New Destinations & New Dreams for Travelers

Barbara Winard

6/11/2024

Travel has long been a constant in my life. But, like most of us, I am not who I was when I was younger — or even who I was several years ago. Our once-in-a-lifetime destinations when we were 18 may be different from what they are now.

When I was a teenager, I fantasized about going to Tibet, inspired by books that I read and films that I saw. It took me until I was 38 years old to finally make it there, and it was much, much different than what I had imagined, as places we dream about often are. But travel is often not what we expect — it can be more challenging and just as often it is more rewarding.

I posted a query on the Women of Road Scholar Facebook group recently, asking cohorts whether or not their must-see places have changed over the past several years. I was surprised by the diversity of responses, many of which were related to health issues and others to changing perceptions of aging or safety. And, of course, people can change where they want to go after reading or hearing stories about other traveler’s journeys.

Such Stuff as Dreams are Made Of

For those of us obsessed with seeing the world, hearing and reading about once-in-a-lifetime travel is like watching a Technicolor movie on the big screen. Here are some dream trips from a recent Road Scholar catalogue that fueled my imagination:

Years ago, where I traveled was usually inspired by books, by schedule and certainly by funds. But now, with the pandemic and other challenges of modern life, where many of us dream of going has been evolving.

A Game Changer and its Effects

It’s obvious that one reason that our travel objectives are changing is because of the pandemic — and the issues its existence continues to raise about travel.

Its effects are embedded in comments about how folks “want to live it up now because who knows what lies ahead?” and those who want to go on trips “as far away as I can get after several years of nothing.”

Some travelers have had the chance to save their travel money during the pandemic, making current journeys easier to arrange. As one respondent wrote, “Looking at my bank statements the past few months, I have saved over $2,000 a month not traveling. I’m ready to go big!”

They Know Where They’re Going

While there are potential travelers who fantasize in a more general way about where they dream of going, others on Road Scholar Facebook groups can be specific and even methodical about their planned journeys:

“I want to visit all of the former Soviet Socialist Republics. I have been to Russia and Siberia. Next stop will probably be the Five Stans — Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.”

“Here’s where I am going in 2024 and 2025: South American Odyssey: Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Machu Picchu and More and Angkor Wat and the Mekong River: The Wonders of Cambodia and Vietnam.”

On the other hand, I have found that a number of travelers are taking a more measured approach about the ways in which they judge healthy travel, including more research about their destinations, decisions about modes of transportation and even questions about the number of people in a potential travel group.

Finding Meaning in the Journey

Still others have found that their perception of meaningful travel has changed over the past few years. Travelers seem to be interested in volunteering for service projects, as well as choosing longer stays (and learning opportunities) all over the world. Examples of these adventures might include:

Travelers have also found more meaning in taking trips with their nearest and dearest. What with people often being separated from their extended families and unable to travel during the pandemic, a growing number of people have been inspired to catch up by now traveling with children or grandchildren.

Traveling Closer to Home

Others have made the decision to travel closer to home because of health coverage and ease of travel:

“I have three trips planned in the next 14 months. They are all in the U.S.”

“I'm going to be taking my first Road Scholar trip in May, Best of Sedona. Since it is my first trip and I am solo, I decided to keep it as simple as possible by booking a short domestic trip with a home base.”

Considering Health Challenges

Some adventurers feel that time is running out for them to take those trips that require more stamina. Mobility challenges and difficulties in walking or hiking or other health issues are often significant for our cohort. As for me, I now check the activity level of Road Scholar programs more carefully and note distance and kinds of terrain in the descriptions of trips.

Revisiting Beloved Destinations

I have also heard from travelers who have decided to change their previous lists in order to revisit places that they had loved in the past — like London, Paris or Tuscany. They do not feel as if they are missing out; they chose places that have meaning for them, whether because of natural beauty, culture and art, or because of memories of people with whom they traveled years before. As one Road Scholar wrote,

“I’ve been fortunate to hit my top choices. I’d love to go back to Great Britain, Alaska and always Nantucket (preferably off season).”

Although my list of places to see is long, I returned to Menorca several years ago in order to show my daughter the island I had visited with a late beloved friend 40 years ago. It was an unforgettable experience and one that brought my daughter and I even closer.

Reflecting Different Life Stages

Not only are must-see items as unique as the people who keep them, they may change in order to reflect life changes, health changes or travel with different (or no) partners. From what I’ve read, we still daydream — some about new places and some about old favorites. And, although we may have changed the places we go, true travelers still seek to make their dream a reality. Our new travels can lead to discovering the delights of a local city or historic site or to breathe deeply as we stand on a hilltop on a far continent. As one traveler put it, “The travel world is more crowded, louder, assertive. I became quieter, more thoughtful, older. I'm looking for new destinations.”

Some of the latest dream destinations from Road Scholars on Facebook:

“I plan to see all the adjacent national parks!”
“To see the Northern lights! And take the Canadian Train.”
“The Galápagos Islands.”
“To visit Scotland, the land of my mother’s family. Would be a dream to see where my roots are. Someday!”
“Petra and New Zealand.”
“Japan, Morocco, Sicily, Scotland, Wales. Shall I go on? I am writing this from the banks of the Danube in Vienna. I was in an air boot two weeks ago so not quite as mobile as usual. But I will travel until I drop.”
“Greece — and I will be heading there in November with Road Scholar!”
“Iguaçu Falls.”
“All 50 states. Going to numbers 33 and 34 this month.”
“I just signed up for The Best of Utah’s Grand Circle of Parks and Monuments. Wow, this trip takes a big chunk off of my must-see list.”
“I was going to go big before the pandemic. This time has reinforced my conviction that you’ve got to travel while you still can.”

These are dream trips for sure! Are you ready to take the plunge?

Barbara Winard has earned degrees in English literature, journalism and, later in life, gerontology. For the past 25 years she was a senior editor and writer of online encyclopedia articles for children. Prior to that, after returning from a long trip to Asia, Barbara was hired by the Asia Society in New York City to produce films and print materials about Asian culture. She was also a producer and writer for New York City’s public television station, WNET/13.

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