10 Trips To Take In Your Twenties

I’m not one to say when you should do something. I mean really, there are no rules as to when you should travel and personally I think it’s something I will continue to do at all ages. But there are certainly some experiences I’ve had in my twenties that I feel were perfect for that stage in my life. (You see how I say ‘that’ stage now that there’s a mere 78 days of my twenties left?!)

But you know what I mean, the stage in your life when you have minimal ties to where you are. When you have the energy and disposable income without the mortgage or kids or whatever.

This is when I think it’s an ideal time to do these trips.

Like I said, it might not necessarily be your twenties, we don’t all do things the same way. But for me, this is how I travelled in my twenties and I would urge you to have a crack at some of these trips. They’re banging.

Trips To Take In Your Twenties

Go on a Working Holiday abroad

Ok, this one is actually time sensitive.

Most working holiday visas are available to people under the age of 30, or now 35 for Australia! Of course you can get a visa any time but a WHV is relatively easy to get your hands on so it’s a great chance to live abroad for a year. Us Brits can go to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Singapore… there are so many opportunities!

I spent a year in Australia, travelling the West Coast, living in Brisbane and Sydney and spending some time in Melbourne and the East Coast. And although it wasn’t always the beachy dream I had expected, I learnt a lot about myself in that year. A lot about being independent and looking after myself. And it actually made me appreciate living in the UK when I returned.

Take a solo trip

A lot can be said for solo travel. Even if you think you’d much rather travel with a companion, it’s such a rewarding experience to try travelling alone at least once.

You have ultimate freedom choosing what you want to do and when you want to do it, where you want to visit and what you want for dinner. It also gives you a bit of perspective in life I think, when you have that kind of alone time. I definitely found that to be the case when I did a solo trip to Iceland last year anyway.

Definitely a good time to try it out in your twenties when you’re figuring out what to do with your life in my opinion.

Take a trip with your mum

In your twenties, your parents start being more like friends than authority figures. So I think it’s such a nice idea to do a trip with them! And get to know them a bit more as people rather than those annoying people telling you to do your homework, y’know?

I took a trip with my mum to Geneva last year and had such a lovely time. We got to have girly chats and drink wine and explore cathedrals, it was super.

(Head over here for more on why I think you should travel with yo mama)

Take a trip with your besties

I personally think twenty-something friendships are pretty special.

I realise I don’t have experience in all decades just yet but my twenties have brought me the best friendships, full of fun and lols but still very supportive and ‘real’. So naturally I think you should travel with your besties during this part of your life.

Whether it’s a BFF weekend away to a European city or a spa day closer to home, or even a 3 month backpacking trip through Peru, it’s always super rewarding.

It’s the kind of experience that once you’re a bit older, have more responsibilities and can’t always do these kind of trips, you’ll always talk about “that time we went to Vegas” or “that crazy road trip we went on in Scotland”. Do it for the memories, pal.

Backpack South East Asia or Latin America

Backpacking! The ultimate trip to take in your twenties!

Naturally I can still see myself backpacking in my thirties but it’s definitely a different approach now. I like a few more home comforts and less crazy beach parties. And I definitely can’t party every night anymore!

So definitely try to have some kind of backpacking trip in your twenties. Make mistakes, drink too much, meet new people, go home with boys you’ve just met and totally slum it in the worst hostels.

And South East Asia or Latin America are perfect for this.

I backpacked South East Asia in my early twenties and I’m so grateful for those crazy travel experiences. I also combined it with the above and did the whole thing with my best friend, Kate. Perfect. <3

Hit up the biggest festivals in the world

Festivals are just so much fun. There’s partying and live music and cool things to do and awesome people. And let’s not forget how amazing food trucks are. You definitely have to go to at least one in your life.

Again, there are some festivals that you don’t ever really get too old for. Like Glastonbury. I’m definitely not done with Glastonbury. But some I definitely think are for when you’re younger.

Like Reading. I went when I was 18 and again when I was 20 but I’m definitely too old to go back. It’s real teen angst at that festival!

So I definitely think your twenties are perfect for dancing in the mud and sleeping in a tent and generally have all the fun. Festivals ftw.

See New York City

Forget Paris, it’s NEW YORK that’s always a good idea!

And I know what you’re thinking, surely the big apple is full all ages, yeah?

And you would correct.

But I think NYC is such an amazing city and every time I go I discover something different. So start early and discover this awesome city in you twenties!

This means you get to see the younger side of New York. To party in Brooklyn and go to the cool rooftop bars and hang out in Williamsburg.

I visited New York 4 times in my twenties and I’m not done yet.

Go on a “Girls Trip”

I say “Girls Trip” in quotations because I don’t just mean a trip with your girls. Maybe a nice city break or Christmas market. I mean a “Girls Trip”. A trip when you’re probably all single and go out-out every night. Usually in an awfully commercialised European destination with a strip.

I questioned putting this on the list as I actually hate them. There’s always drama, you spend too much money and usually don’t see any of the actual destination. But it’s also a right of passage, y’know?

I went on one to Morocco with some girls from uni and another one to Brighton in my mid-twenties. Just get them out of the way and move on.

Test Your Relationship

Travel can definitely make or break a relationship. So I think you have to travel together to kind of test it. You know, to see if this relationship is going to last.

My first trip with Josh was to Italy after we’d been together just over a year. And as liking to travel is kind of a deal breaker for me, I was nervous about how it would go. We actually had the BEST time and it totally felt like the trip strengthened our relationship.

We’re even talking about going back there again because we loved it so much!

I also think that even if you know your guy is the one for you, you should still travel together before you “settle down”. Obvs I’ll always travel to some extent but it’s nice to have that quality time with Josh in our twenties before shit gets real.

Take a campervan road trip

This is kinda the same as the festival thing where I just think you’re more likely to be able to slum it in your twenties. Because taking a campervan road trip is definitely not for anyone looking for a glam getaway.

But it’s also such a fun trip. It is ultimate independence and freedom, driving where you want, stopping whenever you feel like it and sleeping in the van every night.

I bloody love it and would recommend it to any one.

My most recent campervan adventure was the Great Ocean Road in Australia with my pals last year and I really enjoyed it.