It may be a travel season for you soon with the holidays rolling around. Visiting family and sharing time together is the BEST!

But now that my husband and I are 60 and 59 years old, respectively, we’re starting to notice more aches and pains. Also so much more annoys us about traveling now, so it’s important to do some pre-planning to minimize the annoyances! 

Since I met him ten years ago, we have been very fortunate to have taken many trips together, both nationally and internationally: Paris, Lithuania, Italy, Mexico, Arizona, Florida, California, and New York City (many times) to name just a few. Some of these trips were easier than others, so I thought I’d share a few tips we’ve learned along the way that help you get where you’re going easier! Even for shorter trips, pre-planning is important so you feel your best and enjoy your trip to its fullest!

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Before You Go

No matter where you’re going, scope out things like how far you might need to walk, and if it’s far, what options you might have to help (Uber, public transportation…). We went to a football game very recently, and walked pretty far both to the stadium and up many levels to our seats. Not until we were leaving did we notice they actually had an elevator! That would have been good to know!

Research the weather. For some reason when we went to Italy in October, I thought it was going to be cooler. Nope. It was actually VERY warm during most of the trip, and I was majorly overdressed and way too hot. I find being over-heated much worse than too cold, especially when traveling. You can always buy an item or two (a great excuse for a new dress) if necessary, but better to have what you need.

Plan your wardrobes with comfort in mind. The main thing is to be comfortable with the temperature and your clothing! I spent a lot of time planning outfits when we visited Paris, and it totally paid off. I was right on with the weather, and wanted to look non-touristy (when possible) but be as comfortable as I could manage. I knew we’d do a good amount of walking in the city, so got these walking shoes and I continue to get a lot of compliments on them!

I wanted something that felt like sneakers and had a lot of arch support, but didn’t look like sneakers. These work with a skirt/dress with tights or pants- so versatile. In Paris I also wore a lot of scarves and berets! 

Prep your body. There are always differences with food and drink from other cultures, and you don’t want an upset stomach ruining your trip. There are actual ‘travel probiotics’ that it is suggested you take daily for a time before a trip. I did this for the Paris trip and had no issues. I also walked on the treadmill daily before our trips, as well as plenty of yoga/stretching. 

As You Travel

Airports. We have struggled, especially more in recent years, with the long walking distances between gates, or even from security to the gate. Airlines have policies, like this one at United, which explain the many ways they can help you, from how to travel with a wheelchair to helping you to and from your seat. If you notify them of your needs ahead of time, you can get any accommodations necessary with no problem. Scope out the airport with regard to its size and where restrooms and restaurants are located. 

Consider a train! If you’re wanting to go is somewhere in the US accessible by plane, check whether a train is also an option! Generally most cities have Amtrak stations, and traveling by train is a million times easier than the plane. Train stations are pretty manageable (smaller than airports), and you store your luggage easily. Trains also have a good amount of legroom, you can get up whenever you want, and there are plenty of accessible bathrooms. Some trains offer food and beverages, and options for sleeping overnight. Traveling by train can be so scenic and relaxing. There are some lines out in Colorado and Utah that are specifically for sightseeing. That’s on our bucket list for sure!

If you are walking a bit, be sure to stop or sit frequently if necessary. In my case, too much of anything starts bothering my balance and joints- ie too much walking, sitting or standing. I’d say this is probably pretty common. So mix it up as much as you can! When sitting in your seat in the plane, walk up and down the aisles now and again, especially on a longer flight.

Use a small back pack as opposed to a bag with a handle. Keeping your arms free so you can hold onto railings, a walker or your husband’s hand!

 In your bag, be sure to include a bottle of water or another drink. Consider Liquid IV or another hydration enhancer (watermelon flavor is actually delicious). I often don’t want to drink much, because I don’t want to constantly be looking for bathrooms. But its really important to hydrate when traveling- for mental and physical energy.

Pain reliever for everyone in case you start feeling twinges. And for anyone needing antacids, allergy medication, sea sickness- I feel better being prepared for these issues. Traveling stresses your body, so it’s a lot more likely things like this could creep up.

When You’re There

Be reasonable with what you MUST see. Because I had never been to Italy and my husband only parts of it, we were determined to hit every city. And sure enough we pretty much did. We drove from Venice all the way down to the Amalfi Coast, stopping in Bologna, Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Naples, and Sorrento. We saw some cool things for sure, but this was WAY too much in every way. In and out of suitcases (with hot weather) and navigating around cities (not easy because they are super crowded cities) was a pain.

I do NOT recommend seeing this much just for the sake of saying you did.  I would have preferred to stay in one or two cities and relax! When you’re in a city, you can very easily Uber, even internationally!

That being said, there are circumstance when renting a car is perfect. If you’re wanting to see a few things fairly far apart- and the cities and towns are not huge, it’s great. For example, in Arizona we wanted to see the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Sedona. Totally drivable. Just a note- don’t rent a pick up truck. Keeping the luggage safe and dry was a bit of a challenge. We also visited Lithuania (because my husband is Lithuanian and had to go) where there are only a few bigger cities, and we wanted to see some special things like castles and the Baltic Sea. We almost accidentally drove into Russia, but we lived to tell the tale!

I hope you have the chance to do some traveling soon! Either visiting family for the holidays or a special vacation (somewhere warm?). Let me know where you’re next planning to go- and safe travels!