These are the over 50s holidays worth planning for
Thought the best travel adventures were reserved only for youngsters? Think again! Our top picks for over 50s holidays include everything from Antarctic expeditions to Mississippi cruises…
The idea of adventure travel as something reserved for those in their 20s is a thing of the past. Our sense of adventure doesn’t diminish with age, and travelling when you're over 50 — especially for retirement holidays — can be superior to globetrotting as a youngster in many ways.
Over 50s holidays allow you to travel on your own terms. Perhaps the kids have just flown the nest and you’re planning a getaway where you can do things your way? Or maybe you've recently retired and have more time to plan an epic, faraway escape with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Or perhaps you’re looking closer to home with a bucketlist of UK and European travel experiences you’ve always dreamed of. Over-50s' girls' holidays with friends and solo escapes are more options.
You might find you have a bigger budget for eye-opening travel, allowing you to explore new terrains while still travelling in comfort. Forget the days of bunking in shared dorms with snoring strangers – over 50s holidays mean exploring the world without sacrificing luxury.
Going on a cruise is a great way to travel in style and to see several parts of a country in one trip. A luxury cruise allows you travel in comfort without having to worry about arranging your own transport.
Exploring the world by train is another idea for hassle-free travel, as you whizz between cities through awe-inspiring natural scenery.
So whether you’re planning a grown-up girls' getaway, a couple's holiday, or even a solo escape, we’ve rounded up the best over 50s holidays to get you dreaming…
1. Travel from Georgia to Tennessee via New Orleans on a musical pilgrimage
Got America's Deep South on your bucket list? The southern states are treasured for their elegant architecture, flavoursome food, and impossibly beautiful countryside. But more than anything else, these states are famous for their connections to the USA's musical greats and are a must-visit for any fan of rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues or country.
Good Housekeeping is offering the trip of a lifetime through the Deep South for any music lover. Starting in Georgia, you'll travel through the world of Hank Williams, Fats Domino, WC Handy, Robert Johnson, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and - of course - Elvis Presley, with an unforgettable visit to his birthplace in Tupelo and to the iconic Graceland.
Other highlights include a day exploring the 'Big Easy' aka New Orleans and a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
3. Take the ultimate adventure to icy Antarctica
When it comes to once-in-a-lifetime discovery trips, an Antarctic expedition is hard to beat. On an Antarctic adventure cruise, you can whizz on zodiacs, passing glaciers during the day as you spot penguins, seals and whales, and return to a warm and cosy cabin in the evenings.
It’s also a great way to explore Buenos Aires in Argentina, the starting point of many Antarctic cruises. This buzzing city is a fusion of European and Latin American influences and is a real thrill to explore.
On Good Housekeeping’s epic 12-day cruise, you’ll venture into the icy waters of Drake’s Passage and head for the South Shetlands and the Antarctic Peninsula. This remarkable and once-in-a-lifetime experience is surely the ultimate adventure for over 50s.
5. Visit Norfolk and visit Sandringham with historian Lucy Worsley
One of the many advantages of travelling in your 50s is the opportunity to meet new people who have similar interests. There are plenty of trips on offer where you can participate in fun activities with like-minded people, indulge in your hobbies, or even learn a new skill.
If one of your interests is all things royal, you'll love this exciting five-day trip to Norfolk with a special visit to Sandringham, the royals' country home. Joining you on this trip is royal historian Lucy Worsley, who'll give an exclusive talk to readers about 'Sandringham and the Modern Monarchy', before joining you on a visit to the Royal Family's famous country retreat.
There'll also be plenty of time to explore the tranquil Norfolk Broads and admire the county's unspoilt countryside with three heritage rail journeys. You'll soon see why the royals come here to unwind.
5. Visit volcanic Madeira and experience its fabulous flower festival
If you’ve spent many a happy summer holiday in Europe’s classic holiday destinations, like the south of France or the Italian Lakes, you might be tempted by a trip to one of Europe’s lesser-known locations.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable garden holiday, the volcanic island of Madeira could be the location for you. Madeira is known as the ‘floating garden of the Atlantic’ because of the vast range of tropical gardens and plants that thrive in this subtropical climate.
In spring, Madeira becomes even more flamboyantly flowery with the arrival of its annual Flower Festival. You can visit this festival and explore the island on Good Housekeeping's special eight-day tour. You’ll see floats passing along the streets of downtown Funchal as live music plays and fragrant scents fill the air.
7. Ride the little trains of the Dolomites
Travelling by train is a wonderfully hassle-free way to experience a new destination. You can travel easily from one attraction to another while meeting like-minded travellers and enjoying spectacular scenery as you go.
One destination with a range of lovely train rides on offer is the magnificent Italian Dolomites. You can traverse these mountains by train, cable car and funicular railway as you get to know this sensationally scenic part of northern Italy on a eight-day trip with Good Housekeeping.
You'll be based in a stylish hotel on the shores of Lake Molveno. The holiday will include four unforgettable journeys by rail, offering a unique way to appreciate the glorious scenery of the Dolomites.
8. Admire springtime blooms along Dutch waterways
Another location that should be considered unmissable for any keen gardener is the Netherlands, with its iconic tulip fields surrounding wooden windmills.
Spring is the best time to visit, when the fields burst into flamboyant colour as seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths bloom in the famous gardens of Keukenhof. You’re bound to leave feeling full of inspiration for your own gardening projects.
You can visit Holland’s kaleidoscopic Keukenhof with Good Housekeeping on a special four-day trip. You'll also see the pretty sights of Amsterdam on a canal cruise, the colorful wooden houses and fishing boats in Volendam and the cultural highlights of the Hague.
9. Explore splendid Lake Maggiore and the gardens of Italy
The glorious lakes of northern Italy are well-loved for their glamour. There are elegant villas to explore, perfectly peaceful gardens to amble around, and delightfully fancy lakeside terraces where you can sample delectable Italian dishes while overlooking the calm water. Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy and stretches over the border to the majestic Ticino region of neighbouring Switzerland.
Its island Isola Bella, the ‘beautiful island’, is dominated by an opulent palace with outstanding gardens, where you'll find statues dating back to the 17th century standing tall among rare exotic plants that thrive in the Borromean Gulf's mild climate.
This is one of the gardens you’ll visit on Good Housekeeping’s eight-day tour of Switzerland and Italy. You’ll stay in Klosters and Brig in the Swiss Alps and travel over the Simplon Pass to the warm sunshine of Italy and the tranquil shores of Lake Maggiore for a memorable day trip.
Another option for exploring the beauty of Italy's lakeside gardens is a special tour with Gardeners' World presenter Christine Walkden. This tour will take you to some of the best gardens and most beautiful villas on Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and the Gulf of Borromeo. Gardening expert Christine will give an exclusive talk and join you for a day exploring the Borremean Islands.
10. Ride from Venice to Paris on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express
Exploring the world in your 50s means you can travel without sacrificing luxury and while there are plenty of magnificent holidays available, some truly stand out when it comes to luxurious travel.
Take a trip on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express and you'll get a taste of just how opulent rail travel can be. This train has a long history and has transported royalty and celebrities in its exquisite carriages style since the golden age of travel of the 1920s.
Book an exclusive ride on this historic train from Venice to Paris and you'll get to experience all of this glamour for yourself. You'll spend three nights in Venice before boarding the train for an overnight journey to the French capital.
Joining you for an exclusive talk and Q&A and on your train journey will be journalist Michael Portillo, a passionate rail enthusiast. As you travel, you'll be treated to mouthwatering seasonal table d'hôte menus and a fine selection of wines in the beautifully restored 1920s dining carriages.
11. Walk in the footsteps of the Durrells in sunny Corfu
For many people, the sunny Greek island of Corfu is synonymous with one famous family, the Durrells. So many fell in love with the island through Gerald Durrell's vivid descriptions in his autobiographical book My Family and Other Animals and through watching television and film adaptions.
If you're a fan of the Durrells you can retrace the footsteps of this endearing family on a special trip to Corfu with famous naturalist and writer Lee Durrell. A five-day tour will take you to some of the key locations from the book and show, like the famous White House in Kalami, once home of Lawrence Durrell.
Lee will join you on some excursions and give a private talk about her family's love affair with the island and her late husband Gerald's pioneering role in wildlife conservation.
12. See André Rieu and his orchestra perform in beautiful Vienna
Often getting away from home and exploring a new destination is all we need, but sometimes a tour with special, exclusive events can elevate a trip from a fun getaway to a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. This is especially true when the event complements the location so well, like a trip to Vienna to see the Waltz King Andre Rieu perform at the impressive Stadthalle.
The evening will be filled with Rieu's trademark waltzes as well as melodies from opera, musicals, film and classical music, recreating the magical atmosphere of Vienna's 19th-century Dance Halls. The trip also includes a visit to the opulent Schonbrunn Palace where you can step into the Palace Orangery where Mozart once performed and a guided tour of Vienna.
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