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Taking the Kids: Calling all empty nesters -- nine trips to take

By Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency on

"Are you going to miss me?" my son asked. "Are you going to cry?"

We were flying across the country for his freshman year of college and the answer was more complicated than the "of course!" he expected -- and that I replied. Of course, I would miss him. But. Having two kids at home was going to be less complicated than three, I hoped -- one less schedule to worry about, at the very least.

By the time the last one left for college seven years later, I was positively giddy. No more worries when she was out driving in bad weather on our winding roads. No more open school nights or interminable athletic meets in the rain or snow. No more meals based on her dietary-requirements-of-the-moment.

Of course, I missed her -- I missed all of them. I was just ready for a respite from the daily grind. Dry your tears, empty-nesters, and enjoy some much deserved "me" time after all these years. But tuition is so expensive, you say. There are plenty of options this fall for a short (or longer) getaway that won't break the bank. And for once, you can focus on what you want to do.

"Go on a real adventure like the young couple you once were," suggests my friend Kurt Kutay, founder of Wildland Adventures. Your dollar will go farther now that it just needs to cover the two of you."

That's true for single parents as well. Consider a small group trip doing something you love (biking or hiking with a company like Backroads, for example) or learning something new with Road Scholar, the nonprofit organization offering learn trips and attracting growing numbers of 50-somethings seeking affordable adventures starting at just $600 (Road Scholar offers scholarships and financial assistance). For example, hike in Arizona with a small group, discuss foreign policy with diplomats in Washington, D.C., or find your inner voice writing in West Virginia.

 

Consider a social service trip -- like a volunteer trip with Sierra Club Outings, which runs some 90 service trips a year where volunteers do everything from archaeological site restoration in New Mexico to working on trails in Montana. (Costs start at under $700.)

Take a cruise. Yes, it's hurricane season and Hurricane Dorian forced many cruise itineraries to be shifted, but the good news about a cruise is that they can maneuver to largely avoid bad weather. And if you have travel insurance, you will be covered in case you miss flights or can't get home. This fall, Princess Cruises introduces its newest ship, Sky Princess. It will make its U.S. debut in December in Ft. Lauderdale. Cruise somewhere on your bucket list -- like the Panama Canal. The Holland America Line has 32 sailings to choose from.

Oceania Cruises is known for its destination-immersion programs and smaller ships, some with less than 700 guests. All-inclusive river cruises are even more intimate and offer specialty options, like wine cruises on AMA Waterways. Save up to $1,500 on Uniworld’s “Last Call” deal for sailings until the end of the year.

Head to a national park. The crowds are gone and the weather will be much more palatable at the Grand Canyon, for example, and the fall colors will be spectacular at Acadia National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Teton National Park. You'll have a much easier time getting a reservation at those historic lodges you've always wanted to visit, not to mention a parking spot at a trailhead. (If you are 62, get a $20 Annual Senior Pass, which also provides up to a 50 percent discount on amenity fees; an Annual Pass costs $80.)

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