelers. The beaches are pristine and not as crowded as other popular stretches of San Diego sand. If you want to see the beaches just south of town, rent a bike from Wheel Fun Rentals and bike along the Bayshore Bikeway to Silver Strand State Beach. A little farther down the road, and you’ll find the Gondola Company across the street from Coronado Cays Park. Cruising along in a gondola will take you back to your Venetian vacation. Finally, when it’s all said and done, head to your room at the Hotel Del and call the grandkids—it’s OK to gloat a little.
Key Largo, Florida
When the grandkids start asking questions about your next vacation, just tell them you’ll send a postcard when you get there. That’ll keep them quiet for a bit—that is until they figure out you’re in Key Largo deep-sea fishing with Blackfoot Charters! If you’re lucky, you may reel in a fish nearly as big as one of the kids. The water down here is so pretty it’ll be hard to turn your back on it, so after you’ve gotten the catch of the day, try your hand at scuba diving. The team at Island Ventures are some of the best trained and most experienced scuba instructors in all of Key West and will make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. Celebrate your new status of being scuba certified with a cold drink or two at Waterfront Brewery. The Island Life Lager comes highly recommended.
Washington, D.C.
Of all the cities on this list, our nation’s capital may be the one that makes the grandkids the most jealous. There are so many cool and interesting things to do here it’s outstanding. The International Spy Museum has the largest collection of espionage artifacts on display, with items like a pigeon camera, glove pistol, and hollowed-out coins. Then there’s the National Air and Space Museum. Who knew they could fit a handful of airplanes, space ship capsules, and an Apollo Lunar Module under one roof? And, of course, all the monuments that dot the city like the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and many more. This city is a history buff’s delight.
There you have it, eight places that will make your grandkids jealous beyond belief. If they get testy, tell them they can do it, too, when they become traveling seniors like you!
Header image via Pierre Leclerc/Shutterstock.com