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Retirement Travel Bucket List

Published in Yahoo!Life | September 2025

Stewart Koesten, Aspyre’s global financial planning specialist was asked to contribute financial planning travel tips during retirement and the trips you may want to reconsider during your retirement years. The world traveler himself also provided a list of tips when planning any vacation during while retired.

“Stories from retirees and my own experiences suggest cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska can be regrettable,” he explained. While both destinations are lovely, he said there is a “constant drum beat to buy jewelry and other products from cruise ship-controlled shops.”

Retirement is often when many Americans finally get to take the bucket list vacations they’ve saved and waited years for. Since many of these trips are abroad, they can often require a significant amount of money or take a lot of time to plan. What looks like a great trip in social media photos might actually be a lot more hassle than it’s worth.

Travel Tips during Retirement

  • The dollar is weak: With a weak dollar in relation to other countries’ currencies, travel is generally becoming more expensive and “less retirement friendly,” Koesten said.

  • Stay in the U.S.: There are plenty of “spectacular experiences,” to be had right here in the U.S. “I always recommend touring this country before going abroad, especially when cost is a concern.”

  • Off-season travel: Travel during the off season, which shouldn’t be a problem for a retired person.

  • Airline flexibility: Don’t be married to a particular airline. Seek out the most direct means of travel at the most reasonable rate. Use travel points on airlines, hotels and credit cards.

  • Eat local: Choose local food and beverage. Unless you’re a foodie, avoid the fancy restaurants like Maxim’s in Paris and the fancy tab that goes along with it.

  • Stay smaller: Skip the five-star hotel. Airbnb and VRBO, along with other sites, provide photos of properties and guest ratings. Many now include a local guide or experience with the price of your stay.

Any “dream trip” can be a financial drain or poor value if you can’t afford it, Koesten pointed out. Financial planning as a retiree should evaluate travel expenses, physical needs, time and energy.

Read the full article on Yahoo!Life.

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