The Road is Ahead of You

Read the articles linked below
to help you get inspired.

Get Started Planning Your Trip Now

Check out our travel resources

Your first stop on Travel Past 50 should be our 50 Favorite Tips for Travelers. It's a long miscellany, but if you read it, we guarantee your travels will be more enjoyable – and cheaper and safer.

Your next stop should be our Travel Resources page for a more detailed curated list of what products and services you need to make your travels better.

Get Inspired

Another good place to start is reading about why we travel. Here's an essay by Kris on just that.

When we're planning a trip, we often get ideas about where to go and how to do it by reading other travel blogs written by our friends. Here are some lists of travel bloggers we refer to now and then.

We've also been known to read a book about travel now and then and write about those books on occasion as well. And, we've been known to quote some erudite travel writers, too.

And, there are photos.

And, we love our Facebook Travel Past 50 Travel Community, where you can post any question you like, and get answers from more than 5600 members. Some of them are more traveled than we are.

And, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter, which is full of destination info and travel tips.

Decide where you're going

We admit that sometimes we make plans at the very last minute. And that's even when we know where we're going. When we can't think of anything better to do, we often fall back on two ready made lists of fascinating places to go: The Unesco World Heritage Sites, and the United States National Parks. You can rarely go wrong by starting with either of those.

Or, you can stick a pin in a map, or at least look at a map of the places we've been and pick one of those.

Search for the best flight deals

Before we book a flight, we always check several sources for the best deals. The best way to get cheap flights, btw, is to be flexible about where and when you are going. Sometimes, flying into nearby airports is the best choice.

Find the best, and cheapest accommodations

We have two major criteria when it comes to picking a place to stay. Location and price. It takes a lot of research to find a place that meets both needs. If we're doing a hit and run, we usually stay in a hotel near the attractions we want to see.

Get the right gear and apps

Travel is a lot easier when you've got the right, light stuff. From electronics, to clothes, to cameras, to the bags we carry it all it. We've tried almost everything. And, we're constantly replacing the old with the new. It's hard to keep up, but we try.

Make it easy on yourself

As far as it goes for travelers from the United States, the best invention ever is the Global Entry program. If you have Global Entry, you also get TSA Pre, which allows you to skip the longest lines and leave your shoes on. And when you get back into the country, you go to an electronic kiosk, put in your passport, answer a couple questions, pick up your bags, and be on your way. Nothing better when you're coming in on a plane with 400 souls. You should know that with the popularity of Global Entry, it can take months to get certified. So apply now

Speaking of making things easier, read this to make your long flight more comfortable.

Keep in mind, life on the road is different from staying home

When you're on the road, sometimes things don't go as well as you plan. You get sick, you get injured, you get tired, you get depressed. It happens.

So don't forget travel insurance. We use Allianz Travel insurance.

And when all else fails, take a hike

And finally, remember. Getting out the door is the hard part. The longest journey begins with the first step.

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This page was last updated in April 2022.