Three Career Options for Adventurous Retirees

If you're like many modern retirees, you have no intention of slowing down once you close your office door for the last time -- you want to tackle new challenges and explore new horizons. You may also have a strong desire to remain in the workforce on at least a part-time basis, but like most retirees, you want to work on your own terms rather than hitch your star to a traditional employer. Fortunately, there are many avenues available for retirees to stay active in the working world without becoming completely consumed by it. Like many retirees, you may also have a desire to travel during your golden years. 

Following are just three of the occupation opportunities available to retirees and others seeking something other than traditional employment. As an added bonus, all three of these options involve opportunities to explore various parts of the country. 

Work in a National Park

Because most national parks are located in parts of the country that feature abundant natural beauty among wilderness environments, local populations are rarely large enough to supply them with the amount of employees necessary to keep their operations from running smoothly. Seasonal jobs in resorts, stores, restaurants, and other service providers located in and around national parks are plentiful, and many offer onsite housing. Most jobs last for three or four months, although a handful of year-round positions do exist in some of the parks.

Jobs range from manning a cash register, leading guided tours, working at the front desk of resorts and other lodging accommodations, food preparation and serving, and driving tour buses. National parks are found in all four corners of the country, including exciting places such as Denali National Park in Alaska, the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona, and the redwood forests of Northern California and Southern Oregon. Most of these jobs are for the summer months only, but if you're a snow-lover, you may want to investigate working at one of the national parks that offer winter snow sports such as skiing and snowboarding. 

Drive a Semi Truck

Driving a semi truck is another great way to see the country while earning money. However, signing on with a trucking company could possibly involve being assigned more or less work than you want as well as routes that you don't necessarily find desirable. The solution might be to purchase a used semi truck and become an independent owner-operator. The demand for truck drivers is expected to see a significant increase in coming years, so it's likely that you'll be able to customize your work schedule to accommodate other aspects of your life. 

Although driving a semi truck has traditionally been the forte of single men and couples, it's also a great career for single women. If you're uncomfortable going on the road alone, you may be able to find a retired friend who'd like to team up with you. Even if flying solo is more your style, you might want to consider going in with another person on the purchase of the truck and working out an arrangement where you split the time with the truck. To see your semi-truck options, check out sites like http://www.arrowtruck.com/.

Become a Campground Host

Campground hosting is similar to working a seasonal job at one of the nation's national parks, but you've got to be able to provide your own place to say -- which makes it ideal for retired couples or singles who own an RV. Available campgrounds range from those situated on Forest Service land and national and state parks to those that are privately owned. Duties generally include taking payments and answering questions from campers about area amenities.