9 Graduation Trip Ideas for Every Budget | Condé Nast Traveler

Our favorite graduation trip ideas include cruising the Caribbean, backpacking in Eastern Europe or South America, or walking Spain's Camino ... SkiptomaincontentAgraduationvacationisaboutmorethanknockingbackdrinksinaforeignland.Suchadventurescanalsooffermomentsofreflectiononwhatliesahead.Choosinghowtospendthismilestonetripisn’teasy,either.Inadditiontosettingabudgetandchoosingyourtravelcompanions,recentgradsshouldconsiderwhattheywanttogetoutofthetrip,advisesShelbyAlbo,travelconsultantatEmbarcCollective.Here,we’vepulledtogethernineunforgettablegraduationtripideasthatappealtoarangeoftravelstyles—nomatterwhatyourbudgetis.PinterestAntonPetrusTheotherSoutheastAsialoop“Backpackingtripsinaforeigncountryaretrulyunbeatable,especiallyforgraduation,”saysJenRichardson,atravelplanneratScouted.WeallknowtheclassicloopthroughThailand,Cambodia,Vietnam,andLaos,andit’sagreatone—theregionisaffordablefortravelersspendingU.S.dollarsandthereisnoshortageofculturalsites,naturalwonders,andlivelyparties.Butyoucanfindallofthatandmoreonaless-traveledpathfarthersouth. InIndonesia,visitthebustlingcapitalofJakarta,scooterbetweenricefieldsinUbud,andkickbackonthepostcard-perfectislandsofLombokandBali.ExperienceamixofculturesinMalaysiabytastinglaksacurryonthestreetsofPenangandvisitingtheHindutemplesintheBatuCaves,thenswingdowntoSingapore.Itisn’tcheapbyanystretch,butafewdaysinthestreetfoodcapital—whichhascolorfularchitecture,lushhikingtrails,andahigh-techairportwithabutterflygardenandmovietheater—areworththeend-of-trip-splurge.PinterestMaremagnumAweekend(orlonger)inPuertoRicoTheCommonwealthisaneasyflightfrommuchoftheU.S.,andyoudon’tevenneedapassport.Ifyouhavejustaweekend,bookanAirbnbinoneofthecandy-coloredcolonialbuildingsofOldSanJuan,wherereggaetonandsalsafillthestreetsandtheBadBunny–approvedcocktailbarLaFactoríacomesalivesevennightsaweek.Ifyouhavefivetosevendaystoexplore,planamulti-stoproadtriparoundtheisland—surfingontheWestCoast,nightkayakinginoneofPuertoRico'sthreebioluminescentbays,andbakingonthedazzlingwhitesandsofCulebraIsland.Pinterestf9photosSouthIndiaimmersionYouwanttogofar,butyoudon’twanttogoalone:IntrepidTravel’sgrouptripsarebuiltaroundthispremise,withaccessiblepricepointsalwaysfrontofmind.Theoutfitter’stwo-weekRealSouthIndiatrip(from$909perperson)isagreatgraduationtripidea—ittakesupto16freespirits(ages18to29)fromHyderabadtoKochi,withfivestopsandtwoovernighttrainsinbetween.SeeBollywoodfilmsetsinRamojiFilmCity,exploreHindutemplesinMamallapuram,observeelephantsandtigersinBandipurNationalPark,andfeastonstuffeddosainMadurai.Theratecoversguides,accommodations,selectmeals,andnumerousactivities;setyourGoogleFlightstrackernowforastellarairlinedeal.PinterestChristopherHigginsTheUtahparkscircuitGrabafewpalsandpileintoavantogopark-hoppinginUtah.Thestate’snationalparksandmonumentspromiseslotcanyons(ZionandGrandStaircase-Escalante),forestsofrockhoodoos(BryceCanyon),sanddunes(atCoralPinkSandDunesStatePark),andbrightredrockcarvedbytheColoradoRiver(Canyonlands),tonamejustafewoftheBeehiveState’sotherworldlylandscapes.Spendyourdayshikingandeveningscampingunderthestars—theFruitaCampgroundinCapitolReefNationalParkisworthplanningaround—insettingssostunning,they'llstickwithyouforalifetime.PinterestDANIELSLIMAsunnyCaribbeancruiseAfteryearsofgrinding,youmightbereadytosimplylazeinthesun—atruetreat-yourselfmomentbeforestartingcollegeorbeforeyourfirstjobbegins.BookaspotonaCaribbeancruise,whichwillhavespaceforallofyourfriendsandwon’trequireyoutoliftasinglefingeronceyouareonboard.RoyalCaribbeanoffersahugeselectionofaffordablecruisesdepartingfromNewYork,Florida,andGalveston,Texas.Goforoneofthefive-nightoptions,whichstopinthecrystallinewatersofCozumel,Mexico,andGeorgeTown,GrandCayman,andofferplentyofnightlifeandpoolsideentertainmentoptionstokeepthingsinteresting.PinterestMabryCampbellSouthernU.S.roadtripForamemorableAmericanroadtrip,makethedrivefromAtlantatoWestTexas,withstopsinNewOrleansandAustinenroute.You’llfindmusicandnightlifeallalongtheway—Atlanta’sTrapMusicMuseumandSecondLineparadesweavingthroughthestreetsofNOLAarenottobemissed—plusroadsidephotoops(hello,MarfaPradastore).ScrimpbystayingatAirbnbsineachdestination;ifyou’retravelingwithjustafriendortwo,rentedrooms,insteadofprivateapartments,areagreatwaytomeetothertravelers.Stayingatlocallyownedpropertiesis"suchagoodwaytosupportthelocalcultureandwillmakeforarichexperience,”saysRichardson.PinterestJavierGhersiAtourthroughSouthAmericaThismaynotbeamongthefirstgraduationtripideasthatcometomind,butwhynotputthoseyearsofSpanishtouseinSouthAmerica?WhilethedistancesaregreaterthanthoseinSoutheastAsia,andthepricessomewhathigher,stickingtothenorthwesternedgeofthecontinentwillgiveyouthebestbangforyourbuck.Plus,“planesaresuperaffordable,”saysKatalinaMayorga,founderofElCaminoTravel,thankstonewbudgetlinessuchasVivaAirColombiaandStarPerú. Infourtoeightweeks,youcanhittheCaribbeancoastinColombia(withstopsinCartagenaandTayronaNationalNaturalPark);theAndeancitiesofMedellín,Quito,andLaPaz;andoglenaturalwondersliketheAmazonrainforest(bestaccessedviaIquitos,Peru),theUyunisaltflatsofsouthwestBolivia,and,ofcourse,MachuPicchu.FromlearningaboutAfro-CaribbeandancetotouringIncaarchaeologicalsites,you’llhaveloadstotalkaboutwiththefellowtravelersyoumeetinhostelsalongtheway.PinterestJudytaPietrzykowska/EyeEmEasternEuropebackpackingtrip“Europeanbackpackingtripsarestillverypopular,”saysAlbo.“Theeaseoftravelingfromonecountrytoanotherisanattractiveaspect.”NotonlyisEasternEuropemoreaffordablethanFrance,Spain,andItaly,it’slesscrowdedthanitswesternneighbors—despiteofferingjustasmanyreasonstovisit.IndreamyOldWorldcitieslikePragueandBudapest,regalchurchesandcastlesarejustasappealingastheedgynightlifescenes.(Wanttopartyinaconvertedbunker?Done.)Bytrainorbus,getouttothesceniccountrysideandhiketheTatrasmountainsthatborderSlovakiaandPolandbeforeexploringthequaintoldtownofGdańsk.Trustus—you’llleavewonderingwhytherestofyourfriendshaven’tconsideredEasternEuropeyet.PinterestpuravidaTheCaminodeSantiagoThere’ssomethingenticingaboutmarkingonemilestonewithanother.Fortravelerswhowanttodoitinhikingboots,aCaminodeSantiagopilgrimageisanidealchallenge.TheCaminoreferstoanetworkoftrailsthatallleadtoashrineofSaintJamestheGreatinGalicia,Spain,withseveralstartingpointsthroughoutthecountry.Beginners,however,arerecommendedtofollowtheCaminoFrancesroute,whichbeginsjustovertheborderinSaint-Jean-Pied-de-PortintheFrenchPyrenees.Thejourneytakes30to35daysandincludesovernightsinalbergues(bed-and-breakfasts).Ifyoufindyourselfneedingalittlemotivationalongthetrail,justvisualizethetapasandvinowaitingforyoueachnight.TopicscelebrationtravelTheWorldIsHuge.Don'tMissAnyOfItSignupforournewsletterstoreceivethelatestandgreatestonallthingstravel.Enteryoure-mailaddressSignUpNowBysubscribingtoournewsletter(s)youagreetoourUserAgreementandPrivacyPolicy&CookieStatement.