Top community of 60+ travelers. Make Lifelong Travel Easy
Share
Travel Tuesday--The Travel Companion Issue: Finding the Right Person Makes Every Journey Better
Published 1 day ago • 7 min read
Dear Ageless Traveler,
Several years ago, on a Danube cruise with Theatrical Adventures at Sea, I met a woman whose husband had passed away five years earlier. She told me this was the first time she had the "guts," her word, to travel by herself.
It wasn't a revelation to me. My own mother spent much of her life alone and never traveled until group tours began welcoming solo women travelers. What a difference a decade makes. Today, solo travel is all the rage, and it doesn't necessarily mean traveling alone. It often means joining like-minded travelers through affinity groups, special-interest tours, or small-group adventures.
Still, if you've spent most of your adult life traveling with one person, stepping back into travel on your own can feel intimidating. Nor is it easy to travel completely independently, as some of my younger nomadic friends do, even if, like me, you're an only child and accustomed to creating your own fun.
Then there is the opposite end of the spectrum. A new friend I had dinner with last night is one of eight siblings. They are remarkably close and travel together in different combinations. I often see families wearing matching T-shirts proclaiming, "The Johnson Family Reunion." I call these groups Travel Pods. They're wonderful, but organizing a pod takes planning.
That's why this week's newsletter is devoted to one of the most important ingredients of every great trip: the people you travel with.
Inside you'll discover:
Ask Adriane: Traveling with a loved one living with dementia
News You Can Use: The latest solo travel trends and spectacular group journeys.
Culture Vulture: Wonderful places around the world that are perfect for solo travelers.
Luxury Travel for Less: How to create your own Travel Pod, receive planning assistance, discounts, and even free trips.
On this week's episode of The Ageless Traveler podcast, we explore why Virginia really is for lovers with Virginia Tourism, and what that famous slogan truly means for travelers.
Never stop traveling
Cheers,
Adriane
This Week's Highlights
On This Week's Podcast
Virginia Travel Guide: Jamestown, Monticello, Williamsburg & Wine Country with Kevin Clay (Virginia Tourism)
Virginia is rich in history, yet its slogan, which most of us know wherever we live, is Virginia Is for Lovers. I wanted to unpack that slogan and see what the state has to offer romantics of any age. The tourist board came through to reveal the inside story of Virginia as a destination that sings to your heart.
Q. I want to travel with my husband, who has dementia. I dread handling everything myself. We are flying to another state for a family wedding. Do you have any suggestions?
Robby, Saratoga, New York
A. Robby, you do not have to go it alone. You can work with a dementia travel specialist. Listen to my interview with Dr. Carol Sargent, a member of The Ageless Traveler Advisory Board. Carol shares practical advice for traveling safely and confidently with someone living with dementia.
And please download our free The Caregiver's Guide to Travel. I wrote it specifically to support exploring the world while fulfilling caregiving responsibilities. It covers airport assistance, choosing the right itinerary, packing strategies, and other practical tips, like requesting a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard to discreetly signal airport and airline staff that your husband may need a little extra patience or assistance
Travel Tuesday Tip:
If you think you want to become a dementia or any type of travel coach or adviser, I have negotiated a discount on a professional certification program to build a rewarding business while helping others overcome their travel barriers.
1.Yes, talk to strangers! Dr. Gillian Sandstrom, professor of the psychology of kindness (yes, there is such a thing), authored Once Upon a Stranger, which proves that talking to strangers unlocks more joy, curiosity, and goodwill that keep us happy.
2.Solo travel for men. Hilton Research notes the rise of the "mancation," with wellness-focused solo trips for men gaining traction as an alternative to the old backpacker cliché. To get inspired, check out our Travel Bros podcast series, like Italian Wannabee and Hiking After 60.
3. Single supplements on cruises can be avoided. Please take advantage of the massive discounts and perks you get when you book through The Ageless Traveler Cruises It link or call (407) 410-8901.
Note: For luxury travel, where the supplements can be extremely high, Aurora Expeditions has ten dedicated no-supplement solo cabins on polar sailings. Crystal was named Best for Solo Travelers in the luxury category.
Every Thursday, I go to the Cascade Lounge at Agua Caliente Casino, order a large coffee and fruit plate, and settle in for live jazz. Then I post the performance on Instagram. Where does my husband Stuart go? Let's just say that what happens at Panda Express stays at Panda Express!
Where I Go Alone (And Get a Good Table)
New York
• Feinstein's/54 Below: Cabaret in a real supper-club room; solo seats at the bar always available. • Bemelmans Bar, The Carlyle: Piano bar, murals, martinis, zero side-eye for a table of one. • Blue Note: Jazz royalty; go to an early set if you want an easier solo vibe. • Birdland: Old-school jazz club energy; bar seating is made for solo listeners. • The Iridium: Jazz below street level on Broadway; low-key and welcoming. • Irish Repertory Theatre: Small, warm, and one of the friendliest solo-theater nights in the city.
Shanghai
• Peace Hotel Jazz Bar: The house band has been swinging since the 1980s, in an Art Deco room that makes you feel like you wandered into another decade.
• St Martin-in-the-Fields: Candlelit classical concerts in the church; no date required. • St Paul's Cathedral Evensong: Free, gorgeous, and one of the most beautiful ways to spend a solo evening in London. • Ronnie Scott's: The city's legendary jazz club. Bar seats are solo traveler gold. If the Jump Jives are there, GO! • Soho Theatre or The Comedy Store: Laugh alone, laugh loud, nobody minds.
Vienna
• Musikverein (Golden Hall): Yes, the Golden Hall. You can absolutely go by yourself. • Konzerthaus: Vienna's other grand concert hall, equally solo-friendly, with slightly less tourist traffic.
How to Feel Safe (and Unselfconscious) Going Out Alone
I did not start out fearlessly. Here are the three things I did early on that made solo nights out feel completely normal:
Bring a book. Not to actually read—to use as a force field. Want to be left alone? Open it. Nobody bothers a woman deep in a novel.
Order real food, not just a drink. A meal on the table says, "I'm here for the evening," not "I'm here to get picked up or to disappear early." It changes how the room treats you.
Say yes to the communal table. This is where the good stuff happens. I once sat down next to a stranger who turned out to be a Flemish painting scholar—and he ended up writing about a painting I own. You do not get that story if you insist on your own table in the corner every time.
And the rule above all the rules: ask for the table you want. Not the one by the bathroom. Not the dark one in the back. Nobody puts Baby in the corner—and nobody puts you there, either. You are a paying customer having a night out, not an afterthought.
Luxury Travel for Less
If you form your own travel group, you can get great discounts on luxury trips. But you need know-how to get discounts on luxury trips. Expect a minimum of 10% off, one free trip for every 8–10 people. If you reach 15–20 travelers, ask for better-than-published group benefits. Request complimentary upgrades, cocktail receptions, or even a dedicated tour manager just for your travelers.
Travel Tuesday Tip: If you want a bespoke tour at a fraction of the high-end price with luxury treatment, I recommend Ronick Tours for Africa, Sahari for Morocco, European Waterways for Europe, Theatrical Adventures at Sea for river cruises, Hero Holidays for voluntourism in South Africa, and Grand Canyon Whitewater for the Grand Canyon. Tell them I sent you. And no, I do not get a cut. It's all for you and your group.
Travel with Adriane
If you do have a group and you want to go to Japan in fall 2027, do contact me directly on Fanlist.
I am creating the trip with a secret Japanese source. It's too early to disclose details now, so put yourself on the "I'm Interested" list.
If you want to use a mainstream tour company, here's what you can expect in discounts for your Travel Pod:
Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman.
“Older Women & Friends: Stories of Aging Well” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels myths, explores the many contributions older women make, and the wisdom they’ve earned and are anxious to share. Older women know a thing or two about living with a keen sense of wonder and an abiding appreciation for the gift of longevity. So, it’s time to change the perception that the gig is just about up when, in truth, the second wave of the journey has just begun.
Congratulate Jane on supporting Good Grief. You’ll love the way she gets the most interesting guests to tell the most interesting stories.
Another Champion of Good Grief and a powerhouse podcaster:
Attention The AGELESS TRAVEL WOMEN:
Want no boundaries advice from a savvy lady who knows how to craft success?
Host Beverley Glazer, Reinvention Strategist and Empowerment Coach, is honest and grounded. Beverly tackles everything from grief and identity shifts to ageism, sovereignty, and libido with confidence and depth.
Dear Ageless Traveler, One of my most memorable experiences was preparing a full Vietnamese meal in the home of a young family, playing with their children, and gaining a deeper understanding of modern Vietnam. But, Vietnamese food can be salty, and I am on a low sodium diet. Before I booked the cooking tour, I knew what dishes to ask for, and the meal was scrumptious. Do you have food restrictions, like vegan, vegetarian, or, like me, pescatarian, religious dietary requirements, or foods...
Dear Ageless Traveler, I am about to take a six-week trip, and it's never easy to plan. But after visiting 140 countries, I do have some hints and tips. I also have a roster of places I've found worth the effort of long-term travel. In an earlier newsletter, I reported on how we Ageless Travelers are taking Gap Years, where we travel for months at a time. My trip is taking me to the Galápagos with GoGalapagos, the Ecuadorian Amazon, and barging through the Champagne Valley in France with...
Dear Ageless Traveler, When I ask people about their greatest barrier to travel one word comes up again and again: responsibility. On the very first episode of The Ageless Traveler podcast, I listed those barriers, like money and health. But I’ve discovered that the toughest to overcome are work and childcare duties for younger folks and caring for a spouse, looking after grandchildren, helping aging parents, managing a home, or pet care. Those responsibilities can make even the dream of...
