Why Active Travelers Are Rethinking Travel After 45

Scenes from the New York Travel & Adventure Show, where active travelers gathered to explore destinations, attend expert-led seminars, and connect with travel brands focused on meaningful experiences after 45. Photos: Marco Quezada for Healthy Aging®

Healthy Aging® returned to the New York Travel & Adventure Show this January as an official media partner, connecting with travelers who share a passion for active, enriching experiences—and a curiosity about what meaningful travel looks like at every stage of life.

Held at the Jacob K. Javits Center, the show brought together destination experts, tour operators, authors, and thousands of travelers planning their next adventure. For Healthy Aging®, the weekend offered a chance to take our editorial voice off the page and into direct conversation with readers and fellow travel enthusiasts.

A Hub for Active 45+ Travelers Seeking Meaningful Experiences

Throughout the weekend, the Healthy Aging® booth became a natural gathering place for attendees looking for travel ideas designed for curious, engaged adults 45+. Visitors stopped to explore destination features, scan QR codes linking to in-depth articles, and share their own travel stories—reinforcing what we hear consistently from our audience: travel remains one of the most powerful ways to stay engaged with life.

Introducing the Winter 2026 Issue of Healthy Aging® Magazine

The show also marked the introduction of the Winter 2026 issue of Healthy Aging® Magazine, which features acclaimed make-up artist and author, Bobbi Brown on the cover.

The response was immediate and enthusiastic. Many attendees stopped by simply to say they were longtime fans—some even proudly wearing Brown’s Jones Road makeup and sharing how much her reinvention story resonated with them. It was a reminder that inspiration doesn’t just come from destinations—it comes from people who continue to evolve, create, and lead with authenticity.

Spotlight on Spain: Andalucía, Slow Travel & Cultural Connection

As part of its Spain-themed programming, Healthy Aging® highlighted Andalucía as a destination that embodies slow travel, cultural depth, and a strong sense of place. Attendees were invited to explore a curated vacation stay drawing that paired historic city living with time in nature—an approach that resonated strongly with travelers seeking experiences that feel immersive rather than rushed.

Andalucía travel experience featuring Seville, Casa 1800, and countryside retreats

(Clockwise from top left). Seville, Spain (Deposit Photo); Casa 1800 Seville (Photo: Casa 1800); Horseback riding and Kukutana hotel (Photos: Kukutana)

The experience brought together:

Hotel Casa 1800 Seville, a restored 19th-century casa palacio in the heart of Seville

Kukutana, a private countryside retreat near Doñana Natural Park in partnership with Equiberia Riding Holidays, offering an authentic window into Andalusian traditions, landscapes, and rural life

While the drawing itself was available exclusively to show attendees, the broader goal extended well beyond a single prize: to introduce travelers to experiences rooted in history, craftsmanship, and a slower, more intentional rhythm of travel—one that reflects how many active adults are choosing to explore the world today.

Travel & Lifestyle Prizes: Celebrating Curiosity and Everyday Adventure

In addition to the Spain vacation experience, Healthy Aging® hosted a series of travel and lifestyle-inspired random drawings designed to celebrate curiosity, wellness, creativity, and active living.

Prizes ranged from travel-friendly gear and outdoor adventure items to wellness tools, home and kitchen favorites, books, and Healthy Aging® Magazine subscriptions:

(Left to right in rows, above) FlipBelt® Hands-Free Fitness Belts ; Buddha Board Enso ;Healthy Aging Magazine Subscription; MÄNNKITCHEN Pepper Cannon; Nautilus Wooden Jigsaw PuzzlesPull Start Fire® Portable Grill; Spain Tourism mementos; WAVwatch® Wearable Wellness Device ; SB SOX® Yoga & Pilates Socks;  Bobbi Brown: Still Bobbi ; McSenderson Illustrated Ski Posters; Sherak Skin™ Luxury Skincare Products

Many of the items reflected the same philosophy that guides our editorial coverage: practical, well-designed products that support an engaged, active lifestyle—at home or on the road.

Several prizes were also raffled during the Active Traveler Seminar, adding to the sense of shared discovery and connection that defined the weekend.

Healthy Aging® Active Travel seminar speakers at the New York Travel & Adventure Show

Healthy Aging® Active Travel Seminar Speakers (Clockwise from top left) Adriane Berg, Catherine Parker, Carolyn Worthington, Robert Harte. Photos courtesy of the speakers.

The Active Traveler Seminar: Expert Voices on Travel After 45

Healthy Aging® also hosted its Active Travel for 45-Plus seminar, drawing an engaged audience eager for practical ideas and fresh destination inspiration.

The panel featured respected voices in aging, travel, and active living:

Adriane Berg, award-winning broadcaster, author, and host of The Ageless Traveler podcast
Catherine Parker, award-winning journalist and founder of CarfulOfKids.com
Robert Harte, Founder & CEO of Revolution Rail Co.

Spain featured prominently in the discussion, from walkable historic cities to lesser-known regions that reward travelers who slow down and explore more deeply. Carolyn Worthington, Healthy Aging® Magazine publisher, shared ideas such as a birding travel experience in Extremadura, using cycling as a theme such as planning for the “La Vuelta” race in Valencia or a long weekend in Lexington, Kentucky visiting horse farms and the countryside.

The conversation reinforced a core Healthy Aging® belief: active travel isn’t about speed or extremes—it’s about engagement, curiosity, and living fully wherever you go.

Looking Ahead: Travel Inspiration Beyond the Show

The New York Travel & Adventure Show reaffirmed what we hear from our readers again and again: travel after 45 is about curiosity, connection, and meaningful experiences. Spain—and other destinations featured throughout the show—will continue to be part of that conversation, with new stories and travel ideas ahead, each reflecting our belief that it’s never too late to explore, learn, and reinvent how you see the world.

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