If you’re approaching your golden years, you may be eagerly awaiting your opportunity to head out and explore the world. Indeed, there are many incredible places all around the world worth visiting. With that said, not everywhere is all that welcoming to more mature visitors, especially those with mobility issues.
Here are a few destinations boomers may need to avoid or at least think twice before booking a trip to experience. As amazing as many of these places are, you might not have a great time accessing all the places you want to check off your list.
1. Venice, Italy
Venice may be famous for its charming canals and spectacular squares, but there’s a nasty flip side to all this fame: Venice is infamously overcrowded, so much so that city authorities have long threatened to enact a “tourist tax” (currently scheduled to come online in 2025) to get the crowds under control. And even though Venice is a flat island, it’s still not easily accessible for those with mobility issues.
2. Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp may be well-known for its iconic fashion, art, and cuisine, but that’s not the case when it comes to accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. Also, the city’s notorious traffic jams can make Antwerp even harder to get around. Though local authorities are working to fix these issues, you’ll likely have a much easier time getting to and around Brussels in the meantime.
3. Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
You might remember when Elvis and Frank Sinatra sang about the magical charm of Acapulco. Sadly, those days are long gone, as it’s taken on a reputation as one of Mexico’s most dangerous cities due to ongoing drug cartel violence. Though the most touristy parts of town tend to stay safe, the steep drop in international travel has made Acapulco harder to reach and with fewer welcoming lodging options.
4. Santiago, Chile
Though Chile’s capital city abounds in natural beauty and cutting-edge cool, it noticeably lacks accessibility. Considering the terrain tends to be quite hilly and steep, it’s not so easy to walk, and while the city’s subway system tends to stay clean and efficient, elevators aren’t always available.
5. Nagoya, Japan
Japan has many amazing places for travelers of all ages to explore and enjoy. Unless you’re really into “industrial chic,” Nagoya may not be the place for you. While the nation’s fourth-largest city has a handful of noteworthy attractions, such as Nagoya Castle and the Atsuta Shrine, you might not find much of anything else to capture your attention.
6. New York City, New York, USA
For being America’s largest and most famous city, New York is notorious for its lack of accessibility. To this day, most of NYC’s subway stations lack ramps and elevators. Beyond the transit system, the city’s world-famous streets may provide a mesmerizing spectacle, but you don’t want to get lost in those crowds, as local pedestrians don’t take kindly to those who slow down the sidewalk.
7. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Despite its nickname, “The Big Easy” isn’t an easy place for mature travelers to navigate. Like New York, New Orleans doesn’t have much to offer in terms of accessible transit options, and the city’s sidewalks are infamously uneven. During extra busy times like Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, the Essence Festival, and Southern Decadence (the city’s big LGBTQ+ Pride festival), New Orleans can be even harder to get around.
8. Bangkok, Thailand
Experienced travelers love Bangkok for its cosmopolitan vibes, vibrant neighborhoods, and abundance of affordable lodging and dining options. But if you’re hoping for a city that’s easy to get around, you may need to look elsewhere. Though accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities is gradually improving, it’s still noticeably lacking in many areas, including its famed mass transit system and its rough-and-tumble sidewalks.
9. Rome, Italy
There’s no place like Rome—except when it comes to accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. In this case, it’s similar to Venice. Though Rome doesn’t have many canals, it is famously hilly, and the streets can be steep. Expect a whole lot of stairs and steps, but don’t expect sturdy rails to help you up and down them. Also, at Rome’s most famous historic sites, you won’t always find elevators and ramps.
10. Nassau, Bahamas
While Nassau is consistently one of the most popular Caribbean destinations for American tourists, that popularity has its downsides. Because Nassau has a very popular cruise port, the city can get extremely crowded when the cruise ships dock. Street vendors are all over the place, and it can be tough to find a nice place to relax on the beach. If you’re not cruising here, consider exploring other parts of the Bahamas to escape the maddening crowds.
11. Reykjavik, Iceland
It’s easy to see all those younger travelers flock to Iceland, post social media content involving the island nation’s incredible volcanoes and hot springs, and think this is somewhere you need to visit. But before you go, you should know that accessible transportation options are not as prevalent here as they are throughout most of mainland Europe, and many of those viral hangout spots are a bit of a drive away from Reykjavik.
12. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
As of late, European travel enthusiasts have been warming up to the tiny nation of Luxembourg because it packs so many amazing attractions into one compact country. However, don’t let its size fool you: You will need to head pretty far outside Luxembourg City to reach those famous castles and wineries. Meanwhile, your sightseeing options in the city may be limited.
13. Beijing, China
In recent years, Beijing has made some progress in accessibility. Still, you will likely find a lot of steep staircases and not as many ramps and elevators. Though top attractions like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China have become more accessible in recent years, you will likely have to navigate your way through the massive crowds on the city’s mass transit systems to get there.
14. Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
While younger travelers rave about Cartagena’s cool, chic cityscape, more mature visitors should keep some things in mind. Though the Old City is fairly accessible and easy to navigate, you’ll likely run into more trouble in other popular neighborhoods, such as Getsemani and La Matuna, where sidewalks aren’t so easy to navigate.
Cartagena also doesn’t have as many easily accessible clean beaches as you’ll find at other popular Caribbean coastal destinations.
15. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Though Vietnam’s most populous city has a whole lot to offer travelers overall, mature travelers may need to think twice before booking a trip here. Like Beijing, accessibility is a huge problem throughout Ho Chi Minh City. In fact, sidewalks can often become makeshift obstacle courses, as scooters, noodle stands, signs, and more regularly obstruct pedestrian access.
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