There are some things in life that are better experienced with your best friend: responding to text messages from your crush, getting through a rainy Monday, and hitting up your favorite coffee spot. Most notably on that list is traveling. As much as you may love taking trips with your significant other or siblings, nothing quite compares to experiencing the world with your best friends. You always make a ton of memories, and capture every single laugh and otherworldly moment on camera. It's true: Some of the best travel experiences in your 20s you'd only want to do with your best friends.
You know from the trips you've taken in the past, that you can always expect a few things to happen when you travel with your best friends. The night before your flight, the group chat always lights up with people asking questions about what to pack and what time everyone's waking up. Then, you get to the airport and stock up on snacks after getting through security. The only thing left is getting to your destination and having the adventure of a lifetime.
With your best friends, your wildest dreams and expectations for a trip come true within the first few moments of being in your hotel room. So, do me a favor: In your 20s, make sure that you have these eight travel experiences with your best friends. It's essential for living a life with zero regrets and a ton of passport stamps.
At some point, you and/or your best friends studied abroad. You spent a semester during college living in another country. You checked out bucket list cities on the weekends, and spent your weekdays eating gelato in between classes. Now, it's time that you head back to that place you once called "home."
From my own personal experience, I can tell you that going back to your study abroad city is a little weird. Everything feels so similar, yet it's been months or even years since you've been in this amazing place. Either way, you want your best friends there to experience it with you — and all the emotions that come with being back.
Let's be honest: Long flights have been keeping you from traveling to some of the top destinations on your bucket list. You've watched your favorite influencers head to places like Bali and Thailand, and dreamed about making the trip yourself. But, you have to be on a plane for how long? Ugh!
That's where your best friends come in. They are there to make the journey much sweeter, and capture the good times on camera, too. Truth is, your 20s is the best time to go on these long and rewarding adventures, because you have more freedom with your time than ever before. Don't waste it.
Taking a road trip across the country is a must for every group of best friends in their 20s. All it takes is renting a camper van, and putting together a good route and some even better playlists. Then, you're ready to make some memories.
Now, if you don't have the time or money to take a road trip across the country, then even a smaller road trip will do. Hop in the car and go on a pretty winter road trip, or drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and see the beauty of California. What are you waiting for?
Right now, your town may seem pretty average. Sure, there are coffee shops and cute areas you like to explore. There are even a few hiking trails and paths nearby. But, other than that, you assume that it's a straightforward place to be.
You may be right, but what if you were wrong? What if you've been seeing this place for so long, that you didn't realize all of the hidden gems around you?
During your 20s, gather up your best friends, and find something magical near your home, like a waterfall. Even if it's a small one, tucked away in a park, it will give you a new appreciation for where you live. It will also be one of the best mini travel experiences you'll ever have.
For some, travel means getting outside of your comfort zone. It means taking the leap into unknown places and experiences, and seeing what they have to offer.
In my personal opinion, one of the best travel experiences to have to break your norms is to visit a national park. Spending time outdoors opens your mind to what's out there in our world, and challenges you to try new things. Leave behind your technology and soak in the waterfalls, mountains, or terrain around you. Having this adventure with your best friends in your 20s just makes it that much more rewarding.
Growing up, you and your best friends may have been dreaming about certain destinations around the world. You pictured falling in love in Paris, or having a Lizzie McGuire moment in Rome. (Part of you still believes that you could end up on a stage in the middle of the Colosseum, if you ever go there.)
Up until now, you've yet to travel to these cities. Instead, you've been staring at pictures of them on social media, and keeping them in your head. Your 20s is the time to chase those fantasies — to climb the Eiffel Tower and eat gelato in an Italian square. As much as your bucket list has grown, those destinations need to be checked off first.
In your 20s, you and your best friends will be moving around a lot. You'll live in your college town while you're in school, and then maybe move back home for a bit. At some point, you may decide that it's time to completely change locations — to move to another city, or even coast.
When you're considering this big move, it's a good idea to go there in advance and see if you like it. Make sure that you enjoy the weather there, and can get involved in the community.
Taking your best friends along for this experience is best, because they've known you for so long. They can tell you honestly if they see you living and working in this city.
You and your best friends should take a week and treat yourselves while you're in your 20s. I mean, you're dealing with a lot back home between paying bills and navigating your careers. Why not take a break from it all for a few days, for mornings by the beach and afternoons at the spa? (Um, yes please!)
Find a millennial pink resort on an island or in another dreamy location, and leave your worries behind. In the true spirit of a "girls' trip," maybe even ditch your phones for the week. When all is said and done, you'll be feeling a lot more relaxed, refreshed, and ready to have even more travel experiences with your best friends.
