Baby boomers, currently aged 54-72 years, are the darlings of the travel industry. Boomers make up approximately 26% of the U.S. population and are responsible for 80% of travel spending. Most are empty nesters with the time, desire, and expendable income to travel. They are seeking anything from their next big adventure to an elevated and enriched lifestyle. According to recent research by AARP, most boomers will take at least one leisure trip per year, with an average of five or more trips expected throughout the year.

Boomers seeking big adventures are looking to escapist travel that encompasses everything from remote luxury resorts to unforgettable bucket list experiences. For those looking for less exotic locations, soft adventure is the answer. Boomers favoring soft adventure travel are enjoying wine country, scenic train travel, and destinations like Hawaii and Alaska, the most sought out destinations for exotic yet domestic travel. Luxury trip planners are organizing personalized experiences to make a reality out of any boomer’s needs and dreams. Flexible vacation homes like condos at sea and mobile modular homes (that can be set up anywhere) are becoming increasingly attractive for many boomers looking for freedom without sacrificing comfort. The interest in ancestral travel is directly connected to the rising popularity of DNA kits as people seek out a connection with family roots.

Retired and empty nester baby boomers with time and health on their side are ready to live their lives to the fullest by making memories and enjoying spending their money.

Flexible Vacation Homes

There are so many more options on the market today when it comes to second properties and vacation homes than there were ten years ago. Airbnb has opened the possibilities of everyone being able to rent homes for income to fund their travels or the vacation home itself. Additionally, the variety of Airbnb accommodations around the world can be even more intriguing than owning a second vacation home that comes with roots. Less traditional housing communities are popping up - it’s not suburbia if it’s on a boat. The largest residential ship on the planet, The World - Residences at Sea, offers an opportunity for residents to live in luxury at sea while embarking on an extensive vacation around the globe. High end trailers and modular housing are attractive options for boomers looking to move around. Justin Humphreys, Airstream’svice president of sales, states, “The No. 1 age for RV buyers is 65, and 10,000 people will turn that age every day for the next 19 years. So, we’re expanding.”

Bucket List Experiences

There are remote getaways and then there are the true escapist experiences for the traveler who has a serious bucket list to conquer. White Desert is the only company in the world to fly into the interior of Antarctica in a private jet. By taking travelers on a journey to one of the most remote locations on the planet, they go above and beyond to offer an experience that is as luxurious as it is adventurous. Peru, specifically Machu Picchu, has become a less extreme but still experience focused bucket list destination for traveling boomers. Guided tours offer travelers of all ability levels the opportunity to visit one of the best-known archaeological site on the continent.

Luxury Resorts

Going off the grid is not just for millennials and digital nomads. Baby boomers looking for more remote yet still high-end accommodations and adventures are in luck.

Canada’s Fogo Island Inn and Iceland’s Deplar Farm offer accommodations that make guests feel as if they’re almost at the end of the world, for most of the year, in a winter-wonderland style. Fiji’s Kokomo Island is the perfect escape to a tropical paradise on a private island offering all things luxury. The Resort at Paws Up in Montana and the Lodge at Primland in Virginia offers more of a woodsy, ranch-like resort escape for those who want to get off the grid and be immersed in nature, without sacrificing any of the amenities.

Soft Adventure

The adventure travel industry offers plenty of options for multiple generations and various fitness and ability levels. Baby boomers are big fans of “soft adventure” trips from wine country to cross country discoveries.

Wine Country

Wine tours appeal to travelers of all ages but are especially popular with the boomer generation, often combining far flung locations with educational experiences of food and culture. Italy, Spain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and California all remain popular destinations, and travelers often enjoy adding a bike tour to their adventure for the best landscape sightseeing and vineyard hopping. The idea of expanding their knowledge on the topic and the region’s geography and history is an appealing aspect of wine tours for boomers.

Exotic Domestic Travel

Boomers are slightly more likely to prefer domestic travel to international destinations, AARP found. "There is no language barrier and there is no passport needed," says Patty David a senior research advisor at AARP. "There is no money changes element, and it's just a little bit easier." When daydreaming about travel within the U.S., boomers have a preference for the most exotic yet still stateside destinations of Hawaii and Alaska.

Trip Planners

To many, adventure also signifies the cultural experiences and sustainability practices that are introduced through local tour operators. On a larger scale, luxury travel planning companies like Truffle Pig and Abercrombie & Kent make travel possible in a way that eases the mind, expands the possibilities, and enhances the overall experience, for every kind of traveler. Different from a travel agency, travel planners customize thoughtful and personalized itineraries with the traveler’s interests in mind - everything from the big picture (hotels, guides, transfers) to the tiny details (restaurant reservations, special activities) and beyond. These personalized adventures make the most out of one’s time and budget and ensure the trip of a lifetime.

Ancestral Travel

The popularity of DNA testing and genealogy TV programs have lead to a huge surge in ancestral travel. Boomers tend to have a natural affinity for the hobby and are more likely to tackle family history research projects, igniting a raised interest in visiting their ancestral homelands. “Ancestral travel is a way of connecting oneself with their progenitors and finding one’s rootedness in a confusing and fast-paced world,” stated Dallen J. Timothy, a professor at Arizona State University and editor of The Journal of Heritage Tourism. Companies like Ancestry, 23 And Me, and Ancestral Footsteps are working with travel companies to tailor users experiences based on their genealogy results.

-Heather Picquot