What better way to celebrate your 60th birthday than to embark on a memorable holiday. Whether it’s to an overseas destination or setting sail on a cruise, holidays are a perfect way to celebrate a significant birthday or special occasion.
And if you’re wanting to celebrate with a real bang, why not make it a bucket-list holiday and tick off one of the big adventures you’ve always wanted to do.
If you’re looking for inspiration to get started on your birthday planning, we recently asked the Travel at 60 community what their ideal 60th birthday trip would look like.
Reader and avid traveller Anne Forbes says her dream trip is to enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Hunter Valley in New South Wales followed by an obligatory wine tour.
Famed for its world-class wineries and superb countryside, the Hunter Valley is fast becoming one of Australia’s top holiday destinations. Just a few hours north of Sydney, the region is surrounded by spectacular rural scenery and is home to more than 150 wineries — what more could you want?
The best time to visit the Hunter Valley for a hot air balloon ride is in spring as the flowers and greenery come to life.
From beautiful beaches and stunning castles to great food and tasty wine trails, Croatia has a lot to offer to its visitors, so much so, reader Lyndall Jenke says travelling the islands of this spectacular region is one place she’d love to visit for her 60th birthday.
If you’re planning on going island hopping, Split, a town on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, can be a good base. From Split, you can easily visit the islands of Brac, Hvar, Korcula, Vis and the world-famous city of Dubrovnik.
If you’ve been wanting to explore the South Pacific, why not make it your 60th birthday destination? That’s exactly what one reader did.
“I boarded the boat on my actual birthday and had the best 10 days of my life,” Fran Spears said.
There are many fantastic cruises departing from Australia that explore the spectacular South Pacific region. Some of the most popular destinations include Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, but there are thousands of islands in the South Pacific worth visiting.
If you only get to do one thing for your 60th birthday, it has to be watching the sun rise or set over Uluru, with a glass of champagne in hand, Travel at 60 reader Brenda Stott says. Whether you take an organised twilight tour or head out in the early morning for a sunrise walk, it’s a truly remarkable sight as the ancient landmark changes colours.
Meanwhile, there are a lot of free cultural experiences travellers can take part in, depending on your hotel or tour package. If you’re staying at the popular Ayers Rock Resort, you can’t miss the Bush Yarn with an Aboriginal storyteller. Or, why not try a bush food experience or take an ecology and museum tour.
Meanwhile, reader Trevor Kilgour revealed he visited Japan to see the beautiful cherry blossoms for his 60th birthday.
The appearance of cherry blossoms, known locally as sakura, is an annual spectacle in Japan that’s beloved by travellers from around the world. But timing a trip to coincide with cherry blossom viewing season is no easy task because the stunning blooms’ arrival is dictated by the weather. The best time to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom is typically March to April, although the dates of blooming do change somewhat according to weather conditions each year.