In America, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter. Soon the snow and rain of the season will evaporate and give way to the sunshine of spring! March through June means more mild climates around the world, allowing travelers to roam in new places uninhibited by the potential obstacles of inclement weather.

Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere could be a time of new beginnings. Americans over 60 typically spend seven hours per day on leisure time, with four and a half hours per day in front of an electronic device.

If you’re a new retiree wondering what to do with the lack of structure and newfound time on your hands, or if you’re a senior feeling stuck in a post-winter rut, travel can be a great way to expose yourself to new inspirations, begin positive habits that can continue when you return home, and change your life for the better!

Here are three interesting ways to keep your mind active and positively engage with a new environment on the go. Keep reading for the best travel hobbies!

Photography

You don’t need an expensive camera to take high-quality pictures. These days, almost anyone can take pictures of people and their surroundings with a phone and feel like a professional photographer! If you’ve been thinking about picking up photography as a senior, there’s no better time to start than during a trip out of town, where you might be inspired by the beauty and vibrancy of a new location to continue snapping photos!

A country like Japan features landmarks old and new, and a mixture of urban and rural areas to keep your newly developed photographer’s eye fascinated throughout your trip. Visit the Cherry Blossom Festivals in the Honshu and Hokkaido regions from March to May, Kyoto’s Miyako Odori geisha dances in April, and the neon lights of Tokyo year-round to cultivate the inspiration to begin mastering elements of photography, and continue this journey when you return home.

Journaling

Journals have come a long way since the days of Leonardo DaVinci’s leather notebooks. There are now bullet journals and themed journals, along with beautifully ornate diaries that should appeal to people of all ages. If you’re looking for a new hobby to begin while traveling and incorporate into your routine when you return back home, keeping a journal is a wonderful option.

For mature women, writing in a journal can serve many functions. You can use it to track your time spent in retirement, and avoid the sense of listlessness that sometimes comes with an increased amount of leisure time.

You can also use your journal as a way to keep your mind active and engaged with your surroundings, in and out of your hometown. Goulet Pens offers a series of high-quality notebooks catered to exploring America’s national parks, including California’s Yosemite, Utah’s Acadia, and Maine’s Zion.

Meditation

Meditation has been shown to have positive effects on mood, memory, and even digestive health in older adults. If you’ve been thinking about picking up meditation as a senior or in retirement and don’t know where to start, know that there are many different types to suit your needs, from tai-chi to transcendental.

All of these types can lead to profound benefits, which can combat the effects of aging. Even better, meditation can be a very inexpensive hobby that doesn’t require an assortment of equipment or technology to begin. With a bit of an education on the subject, and a comfortable place to sit or stand, travelers can pick up this hobby from anywhere.

New enthusiasts and committed practitioners can schedule an entire trip around this activity with a visit to one of the many meditation centers across the globe. Visit India’s renown Ananda in the Himalayas for personalized meditation sessions and wellness programs, or experience a silent retreat with dedicated instructors at the Rolling Meadows farmhouse in Maine.

There is a host of reputable meditation centers around the world, from Hawaii to South Africa, where travelers can experience its benefits in a relaxing, serene environment. Do your research and figure out which will work best for you.

Travel can be an excellent way to gain new experiences. With these top 3 best travel hobbies for seniors, you don’t even need to leave your accommodations to do so! If you feel inspired to pick up photography, start a journal, or practice meditation, these are easy habits to develop amidst the atmosphere of being on the road, with new surroundings that can be very conducive to creativity.

I hope you feel inspired to begin your next travel adventure – sometimes picking up a camera, or putting a pen to paper, is all it takes! Bon Voyage!

I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you have a particular travel hobby? How did you get started? Why did you choose that hobby?