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Know the feeling? We’ve all been there at one point or another. It’s
the feeling you get when you’ve been dedicating yourself to something
for a long time—longer than you’ve ever dedicated yourself to anything
before, and now the end is fast approaching. You can feel it in your
bones. The indescribable rush of pride and energy that comes with being
young and embarking upon a new adventure is upon you. Let’s just come
out and say it: You’re graduating.
They call it commencement for a reason. It’s the end of your college
years, but the beginning of a different phase of your life. You will be
setting out into the world, into the workforce, and your school days are
now to be relegated as flashes in your fond memory banks.
But stepping right out of school and into the workforce doesn’t sound
like the bag of fun we expect after all this trouble. Not by any means.
We want to celebrate, take our first full-fledged steps out into
freedom. So let’s take off! Be it partying or adventure travel, vacation
looms large on the horizon. Here a list of the top places to go after
you graduate.
1. Cancun, Mexico
Cancun ATV tour
Although you may have heard this before, Cancun is still on the
hotlist of places to go if you haven’t been before. Miles of white
beach, cheap beer, and an overabundance of young club-goers fills this
once-small Mexican town with revelers. The parties are notorious, the
clubs hedonistic, and the outdoor activities fantastic.
Fancy a horseback ride through the beach or jungle? You can find that
here. How about an ATV tour with tequila tasting? Also here. Want
something a little more exotic? How about a spa day where little
tropical fish nibble the dead skin off your toes? Yep, if you can
stomach it, they have that too.
2. Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu
Many people like to travel with a purpose, to accomplish something.
You’ve just finished acquiring that long sought-after degree, so you can
do anything, right? Well, maybe not anything, but certainly a trek
through the pristine cloud forests of Peru wouldn’t do you any harm.
Check it off the bucket-list; Machu Picchu is high atop the Inca Trail
and is known world-wide for its stunning views, the incredible
stone-masonry, and the sense of deep peace that comes with visiting this
sacred once-royal retreat.
Read more about things to do in Peru
3. Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland skyline
What’s doing in Auckland? Most Zealand trips originate in this
capital city, and though there’s plenty to see here, many visitors just
want to get out and explore the rugged coastline famous for its boating,
skydiving, sailing, white-water rafting, hang-gliding, canyoning,
hiking, parasailing, skiing, heli-skiing, para-skiing… you get the
picture.
Filled with all the majesty of never-never land, New Zealand, either
north or south, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the outdoorsy.
Filled with excitement, spectacular vistas, and wine-tasting
extraordinaire, New Zealand’s got it all should you desire it.
Browse outdoor activities in Auckland
4. Cinque Terre and the Italian Coast
Enjoy the sun in Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre, meaning literally “Five Lands” in Italian, is, as you
might expect, a great place for a couples retreat. Five picturesque
mountain towns join together on a strip of rocky and olive tree-lined
coastline to complete a beautiful Italian escape. Long a backpacker
favorite, in recent years Cinque Terre has become something of a luxury
hotspot, particularly the town of Monterosso which has a more modern
feel to it. Spend your time getting to know the old Italian way and fall
in love all over again under a moon over the Mediterranean.
5. Greek Isles in the Early Season
Santorini
If you plan well, the Greek Isles can be an incredible escape and
dirt cheap too. The early season starts in May, and the tail-end belongs
to the month of September, so if you wind up getting finished with
finals early, or your thesis runs a tad bit overdue, there’s celebration
to be had either way. Hostel prices can drop by half, and eager
hoteliers often treat their guests to free lunches, ATV rides, ouzo
tastings, you name it. And then there’s always the glittering Aegean, a
healthy nightlife, and the beautiful seascape to contend with.
6. Patagonia
There are lots of adventures to be had in Patagonia! Photo courtesy of Ana_Cotta via Flickr
Spanning Chile and some of Argentina, Patagonia has long been on the
list of adventure seekers and nature lovers alike. Known for being a
mythical nature preserve of small mammals and plants of lore, today
Patagonia serves as a fly-fishing hotspot, a glacier-hiker’s dream, and
the place to go when you’re looking to get away.
Here, you have you choice of places to jet in from, but the most
popular is Buenos Aires (a party town not to be overlooked in its own
right) and then a skip over to the mountain town of Trelew. From there
you can hike all the trails your heart desires. Or, if you decide to go
half-way in, you can just jump on a catamaran and coast the rest of the
way. It’s your vacation, after all.
7. Egypt’s Mighty Pyramids
Camel ride to the pyramids
It’s been on your To-Do list for so long it’s practically your
father’s To-Do list. You must see the pyramids. Why? For whatever
reason, the pyramids and their illustrious draw have pulled visitors to
their dusty steps from all nations and races for centuries. Perhaps
that’s why we still go.
The greatest standing testament to the origins of the species we call
Homo sapiens is nestled in a bustling, winding, conurbation called Cairo that smells of all the wonders of the old world.
Ride a camel through the Sahara or smoke
shi-sha
(hookah) with the locals by the Sphinx. Here, you can unwind, explore a
bit of the Middle East, and go back to a place where, somewhere down
the line, we all called home.
8. Dublin, Ireland
Guinness Gravity Bar
Ask a Dubliner and he’ll tell you: there’s only one city in Ireland.
Yep, you guessed it—it’s Dublin. Though understandably biased, their
statements aren’t wholly without merit. If you want to see the famous
green grasslands of Ireland, this is a great place to start. If you’re
looking to party, here too is where the nightlife lies. And if you’re of
a more literary sect, again, this is your town.
Writers in Ireland pay no income tax, have their run of the numerous
bookstores here, and are generally a welcomed breed. Perhaps that is why
literary greats such as Joyce, Wilde, Swift, Seamus Heaney, and Eavan
Boland all have left their light on, at some point or another, in this
great town.
Take a literary pub crawl in Dublin
9. Thailand
Thailand is a great place to relax after finals
While the whole of Thailand is beyond the scope of this article, the
whole of Thailand is a great place to visit. Here you can lose yourself
at a
Full Moon party,
wade through crystal clear waters while living on dollars a day, ride
an elephant, and pay spiritual homage to the Buddha of your choice. And
though June through October is roughly considered the rainy season,
rarely does it rain for days on end, while serious financial gains are
to be made when booking for this time of year.
10. Baja Surf Trip
Baja California – photo courtesy of Di Sanders via Flickr
This is the one to send postcards home about. There’s no specific
destination in mind, but you’ve gathered your buddies, you’ve cast off
your trappings, and you’ve all piled into your VW Vanagan. Here, you’ve
got your surf breaks picked out, your travel guidebook and your pocket
Spanish phrasebook and you’ll be sure to stop in Rosarito for cheap
spiny lobster and a few Coronitas. Here, it’s all about the uncharted
dusty path and the friends you make along the way. Hunh, sorta sounds
like college, doesn’t it
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