6 Reasons Retirees Regret Not Traveling More Before Retirement

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

There is a common assumption that people will wait until after retiring to do all the traveling they couldn’t before due to family, work and other obligations. While there is a lot of sense to this rationale, there are also a number of reasons why waiting that long can lead to regret and missed opportunities. Read on for six reasons retirees regret not traveling more before retirement.

Also read ways a retiree could travel on just a social security budget.

Health

There are a lot of travel activities that older individuals aren’t as well equipped for as their younger counterparts. The natural aging process brings on a bevy of illnesses and complications. As WSJ explains, numerous activities require greater mobility, such as bicycling or assisting disaster relief groups – it isn’t just traveling for leisure. A retired couple from Go Global Today recommends traveling young to climb mountains, spend hours snorkeling, carry your luggage and not worry about medication.

You or someone you know might get sick, said Alicia of Born to Freelance. You could have been planning trips with your loved ones, only for them to pass away before what could be shared experiences. In other cases, retirees can simply find they lack the energy to travel and truly get the most out of a prolonged experience in one place.

Finances

From inflation to travel insurance, that perfect getaway could cost more than it would have years prior, as explained by Trafalgar. They add that retirees aren’t going to want to skimp on luxury and amenities, like a nice meal or a comfortable hotel. It’s a rude awakening to find that the cost of living in your dream destination(s) makes them too expensive to visit.

Decisions, Decisions

You will need more time to hit up all of the destinations you’re interested in before the last few decades of your life. The sheer number of potential places and countries to visit would be easier to manage were it spread over a significantly longer period – especially if you lack the hefty savings required to do everything you want in only one or two trips.

Missed Connections

Some people meet lifelong friends or even loved ones through travel. Even if it’s somewhere relatively close to where you live, you open the door to meet new people by spreading out. The last thing you want is to be old and alone. If you spend time traveling throughout your adult years, you might find others to keep you company.

Missed Experiences

The world is always changing – animals go extinct, forests and lakes disappear – there’s always a chance that what you planned for is no longer viable come retirement, as explained by Trafalgar. Travel is also a learning opportunity. There is the missed opportunity to enrich oneself in different cultures and then pass on all that knowledge to younger generations. Nobody plans to get divorced, but many couples dissolve before and during retirement. This can lead to those people missing out on what was anticipated as shared experiences.

Unexpected Events

The pandemic put travel on hold for years – and this case was especially bad as older folks had the bulk of the risk. If it’s not a pandemic, then it could be a war, like that in Ukraine. There is always a potential for these very real occurrences to prevent retirees (along with everyone else) from traveling to certain places. Given the naturally limited time retirees have, the delay will likely make them wish they had already visited some of these locations.

Share This Article: