Leisure travel is important to you (hey, you wouldn’t be on NextTribe if it wasn’t!), and at this point in your life you may have more freedom than ever to get away. But let’s face it: Human beings can be creatures of habit, so a few minor tweaks to your approach to travel might have major impact. So why not think about one or two New Year’s travel resolutions that could make your journeys even more fulfilling. Take this quiz to learn how a travel tuneup can lead to more fun, enriching, all-around satisfying adventures! 

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on transformational trips all around the world. Learn more, and join the fun here!

1. A friend regales you with stories and pictures of her latest trip—on safari in Kenya! Your first thought is:

1. I enjoyed Out of Africa as much as the next Streepie but I’d never actually go so far away.
2. That must have cost a pretty penny—the airfare alone, ouch!
3. Sounds exhausting! I’ll stick with watching Cate Blanchett’s Our Living World. 
4. Sounds exciting! I wonder if my travel partner (bestie, spouse, sibling) would be up for that. 

2. You need some new clothes for an upcoming vacation (your go-to swimsuit is looking kinda tired), so you:

1. Head to the website of your favorite brand and find exactly what you need.
2. Grab that 30%-off coupon you got in the mail and shop at the store that sent it.
3. Settle into your recliner with your device and spend the afternoon on e-tail detail.
4. Ask a good friend to go shopping with you—you trust her advice in general, and especially with something like a swimsuit. 

3. Someone in your social circle suggests trying a hot new restaurant in a hip part of town. You:

1. Agree because you like this person, but are skeptical about the cuisine—you’ve never had it before. Fortunately, there are familiar leftovers in the fridge in case you come home hungry!
2. Check the place out online, paying attention to the right side of the menu. You’re cool with exploring a new restaurant as long as it’s not too pricey.
3. Agree if you can go during the week. Last time you hit that part of town on a Saturday night, parking was a nightmare—you had to walk three blocks to the restaurant. 
4. Call someone you’re close to who’s also invited. If they’re game, you are too. 

4. One thing that’s appealing about all-inclusive resorts is:

1. You can usually find one that suits your idea of a good time. Beach lounging, skiing, whatever you love, there’s a resort for that! 
2. Everything is prepaid—you can do all the activities and eat and drink as much as you want without shelling out for more.
3. The variety; your travel buddy can go parasailing (or whatever) while you loll on the beach.
4. They’re a no-brainer! You pay one price and everything is taken care of, everyone is happy. 

5. Due to a last-minute emergency (nothing serious, just pesky), your traveling companion must back out of a road trip. You wish her luck straightening it out (she will!) and:

1. Go without her. It may feel a little weird, but you’ve been to this area before—indeed, you know it like the back of your hand.
2. Go solo. You can’t get your money back for the room at this point, so you might as well wing it.
3. Head off on your own.  You weren’t expecting to spend all that much time together anyway, since your pal intended to do a bunch of activities you weren’t interested in.
4. Find another friend to go—even if, as incentive, you ultimately offer to do all the driving or pay for all the gas. You just don’t think you’d have a good time by yourself.

6. A reverse scenario to the one above: A friend asks you to take off with her when her travel buddy cancels at the last minute. You agree to go for the following reason:

1. As long as the destination and activities are in line with what you like to do.
2. Even though you just returned from a trip six months ago. You can’t believe you’re splurging like this!
3. If it sounds like it will be a laid-back experience. You’ll have to rush around like crazy getting ready to go, so you’ll just want to chill while away.
4. Because you’ve actually wondered what it would be like to travel with her. You can’t have too many friends!

7. When picking a place to stay for your next trip, you:

1. Book a room at the hotel chain where you’re a rewards program member.
2. Trawl the bookings sites for the best possible deal.
3. Find a hotel with a good on-site restaurant, pool, spa, and other amenities that will make your stay relaxing.
4. Ask your travel buddy what she prefers—you don’t mind doing the booking, you just want to make sure she’ll be happy with your choice.

8. A highlight of a trip to New York City was supposed to be a Broadway play, starring one of your favorite actors. But at the theater, it’s announced that an understudy will be in the role! You:

1. Stay for the show. You’re disappointed not to see the actor you like, but a Broadway play is one of the things a NYC holiday is all about.
2. Try to get a refund—that ticket was too expensive to waste on some nobody—and then spend the afternoon cruising the galleries and walking on the High Line.
3. Grumble but stick around. Between the hassles of getting to the theater, finding the restroom, navigating to your seat through the crowd, you just want to sit down!
4. Shrug at your companion and say, “Whatever you want to do is fine with me…”

9. You’re due to visit out-of-state relatives for a few days, and of course they invite you to stay at their place. You:

1. Say yes, since they’re such good hosts and always take you around their favorite neighborhood spots.
2. Accept—why pay for a hotel when they’re such good hosts?
3. Decline politely and get a hotel. You’ll be more comfortable.
4. It depends. If you go by yourself, you’ll stay with family, but if your partner decides to come along, you’ll decline politely and get a hotel. That will just make it easier on everyone.

New Year’s Travel Resolutions: Scoring and Analysis

Tally which numbered responses you have the most of. Then read on to see how your replies reflect your best travel resolution for 2025.

Resolution #1 (mostly 1 answers) “I will get out of my travel rut!” 

Yep, you love to travel! But have you noticed that you typically go to the same sort of places and engage in the same kind of activities? That’s cool—you’re doing what makes you happy —but changing things up may amp your enjoyment even more. 

‘If you’re lucky enough to have made it to the midway point in life with your health and sanity intact, it’s natural to set things on cruise control, but the whole point of travel is to get somewhere new—physically, mentally, and spiritually,” says travel pro Jeannie Edmunds, NextTribe’s Chief Operating Officer.  

That needn’t mean pulling a full 180—at least not at first. Small switches can be a great breath of fresh air. So if you’re a skier who hits the slopes in winter, consider a spring or autumn vacation to check out the foliage, maybe the majestic La Plata peaks of Colorado or the Blue Ridge mountains in North Carolina. Or if you love the shore and usually head for the Caribbean, why not spend the 4th of July at a small town beach like Bar Harbor, Maine, or Cape Charles, Virginia. Similarly, if vacation to you means “warm weather, please!” how about skipping the beach in favor of a Southwestern getaway?

Once you see how comfortable you are outside your comfort zone, then you can plan that safari!

Resolution #2 (mostly 2 answers) “I will loosen up the purse strings!”

You’ve always been adventurous, and chances are, in your youth you had to scrimp and save in order to travel. If that’s still necessary, power to you—but it might be more a matter of ingrained behavior than a tight budget.

“Women have been so conditioned to take care of others first, it can be hard for us to feel worthy of any extravagance,” Edmunds reminds. “But I’ve found occasional indulgences to be very satisfying when it comes to getting the most out of a travel experience. Put it this way: I’ve never come home from a trip saying, ‘I wish I hadn’t…’ although I have said, ’I wish I had.’” 

The occasional travel indulgence can be so satisfying. You’re not likely to come home from a trip saying, ‘I wish I hadn’t….’

One splurge Edmunds advocates for is upgrading your airline ticket. “The difference between a good night’s sleep in business class versus a partial recline in premium economy means you’ll arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go,” she says. “After all, you have limited time on vacation, so that helps make every minute count!” 

You might also temper your tightwad tendencies when shopping. Sure, haggling for a good deal is expected in certain cultures, but when you’re far from home and the item(s) you’ve got your eye on are unique to the area, pony up! “You might never return there, so this could be your only chance,” Edmunds says.

Also fulfilling, if feasible, is to extend your trip by a few days. “Do it on the back end, after you have the lay of the land, so you can revisit some of the places you might have rushed by, or see things that weren’t on the original itinerary,” Edmund says. “Or if you lengthen your stay at the front end, add a massage or other spa treatment to invigorate yourself when you arrive.”

Resolution #3 (mostly 3 answers) “I will be more active on vacation.”

Life can be hectic, and travel ought to be an antidote for that. Granted, but pleasurable activity is a great way to banish stress, and it may help ensure you can still button your pants when you get home!

“It’s tempting to be lazy on vacation, but at midlife we need to prioritize our health—so we can keep traveling!—and that means moving your body every day,” Edmunds says. “Group tourism that incorporates physical activity is a great way to meet and bond with people as you get a little exertion in.”

When making this New Year’s travel resolution, the trick can be finding a sojourn that includes activities that appeal to you. Nature girl? Take a trip with hiking excursions. City slicker? Hit a town with a walking tour, museums and shops included. Beach bunny? Most seaside resorts boast a host of activities, and all-inclusive places let you check them all out without paying extra. Edmunds admits: “I always disliked formal exercise—please don’t make me chase a ball—but get me around a group of women having fun in kayaks and I’m in heaven!”

Resolution #4 (mostly 4 answers) “I will become a more independent traveler.”

You’re fortunate to have people you love and trust enough to travel with—without killing each other! Yet while there are many pluses to vacationing with a romantic partner, sibling, or close friend, flying solo has benefits too. “You don’t have to coordinate schedules, compromise on a destination or experience, listen to a roommate’s rhapsodies, complaints, or snores,” Edmunds says, ticking off a few. 

Chances are, you’re pretty independent in other areas of life, but traveling on your own can be intimidating at first, so start small. Take a day trip to another town or neighborhood. Then book an overnight somewhere that’s easy to get to and around in, so the actual transportation aspect won’t be scary (buy tickets in advance to a play or museum exhibit so you won’t chicken out).

Another “safe” way to spread your wings is through group travel companies like NextTribe. “It’s the best of both worlds, since we take care of accommodations, excursions, and itineraries, but there’s also freedom to do your own thing if you choose to,” Edmunds says. “And don’t worry about getting stuck in some kind of Mean Girls nightmare. Maybe there are some snooty groups out there, but NextTribe travelers are warm and welcoming, I think that’s one reason women love traveling with us.”

Now that you know how you score, it’s time to put your New Year’s travel resolutions into action and get planning.