Traveling tips for Seniors during the COVID pandemic

Retirees love to travel, yet most of us fall into a high-risk category for the COVID pandemic and must use extreme care.

For some senior adults, that means no travel whatsoever until the pandemic is over and a successful vaccine regimen is in place. Hunker down and wait it out. That is certainly the safest strategy during these times. On the other hand, now that the pandemic has persisted for several months with no clear ending date in sight, many retirees are getting cabin fever and eager to get back on the road.

Cautiously, my wife and I have continued to travel this year, but many of our travel plans have changed to adapt to the realties of this dreadful virus that in the U.S. alone has taken more than 210,000 lives. In this article, let’s look at how travel has changed and offer some tips for safer retiree travel during the pandemic.

Favoring the Outdoors

Like many other seniors, we are focusing more on outdoor-oriented travel that avoids crowds and confined spaces. Bicycling is one of my passions, and fortunately it’s a recreational and wellness pursuit that is still considered safe during the pandemic. By nature, bicycling is a solo activity. Unless you’re riding a tandem bike, it’s only you and the bike. Plus, it’s an outdoor activity where viruses like COVID don’t spread as easily. Kathy and I have ridden our bikes in five different states so far this year, from Florida to Utah. It’s a great way to get outside and see the sites without putting yourself or others at great risk.

To learn more about why bicycling is such a great activity for senior adults and how to select a senior-friendly bike, see our feature story in This Retirement Life.

Even when cycling, we always carry our masks and hand sanitizer. You will need them when stopping for rest breaks or meals. If riding through a congested area with pedestrians, many cyclists choose to wear their masks even while riding out of consideration for others.

To get away from the crowds, consider taking your bike to a designated bike trail. Many of these trails go through rural areas and forests where you will encounter wide-open spaces and very few other people. Besides, the scenery on some of these trails is outstanding. There are likely trails near where you live or within a short drive, but taking a destination biking vacation can also be fun. This fall, for instance, there is no better way to see the fall color than while riding on a bike trail.

For a listing of bike trails by state, visit TrailLink or download their app. It includes maps and descriptions for more than 40,000 miles of trails. You may also want to read This Retirement Life’s feature story about some of the best bike trails in Florida. Looking for a bike trail worthy of building a vacation around? See TrailLink’s list of the 100 best bike trails in North America.

Most senior adults will favor paved trails, or at the least packed gravel or sandstone trails that are relatively flat and free of obstructions. If you are more of an adventure-seeking adrenalin junkie, then consider mountain biking. This is a very popular cycling sport, and as a rule mountain bike trails are even more remote, with fewer worries about interacting with other people or catching a virus.

If  considering mountain biking, beware that trails are rated by the International Mountain Bicycling Association based on their difficulty. Know what you’re getting into before starting. You can learn more on the IMBA website.

Bicycling is just one way that travelers, including retirees, are adapting. Hiking trails are also seeing a surge of use this year due to COVID. Even equestrian trail use is up. You can find suitable trails near you on the AllTrails website.

RVs, Camping are Booming

It’s been a banner year for the recreational vehicle (RV) business. Many RV dealers, normally flush with a large inventory, now have few RVs to sell. Prices are up on used RVs. Whether you own a luxurious motorhome or a modest pop-up camper, RV travel is considered one of the safest ways to travel during the pandemic. You avoid hotels and, if you choose, can prepare and eat your meals without going to restaurants. An RV can be a great way to take a trip with the grandchildren.

To learn more about RV travel during the pandemic, see our recent feature story on this topic on This Retirement Life.

Boating and other water sports have soared in popularity this year during the pandemic.

Driving Instead of Flying

Kathy and I needed to take a trip out West this summer to see a good friend in declining health. Initially, we booked airline tickets after learning the airline was not booking middle seats. Later, however, the airline changed that policy. It also (twice) changed our schedule, resulting in what would have been a six-hour layover in one very busy airport. We were already squimish about flying during the pandemic, and these changes by the airline convinced us to cancel our flights and drive instead. The airline would not give us a cash refund but did give credit good for a flight through the end of next year.

For us, it was the right decision. We felt more comfortable in our own car. To minimize stops where we might be exposed to other people, we packed two coolers and ate some of our meals in the car. That’s better for the budget and the waistline too.

Even with these precautions, the trip taught us how different travel is during the pandemic. Rules and practices vary greatly from one state to another. In some states, it’s almost life as usual, with restaurants and other businesses open. In one state, we learned that all tourist destinations were off limits to out-of-staters and even open restrooms were hard to find. It pays to do some research before hitting the road.

Our Hawaii Cruise Can Wait

Before we met, my wife lived for two years as a young adult in Hawaii while her dad was in the U.S. Air Force. It has been one of our bucket-list dreams to someday visit Hawaii. We planned to take that big trip this coming January, flying to Honolulu and then embarking on a seven-day island-hopping cruise. After much consideration, we opted to postpone this plan for another year. There is still too much uncertainty about air travel and cruising for us to feel comfortable yet to take this trip. Maybe in another year. We will see.

 A Personal Decision

Whether to travel during the pandemic, and how, is a very personal decision. If you are not yet ready to venture out, that’s OK. If you have underyling health issues that make you more vulnerable to the virus, then continuing to hunker down makes the most sense. Whatever you do, please stay alert to the latest advisories from government and health officials, practice social distancing, and use all of the precautions you can to stay healthy.

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