There’s definitely a liberating feeling to travelling the world in your twenties. That feeling of complete freedom to roam the planet, exploring all the wonders it has to offer.
The adventures, the parties, the festivals and not to mention making lifelong friends and memories too!
It’s the best time to go while you’re young, single and have little responsibility. So make the most of it and go create your own epic travel stories! The one’s you’ll be sharing for a lifetime to come.
And while there is no real age limit to travel, there are some things you might find you’ll prefer to do sooner rather than later in life.
So in no particular order, here are 20 trip ideas you should consider taking in your 20’s!
- Work As a Summer Camp Counsellor In the USA
Head over to The States for the summer season and work as a camp counsellor.
This was my first solo female trip and I loved every minute!
You can apply through companies such as CCUSA, Camp Leaders or Camp America, which makes the whole process super easy, from visa application to interviews, all the way up until you land in the U.S. I made so many new friends from across the globe on this trip, which inspired my further travels!
2. Do a Working Holiday Visa in the UK
Hands down this was one of the best things I did in my 20’s!
Originally I moved over to stay with a friend in Newcastle, but plans changed when I met some people in London who had a spare room and needed a new house mate, so I jumped in to fill the space. Living in a share house with 7 other Aussies and Kiwi’s was a recipe for fun times!
I then moved up to Edinburgh Scotland to live and work in a backpacker’s hostel, which is quite possibly the best job I have ever had in my life!
Constantly meeting new people from all walks of life from around the world was pretty amazing.
3. Backpack around Europe for a month…or three
A great way to do this if you are a solo traveller or with a group of friends is through a mix of solo travel and group tours.
I did a month long Contiki Bus Tour around Europe, starting in London and ending in The Netherlands. I joined the trip solo, but made some lifelong friends. I went on to join some of them on their travels after the tour, followed by some of my own backpacking solo around Spain and Portugal!
4. Sail Croatia For a Week
What better way to explore the coastal towns and islands of Croatia, than by sailing on a yacht!
I did my trip with Busabout, but there are many companies that offer this style of trip.
This was a solo trip, and so was paired with another solo female traveller to room with. This was great for keeping costs low, but also having a buddy to look out for you and vice versa on those crazy nights out!
5. Island Hop the Greek Islands
Explore the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Greek islands and have the time of your life doing it!
Ferries operate between the islands and it’s easy to organise yourself. But if you’re more like me and prefer to have everything taken care of for you, (so you can focus on having fun!) Busabout have awesome flexible tours that allow you to customize your trip, but without the hassle of booking tickets and finding accommodation on your own. Plus being a solo female traveller, it allowed me to travel safely in a group and make new friends who helped create awesome memories.
6. Scuba Dive with Sea Turtles in Dahab Egypt
Egypt is a destination that often gets over looked for misconceptions that it is unsafe. While that could be true for some parts, for others like Dahab, I beg to differ.
I fell in love with this cute coastal town, which is well known for is azure blue waters, scuba diving, free diving and snorkelling.
To date this is still the best place I have been for scuba diving, and the only place I have had the chance to dive with sea turtles! (Did I mention they are my favourite animals?!) I did my dive with Big Blue Dahab. They were awesome and made the experience one to remember. http://bigbluedahab.com/
Check out tours through Travel Talk Tours https://www.traveltalktours.com/au/ who helped me organise this dive!
7. Camp Under the Stars in the Sahara Desert
Journey through the desert on camel back and arrive at your Berber camp at sunset.
Go boarding on the sand dunes, have dinner around the open camp fire and fall asleep under the stars of the Milky Way!
Check out Busabout tours through Morocco.
8. Visit the Biggest Dance Party in Belgium “Tomorrowland”
Dance your feet off at this 3 day electronic music festival held in the town of Boom, Belgium!
Choose to bring your own tent and set up camp, stay in one of the glamping tents, or if you prefer a bit more luxury, you can opt to splurge and stay in a hotel.
I was lucky enough to attend this crazy circus spectacular to celebrate my 22nd birthday! It will always be one to remember.
9. Participate in the Annual “La Tomatina” Festival in Spain
If you don’t mind being cover from head to toe in tomato pulp and juices, this is the festival for you!
Held in the small town of Brunol, Spain, the population multiplies as 20,000 people descend to participate in this annual tradition where the sole purpose is to simply hurl tomatoes at your friends, plus thousands of strangers all in the name of fun.
An incredibly strange experience, but also a totally unforgettable one!
Fanatics or Busabout do tours here.
10. Backpack Through South East Asia
Pack your bag light, keep it minimal and set off on a cultural trip of a lifetime!
Whether you choose to do it solo, with friends or on a tour, South East Asia offers incredible adventures at every turn!
I have backpacked through Asia 3 times so far (this year will be my 4th) and every time I have experienced something new! A great eye opener to see how others live and witness their local cultures and traditions.
11. Experience a White Christmas
Depending on where you are from, this could be irrelevant.
For an Aussie like me, a white Christmas is certainly a novelty. (In case you didn’t know, In Australia we celebrate Christmas in the summer)
But if you are from a country where this is the norm, why not head south and try out a warm Christmas instead?!
12. Unearth your Wild at Burning Man
This week long festival in the middle of the Nevada Black Rock Desert is high on my bucket list!
While I am yet to tick it off myself, everyone I have met that has been, highly recommends doing this before you die. Why? Because it is one of the most unique life experiences you’ll ever do.
Based solely on art, community, spiritually, self-expression and self-reliance!
Express yourself by wearing the most obscure outfits, or nothing at all! No judgement here.
13. Hit The Road and join the van life tribe
No matter which country you choose to do this trip, I recommend doing it at least once in your life!
Even if you hire a van for a week or a weekend. Get out and explore the open road, get back to basics and enjoy the simplicity of nature and all that van life has to offer!
One of my goals is to build a camper van and tour across the Americas!
14. Work a Ski Season in Canada
Pack your warmest clothes and head north to the land of maple syrup and poutine.
Hit the slopes during your time outside of work, make new friends and have an epic adventure exploring the winter wonderland offered by the beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains!
15. Be Dazzled by the Bright Lights in Las Vegas
Ah Las Vegas, where to begin?
This city has something for everyone, whether it be live entertainment shows, trying your luck at one of the many casinos, or even exploring the restaurants and shops.
Get dressed up for the night and hit the town. No doubt about it, if you take a stroll down the main strip, you’ll be sure to find an adventure!
As the saying goes; what happens in Vegas, doesn’t really stay in Vegas!
16. Sit on the Edge of the Grand Canyon
There is something to be said about marvelling at this natural wonder of the world.
The deep canyons that have been carved out by rivers that once flowed through, is a sight that has to be seen with your own eyes to truly appreciate the beauty of it.
Take a seat on the edge of it all and be present in that moment. You’ll be amazed at what you find in the space there.
17. Trek through South America
Step outside and switch off for a few days to hike the trail to Machu Picchu.
This hike is said to be challenging at times, but is worth the reward at the end!
So if you don’t mind getting back to nature, taking the scenic route and going on a physical and spiritual journey, This is one for you adventurers out there!
- 18. Laze by the beach in Mexico
This is one of those trips where it feels good to do nothing but sit on the beach or by the pool and sip cocktails all day. Feast on the local Latina cuisine and simply unwind.
If you still prefer to get out at explore the country as I do, there is no shortage of that too. Go swimming in one of the fresh water cenotes, learn some history and check out the Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza, or explore the town you are staying in.
A popular place to visit is Cancun for spring break, if you enjoy a good party scene. You can get some awesome package deals with hotel resorts in the area and hit the clubs for a good night out.
- 19. Explore the tropical islands of Thailand
Thailand is always a good option for travel adventures no matter your age, travel style or budget.
The Thai islands offer a wide variety of things to see and do, so there is no excuse to be bored!
Head over to Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party, wander the chilled island of Koh Tao (even go to a secret jungle party), and my personal favourite is exploring the beautiful Koh Phi Phi Island.
20. Discover Hidden Gems In Bali
Bali is a small island in Indonesia, but by no means is it small on delivering the goods!
Hot on many people’s travel radar these days and for good reason.
Bali offers an endless supply of activities and gems to discover if you know where to look.
From chasing waterfalls, to surfing the waves, or even heading up the mountains to explore the rice paddies and make new furry friends in the monkey forest.
Bali is full of beautifully friendly locals and the culture and traditions are interesting to learn about.
If you do any trips from this list, make sure you do this one!
Bonus Trip – Road trip New Zealand
New Zealand is a small country, but man does it pack a punch!
From the north island to the south and everything in between, this country is full of stunning landscapes, mountains to hike, caves to explore and the list goes on.
If you love adventure travel, this is one country you should definitely consider.
Hire a camper and journey through the beautiful countryside.
It’s also the place to go for those Lord of the Rings Fans as a lot of the movies were filmed here.
One thing to always remember when travelling, is to be mindful and respectful of the places you are visiting. These are people homes and lively hoods. We all have to play our part in helping keep cultural traditions alive and being conscious of our impact to the environment.
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