With the average age of retirement being 63, there’s no reason to stop moving just because you stop working. Life doesn’t end just because you aren’t doing the 9-5 grind anymore. In fact, for many, it just gets better. There are lots of activities for retired people that range from simple at-home activities to major trips and big adventures. There’s no one right answer for all retired people. Follow your hobbies and interests and see where they lead.
Check out these eight activities for retired people to help you get started.
1. Go for a DriveOne of the easiest activities for retired people is simply going for a drive. You don’t even need to have a destination in mind. Sometimes it’s nice to just get in your car and go. See where the road takes you, or where it doesn’t. Explore somewhere new. Take an unexpected turn. You can drive for as long or as short a time as you like.
If you don’t have a car, you could even head over to local car dealers to find your ride. Car shopping in and of itself can be one of the most fun activities for retired people. Do some test drives. Try out a vehicle you never would have considered driving before. You never know what you might find.
Depending on where you live, you might even discover things like scenic highways that are specifically designed to be pleasant drives. They are often off the beaten path and less direct than taking the main road, but if you have the time and desire, you could see some really beautiful sights by staying away from the main drag.
You might even discover things right near home that you never encountered before. Maybe you could stop in a small town for a meal and find your new favorite diner. You never know where the open road may take you and what you could find along the way.
If you want to be even more adventurous, you could get into restoring and repairing vehicles as well. Investing in repairable salvage cars for sale offers an opportunity for retired folks to get into car maintenance and repair with less risk. You can try your hand on a junker rather than potentially ruining your vehicle.
2. Or Head to SeaSick of land? Head out to sea.
If you have the means, get into the water. This could mean a simple kayak that you rent from somewhere local or you could invest in a boat in your retirement.
One of the best activities for retired people is boating. Boats are expensive, but they also require a lot of care and attention. It can be a demanding hobby, but for the type of people who are always on the go, it can be very fulfilling.
Plus, you’ll get to explore places you simply can’t reach any other way. If there is a body of water near you and a place that offers boat storage, you could discover a whole new way to explore your community.
Boating isn’t just about going out onto the water and driving around, though. There are many other activities for retired people that tie into having a boat.
You could take up fishing, for example, or learn how to scuba dive. You could just go out there to enjoy a sunset and read. Perhaps you want to just get away for the day. A boat is a great way to do that. You might even find a tiny island to have a picnic on that’s far from shore.
3. Take a TripWhat if you want to go even farther from home than a boat or car can take you? Trips and vacations are great activities for retired people.
One of the best things about being retired is that you are no longer on everyone else’s schedule. You can find great deals on things like flights and hotels simply by traveling at days and times when most people are working or at school.
Now is the time to really spread your wings and go somewhere new. Instead of going to the same old places you usually would go, look up deals and see what’s available. You might discover a surprising location you never thought to check out before.
Of course, you don’t only have to fly. You could check out RV dealers in your area and get a vehicle that doubles as a camping space. A lot of retired people get RVs so they can travel long distances over long periods of time. With an RV, if you can park somewhere, you can spend the night there. It’s a great way to get out into the world and explore.
4. Or Keep it Close to HomeYou don’t need to go far afield to find activities for retired people, however. There is plenty you could do right at home.
Now might be a good time to upgrade your home to accommodate activities for retired people. Maybe you want to install a home theater. Or perhaps you really want a big crafting space. Maybe you have always dreamed of a fancy kitchen where you can experiment with baking and cooking.
Retirement is a great time to change your home around and upgrade it to accommodate these kinds of hobbies and interests. Figure out what makes you happy, what you wake up every day wanting to do most. Perhaps it’s as simple as a super cozy reading nook with all your favorite books right on hand. But it can also be as elaborate as a full art studio where you can create your own masterpieces.
Whatever activities for retired people you are most interested in, you can upgrade your home to accommodate that. Now is the time to really delve into your passions. Working on something creative can also help keep you active and give your days a sense of structure now that the need to work is gone.
5. Tap into Your CommunityPerhaps you live in a retirement living community or other type of communal living situation. Now would be a great time to tap into that to find activities for retired people.
These kinds of communities are great for keeping people active and helping foster a sense of belonging. You aren’t going to an office anymore, but that doesn’t mean you are alone. You could join a local community in order to find people in a similar stage of life or folks with similar hobbies.
Another option is to join a community specifically around activities for retired people. Perhaps you want to exercise every day. Often, day time classes are tailored for people who don’t have an office to be at all day. Maybe you want to take a local cooking class or learn about wood working or just join a book club. These can all be great activities for retired people that also give you a community to become a part of.
You might check the local newspaper to find groups that suit your needs. If there are assisted living apartments nearby, they may also host events. Not all such events will be open to the public, but if you already live in such a community, you shouldn’t feel shy about joining in when you can and want to.
6. Plant a GardenGetting in touch with nature is one of the best activities for retired people. You don’t have to go on a big hike or take up rock climbing to do it, either. Something as simple as a home garden can really change your outlook.
Gardens are simple to start and easy to maintain. You can put as much or as little effort, time, and money into this activity as you want. You could just plant a couple of seasonal flowers and give them a little water and sun each day, or you could go full-on with landscaping your whole yard. It’s up to you.
Whatever your ultimate ambitions, a great place to start is just seasonal plants. You can go to somewhere like a local grocery store or nursery and take a look around at what is currently growing. Often, the tags and labels for the plants will describe when and where they grow best.
You can always add more or less to your garden. If a plant doesn’t work out, that’s OK. Just try a different one or adjust how you care for them.
If you want to get really fancy, you can use gardening to encompass several activities for retired people. Maybe you start doing organic lawn care too. Or you could prune and trim your trees. You could even design an elaborate garden with pathways and fountains and other adornments.
Start small and see where this hobby takes you. It’s always fine to change and adjust as you get deeper into gardening as an activity. Because it is so low risk and low investment, you really don’t have anything to lose by trying it out.
7. Take Up a New HobbyYou could also try something completely new. Activities for retired people aren’t confined to just want you’d expect. There are so many things you can try. Don’t limit yourself.
For example, you might try a new sport. It’s important to stay active as we age, so what better time to try out something completely different. You could take up a bow and arrow and learn archery. Or perhaps you’ve never tried dancing before. Sign up for some classes and see how you like it! There’s no harm in trying a new sport and deciding later it isn’t really for you.
Don’t limit yourself by your imagination. Activities for retired people are as varied and wide-ranging as retired people themselves. There’s no one right answer.
If the sports above sound too intense or just not interesting, you might try something like yoga. There are even paddle board yoga classes these days where you balance on the water.
Your activities also don’t need to only be about yourself. Retirement is a great time to volunteer. There are probably a lot of places in your local community that could use volunteers, whether they’re soup kitchens, senior centers, or churches. Ask around. You might be surprised by what you find.
You could even get a part-time job. Yes, you’re retired, but is there a job you always wanted but couldn’t justify taking because of a pay cut or something? Jobs can be activities for retired people, too. Maybe you really wanted to work at that cute local bookstore. Now is the time to apply! You can get some spending cash and keep up a schedule week to week.
8. Start a BusinessFinally, we suggest starting a business as one of the best activities for retired people. Why? Because you are now at a point where the risk is much lower than it might have been in the past.
In your working years, leaving a secure job to start your own business would probably have been a large financial and social risk. However, now you might have the opportunity to go for it with far less risk to you and your family. If you are financially secure and want to start up your dream business, this can be a great time to do that.
You can start up any kind of business that interests you, too. Maybe you’ve always had a brilliant idea in the back of your mind for a business but just didn’t have the time to start it. Chat with some friends, write down your ideas, and see if you can turn that dream into a reality.
You could also look into owning a store that’s part of an established franchise. This allows you to start a business, but not completely from scratch. You could fun a yoga studio franchise, for example, or perhaps a restaurant that’s part of a chain.
If you go this route, a lot of the groundwork will be laid out for you already, allowing you to step into a pretty secure situation. This is one of the more demanding activities for retired people, but for some folks it is exactly what they’re looking for in retirement.
Some of us just aren’t cut out for quietly retiring and sitting still. And that’s fine! Start a new sport, open a business, see the world – find activities for retired people that keep you active and speak to your interests. You might find a new love in life that becomes a passion project for many years to come.
