If you’re over 60 and can do these 7 things while traveling, your health is in the top 10 percent

Travel is a pretty good stress test for your body. You’re walking more than usual, eating on the go, hauling luggage, and navigating unfamiliar environments.

For people over 60, being able to do certain things while traveling is more than just convenient—it’s a marker of really good health. If you can pull these off, chances are you’re not just keeping up, you’re thriving.

Let’s get into it.

1. You can walk a few miles without pain

Here’s a simple test: can you explore a city on foot for a couple of hours without feeling like your joints are screaming at you?

I remember spending a day wandering around Lisbon with nothing but a backpack and my camera. The streets are steep, the cobblestones uneven, but I noticed plenty of travelers in their 60s and 70s walking right alongside the younger crowd.

Being able to cover ground without knee pain, hip discomfort, or constant breaks is a strong sign of good cardiovascular health, joint function, and overall endurance.

Research backs this up. A brisk walking pace—even just 15 minutes of fast walking daily—has been linked to nearly a 20 percent reduction in mortality, especially from cardiovascular disease.

And let’s be honest: traveling without relying on taxis for every short trip makes the experience richer. You catch details—the smell of bakeries, the sound of street performers, the murals in back alleys—that you’d miss in a car.

2. You can carry your own luggage

Rolling a suitcase through an airport might not seem like a feat of strength, but hoisting it into an overhead bin or lugging it up a flight of stairs at a train station definitely is.

I’ve been in airports where escalators broke down and travelers had no choice but to carry their bags up two flights. Watching who could do it—and who had to wait around for help—was eye-opening.

Muscle strength naturally declines with age, but if you can still manage your own luggage, you’re ahead of the curve. As noted by Dr. Stuart Phillips, a leading researcher on muscle aging: “Strength is the single most important factor for maintaining independence as we age.”

It’s not about bragging rights. It’s about freedom. When you don’t have to depend on others to move your stuff, you’re free to be spontaneous—jumping on a train at the last minute, switching hotels, or wandering into neighborhoods without worrying how you’ll get your bag there. That’s real independence.

3. You can adjust quickly to time zones

Jet lag hits everyone, but some bounce back faster than others. If you can cross multiple time zones and get back into a normal sleep cycle within a day or two, that’s your body telling you it still has a resilient circadian rhythm.

I flew from California to Japan a few years ago, and what struck me was how differently people adapted. Some older travelers were up for sushi at 7 a.m. and walking temples by noon, while others were still dragging days later.

Research shows that aging does make circadian rhythms less flexible—older adults often experience shifts to earlier sleep–wake patterns, more fragmented sleep, and less ability to adjust to changes in schedule.

So if you're over 60 and still adapt like a seasoned traveler? That’s not luck—it’s a sign of well-preserved circadian function and good sleep health.

Being able to stay alert and energized on the first day of your trip isn’t just convenient—it’s a precious gift. Instead of losing half your vacation to jet lag, you’re wide awake, present, and ready to immerse yourself in a new world.

4. You can eat adventurous foods without issue

Street food in Bangkok. Fresh pasta in Rome. Tacos from a truck in Mexico City. Travel is, in large part, about food.

The catch? Not everyone’s digestive system handles it well, especially past 60. If you can eat something new and not spend the next day searching for the nearest pharmacy, you’ve got a resilient gut and a strong immune system.

I once tried an unfiltered sake in Kyoto that had my stomach doing flips. The man next to me, easily in his late 60s, downed two and laughed it off. That’s when it hit me: digestive resilience is underrated health.

Being able to enjoy local cuisine without fear is more than just convenience—it’s a marker of metabolic flexibility. Your body can handle variation, stress, and the occasional surprise ingredient. That’s not just good travel health, that’s good life health.

5. You can climb stairs without stopping

Forget the treadmill test. Real life checks your stamina with stairs. Airports, subway stations, old European hotels with no elevators—it’s all built-in cardio.

When I was in Barcelona, I stayed at a little pension on the third floor with no lift. Every day, I’d hear a mix of footsteps: some people breezing up, others stopping halfway, catching their breath.

Walking up a few flights with ease signals more than endurance—it’s a strong sign of good cardiovascular fitness, joint strength, and overall physical function.

The American Heart Association and related studies show that climbing more than five flights (about 50 steps) daily is linked with a 20–39% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even early death.

And here’s the thing: stairs don’t just test endurance, they test balance. Maintaining stability on uneven steps or narrow staircases is a subtle but critical marker of physical fitness. If you’re still steady and strong, you’ve preserved two things that keep people independent as they age—mobility and confidence.

6. You can keep a flexible attitude

This isn’t just about the body—it’s about the mind.

Travel rarely goes perfectly. Delayed trains, missed connections, rainy days. If you can roll with it, stay calm, and adapt on the fly, your mental health is doing as well as your physical.

Psychologist Dr. Susan Charles, who studies emotional regulation in older adults, has said: “The ability to adapt to life’s changes is one of the strongest predictors of well-being in later life.”

I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the best lessons I’ve learned on the road is that mindset is as important as physical stamina. If you can treat setbacks as part of the adventure, you’re traveling with a healthier nervous system than most.

And honestly? That’s what makes travel fun. You get stories from the mishaps, not just the highlights.

7. You can sleep well in a new environment

Here’s one that’s often overlooked: sleep.

If you can fall asleep in a new bed, with the hum of traffic outside or the unfamiliar buzz of an air conditioner, your body and brain are working in sync. Many people over 60 struggle with sleep even at home, let alone in a hotel halfway around the world.

Good sleep on the road signals strong circadian health, good recovery systems, and a nervous system that’s not stuck in fight-or-flight. It’s one of those invisible superpowers that separates thriving travelers from struggling ones.

And let’s be real: without sleep, even the most beautiful trip feels miserable. If you’re over 60 and still sleeping well while traveling, you’re enjoying your trips in a way many peers can’t.

The bottom line

Travel is one of the clearest mirrors of your health.

If you’re over 60 and can walk for miles, lift your bag, adjust to new time zones, eat without fear, climb stairs, stay flexible, and sleep soundly—you’re not just doing well. You’re in the top 10 percent.

Because at that age, health isn’t measured by lab numbers alone. It’s measured by how fully you can still live, move, and experience the world.

And if travel proves you’ve got it, then you’ve already won.