Road trips can be lots of fun, with open windows, favorite music, and snacks on the dashboard. However, there are a few long, tiring, or overly complicated drives that most people stop making after their 60s. This could be due to a lot of reasons, like physical strain or stress.
Whatever the case, some road trips just go from “awesome” to “hell no.” Here are 12 road trips people stop taking after their 60s.
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Cross-country marathon drives
Driving from coast to coast in one non-stop go sounds thrilling in theory. But it’s just not as cool when you can’t sit for more than 3 hours anymore.
Driving on mountain switchbacks
Winding roads with scary drop-offs and hairpin turns are never not terrifying or nauseating. And when you’re past the age of 60? No, thanks.
Lonely desert highways
Flat, dry, desert landscape drives with no signals are neither interesting nor fun. Most people don’t want to risk dying of heat exhaustion if their car malfunctions, either.
Snowy road trips in winter
Driving on ice with unplanned snowstorms and tire chains may sound fun. But they are not definitely on anyone’s retirement bucket list.
Night drives that last more than 4 hours
Overnight drives are no longer fun when you are old. Sleeping on a cheap motel bed or in a rest stop is better than being on high alert at the wheel all night.
Driving across multiple countries (international road trips)
Road tripping through Europe, or any other countries? Driving a rental car and trying to remember foreign traffic laws is more anxiety-inducing than it is exciting past a certain point.
Passports, long border crossing waits, and occasional paperwork nightmares make cross-border trips feel like too much work. There are travel insurance questions and health care coverage concerns, too.
Off-roading, or national park backroads
Those bumpy dirt roads to hidden lakes or scenic campsites? No one wants to do them when they think about sore joints, no bathrooms, and getting stuck with zero cell signal.
Touristy, high-density big-city traffic
Trying to weave through rush hour in LA or parallel park in NYC? No, thanks. A city drive becomes a lot less pleasant when you’re not used to aggressive drivers and packed streets.
Extreme heat destinations (like Death Valley)
When you’re younger, it’s cool to say you went to the hottest place on Earth. After 60, extreme heat feels more dangerous than adventurous. Nobody wants to deal with heat exhaustion on vacation.
Festival road trips (Burning Man, Coachella, etc.)
Loud music, long lines, dust storms, and traffic jams might’ve been fun once. These days, most older adults would rather stream the concert from their air-conditioned living room.
Long solo drives
Driving solo used to be peaceful and freeing. But as they get older, long hours alone on the road can start to feel tiring, and a bit risky if something goes wrong.
Loop-the-country RV trips
The idea of packing up and living on the road sounds dreamy. That’s only until you factor in dumping tanks, climbing in and out of a cramped bed, and fixing mechanical issues at rest stops. That kind of maintenance isn’t always senior-friendly.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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11 Things You Stop Tolerating After Turning 60
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