Visiting correspendent ELMcN, Chicago IL: I’m a travel agent, and want to do as much business as possible. However, many older clients ask me that question. Of course, it has no pat answer.

There’s certainly no lack of pro and anti opinions, and no right or wrong way to go. When we get older and opportunities to travel increase, each of us must make up our own mind. However, for various reasons, I advocate Americans should explore their own country before venturing overseas.

Q: I’m a divorced, 66-year-old guy, and recently went on a San Francisco to San Diego senior bus excursion. It was very well planned, and we enjoyed great meals, visiting cities, oceanside towns and Disneyland.

Another passenger was a very good-looking single woman about five years younger than me, who said she had been recently widowed. We hit if off well, and since we both lived in the Oakland area, I asked her for a dinner date after the trip was over.

We have friends who live in the desert Southwest, where summer temperatures hit 110+ degrees for days at a time. They book extended stays of one or two summer months at hotels in cool mountain areas of Canada, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Nevada.

They pay from $250 to $500 a week for modest one- and two-bedroom suites. They say the secret for getting bargain rates is that they choose hotels in university towns. The hotels are not busy in summer, and drop prices by 50 percent or more to entice retirees to occupy rooms during slow business months.

The private car ride company has been hugely popular with providing a driver when you’re on the street and need an immediate ride. Now, with its expanded service, Uber will send a car when you call for future needs from 30 minutes to 30 days.

So far, the new service is limited to several cities. As it becomes available in more locations, riders can make contact thru the app UberX. At the time of the rider’s call, a fee estimate will be quoted. However, as usual, rates will depend on time of day, location, major city events and other factors that may influence prices. For more info, go to uber.com