Retirement is the perfect time to enjoy traveling, but where to go? New research shows the best places for older Americans to travel.
The Retirement Travel Index, created by AgingInPlace, compiled the list using several data points to reveal the optimal places for older travelers to visit. Countries were ranked on their public transport links, sightseeing opportunities, weather and hotels.
The United States took the top spot. One of the main reasons the country scored a 9.14 out of 10 was because of its transportation systems and the Americans With Disabilities Act, which ensures that so many facilities in the country are wheelchair-accessible. In fact, nearly half of the hotels in the U.S. (46.85%) are marked as wheelchair-accessible on TripAdvisor.
Australia holds the second spot on the Retirement Travel Index. With a score of 9.04, Australia has the highest percentage of wheelchair-accessible hotels out of all countries on the list, and an intricate network of public transportation offerings.
In third place, Canada is an older traveler’s paradise. The country scored 8.49 out of 10 across all criteria.
The list also revealed some of the worst places for seniors to visit, with Iceland, Luxembourg and Slovenia rounding out the bottom of the list of OECD countries.
The biggest problem for older people traveling to these destinations is that there are far fewer hotels that are accessible for those with disabilities. Weather and transportation also hindered Iceland, which had the highest rainfall as well as a poor transportation infrastructure. Luxembourg was dinged for its lack of accessible hotels and fewer options for sightseeing, which was also the same for Slovenia.
Top 10 countries for older travelers
United States
Australia
Canada
Italy
Spain
Germany
United Kingdom
France
Japan
Turkey
Top U.S. destinations for older travelers
The research also highlighted the top places to visit in the U.S. for older travelers. Las Vegas topped the list with a score of 7.95 out of 10. Las Vegas is home to more art galleries, areas of nature and wildlife and attractions than most other cities on our list, according to AgingInPlace. San Francisco was second on the list with a score of 7.73. Chicago ranked third.
These are the top 10 cities:
Las Vegas
San Francisco
Chicago
Los Angeles
New York
Tucson, Ariz.
Austin, Texas
Seattle
Orlando
Portland, Ore.
