bargain travel

Best Bargain for Seniors? National Park Pass

Published June 29, 2016 | By Clark Norton

The lifetime Senior Pass for national ;parks and recreation areas is just $10.

One of the best perks for turning 62 — if you’re a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident — is the “Senior Pass” that allows those aged 62 and over to enter any of the U.S. national parks, monuments, and recreation areas for all of ten bucks. Let me repeat that. That’s a “ten” with one zero.

And that’s not all, fellow baby boomers! The pass is good for life. It never expires until you do (and if you never expire, so much the better!).

And wait, there’s more! You can get your pass as you drive into many of those same parks and recreation areas. Just ask the attendant at the gate, show some proof of age (driver’s license is good), and you can usually get your pass on the spot. For $10.

Those under 62… Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Baby boomer travel, Budget travel, California, Family travel, Guidebooks, Hiking, National Parks, Wildlife | Tagged bargain travel, Senior travel bargain, travel bargains, U.S. National P:arks, U.S. National Park Service Centennial, U.S. National Parks Lifetime Senior Pass | Leave a comment

Dollar Goes Farther on European Bike Tours

Published April 23, 2015 | By Clark Norton

Bike tours are cheaper in Europe this year if purchased in dollars.

A stronger U.S. dollar and falling euro values this year mean one very good thing for U.S. travelers headed over the Atlantic: the dollar will now go a lot farther in Europe than in any time in the past several years.

The current exchange rate is just about .93 euros to $1 U.S. — meaning Americans only have to fork over $1.07 to get one euro in exchange. That’s a big drop from the $1.30 or so per euro of recent years.

One U.S.-based company, BikeToursDirect, which represents European-based bike touring companies, points out that paying for your European bike tours in dollars can save you substantial amounts of money this year.

At the current exchange rate, BikeToursDirect (which I have previously written about here) now offers more than 200 tours under $1,000 and… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, cycling, Europe, Tours | Tagged bargain travel, BikeToursDirect, exchange rates | Leave a comment

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.