7 Dream Vacations To Take After Retirement

No waiting for annual holidays, no drafting innumerable emails, and no adding more to your to-do lists. You are now retired, and if you are reading this, you probably love traveling. Young baby boomers are turning 61, and the first group is around age 79. So, we assume most members of the cohort are retired or semi-retired.

As per AARP’s 2025 Travel Trends survey, 70% of travelers over the age of 50 are planning to travel in 2025. 44% of them are interested in traveling abroad, along with domestic trips. If you’re among those retirees looking for a getaway, the options are vast, and so is the confusion. Now that you’ve escaped employment, it’s time to say goodbye to busy work schedules and live a carefree life.

7 Holiday Destinations To Take After You Retire

Whether you crave lush green landscapes or a peaceful nature escape, we’ve something for everyone. Our thoughtfully curated list of 7 vacation destinations to take after retirement.

7. Galápagos Islands

Nature lovers, you may assemble! On your trip to the Galápagos Islands, you can witness rare animals like blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, and flightless cormorants. If the wildlife excites you, this trip can bring you close to the endemic species of penguins and tortoises. If you are lucky, you may even catch some Galápagos sea lions swimming right up to you.

There are multiple inhabited islands, like Baltra and San Cristóbal, that are a short ferry ride from Santa Cruz. They also have airports serving flights from Guayaquil and Quito. Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, and Isabela can be visited via a small plane or ferry. Another popular day trip from Santa Cruz is Floreana.

6. Costa Rica

A Central American saying goes like, ‘Enjoy life, and be happy,’ and Costa Rica lives by it. From picturesque destinations along the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, this place has it all. It’s a haven for wildlife lovers, where they can spot sloths, humpback whales, monkeys, and sea turtles.

If you are looking forward to some adventurous sports, you can try diving, hiking, surfing, or just explore nature. After a tiring day, you can even relax your nerves by spending the night on an unspoiled beach.

The luxurious beachfront Playa Cativo Lodge is located in the center of Costa Rica’s rainforest and is easily reachable by boat. Nayara Gardens is located on the outskirts of Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica, with unobstructed views of the volcano.

5. Ireland

 

Lush green scenery, exquisite pubs, and welcoming folks – that’s what Ireland is known for. Ireland speaks to you about history, a colonial past, and the towns that ancestors once called home. What makes it even more appealing as a holiday destination is the budget-friendly itineraries.

Start with Dublin, where you can admire the architecture and view ancient manuscripts at Trinity College. Then, further proceed to discover Ireland’s history at the prison-turned-museum, Kilmainham Gaol. Experience a full 360-degree view of the city from the Galaxy Bar in Guinness Storehouse.

After your sightseeing, go for a pub crawl and listen to authentic Irish music and have Irish whiskey. Other beautiful cities that are worth visiting include Dingle, Kinsale, Kilkenny, and Killarney.

4. The Rocky Mountaineer Train

Not everyone wants to drive around the city, and we understand that. A trip on the Rocky Mountaineer train is perfect for you. It’s a luxurious journey through the Canadian Rockies aboard comfortable glass-domed railway trains.

Choose from several options, like the Grand Adventure Circle Journey. The 11-night trip includes five days on the train, with overnight stays in Whistler, Jasper, Vancouver, Lake Louise, and Banff, and others.

Begin your journey in Vancouver, followed by the scenic travel through the Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, and then travel to Whistler, a resort town in British Columbia, via the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.

3. Egypt

If you’ve always wanted to see the pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and the Nile and captivated by the ancient Egyptian civilization, now might be the perfect time to plan your trip. Over 100,000 artifacts, including more than 5,000 items recovered from Tutankhamun’s tomb, will be on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum when it fully opens by the end of 2025 (some galleries have been open since mid-2024).

Consider a well-organized guided group vacation that handles transportation, admission tickets, lunches, excursions, and other arrangements, if you prefer to travel alone.

2. Sicily

For those looking for ancestral towns, this island off the coast of Italy is another fascinating destination. You can explore Sicily while inhaling the aroma of ideal pasta alla Norma or cannoli. Many Italian-Americans trace their ancestry back to Sicily, due to migrations that took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Palermo, the capital of Sicily is a vibrant city with lively outdoor markets, magnificent cathedrals, and mouthwatering street cuisine, such as arancini, which are fried rice balls. Savor them with Sicilian wine, much of which come from vineyards near the active volcano Mount Etna.

1. Iceland And The Northern Lights

A travel wishlist isn’t complete without seeing the aurora borealis (Northern Lights). Getting a clear view of the enigmatic northern lights is difficult because they don’t always appear at the same time.

The long winter hours from September to March make for the ideal viewing season. Travelers should also avoid the nights when the moon is bright. Why not make plans to visit Iceland now that you have the time to wait patiently for the amazing show in the sky?