Amazing destinations to visit after college

Now that the caps have flown and tassels have been hung beside the diploma with care, it’s time to enjoy the reward of achieving your dreams. Take that well deserved break and relax with a quick trip, or relive the triumph with a great adventure. We’ve put together a list of amazing destinations to visit after college to help you celebrate and explore the world.

The Best Beaches

After all that hard work, who wouldn’t want to live out a corona commercial with their feet in the sand of a perfect picturesque beach? Trip Advisor has released its 2014 Travelers’ Choice lists and of course beaches are of prime interest. Check out some of the best recommended hot spots both locally and globally so you can take your own postcard photograph with family and friends.

On the Home Front

After reviewing the list, there were of course a few regions that stole the spotlight. Paradise is in full bloom in the Hawaiian Islands year around which is why its beaches were ranked ten times in the top 25, with Lanikai Beach on Oahu landing in first place. Its name alone translates to “heavenly sea” and it is remote enough to limit tourists despite its fame. It is only about a half of a mile and the only way to reach the sand is to trek through small public access paths through an upscale neighborhood called Lanikai.

Florida is also iconic for its tropical aromas and seascapes, grabbing nearly half of the spots on the list and is another destination that visitors can plan a trip to any time of the year. It’s top reviewed beach on the list was Siesta Key Public Beach, the gateway to the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was recognized as having the whitest and finest sand in the world. In contrast to the Hawaiian sands, the beach may be considered a more social environment due to its wide spread recognition.

Other top domestic beaches:

• Beaufort, South Carolina
• Ogunquit Beach, Maine
• Race Point Beach, Massachusetts
• La Jolla, California
• Assateague Beach, Virginia

International Sands

Surrounded by natural flora and high rising cliffs, just in time for World Cup 2014, Brazil’s Baia do Sancho beach-bay is the number one international destination for sand serenity. It may be good for those doctoral grads who find that the bests rewards come after hard work and commitment because of its adventurous access trail. Contributing Forbes writer Ann Abel describes it beautifully by saying:

Craggy cliffs loom 230 feet over a perfectly shaped crescent of squishy-soft sand; trees carpet the cliff tops, giving refuge to sea birds; and lava rocks form protected pools that shelter schools of Technicolor fish at either end of the blue-green water. Best of all, it’s never crowded.

A few small tour boats stop here in the morning, but the best time for sunbathing is the afternoon, when the only way to reach Sancho is by foot: several hundred meters down a dirt trail, down a rickety ladder through the rock wall, through a tight crevasse, down an even ricketier ladder, and finally down a few dozen uneven, slippery-sandy steps. Is it a bit arduous? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Other transcontinental locations:

• Grace Bay – Turks and Caicos
• Flamenco Beach – Puerto Rico
• Anse Lazio – Seychelles
• Playa De Las Catedrales –Spain
• Turquoise Bay Exmouth –Australia

Wonders of the World

International business majors are not the only ones who can be inspired by the different cultures and environments around the globe as we are all citizens of the world. There are so many destinations where we can sit and reflect in awe of our natural and constructed surroundings. Of course there are the Seven Wonders of the World in ancient, modern and natural contexts which would be amazing at any time to see, but those trips are plentiful and because of their fame highly commercial. Here are some of our favorite National Geographic recognized hidden gems for the jet setters out there.

Australia

Beautifully described by the iconic publication, “Australia’s ‘Top End’ wears colors that sing: rust red earth, deep blue skies, and the golden eyes of watchful crocodiles in the flower-tangled waterways of Kakadu National Park. But it’s the people here who make the place come alive.” There are more than fifty Aboriginal tribes that still live in the region and new government networking connections have created a respectful balance in the outback.

India

The Ranthambore National Park in India is one of the most exotic places in the world, and one of the best places to find the most majestic of species. This region is packed with wildlife and is a protected tiger preserve complete with monkeys, leopards, foxes, macaques, crocodiles and more. For the history buffs of academia there is a crumbling ancient fort that can evoke scenes from a Rudyard Kipling tale.

Scotland

Of course we must advocate one of the greatest naturalist authors and explorers in history as we truncate a list of travels. This year Scotland has commemorated John Muir by opening up a namesake trail that sets off from his birthplace in Dunbar. Experience the land you see in the movies as you pass vast lonesome moors, scraggly hills, and dramatic skies with stops at historic marvels including the remains of the Roman Empire and 15^th-century castles.

Rwanda

Humanitarians and sociology grads out there may be speculative of this destination but in the spirit of diversity we agree that the Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda is truly a site to see. It is nature at its finest with an unspoiled mountain rain forest rife with primates and over 300 species of birds. Visitors can hike trails to peaks and waterfalls, and meet locals in the park’s local village.

Domestic Drives

For adult students who simply want to set up camp or pack the family into an RV and enjoy the local highlights, America’s national park system provides plenty of opportunities. There are 84 million acres of iconic, treasured and sacred places among over 400 national sites on the homeland. For Californians Yosemite is just hours away and provides many options for adventurers to pursue. For Washingtonians Mount Rainier is the fifth best park in the nation and residents are often proud of their state for providing some of the most scenic public parks. Check your local options and hit the road for a while to enjoy the reward for a job well done.