Traveling in retirement survey?

[Teacher Terry]

I am 67 and single. I am going to Ireland for 11 days in June and the tour with airfare cost 4400. When I was married we spent between 5-14k/year depending on where we went. We went to Europe about every 5 years and took some month trips to national parks and visiting friends and family.

 

[jerryo]

72/64

Many trips, totaling 3-4 months

Maybe $30-40k in addition to our normal living expenses

As others have indicated, this is a difficult question to answer. My wife and I spend about 4 months a year in DC, 4 months in FL and 4 months traveling (some of which is for business). Prior to Covid, most of our travel was international. In the past year, we've spent 2 months in France, 2 months car touring Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Texas (with stops in Chicago and New Orleans coming and going) and a few weeks of short trips to WVA, NY, Philadelphia, Raleigh Durham, etc.

If we discount our normal living expenses during the time we're traveling, we probably spend an extra $30-40k on airfares, car rentals, hotels/apartments, etc.

 

[DayDreaming]

Your age: 61
Budget annually for travel in retirement: I don't budget anything
How many trips per year: numerous day trips per year, one multi-day trip once every few years

 

[levindb]

72/70

In this later stage of our lives, we get 52 weeks of vacation/year...
Use it, or lose it. However, on January 1 of each year, you get another 52 weeks, so life is good.

Traveling is one of the options we have. Some use it for Snowbirding, others visit family, friends, or places of interest...we do all of them.

For us, 2 months in the Dominican Republic each year, 2-3 weeks near the Everglades for warmth and exercise, followed by 1 month in Key West...biking, kayaking, and pub crawls. That runs about $20k/year for our version of Snowbirding. Once all this virus stuff has gone by, our previous chunky travel tended to be rather expensive: Inside passage cruise to Alaska, followed by 3 weeks touring the state in a rented RV, 7 weeks in Safari camps in southern Africa, and 137 day Around the World cruise. Definitely BTD travel choices, but we are buying life experiences rather than things. Those ranged from $12K to over $150K.
As we age, the travel $$ will be spent on Healthcare. As travel goes down, our medical costs may go up...so, we spend lots on travel knowing that we should be able to afford nicer medical facilities, and get fresh diapers each and every day.

 

[phil1ben]

Your age: Him 62: Her 58

Budget annually for travel in retirement: No budget but typically $75-100,000.00 except for 2020.

How many trips per year: We typically take at least one trip per year to Europe for 3 weeks. In addition, trips to the Caribbean and domestic travel. Vacation days annually are about 60. Staying in high-end hotels (which we enjoy) adds up quickly. Prior to retirement at 57 was never able to take more than a week per year (owned own business) but we are now making up for it.

 

[Doribe]

Age 65 and DH 70. Our travel budget was about $15k per year. Pre-pandemic we did about four trips per year. I usually plan our trips and we travel on our own most of the time. There was a combination of international and domestic, including RVing.

Things have changed in that DH can't keep up with the level of walking and activity that I need. I'm trying to figure out how to proceed. I get the feeling that my activity-liking friends are tired of me dragging DH around and it is getting exhausting for me. If it is just the two of us I can get him to do one low-activity thing and of course restaurant eating, then nap time for him.

He will have major FOMO, but I want to start taking a separate vacation. I wanted to get to a few more National Parks and going with him would just frustrate me.

 

[Alan]

Age 67 and DW 66

Pensions cover all essentials so no specific travel budget. Retired at 55 and first 10 years we traveled extensively, last 2 years very little, although we did manage 3 trips in 2021 of about 5 weeks in total to Cornwall, Devon, London, York and Edinburgh.

This year so far we have done a week in Edinburgh, a week in Barcelona and have other short (week long) UK trips in the pipeline. We are well located and do lots of day trips, overnight stops and city breaks within the UK from our home.

Hopefully in 2023 we’ll have a few weeks in the USA vacationing with our daughter. I can’t see us getting on cruise ships anytime soon which is a shame as we really enjoy cruising, but riverboat cruises are still attractive to us.

 

[tutan]

When things return to normal, we'll probably do two month-long south sea trips with shorter domestic fly/drive trips in between...keeping costs under $30k hopefully. We are 68/58. Several years prior to the pandemic, we were getting comfortable staying in the Cook Islands twice a year just lounging on the beach and snorkeling the lagoon.

 

[MC Rider]

Not retired yet, no travel budget.
We have been spending a few hundred once or twice a year on 2 nights out type road trips. In recent years with an eye to where do we want to retire.


Some years ago I used to ride every year to MC races at Laguna Seca, near Monterey. It got to be costing over $1,000 for 1 guy for 1 weekend. Then my daughter and family moved to AR, so I spent my money going there. Now they have moved to NH, they could not be much farther away from me, and be in the lower 48. Trip coming up in a few weeks is north of $2,000. Makes my cheapass gene kick me in the knee. LOL.


Even forgetting that issue, I don't think I would want to deal with flights across oceans. I am not looking forward to the airports and airplanes. I think I wanna be sedated.

 

[chrisaukcam]

62
2-3 trips
budget $4k, but we always go over.

We are frugal compared to everyone else it seems. Maybe $5-6k is what we spend on average. We do airbnb for some trips and also camp in our trailer.

 

[11522914]

Wow, you guys have some serious travel budgets. Good for you!!!!

61/61

Budget 5k out of pocket but with air/hotel reward points usually get an additional 3k in value.

Usually one big trip (1-2 weeks somewhere) and multiple several days trips. We also like beach trips in the off season.

Just booked a nice cabin with a beautiful mountain view in the NC/TN Smoky Mountains for 5 nights and 1 hotel night (free) near the Cherokee casino. Total costs: $754 exclusive of any points I may use to knock that down further.

 

[Fishingmn]

60/59

Budget: $40k - this would be the first place to cut if there's a major correction

Breaks down as 6-8 weeks in the winter to get out of MN. A 2+ week trip to Europe (although doing Alaska this year). The rest on weddings, weekend outings, DW's girl's trip and my annual guy's golf trip.

 

[meleana]

We wanted to be traveling a little now in our late 60’s. But the whole pandemic restrictions and the state of the airline industry has squashed that.

 

[imnontrad]

I don't budget a specific amount. But when I do travel, I spend time to minimize overall costs, and as long as my overall net worth goes up each year, I'm happy.
Last year was 5 weeks in Spain and Portugal.
Next week is a repositioning cruise and starting to plan for a few weeks in the Midwest/ New England in August.

 

[Global Wizzo]

Travel

Hi friends, for fun/planning:




Your age:

Budget annually for travel in retirement:

How many trips per year:



Look forward to responses thank you to anyone who participates.

73
30-40K
6-8

We were in Cairo and Dubai for 24 days in Nov, New Years was back in Dubai. Italy last week for 7 days.

Anchorage for 8 days at the end of the month.

Tucson for a week in Sep

Dubai and Singapore for 24 days in Sep/Oct.

A good deal on airfare (ANC for $516 RT) today. Reusing some COVID open tickets.

Hotel prices are up and so is airfare, it may slow us down. Pre COVID we went somewhere monthly.

Really don’t budget, just shop for fun trips. We get bored and go looking.

 

[DireWolf]

We don’t have a set budget, but are very adept at having a good time while not spending much. For instance, last summer we camped our way across the country for 6 weeks, exploring tons of national and state parks and the like. Spent around $3200 on fuel and camping and some excursions. We spent about the same as at home on cooking food/eating out. I’m getting ready to have my 2nd bike tour of Europe, using miles to get there for free. I’ll be gone a month and might spend $2-3k.

 

[brett]

We changed our snowbird trips completely when we retired. So much more time.

We started by selecting warm winter places on our respective bucket lists for snowbird trips.

So far it has been South America, Panama/Costa Rica X2, SE Asia X 6, Australia X2 , and Mexico. Hopefully we can do one last trip to SE Asia next winter if Thailand is open. I hope to do a solo organized tour in India at some point, DW is not interested.

 

[VungTau]

Ages: Young at heart \ 34

Budget: it's baked into our overall budget

Trips: We never stop traveling. We have no permanent address. We spend time in cities/towns we like but are never paying rent twice - we give up the apt or Airbnb when we move on. We have almost no "stuff" which makes this lifestyle possible. We just got back to Vietnam after two years in mostly Ecuador, Panama and Thailand due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. First stop in Nam was the beach for a month, now we are in the highlands. Probably go back to the beach for a few months then hopefully a trip to Australia.

 

[brett]

Ages: Young at heart \ 34

Budget: it's baked into our overall budget

Trips: We never stop traveling. We have no permanent address. We spend time in cities/towns we like but are never paying rent twice - we give up the apt or Airbnb when we move on. We have almost no "stuff" which makes this lifestyle possible. We just got back to Vietnam after two years in mostly Ecuador, Panama and Thailand due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. First stop in Nam was the beach for a month, now we are in the highlands. Probably go back to the beach for a few months then hopefully a trip to Australia.

We spent a month of a snowbird trip in Vietnam. Started in Phu Quak (by land/ferry from Cambodia) and worked out way up to Hanoi. Only went inland as far as DaLat. Air, train, bus, etc. We enjoyed Vietnam so much that we intend to go back again.

A month in Vietnam and a month in Thailand is a wonderful way to spend some winter months! Great uncrowded beaches. Plus inexpensive 0/W air to Australia for another three or four weeks!

 

[tmitchell]

PTF. This is my first year of RE and I’m already blowing my budget. Part of that is due to things opening up again! But here’s the general plan:

54, partner still working and we mainly split costs. I budgeted 20k, he’s more like 12k/yr. So far this has afforded one 10-day domestic trip this winter, a long wedding weekend in Palm Springs last month, a 10 day solo trip to S America this month, and pre-paid month Airbnb in New England this fall where we are planning some weekend jaunts. We are also hoping to get in one trip to Europe this summer.

It’s a bit tight so I’m thinking total will end up being about $35k.

 

[Markola]

59/56
$20K/year
We seem to do a bigger international trip every two years, and the rest domestic, so the travel spend is a bit lumpy.

 

[brett]

PTF. This is my first year of RE and I’m already blowing my budget. Part of that is due to things opening up again! But here’s the general plan:

54, partner still working and we mainly split costs. I budgeted 20k, he’s more like 12k/yr. So far this has afforded one 10-day domestic trip this winter, a long wedding weekend in Palm Springs last month, a 10 day solo trip to S America this month, and pre-paid month Airbnb in New England this fall where we are planning some weekend jaunts. We are also hoping to get in one trip to Europe this summer.

It’s a bit tight so I’m thinking total will end up being about $35k.

You would be surprised how far you can go on $35K. Especially if you cherry pick and do some last minute specials.

Since retiring DW no longer wants to snowbird in Florida. Too expensive, crowded roads, crowded beaches. We have spent many winter days on uncrowded beaches in other countries-particularly in areas not frequented by tourists.

 

[tutan]

Since retiring DW no longer wants to snowbird in Florida. Too expensive, crowded roads, crowded beaches. We have spent many winter days on uncrowded beaches in other countries-particularly in areas not frequented by tourists.

Yep, Florida keys were already expensive 20 years ago. it apprars we'll need to venture out to SE Asia to get good deals but will have to endure long flights in coach class however.

 

[jcfradio]

You would be surprised how far you can go on $35K. Especially if you cherry pick and do some last minute specials.

+1

My last trip pre-COVID was 31 days in Colombia for $3500 USD for everything - flights, accomodation, tours, meals etc. Now mind you, I travel with a couple of others and we stay in multi bedroom apartments or houses, but we usually pick central locations close to public transportation. Two years before that we did 21 days in Peru for $2800 including a full guided tour to Macchu Pichu. So it can be done.

 

[brett]

Yep, Florida keys were already expensive 20 years ago. it apprars we'll need to venture out to SE Asia to get good deals but will have to endure long flights in coach class however.

The flights are tiresome. For us it is usually 3 flights. 24 hours. Once we get there we are happy campers. Not so bad because we stay for 8-10 weeks.

Then, if we decide to carry on to Australia it is another 10 hours from Thailand or Malaysia. Then 10 hours from Sydney to HNL and another 5-6 hours home. We always say we will not do it again but we do because we like the beaches in Thailand so much. And the food, and the people.