![\"Beautiful](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lanikai-Beach-Hawaii-shutterstock_557636290.jpg\")
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Commitment to Our Readers<\/p>\n
GOBankingRates’ editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines<\/a> and our products and services review methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n 20 Years<\/strong> Trusted by<\/strong> Many people save all their lives with the hope of traveling the world in retirement<\/a>. But if you haven\u2019t saved enough money, you\u2019ll want to maximize your travel experiences by choosing lower-cost locations. <\/p>\n The median retirement income for individuals from 65- to 74-years-old is just $55,747, according to U.S. Census Bureau data reported by Annuity.org. That may not leave as much money as most people would like for a jet-setting lifestyle touring the world.<\/p>\n Avoid these costly vacation spots to help your dollars stretch further.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hawaii<\/p>\n Hawaii<\/a> can be a beautiful vacation paradise. But the costs add up quickly. For a one-week vacation in Hawaii, CollectionsofWaikiki.com<\/a> said two people can expect to spend $5,000 or more. Airfare from Washington, D.C., to the Island of Lanai, for instance, is listed at $1,021 on Google Flights right now. Going to Honolulu with two stops will cost $633. You may be able to find cheaper airfare if you\u2019re traveling from the West Coast.<\/p>\n But food, activities and transportation also add up. You can stay in a hostel for under $100 per night, but it\u2019s likely that retirees will want more luxurious \u2014 or at least, private \u2014 accommodations. Luxury hotels and resorts can range from roughly $500 per night up to $2,000-plus, based on a quick Expedia search.<\/p>\n Europe<\/p>\n Some cities in Europe<\/a>, like Paris and Switzerland, are more expensive than others. But, in general, a trip to Europe will cost more than staying stateside for retirees in the U.S. Airfare alone ranges from $400 in October up to $700-plus in the peak months of June and July, according to a Skyscanner.com search. You can get a decent hotel for under $200 per night in London, but a stay at the Marriott in the center of tourist attractions like the London Eye and Big Ben, with a view of the Thames River, costs more than $1,000 per night through Expedia.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n You can spend a week in Europe visiting different cities by train, but Eurail tickets range from $325 for a four-day pass in second-class up to $557 for a seven-day pass in first-class and up for longer time frames. Add in meals and tourist attractions at each stop, and your European vacation can cost thousands.<\/p>\n New York City<\/p>\n Like London, hotels in the center of New York City range from $200 up to thousands per night. A stay in New York City in the fall, when temperatures are typically beautiful, costs $500-plus per night if you want a hotel in Manhattan. Famous tourist attractions like the Empire State Building, One World Observatory and the Harbor Lights Cruise cost $50-plus, while some museums and other attractions cost $30 or less, according to listings at GOCity.com. You can save money with a multi-attraction pass, but you\u2019ll still pay at least $89 per person for two attractions.<\/p>\n Food costs also add up in the city that never sleeps. While it\u2019s possible to get a hot dog and a soda or a slice of pizza on virtually any street corner for around $5, mid-range restaurant meals can range from $30 to $60.<\/p>\n Amongst the other downsides to a New York City trip, the vacation typically entails a lot of walking, which may not be preferable for some older retirees.<\/p>\n Bora Bora<\/p>\n Bora Bora in French Polynesia is a tropical paradise of privacy, white-sand beaches and luxury resorts. But the things that make this island so wonderful should also give middle-class retirees pause. First, it\u2019s \u201coutrageously expensive,\u201d wrote travel photographer Brandon Eicher on his blog<\/a>. Many of the luxury hotels are only accessible by boat, which can lead retirees to feel, as Eicher wrote, \u201ctrapped in paradise.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Additionally, the trip from the U.S. will likely involve a \u201clong flight and various travel connections,\u201d according to BoraBora.com<\/a>. This also may not be ideal for retirees, as it adds to the cost of the trip and entails sitting uncomfortably on a plane for hours. An Expedia search revealed that trips to Bora Bora from Washington, D.C., in late September start at just under $2,000. \u00a0<\/p>\n Dubai<\/p>\n Dubai may be on your bucket list as a top tourist destination. But it may be out of reach for most middle-class retirees. The Sadaa Trent travel blog<\/a> outlined the costs for a seven-day trip. Assuming that retirees will want slightly-better-than-budget accommodations, you\u2019ll spend up to $1,800 for a moderate hotel, up to $500 on transportation and up to $1,800 on food and activities.<\/p>\n On the high end, hotels can cost as much as $7,500-plus, or $1,000-plus per night. Add the cost of a tourist visa, plus flights, which start at roughly $700 round-trip from New York, and, once again, a stateside vacation is going to deliver a better value for your money.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.gobankingrates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/icon-20.svg?webp=1&quality=75\"){kind=icon}
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