High school graduates can take a road trip with friends in and around their home state, camping along the way, or they can take a partial road trip by flying to an out-of-state destination, renting a vehicle and driving around another part of the country. Kids from California might like to fly to Chicago and embark on a road trip around the Midwest. Graduates from Maine can fly to Oregon and drive around the Pacific Northwest. Travelers can access online information about national campgrounds and more than 450 KOA campgrounds to plan their adventures.
After spending four years hitting the books, high school grads might benefit from hitting the pavement or hammering a nail -- for charity. Visit Minnesota and help the state's Department of Natural Resources clean up the rivers, or travel to Cape Cod to help local fishermen's organizations. Habitat for Humanity invites high school graduates to "work to eliminate homelessness" all over the world by spreading awareness of poverty, raising money and building homes.
Students spend years studying American and world history. High school graduates might want to finally see the places -- battlefields, famous art museums, European castles, architectural ruins and landmarks, natural wonders, government buildings -- they have read about in books. Visit Arizona to see cliff dwellings and the Grand Canyon. A weekend in Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., is chock full of American history. A high school grad can go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and visit the Louvre during a long weekend in Paris, or tour the Colosseum during a trip to Rome.
Visit a beach destination for access to sun, sand, surf and socializing. All-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean offer accommodations at a flat fee, which includes access to amenities, food and some beverages. Locations are often remote, and visitors must usually drive to nearby towns and tourist attractions. A hotel in a beachy tourist town is another option -- your bill will usually not include meals, but many of these hotels are located within walking distance of shops, restaurants and public transportation.
