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Where Should You Vacation in 2025? Prime Destinations for Older Americans

Experience history, culture, nature — and classic video games

boston public garden
These top destinations for 2025 bring you history, culture and nature. Boston Public Garden is a popular spot for residents and tourists.
Sasha Israel
By

Ken Budd,

 
AARP
Published November 25, 2024

In this story

Boston • London • Fairbanks, Alaska • Memphis, Tennessee • Argentina • Orlando, Florida • Provence, France

We scoured the globe for the best travel destinations for older Americans. Whether you’re into history, nature, relaxation or getting the most for your money, these are the places to be in the coming year.

Boston

a statue in boston
In 2025, Boston will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the first shots of the Revolutionary War. A statue in Bunker Hill recognizes a Revolutionary War colonel.
M. Scott Brauer/Redux

Why go: To relive the spirit of ’75

In another year, we’ll all be celebrating the nation’s semiquincentennial. What’s that? The 250th anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence. But lest we forget, the Revolutionary War’s first shots were fired in 1775. And that 250th anniversary warrants a trip to Boston this year.

Start with a reenactment of Paul Revere’s ride on April 18 at the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington, about 15 miles northwest of Boston. On April 19, the towns of Lexington and Concord will host reenactments and parades. (Stop by the Concord Museum to see one of the lanterns that hung in Old North Church and indicated “two if by sea.”) The spirit of ’75 festivities continue in mid-June with the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. Commemorations will include a parade and remembrance events. Leave time to wander the cobblestone streets and drink a Sam Adams at the Warren Tavern, built in 1780 after the British torched Charlestown, and visited by George Washington and Paul Revere.

Amid the revelry, it’s also a good time to remember the sacrifices of our American predecessors, as thousands of troops died in the Revolution. “It’s mind-boggling,” says Boston historian and tour guide Charles Bahne. “This is where these people stood, they made a stand, and they gave birth to our nation.”

Don’t miss: The historic charm of the Charlestown neighborhood.

London

big ben in london
London, with Big Ben seen here, will be honoring the 80th anniversary of V-E Day in 2025.
Haydon Perrior

Why go: The 80th anniversary of V-E Day

In London’s 2,000-year history, Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) ranks as the city’s biggest bash.  The 80th anniversary on May 8, 2025, won’t be quite so boisterous, but it'll still be special.

“V-E Day is one of those occasions where Britain loses its reserve somewhat and parties,” says Paul Gass, 52, who served in the Royal Air Force and now works for the American Red Cross in New Jersey. “Patriotic bunting, union flags, parades, singing wartime songs and dancing to American big band music — the whole day stirs deep-seated pride.”

Start with a visit to the Churchill War Rooms, then head to locations where crowds partied in 1945, from Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square. Next, pay your respects at St. Paul’s Cathedral — the Anglican church held 10 straight services attended by thousands on V-E Day — and stroll to Buckingham Palace, where Winston Churchill and the royal family admired the celebrating throngs from the balcony.

Don’t miss: The French House pub, a gathering place for members of the French resistance.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Why go: Aurora borealis activity may reach its highest levels of visibility in a decade.

the northern lights
Take in the northern lights from an igloo at the Borealis Basecamp.
Phil Kingsley/Courtesy Borealis Basecamp

Many a weary traveler has been disappointed on a trek to view the northern lights. Celestial phenomena can be unpredictable. So you might see dazzling colors in the night sky, or you might just see night sky.

But in 2025, your odds of a sighting are greater than normal. Aurora borealis activity may reach its highest levels since 2014, and Fairbanks is a prime spot for the atmospheric show. The city sits under the “auroral oval,” a zone with concentrated activity. And Fairbanks’ low precipitation and distance from coastal areas make for consistently clear nights.

How good are the odds? Data suggests about a 90 percent chance of seeing the northern lights over a three-night stay, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute. Any park or open area works to see the lights, but many visitors mix the frigid nights with a warm environment. At the Chena Hot Springs Resort, about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, you can watch the skies while relaxing in hot springs.

Amateur astronomer Todd Thalimer, 53, of Parker, Colorado, made the trek in 2023 and saw the lights four times. “The aurora was dancing like waves, bright green and pink and red. I’ve seen a lot of stuff in the universe, but that one was really like ... wow.”

Don’t miss: Borealis Basecamp’s igloos let you gaze at the sky from bed.

Memphis, Tennessee

Why go: To celebrate two kings of music

Overton Park Shell
Overton Park Shell in Memphis, Tennessee, offers free concerts.
Craig Thompson/Courtesy Overland Park Shell

In 2025, this American music mecca is staging celebrations for two big posthumous birthdays. First up is what would have been Elvis Presley’s 90th on Jan. 8. Graceland will mark the occasion with a birthday cake cutting outside the mansion on Jan. 8; live music, movies, tours and other events will continue through Jan. 11. Sept. 16 will mark the 100th anniversary of B.B. King’s birth. Head to the famous Beale Street, where B.B. King’s Blues Club will celebrate on Sept. 18 with a musical tribute featuring members of King’s band.

When King arrived from Mississippi in 1946, Beale Street was the vibrant hub of Memphis’s Black cultural scene. He quickly landed a radio DJ gig as “The Beale Street Blues Boy” (later shortened to B.B.) and built a fan base playing the guitar in local clubs. These days, tourists swarm Beale Street, including the Rum Boogie Cafe and King’s namesake blues club.

Memphis also boasts a number of music sites to visit in homage to both men. You can see Sun Studio, where they each recorded, and check out the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. But perhaps the best way to celebrate their legacy is by diving into the city’s still-thriving music scene. One must-visit spot is the outdoor Overton Park Shell. Built as a Works Progress Administration project in 1936, the amphitheater hosted Elvis’ historic debut performance in 1954 (he opened for Slim Whitman) and offers free concerts each year from May through October and a backstage museum experience year-round.

To escape the tourists, head to Bar DKDC (the locals say it stands for “don’t know, don’t care”). “It’s my favorite spot for cool, live music. It gets not just local artists but touring artists that don’t mind playing tiny spaces,” says Cole Early, Overton Park Shell’s content and archives manager and a Memphis music enthusiast and self-described “music fanatic.” “It’s a well-kept secret. Many Memphians have no clue about it.”

Early raves, too, about Crosstown’s little-known Memphis Listening Lab, a music library with a collection of 35,000 45-rpm singles, 15,000 LPs and 25,000 CDs. Guests can visit the lab’s SoundRoom, make a selection and relax in a comfy chair. “It’s the ultimate place for vinyl and music nerds,” Early says.

Don’t miss: The Green Room, an under-the-radar intimate venue.

Argentina

Why go: A favorable exchange rate

a city in argentina
Ushuaia, Argentina, is the world’s southernmost city.
Getty Images

When dipping into your savings account to take an international vacation, one key consideration is affordability. So when weighing where to travel, research the strength of the dollar compared to local currency for more purchasing power.

Argentina is a popular destination that is easy to reach, and it typically has the best exchange rate to the dollar in the Americas, a recent report from NetVoucherCodes found.

But Argentina offers more than inexpensive empanadas. You’ll find glaciers, massive mountains and miles of Atlantic coastline.

Hikers will love Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, and El Chaltén, a Patagonian town near the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Iguazú Falls is part of a World Heritage Site that straddles the border with Brazil. Birders flock to Parque Nacional Iberá to spot more than 300 species, from cuckoos to kingfishers.

Among South America’s most-visited cities, Buenos Aires boasts interesting colonial-style architecture and a culture that “combines European heritage with Latin passion,” says Camila Otaño, a city tour guide. She recommends a walk in the Palermo Soho and Villa Crespo neighborhoods to see the city’s dynamic street art.

Another benefit to Argentina: No “overtourism,” says tour guide and travel consultant Verónica Ducrey. Less congestion can make a trip more pleasant for older travelers — and allows more chances to get to know the locals. “We are passionate and outspoken, and we are friendly, welcoming, warm,” Ducrey says of porteños, as Buenos Aires residents are called. “You’ll make friends on day one in this city and in the whole country.”

Don’t miss: Buenos Aires, known as “the Paris of South America.”

Orlando, Florida

Why go: A big new U.S. theme park with multigenerational appeal

super nintendo world
Mario and Luigi are highlights of Super Nintendo World.
Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Want to savor some Gen X nostalgia? The new Universal Epic Universe is set to open in 2025, and one section of the theme park may appeal to you as much as to the younger generation. Ka-ching! It’s Super Nintendo World. Ride the Mine-Cart Madness coaster, which re-creates the wild rides in the Donkey Kong Country video games, and the kid-friendly Yoshi’s Adventure, where you hop on a cartoonish creature and search for glowing eggs.

Then explore the park’s other four worlds. Celestial Park is Epic Universe’s central hub. How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk is based on the animated film series, and Dark Universe focuses on the studio’s classic creatures, from Frankenstein’s monster to the Wolf Man. “Monsters are to Universal what princesses are to Disney, so it’s amazing that it’s taken this long to see a land devoted to this,” says Robert Niles, editor of Theme Park Insider. “A lot of people are circling that new land as the one they’re most excited about.”

The fifth area of the park is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, where visitors will whoosh from 1920s Paris to 1990s British Ministry via a Métro-Floo (Potter geeks will understand). You’ll also see the trial of villain Dolores Umbridge, and when she tries to escape, you’ll chase her while riding in omnidirectional lifts and dodging attacks from Death Eaters and other creatures.

Don’t miss: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, a race like the video game.

Provence, France

Why go: An emerging hot spot for women seeking out rich experiences

outdoor eateries and markets
Aix-en-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhône region in France features outdoor eateries and markets.
John Kellerman/Alamy Stock Photo

On a recent trip through France, Sacha Cohen saw Loire Valley châteaus. And Parisian art. And something else intriguing: Lots of women like her.

“Midlife women are flocking to the region,” says Cohen, a 55-year-old writer from Arlington, Virginia, who blogs about France on her site, A Good Vintage. The appeal isn’t just about strolling quaint boulevards and nibbling Brie at cafes. It’s about experiencing a society that values women over 50. “The overall appreciation of older women is more apparent to me there than at home.”

Older women stride confidently in public spaces, Cohen says, whether they’re power walking in parks, biking down cobblestone streets or enjoying “long unapologetic lunches.” As one 67-year-old expat told her, sexism and ageism are not as prevalent in France, and older women are considered interesting because they have life experiences. Cohen also appreciates the slower pace of life in France. “There’s less focus on work and more on pleasure.”

Ready to enjoy some indulgent, French-style slowness? Head to Provence and wander the outdoor markets in towns such as Aix-en-Provence and Cassis. Pack a lunch and visit one of the plentiful gardens or parks. “There’s nothing better than a picnic al fresco with wine and cheese and watching the world go by,” Cohen says. “I think women, as we get older, we’re looking for more relaxing, peaceful places to travel that have culture and good food and good wine and art. All of those things come together in a place like Provence.”

Don’t miss: Discovering a relaxing spot. This isn’t a place for hurried sightseeing.

These travel products can help ease your trip

Lightweight backpacks. Some airlines now charge to use the overhead bin. For shorter trips, consider taking a lightweight travel backpack. Many now offer ample space but still fit under the seat.

Underseat personal items. Many luggage companies have developed rolling bags that are small enough to fit under plane seats. Some have removable wheels to ensure they meet airline dimension rules.

Neck pillows. Some newer variations include straps that you can tie to your headrest to prevent your head from bobbing, or a flat back that makes it easier to rest the pillow against the seat.

Collapsible water bottles. It’s important to stay hydrated when traveling, especially with dry airplane cabin air. Try a collapsible water bottle. Some even include filters for better-quality sips. 

— Elise Ceyral

Ken Budd has written for National Geographic Traveler, Travel+Leisure, The Washington Post Magazine and many more. He is the author of a memoir, The Voluntourist.

 

   

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