389 Road Scholar and Solo Travelers: An Opportunity for Learning & Intergenerational Connection

389 Road Scholar and Solo Travelers: An Opportunity for Learning & Intergenerational Connection

Author: Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau July 15, 2026 Duration: 31:28

Lifelong traveler, Barbara Winard, 78, has been exploring the globe since she was in her twenties. She loves traveling independently and has taken 8 trips as a solo traveler with Road Scholar— the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults. Barbara travels to learn, so Road Scholar’s focus on educational travel has been a perfect fit for her. “Discovering new things in your life is wonderful,” she says. “All travel expands your world and helps you understand other people.”

After traveling with Road Scholar to South Dakota, Barbara started writing blogs for the organization and quickly became Road Scholar’s go-to expert on solo travel. Through her work with the organization, she formed a friendship with Road Scholar’s former blog editor (and now PR director) Kelsey Knoedler Perri, 38. They have since traveled on a Road Scholar trip together to Quebec City. They both appreciate that Road Scholar has given them the opportunity to build an intergenerational connection.

Hear about Barbara’s experience as a solo traveler, how travel has changed for her as she ages, and learn from Kelsey about Road Scholar and how working for the organization for over 10 years has changed her perspective on older adults and aging.

“Discover new things in your life. Don’t overthink traveling alone. Take the leap.” - Road Scholar

Connect with Kelsey and Barbara:

Kelsey: Kelsey.Perri@roadscholar.org

Facebook: Women with Road Scholar

Website: www.roadscholar.org

___________________________________________________________________

And, Women Over 70 is pleased to

welcome our platinum sponsor,

AARP Illinois, a nonprofit, nonpartisan

organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how

they wish to live as they age. With nearly 1.7 million members in Illinois, AARP volunteers advocate for better health, financial security and stronger communities.

Visit AARP.org/IL to learn more.


Hosted by Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau, Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined turns the page on a well-worn cultural script. This is not a series about decline, but a collection of dialogues focused squarely on expansion. You’ll hear from women who are starting businesses, deepening their creative practices, forging new relationships, and confronting societal expectations with a refreshing blend of honesty and humor. These conversations, rooted in personal journals and lived expertise, delve into the practical and the profound-from the science of longevity to the personal journeys of resilience that define this chapter. The podcast moves beyond inspiration to offer tangible insight, framing the later decades as a time of active reinvention. Tune in for stories that replace stereotypes with specificity, and discover a community redefining what it means to grow older with purpose and curiosity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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