..more specifically after retirement and mainly, Senior Tours are of most interest to me? If/when I get to the "big" city, I see they have tours galore, and some specifically for Seniors I think would be excellent for me to try. I'd be moving to wine-country, so I guess that could be fun even though I don't drink. I think just being with others that will get out and go, especially on a Bus Tour, would be fun just being around others. I've really had a hard time getting out of my "loner" attitude, and from isolating too much. Being fair about that though, to myself, is that I have found no one that would even take walks with me here in my small town. Anyway, I did one Bus Trip when I was younger, where we all chipped in and went to a rodeo. That was a blast, but don't know how I would do now at this age. I was in my 40s when we went to a rodeo near Salem OR, from Beaverton OR PS this is not a "rodeo" thread, it's a Bus Tour thread
Besides riding a school bus, the only bus I was ever on was a charter to take a gaggle of coworkers to a casino weekend, and one to a big flea market thing called "First Monday". https://www.firstmondaycanton.com Those were fun but years ago. For me, a day trip or maybe a weekend would be my limit. I see casino busses on the interstate quite frequently, though. PS. My oldest son lives in Beaverton!
Yes, I should have put "day trips" as I want to be close to home, that's what I can afford, and also, love my own bed at night I wouldn't mind a casino except they allow smoking and I can't handle that. I know they have sections, but they aren't as fun, so, I just don't go Thanks for your input though, I know the time I went with a bunch by bus, we always had a blast, back in school days, and the one I went on later on in my 40s was fun!
Oh wow, didn't see this right away! I lived out in Aloha near Intel. Worked there for a few years! Then did temp jobs for Nike, and Tektronix. Good companies but never got hired into a perm. position.
Yes, years ago I attended a conference for work in Boston. There was some down time so a friend and I signed up for a bus tour up the coast of Maine. I don't remember a whole lot about it except that we were able to see the elder Bush president's home from a distance. The other thing I remember is that my friend got sick and had to negotiate with a person in the front seat to change. That lady was not very happy about having to move back and I wasn't very happy listening to her complain. Funny, the things I remember. Another bus trip was with a group of friends to an NFL game back when I was still a fan. That was a lot more fun.
The only bus tours I have been on in the last 20 years have been the buses through Denali National Park. We can get permits to drive through, but riding and watching is more enjoyable.
I will enjoy getting the opportunity to join in more activities in a larger population. I don't feel like it much lately, but I just want more opportunities if/when I do feel like it
My hubby and I went on many bus tours--mostly longer than a day but a few day tours. I don't remember anyone smoking but I don't know if it was allowed or not as neither of us smoke so we didn't note that. All aboard were ambulatory. I had my cane but there were railings on the busses and some were kneeling busses that got low to the ground to disembark. Sadly they are all more expensive now and I am glad we did our travelling before. But one day tours should be fun for you.
We went on about 120km return trip ( in november ) to the Barossa valley that had a huge settlement of people from Germany after the war They choose that area for growing grapes / fruits / making small goods so the area is littered with wineries and small goods rarely seen in a supermarket . one of areas we visited known as the whispering wall ( it’s some of South Aust water supply catchment from the Adelaide hills)
I've looked at some bus tour catalogs, and some of the tour packages were inviting. I doubt that I'll go on one because being sociable with a collection of strangers whom I had no part in picking is not generally what I do, but the cost of traveling by car is - by plan - becoming progressively prohibitive.
Never before or after becoming a senior took a bus tour. I didn't like riding a Greyhound bus either maybe tour buses have more comforts but I prefer being a car passenger. You can stop when and where you want and go home when want.
as a single senior woman I hope I do find a bus-tour of interest in my future. I'm very outgoing and rarely meet a stranger, no one stranger than me anyway I'll have to get back on this thread after I go on a bus tour to let you all know how it was, for me
I think it depends on your age bracket. The only bus trips from a day to 3 aimed at "seniors" around here seem to cater to those who turned 65 two decades ago. Not a thing wrong with that, it just isn't my scene. But it does sound a lot like both Senior Centers that I checked out. Show up there and they ask you if you are a new volunteer.
I do not think that I would want to go on a very long bus tour, after riding all the way from Virginia out to Idaho, and that was back when I was in my 50’s and just barely into what now fits as a senior. I was much more mobile back then ! A tour bus would undoubtedly be much better than that Greyhound trip was, because we barely stopped long enough for people to use the bathroom somewhere and maybe buy a sandwich to bring back on the bus with them. The tour bus probably makes better stops, and has more to see, but it would still be a lot of hours spent just stuck on your seat while traveling. When I went by train out to visit my daughter, I absolutely LOVED that trip ! On a train, you can get up and walk around, meet people (if you want to), and can go up to the Vista Dome (Observation Car) where you have an amazing view of all the scenery. We did not have a lot of people on the train until we got to Chicago, so I had plenty of room to lay my seat back and sleep when I wanted to do that, and they had kind of a snack bar as well as the main dining room where you could get food to eat. Coming back, Robin found me a deal with a sleeping car, and that was even better, plus it comes with a free meal, any meal that you want. They seat you with other passengers when the dining car is busy, and I got to meet and visit some really nice people as i was traveling. They have one route that goes from California up to Seattle, called the Amtrak West Coast Starlight Special, and I think it would be awesome to take that trip up and down the west coast on this train. I do not know if they do tours with Amtrak or not, but i would like that better than a bus, if they did.