16 Best Vacations for Retired Couples

Being retired and not having to sit in a cubicle at a nine to five every day is the life, so why not make it ten times better with this list of best vacations for retired couples.

Retirement is the perfect time to explore the world, travel and take part in a perfect vacation. It is the time to travel any place you’ve always wanted to visit. But the question is: what are the best places for seniors to vacation? To know the answer along with the best vacation spots for senior couples lucky for you, you are in the right place. Today, we have researched and compiled a list of the 16 best vacations for retired couples. We also have other articles on the Best Vacations for Senior Citizens with Limited Mobility and the 7 Best Places to Visit in USA for Seniors, if you want to do some more research.

Who doesn’t love a vacation? Especially when you are retired from your job, where you have given most of your life’s time. A vacation would be more beautiful and romantic if you travel to a destination with your partner. As you are retired, you might be on a budget, so our list will also help you to find your retirement travel on a budget. When you are retired, you’ve got all the time in the world to see the whole world. You just need to find out what are the best trips for retirees and start your planning. There must be many retiree travel groups and vacation packages for seniors near where you can join and explore the world with them. Maybe some of your retired buddies are also interested for a vacation. If you are reading this article for your parent who is older and has limited mobility facility, we have covered that also. Our list of best vacations for retired couples covered vacations for senior citizens with limited mobility as well as vacations for elderly parents.

You are retired, and as you are reading this article, then you probably love to travel and love vacations. Now your job is in your rearview mirror, and you have the open highway in front of you. There are many places in the world where you can explore as a retiree. Just a suggestion, you can visit where your ancestors are from. When I was young, I always wondered where my ancestors came from. As I am not retired yet, I still have the dream to visit the country where my ancestors lived their lives. 

There are many things come in your mind while planning a vacation with your partner. Some major things that might come to your mind are the transportation system, where you will stay, and what you will eat. But most importantly the cost of the travel, lodging, and food need to meet your budget. For this list of 16 best vacations for retired couples, we have compared hotel prices, hostel prices, transportation costs and average food costs for one day. We have also researched the crime rate and food availability as well as the transportation system. We have used sites like Tripadvisor, Travelocity, and BudgetYourTrip (on the budget setting). Once we got an idea of the cost of places with an average cost of food, lodge, and transportation in U.S. dollars, we ranked the list according to that average price.

Let’s get started with our exclusive list of 16 best vacations for retired couples.

16. Romania

We can start our exclusive list with this beautiful European country of Romania. You have to spend an average of $55 a day to survive here as a couple, which isn’t much. Their security system and transportation, as well as food, are all very good. It is not very popular amongst many tourists, so you can really enjoy your time here. If you wish to go, don’t forget to see the Bran Castle which is also known as Dracula’s Castle.

15. Spain

Spain is the country of sun and beautiful beaches. It is the main desirable place for younger couples, but you are older in age but younger at heart, right? If you feel younger, you can visit this awesome country. You two can go to cathedrals by day and enjoy your dinner with sangria at an open café by night. You have to spend average $48 a day to survive here. 

14. Portugal

Portugal ranks 14th in our list of best vacations for retired couples because it is one of the most beautiful countries. This place is very popular and often visited by couples from all over the world. You won’t regret your decision if you go to the beaches of Portugal. You’ll have to spend an average $45 (per person) to survive here. 

13. Slovakia

We are continuing our list of 16 best vacations for retired couples with Slovakia, which has become very popular for couples in the last few years. If you love to see historical places, you can go straight to the old town in Bratislava. You will be surprised by seeing many locations in this country.

12. Costa Rica

Not only is this country popular and great for the older couple, but it is also one of the cheapest places for your retirement vacation. The average cost for a single person is only $29 a day. The food of this country is very affordable as well as tasty.

11. Israel

If you love history, religion and current events, you will probably enjoy this tiny country. It’s the size of New Jersey, interesting, isn’t it? Don’t miss a visit to the Carmel Market which is the most popular place in Tel Aviv for unique textiles, tea, and fresh foods.

10. Ireland

If you love the green scenery and friendly folks then Ireland is for you. There are so many lovely cities to visit as an older couple. There are also many historical sites, waterfalls, beaches, and monuments. You will also be able to see the departure point of Titanic in the seaport town of Cobh in County Cork.

9. Buenos Aires, Argentina

The average hotel cost here is only $20, and the cost of your food will be $40. If you stay in the daylight, the place is safe for you but can be a little confusing to navigate in the night. The most attractive place here is the museum and the rose garden.

8. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

We’ll jump back to the U.S. for the next place on the list of best vacations for retired couples, with Massachusetts. In Cape Cod, you can get history and nature combined in this region that is actually the home of Heritage Museums & Gardens and the Cape Cod National Seashore. The average hotel cost is $77, and the average cost for meals is around $60.

7. Fort Wayne, Indiana

The average hotel cost is $107 in Fort Wayne. You can research the history of your family here at Fort Wayne’s Genealogy Center, which is the largest public ancestry facility with a collection of 961,726 items. You can also smell the flowers at the outdoor garden while taking a break. If you can hike, you can lace up your hiking shoes and explore about 95 miles of trails around the city.

6. Elefsina, Greece

Elefsina is basically a city that is tucked between hills and the Mediterranean Sea. It is just 30 minutes west of Athens, which is the city of the 2021 European cultural capital. Here, you can explore archeological sites, sunbathe on the beach, or you can just pass your time near the lakes, forests, and mountains.

5. Mississippi Gulf Coast

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is the topper of the list of U.S. places where your money will go the furthest, according to a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. You can relax on 26 miles of beach, play golf, or you can go to the casinos.

4. Morocco

This is the land of strong smells, vivid colors, and intriguing history. The interesting fact is that this is the place for retired couples who are on a budget. The best part in Morocco is the cost of living (which is only $17 a day) and the food, as well as tea that is absolutely amazing.

3. San Jose, Costa Rica

We are continuing our list of best vacations for retired couples with San Jose, which is an ideal place for your vacation, and it’s really perfect for budget-friendly senior couples. You can visit rare pre-Columbian artifacts at the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, or you can also explore shops, restaurants, and nightlife of the city. If you go a little outside of the city, you can enjoy beaches, volcanoes, rainforest and nature reserves.

2. Faro, Portugal

Faro has a different Portuguese flavor including outdoor cafes, small parks, and markets, pathways for pedestrians and very well maintained historic buildings. All those things make Faro perfect for senior retired couples. The average hotel cost is $116 here, so you have to look at your wallet also.

1. Canary Islands, Spain

The climate of this place is almost similar to San Diego. The Canary Islands are the perfect place for a vacation at any time of the year. There are about 21 species of mammals that live near the island including rare species of dolphins and whales. You can relax on a sandy beach and see the architecture of the 1500s, all on the same vacation. In the daytime, you can relax on the beach, or you can visit the 43 protected nature areas. At night, you can just look at the billions of stars in the sky which are absolutely free from light and air pollution.

This wraps up our list of 16 best vacations for retired couples.