3 Ways People on Social Security Can Afford Fun Vacations in the US, According to Travel Experts
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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When you enter your retirement years, you gain a lot of freedom. Your hours are truly your own, perhaps for the first time in your life. You can focus on your hobbies, catch up with friends over coffee, cuddle with the grandkids or spend the whole day at the movies.Â
But like anything in life, there’s a trade-off. Now that you’re no longer working, you might be living on a fixed income. That means some of the pleasures you could enjoy back when you still got the Sunday scaries might not be available to you anymore — like travel.
While you might think that living on a fixed income, or relying primarily on Social Security, means you don’t have the financial freedom to travel anymore, you’d be wrong. If you’re looking for a budget-conscious excursion in the United States, there are still plenty of options available to you.
GOBankingRates investigated the exciting ways to explore the country without breaking your budget.
Enjoy the National Parks Senior PassÂ
Take in the splendor of the national parks for less than grandiose prices by using the National Parks Senior Pass. If you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident age 62 or older, you’re eligible to snap up a lifetime pass — which lets you access the national parks and federal lands — for $80. Or you can get an annual pass for only $20.
For Maddi Bourgerie, travel expert at RVshare, the senior pass makes taking a camping or RV vacation far easier and less expensive. She said that the pass provides discounted or free admission to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, including many national parks, forests and campgrounds.
Join the Good Sam Travel Assist ProgramÂ
Retirees who want to travel the country would do well to join the hippest club around, the Good Sam club. Through the Good Sam travel assist program, travelers can access a comprehensive range of services — from roadside assistance to insurance on RV rentals — that will allow them to hit the road with a sense of wonder and greater peace of mind.
Bourgerie shared that Good Sam members can receive discounts on camping fees at more than 2,000 affiliated campgrounds across North America. That’s a lot of country to see, and with plans available for $45 per year for an individual, $50 for a couple and $90 a year for people and their furry family members, you can see it at a low price.
Look to the AARP Travel CenterÂ
If you’re retired, or even approaching retirement age, you’re definitely familiar with the AARP. While you likely know that the American Association of Retired People advocates for seniors, and provides some pretty nifty discounts, you might not know that those discounts extend to travel in North America and well beyond.
Through a relationship with Expedia, AARP offers unique travel packages for seniors, including a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for only $69 per adult, a pass to the Museum of Ice Cream in New York City for $49, and a $30 admission to the Museum of Modern Art — and that’s all in New York, alone.Â
Just enter your city or destination of choice on this website and take your pick of the fun and affordable adventures awaiting you.
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