One of the most popular ways to spend retirement is traveling. And one of the most popular types of destinations for today’s retired seniors is the beach.

What’s the main reason Baby Boomers (whether retired already or still working on it) don’t travel more? Cost. And the number two reason? Health.

If travel is on your ‘bucket list’ for your retirement years, it’s a good idea to work that into your planning now – to cover the cost of the types of trips you want. And, of course, you need to be planning for health care during your retirement. After all, Medicare doesn’t cover everything.

Those are the kinds of topics where James Holloway Sr. and the team at Texas Financial and Retirement can help you with their experience. Planning ahead may make the difference between dreaming of visiting (or living near) the beach during your retirement and actually going there.

Contact us at bestclients@texasfinancialandretirement.com or 903-534-5477 to apply for a free initial visit. We can look at where you are in your financial life, discuss your retirement dreams, then assist you in developing a written plan to help get you where you want to be in your retirement years.

Speaking of retirement dreams, here are some popular beach destinations for retired (or soon-to-be-retired) seniors, at a variety of price levels:

Tel Aviv, Israel

Many seniors want to take a trip to the Holy Land during their retirement years. If you want to combine that with spending time on some nice beaches, Tel Aviv might be a great beach destination for you. It even has its own bucket list page.

Tel Aviv is known for its beaches, clubs and dynamic arts community. And it’s Carmel Market is the largest in the city, with sellers of everything from fresh produce to clothing to consumer electronics all located in a traditional Middle Eastern market. If this is your beach trip, Haaretz even has an online Guide to Tel Aviv Beaches with information you might find helpful.

The Caribbean

Everyone loves those photos of white beaches and clear turquoise water from the caribbean. Everyone. Which means it can get crowded. But retirees have the benefit of being able to schedule trips before and after the usual tourist season. Traveling in May or September/October places you on the same beaches, but often at a lower cost and with fewer others present with whom you need to share it.

if you’d like to avoid noisy casinos and and loud parties, the beaches of Nevis might be the best choice for you. They are public, free and rarely crowded.

Key West, Florida

The Florida Keys are a string of islands over 100 miles in length, off the southern tip of Florida’s peninsula. At the southern tip of the Keys, Key West is only 90 miles away from Cuba.

It’s famous for its relaxed casual outlook on life. For retired seniors who want to relax with life “in the slow lane” more than they want to party all night, Key West is a good choice. Key West’s beaches aren’t as famous as its snorkeling opportunities and views of its coral reefs, but it is still a beach destination. Plenty of sand and sunshine and Cuban cuisine for the relaxed retired visitor.

Hawaii

Another string of U.S. islands compose the state of Hawaii. There are a huge variety of beaches in Hawaii – everything from white sand or yellow sand to black sand beaches, and those best for surfing big waves versus those best for a calm relaxed day at the beach.

Whatever your preference, a trip to Hawaii’s beaches is a popular trip for America’s retired seniors. How popular? On the internet, you can easily find travel tips and lists of activities aimed specifically at seniors who are planning to visit the Hawaiian islands.

Biloxi, Mississippi

If you want big waves for surfing, Biloxi is not a good choice for you. The barrier islands help keep the waves to a very gentle minimum along Biloxi’s beaches – perfect for those who simply want to relax in the comfortable water.

Of course, there are also the casinos – where from time to time a few retired seniors might possibly be found. And Gulf Coast seafood!

One of the things which makes Biloxi, and the Gulf Coast in general, popular with many seniors is the cost of staying there on a vacation. There’s a fairly low cost of living in the area, and that means prices are lower than for many other beach destinations – your retiree dollar may just stretch further.

Not that you’ll need to worry about stretching those travel dollars during in retirement. Because you have saved early and often and have a written plan for reaching retirement and for maximizing your retirement income. Right? If not, or if you have a plan but it’s been a while since you had it reviewed, feel free to contact us at Texas Financial and Retirement. We’ll let you know honestly if we can be of assistance to you. If we think you don’t need an advisor at this point, we’ll let you know that, too.

See you at the beach.