Decades ago when older friends and relatives talked of meticulously-organized group tours and bus trips they had enjoyed, I silently vowed never to go that route when my husband and I became seniors. I wanted independence.

My, how we change. I was so wrong.

These days, since my husband quit driving last year and I don’t especially like being behind the wheel for more than an hour or two, we try to schedule at least one such organized excursion every month. Some months we splurge and travel twice.

We have discovered how liberating these adventures can be. No longer do we have to call hotels for rates and reservations or map out the best routes to our destinations.

All the details are handled by the bus company or travel professional who provides the tour.

Here in the Lehigh Valley we are fortunate to have several major bus companies and tour organizers ready to transport groups to varied venues.

Recently we discovered lovely, historic Honesdale in the northern Poconos.

The town was not our reason for the trip, although it is the reason we intend to return.

We had booked the journey because it offered a scenic train ride along the Lackawaxen River, and both my husband and I love trains.

As a delightful bonus, we also discovered the Dorflinger glass museum there, where I took about 50 photos of exquisite cut glass objects, including a baseball bat presented to a left fielder for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1913 World Series.

The mini journey, less than two hours from home, also introduced us to a creamery that makes delectable cheeses (I sampled every kind) and to the Wayne County Historical Museum, home of a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion, the first locomotive to operate on a commercial railroad in America, back in 1829.

Through these kinds of group tours we have discovered other destinations we never knew existed, yet some are close enough to home that now we drive there on return visits.

One surprise to me was that not all the travelers with us were older folks. Many young and middle-aged people also seem to embrace the concept of package tours, which include transportation, admission tickets, accommodations, amenities and sometimes meals, all arranged by someone else.

Travel always has been my favorite pastime, and I was no slouch when it came to driving across the country twice, each time for three weeks.

But that was in the days of lower speed limits, fewer confusing expressways and no road-rage incidents to speak of.

“Whatever happened to relaxing Sunday drives in the country?” A friend asked that question recently as he was being tailgated on an isolated rural road.

We cannot enjoy the landscape any longer. Everyone is in a hurry. Many drivers seem angry. Driving is no longer fun.

Fortunately we have numerous fascinating travel destinations within a few hours of the Lehigh Valley. And, if we so choose, we have local travel companies ready and willing to take us there while we snack or snooze or gaze at passing scenery.

Some of my favorite places, Lititz, Lancaster, Hershey, Wellsboro, Eagles Mere, Bloomsburg, and now Honesdale, are an easy drive for those of us still behind the wheel.

Other favorites, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Jersey shore towns, for example, are not locations I am eager to drive to, but they, too, are easy to reach because of the extensive offerings of local bus companies.

Some friends have gone with tour groups to Ireland and Iceland. Others traveled to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, all without the hassle of detailed planning.

Getting older, and even giving up the car keys, are not reasons to give up the journeys that brighten our lives. Far from it.

Just as we adapt our homes and lifestyles to accommodate our aging bodies, we can adapt our travel, too.

Contrary to what I thought years ago, I like leaving the driving and the planning to someone else.

That way I can relax and focus on my favorite aspects of every journey: enjoying the picturesque views and capturing memories with my camera.