Elder Hostels

You may or may not have heard of youth hostels, which originally began sprouting up in the 1960s and 1970s in Europe, providing college students and other young travelers with cheap dorm-style accommodations and the chance to see the world on a budget. A lot about hostels has changed since then, and many now cater to adults who would perhaps prefer a little more comfort and their own rooms. There are even senior hostels now, and programs that help older Americans find affordable travel options all over the world.

The most famous of these programs is a non-profit organization that used to be known as “Elder Hostel.” Elder hostels started out as a program at four universities in New Hampshire that offered housing to vacationing seniors during months when the dormitories were mostly empty. Soon the program had spread to every state and province in North America and today it exists in more than 90 countries around the world. Elder Hostels recently began operating under the name “Exploritas.”

The main attraction of the program is that it offers seniors the chance to see and learn about the world at a low price. Since it is a non-profit whose mission is senior empowerment through travel, Exploritas isn't out to make money off of its clients. As a result, you can find some trips within the United States for less than $500 per week. These trips are all-inclusive and usually based around education as well as fun.

International trips include a variety of exotic locales all over the world. If you're looking for more than a two-week vacation, many of the programs are longer and allow you to taste what it is like to actually live abroad instead of a typical resort vacation.