Senior Traveler? Borrow These Millennial Hacks to Make the Most of Your Trip! Chris Osburn August 1, 2018 Senior Travel, Travel Tips We all love discovering a good hack, tip, or trick, especially when it comes to travel. Compared to other generations, millennials are perhaps the most hack-savvy when it comes to hitting the road with both style and frugality. They know their way around an app and feel comfortable visiting a destination without relying on touristy tropes. Millennials can also quickly clue-in to what locals love about their home with minimal effort. But why should the 20-somethings have all the fun? Why not reap the same benefits they do? From money-saving tips to technical tricks, here’s our look at a few common millennial travel trends that are also great as senior travel tips! Be Flexible One thing you have in common with millennials is flexibility. Many millennials are taking advantage of the remote work trend to travel the world while also earning the money to fund their itinerant lifestyle. Seniors have the same flexibility — but without the onus of having to making a living along the way. Turn that flexibility into an asset. When planning your trips, try to capitalize on your ability to wait for the right time, the right location, and the right price. Try giving yourself a window of a few days for travel time and see what the prices are like. Sometimes you’ll find that booking a flight a day or two earlier or opting to stay at your destination a little longer can actually save you money. Be a Weekday Warrior If you don’t need to worry about family or work-related obligations, why in the world would you want to move along with the herd? Try and travel midweek to avoid the Friday-to-Sunday rush. Tuesdays and Wednesdays in particular tend to be a lot less busy than other days. You’ll have more options, more space, and cheaper offers with respect to almost every aspect of your trip. Alternatively, if you must travel during the weekend, consider staying in a hotel that usually caters to business travelers or is located in the financial district of a city. You may find cheaper rates and more availability while still having access to public transport. Go Off-Season Similar to the last two suggestions, you should try to avoid travel when everybody else is getting away and instead go somewhere during the off-season. (Avoid Spring Break in particular. Yikes.) Going off-season helps you save on expenses while also seeing another side to a destination. And, you won’t be overwhelmed by crowds of other out-of-towners. Try to get your timing right and head out a week or so before or after a destination’s most popular weeks. You could really save without missing out on what makes a place so special. Be Your Own Guide Some people feel more comfortable traveling with a professional guide. There’s nothing wrong with that, but keep in mind that there are plenty of bloggers and other influencers who speak to what your generation loves most about travel and help people experience new destinations. Blogs, review sites, and social media related to a destination are filled with excellent senior travel tips and advice for touring and sightseeing. Plan ahead by checking out what’s available for free online. A little preparation beforehand will allow you to hit the ground running with your own itinerary. You may also enjoy: Tips Every Senior Solo Traveler Should Remember Ask Your Online Community Hesitant about reaching out to the digital world for advice? Don’t be! Odds are, there are plenty of others out there with the same questions and concerns that you have. Visit an online forum or a Facebook group. Or ask a question with the right hashtag on your social media account about a destination or upcoming trip. Doing this may just yield a wealth of responses to help you plan your itinerary. Similarly, helping your online friends with their travels might open up a discussion that leads to you discovering more about where to go and how you like to travel. Tap into Apps Chances are you’ve given into the pressure and bought yourself a smartphone. Well, travel is a great excuse to download some helpful apps and start putting that phone to use. Ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft have become pretty prevalent throughout the world. So have restaurant-related review apps and apps that help you meet the locals and speak the language. You can save yourself a pretty penny — and the stress of driving — by downloading and using the ride-hailing apps to get around. Otherwise, you’ll have to rent a car or get into an expensive metered cab. Apps will also help you also steer clear from mediocre meals! Travel Light One thing millennials know how to do is pack light. But chances are you’re not up for backpacking your way through your destination. Even so, no one likes to be bogged down by bags while they’re abroad. But you don’t want to give up the essentials that are necessary for comfortable travel. So what should you do? One option is to pack “smarter,” not necessarily “lighter.” For example, pack clothing that can be layered into different outfits or made suitable for different types of weather. You should also roll rather than fold your clothes. This is a flight attendant trick that frees up more space in your bag. You’ll save time and money if you can skip checked luggage and make do with carry-ons. Just be sure to check airline rules if you need to take liquids, pills, or medicine in your carry-on bag. Dress Comfortably Have you seen the millennials these days? For them, it’s all about comfort. Dressing comfortably is essential for travel, especially long-distance travel. You don’t want to spend hours on a plane in a chafing, bunching, or itching outfit. The same goes for walking around all day in a new city. You want to be focused on your trip. Fabrics should be your top consideration when putting together your travel wardrobe. Think about soft, breathable fabrics like cotton and silk for any layers touching your skin. For outer layers, you can wear fabrics like polyester and nylon for their moisture-wicking or sun-shading properties. Good footwear is another must. Do you need orthopedic support in your shoes? Do you wear compression socks? Before you go on vacation, test your intended footwear by wearing it all day and seeing if it’s still comfortable. Use Travel Rewards Travel rewards can save you money in both the short and long term. You can use them to book better deals upfront. And, you can receive cash back and get other perks to spend on future trips as well. First, check your credit card to see if you have access to any travel deals as part of the loyalty program. You might find great deals for flights, hotels, rental cars, tour packages, and more. You can also look into other brands’ loyalty programs. For example, airlines usually have frequent flyer programs that can unlock everything from free miles to airport lounges with snacks and showers. Hotels will often let you earn points for privileges like free nights, spa experiences, or complementary minibars. There are also programs like Western Union’s “VIP Membership” that offer cash back for hotel bookings. You can search for travel rewards online or through travel apps. If you aren’t tech-savvy, ask a loved one to help you. A little effort today could save you big bucks tomorrow! Live Like a Local Tourist traps are expensive, crowded, and rarely worth the trouble. On the other hand, facilities that are beloved by the locals are usually beloved for a reason. How can you find these local experiences? One idea is to utilize travel programs offered by brands like Airbnb and Vrbo. They often partner with chefs, artists, and other vendors from the area to cultivate authentic experiences for travelers. You can also look into travel apps like Local Eats and Live Like Local that are designed specifically for exploring local neighborhoods. Again, this will require a certain amount of tech savvy. But you can practice at home before taking the app abroad. Another option is to simply ask! If you ask your hotel concierge for local recommendations or off the beaten track destinations, you’ll probably get some ideas that aren’t listed in official travel brochures. You can also ask cashiers, waitresses, taxi drivers, and other regular folks that you encounter while on vacation. Do you have any senior travel tips to share? Let us know in the comments below!
