Your 20’s are the perfect time to get out and explore the world. Your responsibilities are minimal and, often times, there’s not much tethering you down. I’m a huge advocate for finishing your college degree and then giving yourself a few months before starting your career. These two, three, six? months in between are ideal for checking some wanderlust dreams off your list.
“There are times in our lives to travel a straight line. And then there are times to ramble, to explore what might be as we accept what is.”
“Your 20’s are your ‘selfish’ years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with shit, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground.”
Backpacking Europe or SE Asia
By far the most economical way of seeing the world. A well-planned backpacking trip can be fairly cheap (hostels!) and stress-free. It’s also the most practical way of seeing many countries at once. I was able to visit 16 countries in my first backpacking trip - something that would have next to impossible to do had I visited each one individually. Come up with a budget and hit the road! You’ll come back feeling accomplished and ready to take on the ‘real’ world. If you’re interested in knowing how I did it, here are my Europe and Asia breakdowns.
Road trip the US West Coast
A road trip of any kind can be great but the West Coast of the United States is essentially built for it. There’s a ton of cities to visit and even more national parks to explore. Start in southern California and work your way up to Washington. Plan to visit cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle. If you enjoy camping and hiking, Utah has some of the most famous national parks in the world.
Spontaneous trip to another city/country
If you’re someone that likes to plan everything down to a T, take an off-the-cuff trip! Not only can it be exhilarating but it can also change you on a deeper level. Keep a look out for airplane fare specials and when you find a good one – book it. Especially if you have never even thought about going there before. A friend and I did this with Peru and it was one of the best trips of my life.
Hostel/Volunteer work in a hostel
This is another great way to get out and see the world on a small budget. There’s a ton of hostels across the globe that take on volunteers in exchange for free accommodation and food. Requirements vary by place but there’s usually a two month minimum and you have to work 4 hours a day/ 5 days a week. A great website to check out is WorkAway. A group of 20 year-olds volunteering at the hostel I stayed at in Playa del Carmen, Mexico recommended it to me after I told them I’d been thinking about doing the same in Hawaii.
Visit an exotic country
Pick a place that seems totally crazy to you and go there. Maybe it's South Africa or Bolivia or Finland. You know what a very affordable cool destination for those of us living in the US? Iceland. It's cheaper for me to fly to Iceland (from Florida) than it it is fly to New York or California. It's also one of the most unique countries I've been to. Highly, highly recommend.
Take a trip out of your comfort zone
Do it safely, but do it. These are the types of trips that expand your worldview and make you a more empathetic and compassionate person. Hell, just go to Barcelona and sunbathe topless with the locals - whatever pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Get lost in nature
There's a few ways to do it: camping in national parks, hiking the canyons, trekking trips, Airbnb cabin stays. In my ideal world, I’d take a few months to hike the PCT.
This is the kind of trip you can do at any point in your life, which is great, but taking the whole family with you would make it a very different type of outing. Embrace the freedom of being in your 20's and do it now.
