What About These Summer Travel Possibilities?

If you are like me, you are watching your travel budget carefully, asking where you can go that’s interesting but affordable. A good candidate for your summer travel plans would be Southern California. There you will find theme parks, beaches, great weather and a lot more.

The beautiful state of Hawaii should also be on the list, if you find a good deal on airfare. Although those warm beaches are hard to resist, there’s not as much variety in vacation options as California. The Southern California Vacation Guru has written about the differences between vacations in Southern California and Hawaii. Keep in mind that there are way fewer underwater rocks to worry about in the California surf, and the humidity and sun intensity are a little easier to handle in the summer. The water temperature is higher in the Aloha state, but in the middle of summer, the cooler water can be more refreshing.

A Hawaiian vacation does offer beautiful subtropical vegetation and fascinating Polynesian cultural experiences. However, the California coastline, mountains and desert are quite beautiful as well, and the place is a melting pot of cultural diversity.

The beaches are just one of many attractions to be enjoyed in Southern California. Don’t forget about the seven world-class theme parks waiting for your visit. If you are a fan of roller coasters, you really need to visit Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Those parks both boast many coasters and similar adrenaline-pumping rides. You won’t find as many true thrill rides at Disneyland as at the other parks, although Space Mountain and the Matterhorn Bobsleds certainly qualify.

Hawaii does not offer roller coasters, but does offer surfing on the North Shore of Oahu in the wintertime. California is probably a more budget-friendly summer travel option, but now and then you really do need to get over to Hawaii.