Use Timeshares to Plan Retirement Travel

A number of savvy retirees are using timeshares to make retirement travel easier. Some started purchasing multiple timeshares 20 or more years ago with just that in mind. Others didn't jump on the bandwagon until they crossed the retirement starting line. But all have found that multiple timeshare ownerships will make it possible for them to continue traveling and enjoying life well into their golden years.

In an open forum on TimeshareForums.com, cathyb told how she and her husband built their timeshare retirement estate:

"Back in 1985 we bought our first timeshare, Carlsbad Inn. We lived an hour from this beach town and it served its purpose for two hard-working people to use as a get-away.... Now we own two weeks in Maui, one week in Kauai, two weeks in nearby Palm Desert, one week in Newport Beach, CA, Worldmark credits and Carlsbad Inn. All along our logic was to buy where eventually we could travel easily when we are old. Well, at ages 75 and 70 we now can drive to four of those owned and fly easily to the rest."

Cathyb and her husband recommend owning at least one timeshare close to home. Airline strikes, rising ticket prices and natural disasters may occasionally make it difficult or impossible to travel to far-flung timeshares. (Hurricane Iniki kept cathyb and hubby from vacationing in Kauai in 1992.) Maintaining an option within driving distance gives you an ace in the hole.

Other retirees say they've done the same thing. Rather than winter in Florida or Arizona, staying in the same place the whole time, they purchase timeshares in a few of their favorite vacation spots. They can then "winter" 3 weeks at one timeshare, 4 at another, etc. Every year they get to travel to all their favorite places without living out of a suitcase. They can put down a few roots in each community and enjoy returning each year to visit favorite haunts and eateries and discover new ones.

On the same forum iconnections agreed with retiree cathyb:

"We also like owning timeshares close to home ... it still feels like a vacation to us because it is on the ocean and that is quite different even if you live very close to the beach already. You don't have the view of the ocean and sound of the waves at home so you still feel like you are far away."

Iconnections noted that day use of your timeshare's pool and other resort amenities are nice perks often overlooked by owners who live near their timeshare. She also said she and her husband find it most restful to spend at least 4 to 6 weeks at each of their timeshares.

Some retirees find they prefer city vacations these days and plan to exchange their resort timeshares for the glitz of New York or the fun of San Francisco. They look forward to quiet afternoons wandering through museums or galleries, poking through shops, taking in a show or two, sampling some great ethnic food and, most importantly, leaving the driving to mass transit.

Whatever your retirement dream, buying or renting a timeshare can make travel easy and affordable. Click the post title to find out more about timeshares on Timeshare Giant.

Timeshares Let You "Try Out" Retirement Sites

When you're young, retirement seems light years away. By the time you're middle age, you feel like it can't come soon enough. "It's never to early to start planning for retirement," my financial planner keeps telling me. But she's always armed with a dreary stack of figures and portfolio options. Necessary, but ho hum boring. The part of retirement planning that excites me is the where.

Beach or mountain? City or country? Small town or metropolis? North or south? There are so many options and good things to recommend each choice. I finally hit upon the perfect solution. I'm trying them all out -- one timeshare at a time!

I made a list of all the places I might like to retire to and each year I rent or exchange a week at a timeshare in one of those locations. By staying at a timeshare, I'm guaranteed endless variety, superior accommodations, and access to fabulous amenities. The bonus is that making arrangements and planning my trip is quick, easy and hassle-free. I figure by the time I reach retirement age, I'll have narrowed down the field considerably.

The October 1, 2007 issue of U.S. News & World Report gave me some new places to add to my list of golden years hot spots. The article on America's Best Places to Retire lists 10 great cities across the country that have the amenities and services retirees are looking for, including cost of living, climate, low crime rate, healthcare access, educational opportunities, and recreational, entertainment and cultural venues.

San Francisco, one of my favorite cities, made the top 10 list. It's easy to leave your heart there. Cable cars, twisty streets, Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate -- San Fran is just teeming with exciting places to see and things to do. On Timeshare Giant you'll find nine timeshares for sale or rent that cater to every taste.

A stay at the chic four-star, Gold Crown boutique Club Donatello (above, right) puts you right in the heart of Union Square. Like a cozy bed and breakfast atmosphere? Live the genteel life of yesteryear at the Jackson Court City Shares (above left) brownstone mansion in prestigious Pacific Heights. You can experience the elegant life of robber barons and gold tycoons at the Nob Hill Inn which has catered to the rich and famous since the mid 1800s. If you prefer peace and quiet, you'll want to stay at Shell Vacations Club (right) on the quiet edge of legendary Fisherman's Wharf. Click the post title to preview all of the outstanding San Francisco timeshare properties available for purchase or rent on Timeshare Giant.