This May, the U.S. celebrates Older Americans month, but it’s clear that age doesn’t curb seniors’ desire to see the world, and travel is currently quite strong in the nation’s mature market.

And it makes sense. We’re talking about a generation that came of age in the ‘60s, rocked to the Beatles, began the Earth Day movement and traveled around the world in droves to discover new destinations and the people of each country, with backpacks in tow and youth hostel guidebooks in hand.

And their sense of adventure hasn’t waned.

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), the leader in personalized small group and solo travel for Americans ages 50 and older, encourages travelers to seize this eternal spirit of adventure through its 2024 Small Group Adventures to diverse, discovery-rich locations around the world.

According to an AARP survey of the 50-plus generation, most older travelers (85%) rank travel in their top three priorities for discretionary spending, much higher than other types of expenses. Forty-three percent (43%) plan to take an international trip within the next three years, and 30% anticipate doing so in the next year.

“Older travelers in particular will continue to make up for lost time by exploring the world in 2024,” said Brian FitzGerald, CEO of Overseas Adventure Travel. “Our travelers tell us that unique itineraries at great value are most appealing, and our company continues to deliver that combination.”

From the company’s time-tested favorites, such as its Ultimate Africa safari or Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes and Timeless Traditions, to exciting new destinations, including Romania, Bulgaria, and the Azores, there is a world to discover traveling with the company in 2024. Travelers enjoy a journey off the beaten path in small groups and experience intimate cultural encounters, meeting people where they live and work for a real and unfiltered view of local life. For many, it will be a hark back to the travel experiences they enjoyed during their youth.

Cruising continues to be a popular mode of travel, for obvious reasons both for young and old—unpack once and see the world from the luxury of your cabin, with on shore excursions that take you in comfort to the highlights of each destination. Travelers can explore remote ports from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, enjoying direct access aboard privately owned 50- to 98-passenger small ships in small ports large cruise ships can’t access. O.A.T. travelers step ashore in a small group of no more than 25 travelers for authentic local experiences.

Solo travel remains strong, especially among women travelers

Traveling solo on many cruise ships can be a challenge. But not with O.A.T., which is offering 23,000 single spaces in 2024 across all adventures. For solo travelers, the company’s free or low-cost single supplements translate to hundreds of dollars in savings, making these trips very attractive to solo women. The small group size on these voyages makes it easier for solo travelers to bond with other members of the group. For 2024, O.A.T. is offering 12 exclusive women-only departures of its most popular adventures – an opportunity to enjoy the special camaraderie of exploring with some like-minded intrepid women travelers.

To learn more about O.A.T. or to reserve travel, visit www.oattravel.com or call 1-800-955-1925.

ABOUT OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Established in 1978, Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.) is part of Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation's family of travel companies, which also include Grand Circle Cruise Line and Grand Circle Travel. In 1992, owners Alan and Harriet Lewis established the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation to support communities in which Grand Circle works and travels, including some 300 humanitarian, cultural, and educational endeavors worldwide—among them, 100 schools, in 50 countries. The Foundation is an entity of the Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation, which has pledged or donated more than $250 million since 1981.

Please note: This post was not compensated by A.O.T travel. In our research of the best cruises for senior travel, this company definitely came up as one of the best!

There is no better way to discover the beauty of Japan than by seeing it on foot.

Walk Japan a pioneer of off-the-beaten-path walking tours of the country, offers a wide variety of excursions for every fitness level in key locations throughout Japan. Check out my photo essay, recently published on

USA TODAY TRAVEL/10Best

which details a magical Walk Japan trip that took us from the modern city of Nagoya to the historic old city of Matsumoto via the ancient Kiso Road and Nakasendo Way.

WEB-Japan-Nagoya-Palace-Children-at-Play-Under-the-Cherry-Blossoms.jpg

IF YOU GO: TRAVEL ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR A TRIP TO JAPAN

Staying Connected

Everyone worries about staying connected while traveling abroad—and about racking up hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in roaming charges with your local provider if you aren’t careful.

One solution many opt for is to purchase a roaming data bundle from your U.S. provider. But I found a less expensive and extremely effective solution through CellHire. The company offers super fast 4G-LTE coverage with unlimited data (and that is the key here, as you will need it to access maps, information, Skype and your favorite social networks) for $14.95 a day-$79 a week-$159 a month. They also allow five users to connect to the MIFI, so this is a no brainer for families or people traveling in groups.

The connectivity was flawless. Whether I was in a train speeding through the Japanese Alps, overnighting in a remote mountain inn, or walking through city streets, this device was a lifesaver. Very simple to use, it also boasts hours of battery life. Sweet!

Cellhire also offers a variety of other connectivity options, so check them out before your next trip abroad.

Powering Up

My internet connectivity issue being solved, my next worry was how to power my phone and laptop while I was traveling on foot over hiking trails and by train from town to town. This is when my Apelpi external battery charger came to my rescue.

In addition to packing a hefty 6400 mAh capacity via two USB ports (and robust enough to charge multiple devices throughout the day), this charger doubles as a fashion statement. Who can resist a red (or pink or green) apple doing its thing next to your phone or tablet? Light-weight and extremely durable (it was dropped by mistake a few times and survived the abuse), this will definitely be my favorite tech accessory on my future trips.

Keeping Healthy

Sure, keeping connected on international trips is important…..but so is keeping healthy.

I had heard about the importance of wearing compression socks on lengthy international flights for people with deep vein thrombosis and other circulatory disorders, but I never considered them for myself—until I ran across the stylish RejuvaHealth line!

The company features a series of slimming, shaping and supportive stockings, leggings and socks that utilize graduated compression to relieve soreness, pain, and reduce the swelling that often occurs on long flights.

Figuring it was worth a try, I opted for a pair of Rejuva Knee High Coolmax compression socks for the flight as well as a pair of black footless compression leggings for the walking trails. I selected the 15-20 compression level, which was perfect for me.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much. But now I am convinced I will never fly again without a pair of compression socks nurturing my restricted circulation! I can’t believe what a difference they made in my comfort during that long flight, especially when I couldn’t move my legs except for under the seat for hours on end.

The leggings also made a significant difference on our trek--when we hiked more than 7 miles daily—in that I didn’t get the soreness in my calves as I expected. I’ll soon add more RejuvaHealth items to my travel wardrobe, to be sure.