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As a longtime travel editor and writer, I’ve been lucky enough to see the world—from backpacking trips to luxury stays and everything in between. But as I approach 50, I’ve started noticing a pattern: the places I’m loving most right now—European hot spots, small walkable cities, specialty cruises and spa retreats, but also destinations with real depth, history and culture—are the same ones travel advisors keep quietly recommending for women over 50. And let’s face it, after years of doing all my own research to craft the perfect (and affordable) itineraries, these days I’m drawn to trips where more of the planning is already done—which, honestly, feels pretty nice after so many years of being the planner-in-chief. So I asked a few of my favorite advisors where they’re sending their 50+ female travelers right now—and cross-checked their picks with the places I’ve loved (or am about to go). The result? A mix of elegant escapes, meaningful adventures and a few curveballs that might just surprise you. Here are seven destinations travel pros—and I—say hit the sweet spot: stylish, safe and full of like-minded women doing the exact same thing. Related: 7 Places in the World Everyone Should Visit Once, According to Darley Newman Best Travel Destinations for Women Over 50, According to Travel Advisors Lisbon Lisbon is as trendy as the tins of fish it’s known for—from the Instagram-famous Pink Street to those impossibly flaky pastéis de nata pastries. The oldest established port city in Europe—it’s been around before the Romans got there—it’s somehow both buzzy and has a sense of cultural legacy, which makes it an ideal getaway for women over 50 looking for a balance of culture, food and sunshine. With more nonstop flights coming from Delta, American and Turkish Airlines in 2026—and a very favorable exchange rate—the time to go is now. The city center is walkable, the boutique hotel scene is booming and the locals are famously warm (and yes, most speak English). Right now, you can catch a Vivienne Westwood exhibition at the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, stay at the chic, centrally located Convent Square Hotel or the new longer-stay-friendly Inspira Santos Hotel opening this November and explore Jerónimos Monastery or the National Tile Museum in the Madre de Deus Convent, all of which make Lisbon an especially stylish spot for a holiday stay. The Cotswolds If “cozy luxury” had a postcode, it would be the Cotswolds. This honey-stone patchwork of villages and market towns looks lifted from a Nancy Meyers’ film—and a walking trip just might be the best way to explore it, says travel advisor Kathleen Weldon, who just booked a Backroads Women’s Cotswolds Walking trip for a group of women 65-75. Award-winning tour operator Active England has just launched its new Luxury Walking Adventures, a series of guided journeys that mix countryside rambles with cultural detours and boutique hotel stays. You can spend mornings wandering past thatched cottages and ivy-clad pubs, afternoons touring private gardens and castles and evenings sipping a glass of local gin by the fireside. For winter 2025, their “Festive Escape” brings travelers through frost-dusted villages, Blenheim Palace and Broadway Tower—all twinkling with holiday lights—while the 2026 itineraries cover all four seasons. Spring cherry blossoms, summer lavender and gold autumn leaves are each matched to carefully chosen inns and manor-house hotels, all ending with a stay in Bath, Jane Austen’s birthplace. Sardinia Move over, Amalfi—the island of Sardinia is the new Italian summer crush. With white-sand beaches that rival the Caribbean, rustic inland villages and a quietly glamorous hotel scene, it’s the “if you know, you know” destination for 2026. And getting there just got easier: Delta will launch new nonstop flights from JFK to Olbia Costa Smeralda next May, making la dolce vita more accessible than ever. Stay in the rugged northern region for a mix of turquoise coves and chic hideaways like Petra Segreta or Su Gologone, where terracotta walls, handmade ceramics and Sardinian olive oil tastings replace Capri crowds. Whether you’re exploring archaeological ruins, dining seaside on bottarga spaghetti or floating off the Costa Smeralda, Sardinia has that rare mix of authenticity and allure. The Dolomites If your ideal getaway involves spa robes, snowy peaks and maybe a Negroni by the fire, make your way to the Dolomites. This alpine corner of northern Italy is quietly becoming Europe’s chicest wellness destination—and the newly beloved FORESTIS hotel is leading the way. Set high above Bressanone, FORESTIS is adults-only, serene and impeccably designed—modern minimalism meets mountaintop monastery. Here, days begin with guided forest meditations and panoramic saunas and end with organic tasting menus and South Tyrolean wines—it’s the perfect place to reset and reimagine what comes next. With the region’s growing focus on sustainable travel and design-forward hospitality, the Dolomites are having a moment that feels tailor-made for women over 50 seeking calm, clarity and mountain chic. Sonoma California wine country, but make it quiet luxury. Sonoma County is having a resurgence as travelers seek slower, more meaningful getaways—you can forgo the Instagram vineyard crawls and instead, connect with nature and yourself. “50+ women are loving travel with a focus on wellness, retreats and spa time! Along with all inclusives, they are loving spa retreats,” says travel advisor, Shawn Dickensheets Stokes. Boutique retreats like The Stavrand in Guerneville and MacArthur Place in Sonoma proper are offering meditative garden stays and culinary programs that lean more toward olive oil tastings and sound baths than endless pours of Pinot. Add in redwood hikes, farm-to-table restaurants and a wellness scene that’s quietly blossomed post-pandemic and you’ve got the kind of grown-up reset that pairs nicely with both yoga pants and a glass of Chardonnay. Related: This Town is Quietly Producing Some of the Best Wine in California—And It’s Not Napa Ocean and River Cruises Sometimes, the best trip is one where you unpack once and still see it all. Earlier this year, I sailed aboard Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam, tracing a route from Montreal to Boston—and it was pure Canada-to-New England magic—crisp coastal air, port towns with actual bookstores and lobster rolls followed by croissants the next day. Holland America’s Canadian itineraries are particularly well-suited to women over 50 traveling solo or with friends: intimate ships, well-curated excursions (hello, Prince Edward Island bike tour) and the kind of old-school service that makes you feel well-looked after. It’s not flashy, but it’s deeply restorative—and yes, the maple lattes in Quebec City really do taste better as coastline rolls past. “My women over 50+ are traveling to more adventurous locations like Alaska and Europe but they prefer the convenience of Ocean and River Cruises as well as guided tours over self-navigated travel,” says Travel Advisor, Mallory Frederick Dumond. Solo cruising—especially for women over 50—is up. Cruiselines like Norwegian, Virgin and HAL are catering to this growing travel segment with solo rooms, activities and events—and on a cruise, you’re never solo for too long as fellow passengers become fast friends. Related: This Might Be the Foodiest Cruise Ship in the Mediterranean—And It Sails from Rome to Athens Milwaukee, Wisconsin Stay with me here. Milwaukee might not sound like your next girls’ getaway, but it’s one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets—and one of the most fun surprises for women travelers over 50. I was recently in town for a trip, and between the new Harbor Yards waterfront, the sleek Saint Kate Arts Hotel and a thriving food scene (Dane Baldwin’s The Diplomat is a standout), this lakefront city is the perfect low-key, yet creative boost.
