Welcome to My Travel Blog "Sunset Season"
Travelers 50+

What inspired this blog

I'm Christina and was born and raised in Orange County, California.  I have entered a new season as a 55 year old single woman who is an empty nester and recently semi-retired.  I love to travel with friends or family and I have very recently discovered solo travel.  ​You may be wondering about this unique and unfamiliar community of solo travelers.  I will share how I began with solo travel.  It was definitely unplanned.  I followed a lot of solo traveler groups and was very curious and excited for these men and women who were so brave and seemed to be so empowered by the experiences.  But the truth is, I was scared.  Would solo travel be enjoyable?  Would I be lonely?  And most importantly, would I be safe?  So, for years I watched and cheered on others who did it successfully.  I recently semi-retired and in late summer of 2025, a friend and I planned a trip to Portugal and Spain.  It was going to be amazing.  A couple of days before our departure, my friend had a very unfortunate dental emergency that prevented her from traveling.  We had to cancel our trip.  Thankfully she was ok.  I sat in my bed the day we would have departed and contemplated my options.  Staying home felt terrible after so much planning and anticipation.   My suitcase had been packed for weeks.  I thought maybe a road trip alone would help me feel better.  Then I remembered that I had wanted to go to Paris since high school French class. Most people I knew had already been and were not interested in Paris travel.  I thought to myself, why not a solo trip to Paris with my flight credit?!  After two hours online, I was booked for a one -week trip to Paris (Air, Hotel and daily Tours)!  Two days later, I boarded the plane for my first international solo trip to Paris.  To say I was nervous, would be an understatement but, I was equally excited.  Besides raising three wonderful adult children, It was one of the most empowering and an incredible experiences!  My family and friends ask me if I would do it again and my response.... ABSOLUTELY!  Whether you travel with family, friends or solo, I hope you enjoy my experiences and travel tips and my attempt at creating a travel community for those over 50.  We can all benefit from shared experiences.  Send me your stories!