Site seeing: When older is better

By MONIKA FRY

The downside of taking holidays in the high season is having to ensure that all flights and accommodation are booked well in advance.

Those with a choice, such as the retired and semi-retired, are at a real advantage when planning their holidays. They can travel in the shoulder or off-seasons which means cheaper fares and smaller crowds.

Another advantage is more time to research the trip. The more knowledge of the people, culture and history of the destination, the more enjoyable the experience will be. The internet now has a several sites devoted to providing information for those 50 and over and many host a section on travel.

The Wired Seniors site is an excellent place to start. This has subcategories on adventure and budget travel, destination guides, eco-tourism, information for those with disabilities, home exchange and links to travel magazines and travelogues.

Another American site is iGrandparents.com which sports lots of tips including a useful page of games to keep the little ones occupied while on the move.

For those who want to travel to learn, Elderhostel is a not-for-profit organisation serving the educational needs of adults, aged 55 and over. A search engine on the site makes it easy to find trips by keyword, country or season.

While touring around, don't forget to ask for a senior citizens discount. Many of these discounts begin at 60 but get even better for 65-year-olds and can be obtained for travel, shows, films and even lift passes at ski fields.

Links

Wired Seniors

igrandparents.com

Elderhostel