One of the best perks of being retired is the freedom to travel without being tethered to the time restraints of a job. Whether you’d like to stay close to home or would prefer a more far-away destination, you’ll find several popular locations to choose from.
Check out the following five places to travel during retirement:
Blue Ridge Parkway
If you love nature, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers a truly scenic drive that averages over 3,000 feet in elevation, according to travelandleisure.com, which recommends the parkway as a trip to take when you retire. This 469-mile route connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
Along the way, you’ll find plenty of places to stay overnight and be able to enjoy nature, hiking, golf and other activities along the way. The 250-room Biltmore Estate is located along the way in Asheville, NC, and you’ll also find plenty of overlooks and waterfalls nearby.
Utah’s National Parks and the Grand Canyon
You’ll find a large number of national parks in a relatively small area when you visit Utah and northern Arizona, oyster.com says. The area is a popular destination for everything from challenging hikes in Angel’s Landing to shorter, easier treks. Many, including Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, are accommodating of seniors with mobility issues.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is home to over 500,000 species of plants and animals, so the Central American country is a natural wonderland, according to moneywise.com. Even better, your adventures will be surprisingly inexpensive. A boat or kayak tour in Tortuguero National Park, for example, lets you see endangered green turtles, monkeys, crocodiles, sloths and other creatures for a cost well under $100. Monteverde Cloud Forest — where you can visit butterfly gardens, visit a coffee plantation, hike in the park or walk through the tree canopy — is also worth a visit in Costa Rica.
Savannah
Theactivetimes.com recommends Savannah as a romantic getaway for lovebirds of any age and names it one of 25 relaxing destinations to visit after you retire. Take a stroll through the city’s historic areas such as Forsyth Park, walk along the waterfront or take a ghost tour in this history-rich city.
Washington, D.C.
You can easily spend almost endless hours at various museums in Washington, D.C., another of the 25 relaxing destinations to visit after retirement mentioned by theactivetimes.com. The site also recommends strolling in the Tidal Basin, especially if you’re visiting in the spring and can see the city’s gorgeous cherry trees in bloom. The nation’s capital is an ideal destination if you’re interested in art, history or culture, but make sure to check for any cases of venues’ limited hours and any restrictions on visitors that may be in place because of COVID-19.
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