If you're over 60 and still doing these 8 types of travel, you're aging better than your peers

Last month, I ran into an old colleague from my fine-dining days. She's 64 now, recently retired from managing one of Boston's top restaurants. I asked what she'd been up to.

"Nothing much," she said. "Just staying close to home."

That answer surprised me. This was someone who used to talk about visiting every wine region in Europe once she had the time. Now she had the time, but somewhere along the way, she'd convinced herself that chapter was closed.

Here's what I've learned from watching people age. Some hit 60 and start shrinking their world. Others hit 60 and keep expanding it. The difference isn't always about money or health. It's about mindset and the willingness to stay curious.

The people who keep traveling in specific ways tend to age differently. They move better, think sharper, and seem genuinely happier than their peers who've settled into routines.

If you're over 60 and still doing these eight types of travel, you're not just seeing the world. You're actively aging better than most people around you.

1) Solo travel

Most people assume solo travel is for twenty-somethings finding themselves in hostels. But some of the most impressive solo travelers I've met have been in their sixties and seventies.

During my three years in Bangkok, I kept meeting older Americans traveling alone. They weren't lost or lonely. They were intentional. They'd designed trips around their interests, moved at their own pace, and seemed completely comfortable in their own company.

Solo travel after 60 requires confidence. You're navigating unfamiliar places, making decisions without input, and relying entirely on yourself. That kind of independence keeps your brain sharp and your problem-solving skills active.

The people who keep traveling alone into their later years maintain something important. They hold onto their sense of self outside of relationships and routines. They're still curious about who they are and what they enjoy.

2) Adventure travel

I'm not talking about climbing Everest or bungee jumping. Adventure travel after 60 looks different, but it's still about pushing boundaries.

It might be hiking sections of the Camino de Santiago. Taking a photography safari in Tanzania. Learning to scuba dive in Mexico. Cycling through Vietnam. These aren't extreme sports. They're just experiences that require physical engagement and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

The alternative is what I see too often. People hit a certain age and decide their adventurous days are behind them. They stick to cruise ships and bus tours, minimizing any physical challenge.

Here's why adventure travel matters for aging well. Physical activity, especially in novel environments, keeps your body and mind engaged in ways that sitting on a tour bus never will.

Plus, adventure travel keeps you physically capable. Use it or lose it isn't just a saying. The people who keep hiking, kayaking, and exploring tend to maintain mobility and strength that their sedentary peers lose.

3) Cultural immersion trips

The best travelers over 60 aren't just visiting places. They're learning from them.

Cultural immersion means staying long enough to understand a place. Taking cooking classes in Oaxaca. Learning basic phrases in the local language. Shopping at neighborhood markets instead of tourist shops. Attending local festivals and community events.

I saw this constantly in Thailand. The retirees who thrived weren't the ones staying in expat bubbles. They were the ones eating at street carts, befriending their neighbors, and genuinely engaging with Thai culture.

This type of travel requires humility and openness. You're acknowledging that other ways of living have value. You're learning instead of just observing. That kind of flexibility is crucial for aging well.

When you're constantly exposing yourself to different perspectives and ways of living, you're exercising parts of your mind that atrophy when you stick to familiar routines.

4) Multi-generational trips

This one might seem obvious, but it's worth highlighting. The people who organize and participate in multi-generational travel tend to age with more purpose and connection.

These trips aren't always easy. Coordinating schedules, managing different energy levels, and keeping everyone happy takes work. But the payoff is huge.

Multi-generational travel keeps you relevant in younger family members' lives. You're not the grandparent they visit out of obligation. You're the one creating shared experiences and memories. That sense of purpose and connection makes a real difference in how you age.

From my years in hospitality, I saw how these trips worked. The best ones happened when older travelers stayed flexible and let younger family members take the lead sometimes. They were present but not controlling, engaged but not demanding.

The act of traveling with grandchildren or adult children requires patience, adaptability, and emotional regulation. Those are all skills that keep you engaged with life and your relationships strong.

5) Food-focused travel

I might be biased here given my background, but food-focused travel is one of the best things you can do for yourself after 60.

This means planning trips around culinary experiences. Food markets in Barcelona. Cooking schools in Tuscany. Street food tours in Singapore. Wine regions in Argentina. These aren't just about eating. They're about engaging all your senses and learning through taste.

Food activates memory in unique ways. When you eat something new and memorable, you're creating connections to that moment and place that stick with you.

Plus, food-focused travel tends to be social. You're sitting down for long meals, talking with locals and other travelers, sharing dishes. That social engagement matters more than most people realize as they age. Loneliness is one of the fastest ways to decline.

The people I know who kept traveling for food into their sixties and beyond maintained sharp palates and sharper minds. They stayed curious about flavors, techniques, and the stories behind dishes. That curiosity kept them engaged with the world.

6) Off-season travel

Smart travelers over 60 figured something out. The best time to visit places is when everyone else isn't there.

Off-season travel means visiting Paris in November instead of June. Exploring Croatia in October instead of August. Heading to Thailand in April despite the heat. This requires flexibility with timing and a willingness to trade perfect weather for better experiences.

The benefits are obvious. Lower costs, fewer crowds, more authentic interactions with locals. But there's a deeper advantage. Off-season travel requires adaptability and comfort with imperfection.

You might deal with rain. Some attractions might be closed. The beach might be too cold for swimming. But you're getting something more valuable. You're seeing places as they actually are, not as they perform for tourists.

This kind of travel keeps you mentally flexible. You're adjusting expectations, finding joy in unexpected situations, and staying resilient when things don't go as planned. Those are all abilities that deteriorate when you stop exercising them.

Off-season travel often means you're one of the few tourists around. Locals have more time for conversation. You're not just another face in the crowd. That kind of meaningful interaction is exactly what keeps older adults engaged and energized.

7) Slow travel

Some of the healthiest people over 60 I know have stopped trying to see everything and started staying longer in fewer places.

Slow travel means renting an apartment in Lisbon for a month instead of hotel-hopping through five European cities in two weeks. It means developing routines in a new place. Finding a favorite coffee shop. Getting to know the person who runs the corner market. Walking the same neighborhood streets until they feel familiar.

This approach completely changed how I experienced Bangkok. Instead of rushing through Southeast Asia ticking off attractions, I stayed put. I built a life there, not just a vacation.

Slow travel reduces the stress and exhaustion that comes with constant movement. You're not living out of a suitcase or sleeping in a different bed every few nights. That kind of stability, even in a foreign place, is better for your body and mind.

The constant rushing of typical tourism is draining at any age, but especially after 60. Slow travel lets you experience new places without wearing yourself down.

Plus, slow travel forces you to go deeper instead of wider. You're learning about a place in detail rather than skimming the surface. That depth of engagement is more meaningful and more memorable.

8) Learning-focused travel

The people who age best never stop being students. They use travel as an excuse to learn new skills, not just see new sights.

This might look like a watercolor workshop in Provence. A language immersion program in Costa Rica. Archaeological tours in Peru with actual archaeologists. Photography expeditions in Iceland. Wine appreciation courses in Burgundy. These trips are structured around education and skill development.

I learned this principle in my thirties, but I see its full power in people who've maintained it into their sixties and beyond. They're not content to just observe. They want to participate and create.

Learning new skills, especially complex ones that require practice and feedback, keeps you sharp. When you're learning to paint, speak a new language, or identify wine characteristics, you're giving your brain a workout that matters.

The beauty of learning-focused travel is that it combines novelty with challenge. You're not just passively consuming experiences. You're actively engaging with new information in unfamiliar environments. That combination keeps you growing instead of coasting.

The common thread

All eight of these travel styles share something important. They require you to stay curious, flexible, and engaged with the world around you.

The people who travel this way after 60 aren't trying to prove anything or chase some idealized vision of aging. They're simply refusing to shrink their world just because they've reached an arbitrary age milestone.

They understand that travel isn't about escape. It's about expansion. Expanding your perspective, your capabilities, your sense of what's possible.

My colleague who's staying close to home isn't wrong for making that choice. But she's missing something. Those of us who keep pushing into unfamiliar territory, whether we're 36 or 66, tend to age differently. We move through the world with more confidence and curiosity.

If you're over 60 and still traveling in these ways, you're not just collecting experiences. You're actively investing in your cognitive health, physical capability, and emotional wellbeing. You're showing everyone around you that aging well isn't about accepting limitations. It's about constantly redefining what's possible.

That's not just good travel advice. That's a pretty good approach to life.