A New Kind of Retirement
The last 25 years of my life have been spent in higher education administration. I have had the time to travel occasionally, but in recent years I’ve leveraged long holiday breaks to be away for long stretches of time. This has shown me how much I love being able to really dig into a location or just be.
Because I have lived a rather nontraditional life with no kids (other than my trusted pup Bobo), no partner, and few real roots, I don’t have the “traditional” retirement setup. I have chosen a different way, trusting that things would work out one way or another. On reflection, I am a survivor in the general sense and have always found a way to get past or through obstacles.
I’ve been traveling solo for work and personal enjoyment for a long time. I find it freeing and it allows me to meet new people, see new things, and go at my own pace. As I move into this next chapter, it feels right to take the time to see and do things I haven’t done in this country. There are so many state and national parks, museums, halls of fame, small towns, and large cities that I haven’t visited. The plan is to fill the next few years moving slowly from one area to another with ocean cruises scattered throughout.
The Freedom to Explore at My Own Pace
To maximize my experiences without rushing through the rest of my life, I am choosing to slow down. No more rushing through vacation windows. My style of travel will keep me in one place for at least a month — more if I am so inclined. This will give me time to get to know an area and its people, see the sights without rushing from one to another, or skipping things that I want to see or do but feel like I don’t have “time.”
Having Bobo along for the ride will keep me mindful and in nature frequently. It gives me joy to watch him in his own joy when he finds a new scent and follows it through the woods or even down the street. We can experience that together — well, no nose to the ground for me!
This slow travel lifestyle will provide the opportunity to have deeper experiences — reflecting on what I am doing, seeing, and feeling without the stress of needing to be anywhere other than where I am.
Reimagining Home: My Life Won’t Be Tied to One Place
I’ve owned a home for most of my adult life. The first was a little bungalow that was just right for a single person. When I moved to another state, I chose a larger home that still fit my lifestyle. Now I am in a townhouse that feels confining at times but suits the work-focused lifestyle I am currently living. As I prepare to retire, my focus is on letting go of the ownership mindset to simplify and add movement and possibility to the picture.
In many ways, I think this is possible because growing up, we were wanderers until I was in middle school. As an adult, I’ve lived in three different states and two countries. For the most part, these adult moves have been associated with work opportunities. I believe the varied experiences helped build my resilience. Now, I will be able to use that to create new “home bases” around the world — in cruise ship cabins and in extended-stay apartments and houses as I slow travel around the United States with my dog. The goal will now be flexibility over permanence.
The Joy of Traveling Solo
The biggest thing about owning your itinerary is that the choices are entirely your own. I have grown up watching major U.S. sports like the NFL, MLB, and college football and basketball. As I plan my itinerary, I am including opportunities to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Cooperstown. Somewhere in there it would be really cool to attend some March Madness games. All of those things are possible with this new lifestyle!
Another thing that is really special about traveling solo in retirement will be the ability to meet people on my own terms. Right now, I tend to focus on my career as my identity. As I am learning to expand my vacations in conjunction with holiday time and getting away from the office for longer periods, I find that I am able to identify myself as a traveler and explorer instead of an administrator. I don’t know if that makes a lot of sense, but it seems true.
I feel that by designing a meaningful solo travel itinerary, I will continue to build confidence through independence. As I learn about places I want to visit, I am digging into the areas to see what is of interest and to understand the surroundings. Solo travel does require a bit of vigilance in knowing basic facts about the area for safety. Knowing the lay of the land and proper preparation adds to my confidence in my abilities to handle just about anything… and that, my friend, is a real joy of solo travel.
Wellness Benefits of a Life in Motion
Having the opportunity to build a new community as I slow travel around the country is something I am looking forward to experiencing. I’ve learned through my travels that dropping into a community without knowing anyone can be the best way to develop new connections. I’ve noticed that when I go to places where I already know people or am very familiar with, I fall back into familiar patterns. The new place, new people experience is totally different. It draws me out of myself and allows me to connect with others and the community in a way that I wouldn’t under different circumstances. Even Bobo can get into the action and sniff his way into a new community.
They say two of the real priorities in retirement are staying active and mentally engaged. By devising a travel plan that builds around the seasons with a priority on milder weather, sunshine, and access to nature, I will be able to move more and sit less. Traveling to places that excite me and keep me thinking and researching supports the mental side of wellness.
Moving around the country, I really want to focus on the shoulder seasons, where there is still plenty of fresh produce available without the harsh winter weather or the sweltering summer heat. Having lived in Central America and the Northeast USA, I have experienced both and learned that those climates can keep you sedentary for good parts of the year. For me (and for Bobo), I am choosing travel that aligns with comfort and accessibility for both of us.
Financial Strategy: Balancing Adventure & Security
As I turned 62 this year, I started wondering how I could change my life to one with more joy and action. Though I truly enjoy my career in higher education, there is so much out there that I want to do and see. I kept asking myself how I could make it work. Finally, I just decided that this was the plan. The next step was figuring out how to make it happen. How could I possibly move from a lucrative career to a lower-cost, sustainable lifestyle — with a budget for travel?
Research led me to start asking questions of myself and looking for information online. It turns out that using a combination of remote work, blog and YouTube income, and my small retirement account, I will be just fine without taking Social Security before full retirement. The key will be making smart decisions about when and where to travel.
It was important to understand that slow travel is not the same as going on vacation. Slow travel is more affordable overall. For instance, I’ve learned that renting a furnished apartment or house on a monthly basis is much less expensive than renting nightly hotel rooms. A little additional research showed me that utilities and Wi-Fi are usually included in the monthly rate. Now that is a game changer! Avoiding peak-season rates makes the slow-travel route even more attractive.
A Purpose-Driven Retirement
As I begin this new chapter, I will be turning my passion for solo travel in retirement and slow travel as a female over 60 into creative work: solo travel coaching and blogging. This type of lifestyle won’t be for everyone, but there are different aspects of the concept that are applicable to everyone. The one thing I am learning is that waiting to retire is often done out of fear, not out of financial need or love of the job.
My hope is to inspire others to travel on their own terms. Depending on circumstances, lifestyle, and choices, that could look very different for each person. Understanding and accepting that is part of the battle. How I contribute to the society around me will look different in retirement. It may include volunteer work, sharing my experience to help others, or developing a plan that includes coaching others to achieve their goals and maximize their lives. I have been contributing to society and the world through work — now that will evolve into something that meets different needs and provides for my desire to wander and learn more.
Closing: A Future Filled With Possibility
As I sit here tonight thinking about this future, I have to admit a bit of trepidation. It is going to take courage to turn in that retirement notice and take this more nontraditional path. The good thing is I have started early and am not waiting until the last minute to plan this part of my life. Over the next 18 months to two years, I will be on this journey to a different kind of freedom.
I hope that I can encourage others to see themselves going a different path — not my path, but one that is truly designed for them and what brings them joy.
Think about it… if you could spend one month anywhere in the country, where would you go?
Solo Travel by Design 
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