Best Baby Boomer Travel Blogs – Gold List for 2022
It’s been a while since we updated our list of the Best Baby Boomer Travel Blogs,
Since then, the pandemic and world politics have redefined the travel landscape. What hasn’t skipped a beat, however, is our (and your) lust for travel, adventure, and exploration.
The common bond shared by all the publications on this list is that they are written for and by the growing group of travelers ages 50 and over (or nudging close to it).
For more time than we ever could have anticipated, most of us were locked down, only traveling vicariously through books, films, and photographs. Then we started cautiously exploring places closer to home on day trips and weekend jaunts.
Now, with more vaccines in arms (and boosters as well) international travel has become viable again.
The list of the Best Baby Boomer Travel Blogs below includes ones published by our talented contributors, many of whom have their own blogs, as well as those written by colleagues whose work we follow and enjoy. Many of us have been here since the beginning of GOT (in 2018) but we’ve added new names to the list.
What makes these blogs special?
What makes GOT and this list unique is that this niche group of blogs targets mid-lifers, empty nesters, and others who consider themselves perpetual travelers.
Many of the blogs are eclectic. And, while some cover shoestring or luxury travel, a few focus on solo travel for boomer women or specific regions, and others showcase different foods, wines, and cultures.
Moreover, each blog has its own style and reflects the distinctive personality and experiences of these boomer bloggers, who reside and travel all over the world. The common bond shared by all the publications on this list is that they are written for and by the growing group of travelers ages 50 and over (or nudging close to it).
Although we are mindful of value, we are at a time of life when we truly appreciate luxury so, this list mostly includes luxury boomer travel blogs (though we’ve included a sprinkling of other boomer travel blogs, simply because they’re so darn good).
We hope you’ll continue to enjoy reading GOT, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven’t done so already), and take a look at these evocative blogs.
N.B. We put ourselves first – the perk of writing this list! But the other best boomer travel blogs are in alphabetical order.
(And if we’re missing your favorite, please comment below and let us know.)
The Golden List: The Best Baby Boomer Travel Blogs
Getting On Travel
This is us! Getting On Travel co-publishers, Irene S. Levine, PhD and Hilary Nangle.
We share the scoop on luxury boomer travel. Yes, we dish on five-star hotels, regional foods and wines, and sumptuous cruises, but we don’t stop there.
We think midlife travelers have reinvented the term “luxury travel.” You want your passions to be shaped by your interests not your age, right? So we cover authentic experiences unspoiled by mass tourism, soft adventure, health and wellness, the boutique and the bespoke.
We’re mindful of value too. What’s really different about Getting On Travel (GOT) is that we have over 50 authors, each writing about luxury boomer travel from their own unique perspective.
Maine Travel Maven
Hilary Nangle loves sharing the best of her home state and beyond. As the author of four Moon-Series Maine guidebooks, the Maine Travel Maven’s always on the road looking for what’s new and changed, seeking the quirky and off beat, and experiencing new attractions and adventures.
More Time to Travel
More Time To Travel offers advice and information that will inspire memorable midlife travel and culinary experiences. During lockdown, many posts focused on immersive movies and TV series set in Europe (especially Italy and France), virtual tastings from some of the world’s most esteemed wine regions, as well as experiences closer to home in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Now, with shots in arms, they’re ready to return to some of their favorite destinations, both domestic and international, and to explore new ones.
Pursuing second acts after long careers in public mental health, the writing of psychologist/journalist Irene S. Levine is enriched by the photos taken by her psychiatrist/husband Jerry. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or simply an armchair one, join them (and a few contributing writers) as they explore new places and savor new tastes.
* Irene S. Levine is a Getting On Travel co-editor and contributor
A Baby Boomer Woman’s Life After 50
After losing her spouse, selling her house, and emptying out her nest within two years of turning 50, Judy Freedman had to learn to reinvent herself. A major part of her transformation included travel. Now almost 15 years later, she continues to share her journey on A Baby Boomer Woman’s Life After 50.
Whether it’s navigating new restaurants in Italy, seeking out the Northern Lights in Lapland, or exploring Southwest Florida as a snowbird, her authentic voice and enthusiasm for travel shine through in every post. She’ll never steer you wrong when it comes to helpful suggestions and extra planning tips to recreate a trip of your own.
*Judy Freedman is a Getting On Travel contributor
A Taste for Travel
Boomers who like it hot are drawn to A Taste for Travel, a hub for travelers who love food, drink, and sun destinations. Showcasing the best of Mexico, the Caribbean, southern Europe and North America, Michele Peterson celebrates seasonal, locally-sourced and traditional cuisines as well as local experiences, resorts, and hotels.
The site’s 12 Reasons I’m Tempted to Drop Everything and Move to Grenada was awarded Best Caribbean Blog Post by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). Published by investment banker turned travel writer Michele (with several contributing writers), the website/blog also includes recipes, travel tips, and special discounts.
*Michele Peterson is a Getting On Travel contributor
Adventures of a Carry-On
Adventures of a Carry-on is a blog for all ages with an emphasis on sophisticated destinations favored by boomers. Wine country travel is highlighted – think Italy, France, and especially California – with tips on places to drink, dine and explore.
For boomers road-tripping in the Golden State, Penny Sadler offers Top Tips for Driving Highway 1: Ultimate California Road Trip. But even a walk in the neighborhood can be an adventure, she says with a laugh. (If only at our enlightened age, the rest of us could master the art of traveling like Penny, with just one carry-on.)
*Penny Sadler is a Getting On Travel contributor
Anita’s Feast
“Where food, travel and culture meet” is how writer Anita Breland and photographer Tom Fakler describe their food and wine travel blog, Anita’s Feast. They focus on understanding local traditions through authentic culinary experiences, throwing in a bit of soft adventure along the way.
They always have their next meal in mind – so you’ll find stories on tasting Moroccan sweets, sipping Portuguese wines, discovering Nepalese cuisine, and the like. One of their best food travel experiences? Sailing on a James Beard Foundation culinary cruise with Windstar Cruises: See Luxury Meets Culinary Aboard the Wind Surf.
*Anita Breland and Tom Fakler are Getting On Travel Contributors
Chocolatour
So we know boomers are always looking for new adventures. But have you ever been on a chocolate-centric journey of discovery? If you love chocolate and travel, bookmark Chocolatour and start at Chocolate Travel Explained.
Award-winning author, freelance journalist and blogger Doreen Pendgracs takes us around the world in search of the best chocolate and chocolate experiences. She visits chocolate festivals and attractions, chocolate spas and resorts, and cocoa plantations, and of course, indulges in cocoa cuisine, too. And she shares her findings and experiences in a casual, conversational style. You’ll learn how to taste chocolate like a pro and discover everything the world has to offer in the new niche of chocolate travel.
*Doreen Pendgracs is a Getting On Travel contributor
Food Travelist
After traveling the world together for 15 years, Food Travelist was created by Sue Reddel and Diana Laskaris, both certified culinary travel professionals. Together they have shared their in-depth experiences about the food and culture of each place they have visited.
Relocating to Portugal in 2021, they now share their experiences with the tasty dishes, beautiful places, warm culture, and living as locals among the Portuguese people. They are a helpful and friendly resource for those planning to visit, relocate, or retire in Portugal or anywhere else in the world.
*Sue Reddel and Diana Laskaris are Getting On Travel Contributors.
France Travel Tips
Admittedly addicted to France, Janice Chung is a frequent traveler to the country. She seeks out and covers experiences that aren’t always written about in travel guides, such as “Unique Paris Experiences.” She’s now visited almost every one of France’s 13 regions.
In 2022, Jan embarked on her 35th trip to France, adding to her growing list of culinary, educational, active, and arts/entertainment experiences. Her advice on experiential travel in France, and tips on ways to splurge or save money on France Travel Tips will enhance your trip whether you’re a novice or a repeat boomer visitor.
*Janice Chung is a Getting On Travel contributor
Green With Renvy
*Alison Abbott is a Getting On Travel contributor
Gypsy Nesters
Married on Elvis’ birthday, Veronica and David James are having a blast in the “empty nest” phase of their life. After the youngest of their three children flew the nest for college, they started traveling. And traveling. And never stopped except for a pandemic hiatus. Now they have no nest and travel full time.
Totally irreverent, their hugely popular Gypsy Nesters blog is all about having fun when traveling. Stories cover the gamut from “The Hippest Public Bathroom in the USA” to “Accidentally Attending the Alarde Festival” (while trekking the Camino de Santiago). No doubt about it. This is absolutely a terrific boomer travel blog to rummage through.
I Prefer Paris
I Prefer Paris is an ex-New Yorker’s insider’s guide to Paris. In 2005, Richard Nahem moved there at age 49 to start a new life (see My Story). He now writes from his fabulous 18th- century apartment in the fashionable Marais district of Paris. Want info on the smash Christian Dior museum exhibition or luxury Left Bank apartments with hotel-like services? Richard’s blog is a goldmine of information on what to see, and where to stay and eat in the City of Lights. He also covers other European destinations too.
Richard leads personalized, private tours of Paris, showing clients the offbeat Paris they never get to see on their own. Some of his specialty tours include the Marais district, Saint Germain des Pres, Montmartre, gourmet food tours with tastings, chocolate and pastry tours, and an Emily in Paris tour, where he shows clients many of the locations from the hit Netflix show.
JourneyWoman
Journeywoman was created more than two decades ago. Recognized by magazines like Time and People, it aims to “inspire women to travel safely and well” and “connect female travellers internationally.” This jam-packed site offers practical and sensible advice. Should you wear a scarf over your hair in Pakistan? Should you take the subway in St. Petersburg? The answers are there.
With the passing of the site’s creator, Evelyn Hannon, the torch was passed to a new editor and publisher, SATW member, Carolyn Ray. Since taking the helm, she’s modernized the size, continuing to empower solo female travelers.
Life Bites News
“Life is good” is how it rolls for Bonnie Carroll, a traveling and life-loving grandmother who chronicles fine food, wine, and travel adventures in destinations throughout the world in her monthly online site, Life Bites News, founded in 2005.
She especially loves covering food-and-wine events, spas, and hotel openings in California – see “Avocado Brunch Delights Along the California Coast.” And she’s careful to point out any accessibility issues for those who are less mobile.
*Bonnie Carroll is a Getting On Travel contributor
Luggage and Lipstick
“Fun doesn’t just happen, you have to make it happen,” says Patti Morrow. She knows how: Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, sky diving in Hawaii, dog sledding in Oregon. (Patti was a lobbyist for 10 years. Her life-after sounds like a lot more fun to us than lobbying!)
She admits she’s more of an adrenaline junkie than most boomers, so it’s not surprising that she specializes in boomer adventure travel on Luggage and Lipstick.
*Patti Morrow is a Getting On Travel contributor
My Itchy Travel Feet
Published by Donna L. Hull, My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Travel inspires baby boomer travelers one adventure at a time. Sharing first-person travel experiences through words, photos, and videos, we show you exactly what to expect from your next trip.
Since May 2008, Donna and her husband have reported on active travel adventures covering both international and domestic destinations, small ship luxury cruises, national park adventures, and so much more. What started as a boomer travel blog has evolved into an award-winning online travel magazine for baby boomers.
Once More to the Shore
Ottawa Road Trips
What can boomers see and do within a four-hour drive of Canada’s capital? That’s the question that 50-something journalist Laura Byrne Paquet answers on her blog, Ottawa Road Trips. From festivals in charming small towns such as Merrickville and Skaneateles to luxurious weekends in Montreal and wine tours in Prince Edward County, she casts a wide net over Eastern Ontario, West Quebec, and upstate New York.
She occasionally ventures further afield as well to Toronto, Quebec City, New York City, and beyond. (See, for example, Ile d’Orleans: Food-Lovers’ Island Near Quebec City.)
*Laura Byrne Paquet is a GettingOnTravel contributor
Passing Thru
Betsy and Pete Wuebker were 50-somethings when they started Passing Thru in 2008 and became location-independent in 2011 (long before the pandemic work-at-home trend). Later, they ditched their “ordinary” life to move to Hawaii, and then traveled full-time for four years, visiting close to 50 countries.
Now back in Minnesota, they’re beginning to check things off the bucket list again. Favorite travel activities? Brushing up on history, people-watching, and seeking out watering holes and cafes where locals hang out.
Points and Travel
An Arizona chiropractor who gave up her career years ago, Cacinda Maloney, DC now works as a full-time luxury travel blogger. She packs in a lot of miles, makes it a point to travel every six weeks, and has experienced at least 94 countries.
Recent stories on Points and Travel chronicle all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Croatia island-hopping, and visiting the US and Galapagos!! She says – “cultural tourism” and “smart luxury travel” are her specialties. So go take a look at her site and get inspired
Quiltripping
Rose Palmer believes that life is a patchwork of experiences. Traveling the world is one of her deepest passions, and she continues to add to her ever-growing quilt of life experiences focusing her traveling lens on art, architecture, history, nature, and soft adventure with a touch of luxury.
Rose shares her personal travel experiences on Quiltripping.com, where her content has won numerous awards for both writing and photography. As a retired chemist, Rose now has plenty of time to indulge all her travel desires. Let her experiences and her voice be your inspiration.
*Rose Palmer is a Getting On Travel contributor
Sand In My Suitcase
“Luxury travel with a twist of adventure” captures the spirit of the colorful articles on the award-winning Sand In My Suitcase blog, produced by Janice and George Mucalov. Lawyers by profession, their travel features and photos have been published in dozens of North American and international magazines and newspapers.
The couple have a penchant for exploring Mexico, Croatia, and Hawaii – see “Hawaii Bucket List: 75 Epic Things to Do in the Aloha State” – as well as more far-flung destinations. While they sometimes “get a little, er, sandy,” they love knowing there’s always “a soft return” at the end of each day. Honest and refreshingly well-written, their posts and reviews appeal most to active midlife travelers lusting after new travel experiences.
*Janice Mucalov is a Getting On Travel contributor and former co-editor.
Sweet Leisure
This charming blog by Susan Manlin Katzman reaches around the world to inform boomers (and other discriminating readers) on the best-of-the-best destinations, accommodations, spas, and cruises. Foodie travelers relish Sweet Leisure’s guest posts by culinary experts who dish on their fave restaurants in such gourmet capitals as Bangkok, Berlin, Los Angeles, and Dijon.
Home cooks devour the well-tested chef recipes that garnish most posts. Susan willingly admits she’s “reached that certain age of experiential advantage.” Life is a double-dipped delight for her, like finding the Eight Perfect Places to Drink Coffee.
*Susan Manlin Katzman is a Getting On Travel contributor
Traveling With MJ
Mary Jo Manzanares
“Value luxury” is Mary Jo Manzanares’ travel ethos – what she calls “luxury for real people” or “that sweet spot where experience and price intersect to create WOW.”
Her blog, Traveling With MJ, targets women in the baby-boomer demographic (sorry guys), many of whom are former or working flight attendants (Mary has spread her own wings as an attendant in the sky). Her favorite trips are cruises and visits to Italy, where she always ships home a bottle of great Tuscan or Brunello wine.
Travel Notes & Beyond
Anda Galffy is an award-winning travel writer and passionate photographer based in Southern California. She is the voice behind Travel Notes & Beyond, a collection of travel stories and itinerary ideas designed to encourage independent travel at any age.
She and her husband, Laszlo, have been traveling around the world for over 30 years in search of amazing destinations. Their journeys not only explore close-to-home or exotic places but are also about tasting new foods and immersing themselves in local culture while traveling. Anda and Laszlo love to travel independently rather than in organized groups. However, they recognize that travel is an individual experience that can be enjoyed in many different ways. There’s no right or wrong way to travel, as long as you are having fun.
TravelnWrite
Originally launched in 2009 as a blog to keep in touch with family, TravelnWrite now attracts a broad segment of readers from around the world.
Jackie Smith, a newspaper reporter turned public relations director, and her husband Joel, a former attorney, sold their home in Kirkland, Washington, and now live in a “house on the hill” in a small village in Greece. When they’re not traveling, that is. Most recently, they’ve ventured to other parts of Europe. But their heart remains in Greece; be sure to check their blog if Greece fills your travel dreams.
Traveling With Sweeney
Boomer Catherine Sweeney visits new and familiar destinations with “youthful enthusiasm.” She often travels with her husband (aka Mr. TWS). When not gadding about the U.S. and international destinations, they make their home in Scottsdale, Arizona.
You’ll find lots of great information on Traveling With Sweeney, from destinations to attractions to delicious culinary fare. In addition, if you are heading to the American Southwest, you’ll enjoy all the local, insider information on Scottsdale and beyond. Her insider tips include where to find the best hikes and how you can take spa holidays in the summer at hugely reduced rates.
Travlinmad
Travlinmad is a slow travel blog for all ages of travelers who love diving deeper into the local food and culture when they go. Ideal slow travel destinations around the world, tips, and experiences are its focus, including road trip itineraries, unique food adventures, and small-town travel.
*Lori Sorrentino is a Getting On Travel contributor
Travel Past 50
Tom Bartel and Kristin Henning have been traveling full-time since 2010. Their blog, Travel Past 50, reflects their appreciation of international cultures and active travel.
For inquisitive travelers who want to maximize their travel opportunities, Travel Past 50 offers practical tips and first-hand destination stories. The couple is equally comfortable covering long hikes and bike trips as well as art museums and historic sites. Kris and Tom also conduct occasional small group Travel Past 50 Tours.
Tropical Travel Girl
“Sun, sand, sea and me” is what Debbra Dunning Brouillette covers on Tropical Travel Girl. A boomer writer who grew up in Indiana, she fell in love with tropical destinations early on. She’s followed her passion for several decades now, visiting more than 50 tropical islands to explore reefs and natural wonders, savor the food, and find what makes each island unique.
The small Caribbean island of Nevis is one of her favorites (any island with green vervet monkeys gets our attention too). If you’re planning your next tropical vacation, be sure to check out Debbra’s posts and destination profiles on “Why Go?” complete with eye-catching photos and links to her published newspaper and other travel articles.
*Debbra Dunning Brouillette is a Getting On Travel contributor
Wandering Carol
Carol Perehudoff describes herself as the “most enthusiastic luxury travel blogger around.” And her blog Wandering Carol will make you laugh. She’s a gifted writer who doesn’t take herself seriously. She was voted a Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger by the readers of USA Today.
Again, while not specifically geared to boomers, the hot springs resorts, spas, European ski trips, art gallery visits, and other luxury travel experiences she covers are ones boomers are most likely to be interested in. There’s no stuffiness or snobbery here though. As we said, she’ll make you chuckle.
World Footprints
Discover the world through the stories on World Footprints, a heart-centered social impact travel media company that includes the multi-award-winning World Footprints podcast. Founded by Tonya & Ian Fitzpatrick, two lawyers recently named “Black Travel Journalists of the Year” by the Black Travel Summit, World Footprints provides a space where travelers of conscience and culture can come for information, education, and travel inspiration.
From podcast interviews with distinguished individuals like the late Maya Angelou to stories that amplify responsible travel and uncover full historical narratives, World Footprints illuminates our common humanity and brings a different voice to the travel space.
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