College Graduation Trip Ideas | CollegiateParent

Does your college graduate want to take a dream trip? Here's the info they need to choose an unforgettable destination and travel in style (and on budget). ADVERTISEWITHUSHome»StudentLife»CollegeGraduationTripIdeasStudentLifeCollegeGraduationTripIdeasKelseyGastGraduationisrightaroundthecorner,andyourstudentmaybedreamingabouttakingatriptocelebrate.Thetimebetweengraduationandthestartofthatfirst“realjob”orgraduateschoolisidealfortraveling,andatripcanbeanopportunityforpersonalgrowthaswellasarewardforyearsofhardworkincollege.AfterAmeliagraduatedfromBridgewaterStateinMassachusetts,sheusedherfamily’sflightpointstohelppayforairfarealongwithgraduationgiftmoneytofinanceatriptoEurope.Ameliasaid,“IlearnedmoreaboutmyselfineighteendaysaloneinforeigncountriesthanIdidinfouryearsofundergrad!”Whetherforanepicroadtripwithfriends,orasolobackpackingexperienceinadistantpartoftheworld,yourstudentmayhavebeendreamingandsavingforawhile—orperhapsyou’llsurprisethemwithplanetickets,gasmoneyorthewholetrip.Whateveryourapproach,wehavetipsandideastoignitesometravelinspiration!WhenIstheBestTimetoTravel?There’sarumorbuzzingaroundthatbookingaflightonTuesdayislessexpensive.Accordingto CheapAir.com’s2021airfarestudy,thisisamyth;however,you can findbetterdealsby travelingoncertaindays.Ananalysisof917millionairfaresinmorethan8,000marketsrevealedthatTuesdayisthecheapestdaytotravel—onaverageyourticketwillbe$85lessthanthemostexpensivedayoftheweek,Sunday.Anddon'tforget,planningiskey!CheapAir'sstudyputtheprimebookingwindowforthemostaffordableflightstobe9-25daysinadvanceofyourtrip.Everyyear,thisbookingzoneconsistentlyyieldsthelowestpricesfortravelers(within5%ofthelowestticketprice).SummerisapopularseasontotravelandyouwillfindmoreexpensiveflightsonpeaksummerdatesrangingfromJune24toAugust7.CheapAir’sstudysuggeststhatthecloseryougettolateAugustandSeptember,thebetterchanceyouhaveofbookingmoreaffordableairfare.GraduationTripIdeasintheUnitedStatesTheUnitedStatesispackedfullofgemsforyoursoon-to-begraduatetoexplore:historicalmonuments,nationalparks,miraculouswaterfalls,incrediblearchitectureandmuchmore.Ifyourstudentisn’tsurewheretheywanttogoyet,we’ve researchedpopulardestinations andpolledrecentcollegegraduatesonsomeoftheirfavoriteplaces.FORTHEADVENTUROUSSPIRITHowaboutaroadtriptovisitacoupleofAmerica’snationalparks?Summerishightouristseason,soyourgradshouldbesuretobooktheircampingspotsormakelodgingreservationsinadvance.Iftheytakeatripoutwest,suggestthesenationalparks.Yosemite,intheSierraNevadaMountainsinCalifornia,encompassessomeofthefinesthikingandclimbinginAmerica.YourgradwillwanttocheckouticonicHalfDome(watchtheOscar-winningdocumentary FreeSolo first!)aswellasYosemite’stallestwaterfall, BridalveilFall.YellowstoneNationalParksprawlsacrosspartsofWyoming,MontanaandIdahoandisknownforitswildlifeandamazinggeothermalfeatures. RoughGuideshastips forhowtoavoidthesummercrowds.TheGrandCanyonlocatedinArizonais277mileslong,about18mileswide,anduptoonemiledeep.Itisanabsolutelybreathtakingexperience.It’sprettyhotinthesummer,butmightbeaperfectdestinationifyourgradwillplananautumntrip.Takeatripto GlacierNationalParkandhikeanypartofthe700milesoftrailsinNorthwesternMontana.GrandTetonNationalParkinWyomingisaremarkableplacetoadventurewithgorgeousterrainfeaturingmountains,lakes,riversandforestsaswellasdiversewildlife.Usefultool: Downloadthe AllTrailsapp.It’sfreeandhostsover60,000trailsforhiking,trailrunningandbiking.Itisextremelyuser-friendlyandmakesnavigatinginanunfamiliarplacesimple.Userscanfilterlength,ratinganddifficultylevelforacustomexperiencewhenembarkingontheiradventure.DISCOVERANEWCITYNewYork—“theBigApple”—isanurbanexperiencelikenoneother, fullofbustlingcitylovers,livelynightlife,incrediblearchitecture,world-classartmuseumsandofcourseBroadway.Yourgradwon’twanttomisstheStatueofLiberty,EmpireStateBuildingandEllisIsland;here’s afunblogtosharewiththemsotheycanalsobesuretodiscoverthe“real”Manhattanoffthebeatenpath.Instagramisalsoagreattoolforfindingthenewestormostuniquerestaurantsandthingstodo—checkoutNewYorkBucketListandtheNewYorkFoodguide.Anddon'tforgetaboutthesubwaysandbusses!SuggesttheyusetheTransitappwhilegettingaround.Itworksjustlikeamapsapp,butwithalltheinformationyouneedfortakingpublictransittogetthere.Ifyourstudenthasnevervisitedournation’scapital(especiallyiftheymajoredinpoliticalscienceorgovernment!),nowisthetimeforavisittoWashington,D.C.Manyattractionsarewithinwalkingdistanceofeachother:theLincolnMemorial,WashingtonMonument,freeSmithsonianmuseumsandmore.Theycanrentabikeorkickbackonadouble-deckertourbus.Californiaiseveryone’sdreamdestination.With LosAngelesasahomebase,theycanenjoybeaches,nightlife,artmuseumsandHollywood; SanFranciscoofferstrolleycars, thefamousGoldenGateBridge,GhirardelliSquare(chocolate!),morebeachesandisalsoclosetoCalifornia’sfamouslybeautifulwinecountryregion.Boston,Massachusettsbustleswithyoung,workingprofessionalsandwillbesuretodelightyourgrad.PopularactivitiesincludetheFreedomTrail,FaneuilHall,FenwayPark(homeoftheRedSox—bereadytosing“SweetCaroline”!),theBostonAquarium,guidedDuckTours—evenwhalewatching!Austin,Texas—knownasthe“LiveMusicCapitaloftheWorld”—isafun,vibrantplacetovisitforpeopleintheirearlytwenties.Seattle,Washingtonisacoastalcitywithahipyoungvibe,andwhenthesunisouttheviewsofMountRainierandtheOlympicRangearebreathtaking.Also,everypersonshouldvisitSeattle’soriginalfarmersmarket,PikePlace,  atleastonce.Usefultool: The CityMappersapp isanefficientwaytogetabird’seyeviewofalltheroutesonecantaketogetfrompointAtoBinabusycity.Ithelpslocatethefastestroutebysubway,train,ferry,taxi,carshare,bikeshareorwalking.SANDINTHEIRTOESMaybeyourgraduatejustwantstorelax.Notaworryintheworldiftheylookintothesedestinations!MauiorHonolulu–Hawaiioffersmanyoptionsforbeachygetawaysandnewculturalexperiences,too.Aloha!Diving,snorkeling,beaching,boating…there’satontodointhe FloridaKeyslocatedoffthesoutherncoastofFlorida.CapeHatterasNationalSeashore,NorthCarolina. Visittheworld’stallestbricklighthouse!Charleston,SouthCarolinaistheoldestandlargestcityinthestate.Richwithsoutherncharm,beautyandculture,thisbeachtownisaperfectvacationdestination.LagunaBeachinsouthernOrangeCounty,CaliforniaisapopulardestinationonthePacificcoast.GraduationTripsAbroadAchancetoexploreoutsideoftheU.S.canbealife-changing.Therearesomanyincredibleplacestochoosefrom.Makesureyourstudentdoesextensiveresearchonwheretheyplantogoandthesortoflifestyletheycanaffordwhiletraveling.Culturescanvarygreatlyandexpectationsshouldbesetaheadoftime.Encouragethemtothinkthroughtopicssuchaslanguagebarriers,housingoptions,safetyprocedures,politics,etiquetteandmore.Hereareusefulappstohelpthemontheirjourney.Whatsappsuppliessecure,reliablemessagingandfreephonecallstohelpyourstudentstayintouchwiththefamilyfromanywhereintheworld.TrailWalletisagreatappfortravelerskeepingakeeneyeontheirdailybudgetandexpenses.(OnlyavailableontheiOS)Airbnbisagreatoptionforlocatingrentalsofprivatehomesandaffordablerooms,providingadifferentexperiencethantraditionalhotelsorhostels.XEcurrency, acurrencyconverterapp,isextremelyhelpfulwhentravelingfromonecountrytothenext.TripLingoisaveryusefultoolforinternationaltravelers.Itincludesavoicetranslatorthatinstantlyhelpsyoucommunicateinanotherlanguage,acommonphrasebooktohelpwithcasualandformalspeech,learninglanguagetools,asafetyfeature,tipcalculatorandmore.STAYINGONBUDGETWHILETRAVELINGABROADUnlessyourgradcanfindgoodhotelorAirbnbdeals,hostelsaregreatfortravelersonabudgetwhodon’tmindsharedspaces.Itisalsoaconvenientwayforyourstudenttomeetotheryoungpeoplefromallaroundtheglobeandlearntraveltips—andevenmakenewfriendstoventurewith!Manyhostelspostreviewsonlinewithinsightsintosafety,cleanlinessandprice.RailEurope and EUrail offerdealsforstudentswhowanttocountryhopinEurope.Ifyourstudentpreferstotravelbyplane,theycanfindinexpensiveflightson Ryanair or EasyJet.Mealscanendupbeingalargeexpense,buttravelersdon’talwayshavetoeatout!Althoughanauthenticrestaurantexperiencecanbewonderfulfromtimetotime,yourstudentshouldtakeadvantageoflocalfoodmarkets—lessexpensivethanrestaurantsplusfuntovisitfromaculturalperspective.TrustinYourStudentFormanynewcollegegraduates,atripisariteofpassageandawaytotesttheirnewfoundindependenceandfreedom.Parentsaresometimesuncomfortablewhentheirstudentsembarkonajourneythattakesthemfartherawayfromhomethanthey’veeverbeenbutit’simportanttohonortheirchoiceiftheycanmakeitworkfinanciallyandwiththeirotherresponsibilities.Besuretodiscusssafetymeasuresandlogisticswiththem,butalsotrustinyourstudenttoplantheirtripanddealwiththeobstaclesthatmaycomeupalongtheway.Relishthismomentintime.Remembercollegemove-indayallthoseyearsago?Whatalongwayyou’vebothcome.Yourgrad’sjourneycouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutyourloveandencouragementfromthestart.JoinOurCollegeParentNewsletter!Getstoriesandexpertadviceonallthingsrelatedtocollegeandparenting.SubscribeNowTags:Graduation&CelebrationsKelseyGastReadmorebyKelseyGastKelseyGastattendedAppalachianStateUniversity,fromwhichshegraduatedmagnacumlaudewithadegreeinCommunication,Advertisingin2017.KelseyistheContentMarketingSpecialistatLogRhythmbasedinBoulder,Colorado,andbeforethatspenttwoyearsatCollegiateParent.Outsideofwork,sheisfueledbyspontaneousadventures,hiking,traveling—andnothingbeatsspendingqualitytimewithherfamilyandfriends!ADVERTISEWITHUSNewsletterSignUpSignupforourweeklyemailnewsletter,TheLoop,forongoingsupportduringyourstudent’scollegejourney.SubscribeNowConnectDon'tMissOut!Getengagingstoriesandhelpfulinformationallyearlong.Joinourcollegeparentnewsletter!SubscribeTodayStudentLifeUnderstandingROTCJaceR.W.JohnsonStudentLifeShouldIStayorShouldIGo?DavidTuttleStudentLifeTheBenefitsofStudentsActingUpAmyBaldwin,Ed.D.wpDiscuzInsert