Travel and Leisure
Many have dreamed about their 'retirement days' offering more time for leisure activities and travel. Finding the activities that provide the most meaning to life will be your challenge. If married or in partnership, you will also want to plan which activities are shared with a partner or friend, or enjoyed by yourself. The choices you make in activities will add to the richness of life after 50.
As you consider activities, look broadly at these categories:
- Leisure Activities
- Education/Learning
- Community Service
- Spirituality
You need to spend time exploring each of these categories. Although the list can be long, consider some of these more common leisure activities:
- Art / culture
- Dining out
- Entertainment
- Hobbies
- Internet
- Movies
- Naps
- Reading
- Shopping
- Sports
- Television
- Travel
Leisure activities can involve joining a club. Some popular groups for retirees include card clubs, book clubs, investment clubs, golf clubs, tennis clubs, social clubs, dance clubs, senior clubs, boating clubs, flying clubs and motor home clubs. If clubs aren't your thing, consider some of the hobbies you can enjoy on your own or with a partner or friend: photography, restoring vintage cars, bird-watching, camping, genealogy, woodworking, gardening, painting, etc.
With good health, millions of retirees stay physically active with sports or other pursuits, such as walking, hiking, skiing, golfing, playing tennis, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, fishing, boating, surfing, running or cycling. Other people might enjoy watching spectator sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer or golf.
Travel has endless possibilities. Some prefer to experience special places within the U.S. Others enjoy Europe or Asia. Many love relaxing on a cruise. The real adventurers like mixing a physical challenge with the beauty of a mountain or white-water river. Some prefer traveling with family to create shared memories. You will find many travel resources in our 'ideas library' on this Web site to help in your planning process.
Traveling with friends offers endless possibilities. Perhaps you'd like to create a lifetime memory by going on a real adventure with a friend. Consider the following options:
- Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Hiking the El Camino trail honoring St. James the Apostle across northwestern Spain
- Following Lewis & Clark's trip on the Missouri River through Montana
- Sailing through the Panama Canal
- Flying around the world
- Motorcycling from Maine to Los Angeles
- Biking across Europe
- Surfing the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii
- Scuba diving in Fiji
- Dog sledding Alaska's Iditarod Trail
- Kayaking in Alaska with the orcas
- Driving a race car at the Texas Motor Speedway
- Helicopter skiing at Lake Louise, Canada
- Whitewater rafting at the Grand Canyon.
The community service options are also extensive. Many nonprofits are looking for volunteers. Legal, medical and counseling services are needed for people who can't afford to pay. Many tutoring opportunities exist in our schools and communities. Volunteer work provides meaning and allows you to make an impact.
Reflect on the community service that would provide the most meaning in your life. Find organizations whose mission aligns well with your mission and values. For example, pilots with a philanthropic orientation may enjoy flying for Angel Flight to serve those in need. Determine the role you want to play in the organization and the time commitment you wish to make.
Growing spiritually can provide significant meaning in your life. It might be a personal journey for you or something you share with a spiritual leader. Spend time deciding how you'd like to enhance your spiritual life. Perhaps read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. For spiritually inclined people, spirituality provides a framework for finding purpose in life. Identify obstacles that might get in your way. Then find strategies to overcome the obstacles.
As you plan for the future, you have the luxury of redefining how you spend you time. These choices take consideration and planning. Use What's Next In Your Life book and workbook as planning tools. Research and explore possibilities. Network with others to find more information about the opportunities. Open your eyes to see all the possibilities for your future.
Listen to what Francis Ford Coppola said in a recent interview for Time Magazine:
"Choice is a theme I want to look at. When I was younger, it was regulated--you're gonna get through school, get married, have kids. Now there's a million variations on that. I think I'm more interested in personal questions."