Planning a trip by yourself can bring a few worries: who will you talk to, and will you be safe? This guide to great tours for seniors traveling alone covers five good options, from the Midwest to Scandinavia.

It also has safety tips for seniors traveling alone, and ways to keep your health on track while you travel. The tours are a great way to see the sights with company and some peace of mind.

Age is Just a Number

The kids have left home, and the calendar is yours. This is your chance to travel your way and do the things you have always wanted to do.

Traveling solo, even if you’re going somewhere within the United States, can be scary. If you go abroad it can be even more intimidating. You don’t know your way around, you don’t know where the ‘safe’ spaces are and where might be a little rough around the edges. It’s normal to feel a little nervous about going somewhere new.

Great Tours for Senior Solo Travelers

The good news is there are plenty of companies that offer tours for people who are traveling solo. These tours are built for people traveling alone, with small groups and an unhurried pace, giving you a chance to have fun, potentially make new friends, and enjoy yourself in a safe, stress-free environment.

Tour the Midwest US

The Midwestern USA is a great choice for seniors looking to take a tour. Tauck offers tours of the Midwest, covering Mackinac Island, Mount Rushmore, Chicago, and other great spots.

A tour spread over eight days gives you plenty of time to take in the sites, and relax and unwind in well-appointed accommodations between stops. Slower-paced destination tours like this are ideal for those who want to broaden their horizons and really enjoy each sight.

Head Up North to Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a nice option for a tour and one that you might not think of immediately. Odyssey Traveller offers small group tours that are perfect for solo travelers.

Visit Sweden, Denmark, and Finland over the course of 21 days, soaking in the sights along the way. The tour takes place over 21 days, so you won’t feel rushed, and since the tour is a small group with an experienced guide, the atmosphere is more relaxed and you get more attention from the tour leader.

See Africa While Working as a Volunteer

Volunteering is an affordable way to travel and to spend a bit more time in a given destination. You can head to Namibia with Good Hope Volunteers and spend 1-2 weeks, or even as long as up to a year, volunteering with on of their programs.

It’s as far removed from a luxury tour as you can get, but you’ll be safe and well looked after, and get to give something back to a good cause at the same time.

Luxury Cruises to the Caribbean Are Always Good for Solo Travel

If you’re after something more luxurious, the Caribbean is always a good choice. Friendship Travel offers special tour packages for solo travelers. Their cruise tour combinations depart from Miami and Orlando and offer a chance to explore several Caribbean islands, taking in the sights along the way.

The best thing about cruises? You get room and board and excellent service, so you’ll feel like royalty.

Good Mobility? Try Small Group Walking Tours

For those who have lots of energy, Walking the World runs walking tours to various destinations. These are small group tours that are led by experienced leaders and are a lot of fun. You’ll meet great people, see incredible scenery, and come home with stunning memories.

You will need to be fairly fit for these and have good walking gear, but the operators will make sure that you are well looked after. Destinations vary, so give them a call to see where they are planning next.

5 Travel Tips for Seniors Traveling Alone

• Go Off the Beaten Track: Don’t limit yourself to the big cities. They’re busy, stressful, and places where tourists are more likely to be targeted for crime. Go off the beaten track and you’ll have more fun and see a different side to your destination.
• Choose Your Food Carefully: Look for the places that are on side streets and that are full of locals, not tourists. Learn a few words of the spoken language and you will find restaurant staff eager to help. Choose ‘safe’ foods to avoid indigestion. If you’re on a special diet, research in advance in case any local herbs or spices could be a problem for you.
• Build in Extra Time: Make sure you have plenty of time to get to the airport or train station and your hotel. If you’re running early then sit down and relax at a bar or explore for a while. It’s better to have time to explore than to be stressed.
• Make New Friends: Find meet up groups in the areas you’re going to and make friends with locals. They’ll be your ‘guides’ at your destination and they’ll help you to find the coolest places to go. You’re also less likely to be hassled if you are with someone who clearly knows the area. Your new friends will know all the best places and all the best discounts too.
• Let Tech Work for You: Consider setting up location sharing so people back home can keep track of you. Share your itinerary and use your smartphone’s tools for mapping and check-ins too. Even basic smartphones have such features these days, so your family can keep tabs on your location and you can enjoy some peace of mind.

RELATED READING: Great Gifts for Solo Senior Travelers

Keeping Your Health on Track While You Travel

Plan for your health before the trip starts, so a tour is not spent cooped up in a hotel room.

Keep any medication in your carry-on bag. If your luggage goes missing, your medication will not go missing with it.

Bring a first aid kit as well. Things like heartburn medicine and painkillers can be hard to pick up while you are on tour, so stock up before you leave.

The dry air on an airplane can weaken your body’s resistance to viruses and infections. My tips for pleasant air travel are worth a read before you fly.

Leave yourself time to recover from jet lag, and get the sleep your body needs. When you plan your schedule, take it easy on the first day.

Stay hydrated too. A stainless steel water bottle is worth considering.

The trade-off is that an easy first day means you see a little less at the start. That is a fair price for feeling well enough to enjoy the rest of the trip.

Safety Tips for Seniors Traveling Alone

A few simple precautions go a long way when you travel by yourself.

Keep any medication in your carry-on bag. If your luggage gets lost, your medication would be lost with it.

Pack a first aid kit too. Heartburn medicine and painkillers are not always easy to find on the road, so stock up before you leave.

Watch out for cons. Read up on the common tourist scams in the place you are visiting. In Spain, for example, someone on the street may offer you a rose and then ask for a large sum of money if you take it.

Leave your flashy things at home. A designer watch or a luxury purse or handbag can make you a target for thieves, especially when you are on your own. Keep valuables out of sight and carry only what you need.

Give copies of your itinerary to people you trust. You do not have to bring the whole family along to do this.

Agree on set times to check in with friends or family. If you miss one, they will know something is wrong and can use your itinerary to tell the authorities where you might be.

Be careful what you tell new people you meet. Keep personal details to yourself, and don’t tell new acquaintances which hotel you are staying in. Share your itinerary only with family and friends you trust. Talk about the sights, the food, and the fun you are having.

Carry a paper map. A wifi signal is not always reliable, so a smartphone may let you down. Step into a nearby shop to look at the map rather than fumbling with it on the street, and ask for directions while you are there.

Look after your health. The dry air on a plane can weaken your body’s resistance to viruses and infections, so build in time to recover from jet lag and sleep well. Take it easy on the first day, and read these tips for air travel before you go.

Stay hydrated as well. A stainless steel water bottle is worth considering.

At your hotel, ask for a room on an upper floor that cannot be reached from outside, if possible. Use the security lock while you are inside.

The trade-off is that a few of these, like check-in times and a paper map, add some planning and a bit of bother. They are still easier than dealing with a problem far from home.

See the World on Your Terms

The variety of options available to travelers is incredible and proves that you can see the world at any age. All inclusive tours are a good option for people who want someone else to handle the boring bits of arranging transport, picking destinations, and managing the trip.

My Favorite Suggestion

If you want something truly special, the trip to Scandinavia really appeals to me. The region is rich and varied, the scenery is stunning, and while the weather might be a bit different to what you are used to, the culture and heritage is interesting and the people are relaxed and friendly. If you want to broaden your horizons, start with one of the most scenic parts of the world!

English is widely spoken there, and while Scandinavia is quite different from America, it’s not “as different” as Asia, so it’s a good way to get some travel experience before taking on some of the more unusual destinations.

Another idea I love is a train trip on Amtrak. They offer great tours and travel packages there too.

Tours for the More Confident Senior Traveler

When you’re a more confident tourist you have the option of Asia, South Africa and other more challenging destinations. You can try “Voluntourism” if the moods strikes, go walking, or lounge on a deck chair on a cruise.

ALSO READ: Safety Tips for Seniors and Elderly People Traveling Alone

You’ve worked for most of your life and taken care of the kids and grandkids, so now is your chance to enjoy some well-deserved “me time.” Now is your time to do all those things that have been on your bucket list for decades.

Do you have any other tours for seniors traveling alone that you can suggest? How about a place you have been to as a senior that you recommend? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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