Adventure at Any Age: Why It’s Never Too Late to Say Yes to Wild Moments

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We are excited to present to you this work by guest author Anjuli Bhatia, Owner and Founder of Canada Revealed. We rarely invite guest authors on Psychology of Travel, so I hope that speaks to the trust we have in the travel enthusiasm we’ve seen first-hand in getting to know Anjuli. Enjoy her work!

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My dad still raves about the time a humpback whale surfaced just metres from our kayaks. It was 2017, and I’d taken him—then 73—on a kayaking and glamping trip along a remote stretch of Canada’s west coast.

We were paddling at dusk to catch the bioluminescence when a shape the size of a bus rose out of the water, let out a thunderous exhale, and glided past us like a ghost ship.

Everything stopped for a few seconds, including our hearts! But then the adrenaline took over and with exclamations of “whoaaa”, “incredible!!!” and “insane…” etched the experience into our memories and we continued on our twilight journey. He still brings it up—often—and honestly, I do too.

Here’s the thing: that trip wasn’t designed for seasoned athletes or extreme adventurers. It was a “rugged luxury” experience— a glamping basecamp with hot outdoor showers, cozy canvas tents with down blankets, gourmet meals, and a woodfired cedar hot tub under the stars. But it was also real adventure, where we woke up to the sound of whales in addition to the smell of delicious dark roast each morning. Wild. Unscripted. Moving.

And my dad? He crushed it. Sure, with my and our guides’ help, but he made it look easy.

Because adventure doesn’t have an age limit. And in a world that’s constantly telling us to slow down, be (overly) safe, stay comfortable, or act our age, I’m here to say: I don’t buy it.

Let’s Ditch the ‘Too Old for That’ Myth

Somewhere along the way, we were fed this narrative that once you hit a certain age, you’re supposed to stick to cruises and coach tours with rigid itineraries and buffet lines.

But in my experience—both as someone who travels with her dad and someone who helps people plan deeply personal Canadian trips—those are usually the least satisfying kind of getaways. Because they don’t challenge us and are just more of the “same old”.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and place for everything. But not every time.

The truth? The desire to feel awe, to be moved, to try something new—it doesn’t fade with age.

You don’t need to be some ultra-marathoner to experience that kind of magic. You just need the right destination, the right mindset, and ideally, someone who can recommend options based on what’s right for you, not what a booking engine wants to sell.

Does Research Support This?

New experiences don’t just make life more exciting—they actually change how we perceive time and happiness. Dutch psychologist Douwe Draaisma has written extensively about how the first 18 years of our lives feel so long precisely because they’re filled with “firsts”—new experiences, new emotions, new challenges. As we get older and life becomes more routine, our brains stop marking time as vividly.

The antidote? Shake up the routine. Step outside the familiar and comfortable. Do the thing that excites you and that you haven’t done yet.

When we repeat the same kind of travel over and over again—same travel style, same pace, same format—it may be comfortable, but the experiences tend to blur together (was it on the Hawaii or Caribbean cruise that xyz happened?). It’s the unfamiliar, the slightly uncomfortable, that burns itself into memory and creates the feeling that time is expanding [1].

There’s also growing research showing that new and engaging experiences increase dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in motivation, learning, and memory formation [2].

Even anticipating a trip boosts happiness, often more than the trip itself [3].

That’s part of why that kayaking trip stands out so vividly for my dad. He would have never booked it on his own—it would have felt too daunting, too far outside his comfort zone, too far from his usual travel style.

But with a little nudge, he said yes. And it’s precisely because it was different, unexpected, and slightly challenging that it’s stuck with him all these years as an extraordinary memory.

So no, it’s not frivolous or crazy. And no, it’s not too late. It’s living.

Go With Your Parents (Or Your Kids)

If you’re an adult and lucky enough to still have a parent around…go!

Do the trip. Say yes. It doesn’t have to be a bucket list blowout (though if it is, I’ve got ideas). It just needs to be intentional.

That 2017 trip with my dad? It’s now part of our shared history, among many other memories over the years, each one distinct, different from the rest. Stories we’ve retold over wine and dinners and Zoom calls. And I know, without a doubt, that he felt proud. That he got to do something extraordinary. That he felt seen—not just as “Dad,” but as a fellow adventurer.

I’ve also worked with clients who’ve done the same—adult children bringing their parents along for polar bear safaris, culinary road trips, heli-hiking in the Rockies. Every time, it’s the same takeaway: we think we have more time. Until we don’t.

Discomfort is the Point…Sort Of

“Adventure” is a subjective word. For some, it means climbing peaks or whitewater rafting. For others, it’s simply trying something unfamiliar—something that nudges you just slightly outside your comfort zone. That’s the sweet spot.

Psychologists call this the “optimal anxiety zone”—that sweet spot where a bit of anxiety/unfamiliarity actually makes us perform at our best and feel most alive [4].

Canada is full of experiences that feel wild and remote but are designed with flexibility in mind. Some examples include:

• Floating down a river while salmon dart below, trying to evade hungry grizzlies – then returning to a luxury wilderness lodge and a curated glass of wine.
• Joining a small group & guide and hiking the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland, but with all the creature comforts at the end of the day at upscale inns.
• Taking a helicopter to a mountaintop for a guided walk or hike and a picnic with glacier views.
• Exploring the Arctic on a small expedition ship with appointed suites and gourmet dining, while going out by zodiac or kayak each day

None of those require peak physical fitness and some none at all. But they all deliver something so many people crave: stillness, awe, perspective – and usually involve a bit of discomfort.

Not the blister-inducing, sleep-on-the-ground kind—but the kind that nudges you out of routine. Out of autopilot.

Maybe it’s going somewhere with no cell service. Maybe it’s kayaking for the first time. Perhaps it’s just choosing to be where the wild things are instead of watching them on a screen, and Canada, with all its vastness and variety, is made for these kinds of experiences.

If you’re not sure what’s realistic or right for you, that’s where a professional can make all the difference—someone who’s not tied to one lodge or one package. The goal isn’t to sell you the most expensive thing. It’s to understand you—your comfort level, your dreams, your boundaries—and then help you find something that fits.

Adventure Has an Expiry Date

Here’s the part we don’t like to talk about: none of us are guaranteed time. And the longer we wait, the easier it is to convince ourselves it’s too late, too indulgent, too impractical.

But I’ll tell you what I’ve seen: some of the most life-changing trips I’ve planned were for people in their 60s, 70s and even 80’s+. People who’d been caregivers for decades. People recovering from grief or illness. People who just decided—finally—that it was their turn.

These trips aren’t about chasing adrenaline. They’re about choosing meaning. Presence. Connection.

Shirley, a dear client whose husband had recently passed away, planned a polar bear viewing trip with me because that was the trip they had wanted to do together. Instead of sitting back and saying “It’s too late now”, she got up, called me and said “I want to go see polar bears”. She celebrated her 80^th birthday on this trip and I ensured she had all the support on the ground she needed – and a birthday cake on her special day.

You don’t have to figure it all out yourself. If you’re sitting on the fence—whether you’re the one craving the adventure, or you’re thinking of inviting someone you love on one—consider this your nudge.

There’s no perfect time. Just the time you make.

Ready to start imagining a trip that’s tailor-made for this chapter of your life? Canada’s calling.

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~Anjuli Bhatia, Owner & Founder of Canada Revealed – A Boutique Canada Travel Company for the Traveller Who Wants More.

Sources

[1] Draaisma, D. (2004). Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older: How Memory Shapes Our Past. Cambridge University Press.

[2] Chen, H., & Oldham, G. R. (2006). Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(4), 874–885.

[3] Nawijn, J. et al. (2010). Applied Research in Quality of Life, 5(1), 35–47.

[4] Yerkes, R. M., & Dodson, J. D. (1908). Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18(5), 459–482.