How Travel Feeds Your Soul: 5 Emotional Benefits of Traveling for Women Over 50

A little while ago I was in San Francisco's De Young museum gift shop when I saw an old woman in a wheelchair tucked into a corner. She looked a little dazed, like she’d either just time-traveled or was halfway through a very philosophical thought. She was gazing intently at a coffee table book full of photos of old doors.

She turned to me like an oracle and said, totally serious, “I think it would be a good idea to buy all of these doors and line them up along a wall in a room. Then I’d put up a sign that says ‘All destinations are possible.’”

Reader, I was stunned and almost tearful. And then I thought, Wait, is this a metaphor or interior design advice?

This led me to DEEP THOUGHTS about travel. What is it that makes travel so appealing and rewarding to (some of) us? An internet search told me that travel isn’t just sightseeing – it’s food for the soul, proven to improve our mental health, happiness, and even our nap game. Sounds about right. Here's what else I've come up with so far…

Why Do We Like to Travel? (Besides the Snacks)

Travel feels a little magical, even when it’s chaotic. Especially when it’s chaotic.

There’s a weird thrill in landing somewhere new and immediately trying to remember where you packed your toothbrush and why the light switches don’t work the same way. You start checking off micro-achievements like a travel ninja. Figuring out public transit. Ordering coffee without accidentally asking for goat cheese. Not losing your passport in the first 24 hours. Victory.

Even the boring parts feel kind of exciting. Waiting in a train station becomes a people-watching masterclass. Sitting on a bus becomes a window seat meditation. You’re fully present because nothing is automatic.

You also get weirdly good at efficiency. Suddenly you’re a packing genius, a logistics wizard, a time management guru who can navigate a museum, a grocery store, and a gelato stand before noon.

Also naps. Travel makes naps feel like self-care instead of laziness. You’re not resting because you’re tired. You’re resting because your legs walked ten miles and your brain learned three centuries of history before lunch.

Travel Is Basically Perspective With Room Service

Something happens when you’re standing in a thousand-year-old church or staring at ancient ruins or reading a plaque about some guy who invented the water wheel and changed the world without a smartphone. Suddenly your own to-do list doesn’t feel so urgent.

And there’s science behind that shift. For instance, one study found that 80 % of adults reported travel improves their mood, while 75 % said it helps reduce stress. Plus, a short getaway, just four nights, can significantly lower perceived stress and boost well-being, with those effects lasting up to 45 days afterward.

Travel makes everything feel smaller in a good way. Whatever drama is happening back home, whatever worry is rolling around in your brain, it shrinks a little. Travel nudges you to zoom out and remember what actually matters. You. Your joy. Your curiosity. Your people. That pastry in your hand.

All Destinations Are Possible

I keep thinking about that woman and her wall of doors. It sounds like something out of a dream. Or maybe a slightly offbeat HGTV show. But also? She was onto something.

Every trip, every leap into the unfamiliar, is like opening a door to a new version of yourself. The bolder you. The relaxed you. The “I just haggled for earrings in Italian” you.

And the sign above it all? All destinations are possible.

Even the ones you didn’t plan for. Especially those.

So What Keeps Us Coming Back to Travel Again and Again

It’s not just the landmarks or bucket list photos that make travel unforgettable, it’s the feeling. Here’s what I think draws us back to traveling, again and again:

5 Emotional Benefits of Traveling for Women Over 50

• Presence: Travel forces you to be in the moment, noticing the little things, like how espresso tastes better on a cobblestone street. My solo trip to Savannah was a master class in presence…mostly me just marinading in it's uniquely charming as hell atmosphere.
• Perspective: Ancient ruins and foreign conversations remind you the world is bigger than your worries. Visiting Rome is the epitome of gaining perspective!
• Pride: Small wins feel like Olympic gold medals when you’re solo traveling. Buying a metro ticket without a meltdown? Huge. Ordering dinner in another language without accidentally asking for eye of newt on the side? Heroic. My solo month in NYC left me buzzing with the kind of pride only a properly mastered subway map can deliver.
• Fun: Travel sprinkles fun into ordinary routines. Waiting for a bus turns into a people-watching sport; walking to the grocery store abroad becomes a mysterious treasure hunt. Studies consistently show that travel boosts life satisfaction and joy, 67 % of Americans in one 2025 survey said they felt mentally better after a trip. Translation: laughing at yourself when you get lost counts as self-care.
• Possibility: Every trip unlocks a new version of yourself you didn’t know was waiting. Maybe it’s the bolder you who haggles for earrings in Italian, or the relaxed you who actually takes an afternoon nap. Psychologists say novelty and exploration fuel a sense of possibility, which is linked to resilience and even slower cognitive decline in later life. That means travel doesn’t just change your outlook, it might just keep your brain younger too. There's your excuse to go to Tahiti! You're welcome!

How to Bring That Feeling Home

• Keep a travel journal – Writing about your trips helps you relive them and reduces stress, according to psychologists. Way more fun to reread than your grocery list.
• Take “micro adventures” locally – Explore a new café, trail, or park nearby. Novelty (even close to home) boosts dopamine, the brain’s motivation chemical.
• Revisit travel photos with gratitude – Scrolling your camera roll isn’t just nostalgia. Gratitude practices are linked to better mood and sleep.
• Cook a dish from your travels – Pasta from Florence or beignets from New Orleans? Food is a powerful memory trigger and makes for great dinner table stories.
• Keep learning languages (even a little) – Apps like Duolingo let you keep practicing. Studies show learning new words boosts brain health and flexibility.
• Decorate with travel mementos – A photo on the fridge, a shell on your desk, or that quirky mug you carried home. Little visual cues keep memories alive.
• Stay connected with people you met – Following new friends or guides on Instagram keeps your global perspective fresh.
• Plan your next adventure – Research shows the anticipation of travel can boost happiness almost as much as the trip itself.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to go, maybe this is it. I’d love to hear where your heart’s been tugging you lately. Drop it in the comments, or come read how I started solo traveling and what pushed me to take that very first step. It might be just the nudge you need.

Wherever you’re headed next, remember: all destinations are possible!