8 Travel Tips for Retirees

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Many people dream of seeing the world once they retire, but sometimes limitations from poor health and a fixed income make finding a perfect trip difficult.

While these problems can sometimes prevent retirees from realizing all of their travel ambitions, there are plenty of safe and fun travel opportunities available to seniors.

While poor health or a fixed income can sometimes prevent retirees from realizing travel ambitions, there are plenty of safe and fun travel opportunities available.

"Older people are becoming more active and they want to do more things," says John DiScala, who runs the travel site JohnnyJet.com. "As much it sounds like a cliche, age is just a number."

Here are a few tips for retirees gearing up to do some much-anticipated world travel:

Don't be afraid of a little adventure
People in the travel industry have coined the term "soft adventures" for trips that are more adventurous than taking pictures at the Grand Canyon, but not quite as adventurous as, say, climbing a mountain or going whitewater rafting. Such trips are perfect for retirees who want the full experience of a location without the danger.

"People are changing, and at 60, 70 or 80 years old, they want to go out there and do things they dreamed about doing for years," says David Roth of ElderTreks, a travel company specializing in soft adventure trips for people older than 50. "We'll put them in a dugout canoe in Papua New Guinea, or they'll ride a camel across the Sahara. It's not something that's risk taking -- they're not technically climbing mountains, but they'll go trekking in mountains."

... But be realistic
Of course, everyone ages a little differently, and while some people are still fit and spry well into their golden years, other seniors develop health problems that prevent them from participating in more adventurous trips. The key, says Roth, is to carefully determine what you're up for before you book your trip.

"They have to be honest with themselves," he says. "We get people who say, 'My dream has always been to go down the Niger River' in a boat, but it may be that heat or high altitude may not be suitable for them. They should be going for a medical checkup and listening to their doctor's advice."