Here Are Some Summer Travel Ideas

As we watch our vacation budgets carefully, a question that arises is “Where’s a great destination with lots of variety?” One strong possibility for your summer travel plans is Southern California. There you will find theme parks, beaches, great weather and a lot more.

Another possibility would be Hawaii. It’s hard to beat the beautiful warm ocean water, but it does not offer as much overall variety as Southern 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. As we noted, the Hawaiian waters are warmer, but in the middle of summer, the cooler California water can be more invigorating.

Of course, the vegetation in Hawaii is often magnificent and the local culture adds much to the experience. But don’t forget the melting pot of many different cultures to be experienced in California, as well as the mountains, desert and coastline.

The beaches are just one of many attractions to be enjoyed in Southern California. You could spend a week checking out the seven top-notch theme parks between San Diego and Los Angeles County. If you are traveling with a lover of thrill rides, then Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm should be on your list; Six Flags and Knott’s roller coasters are especially noteworthy. Both offer many coasters and other fun rides. In fact, they offer more thrill rides than Disneyland, although the Magic Kingdom does include some fast attractions such as the Matterhorn and Space Mountain.

Hawaii does not offer roller coasters, but does offer surfing on the North Shore of Oahu in the wintertime. It may be that California offers more ways to trim the budget, but sometimes there are great Hawaii vacation packages to be found on the internet or in the newspaper Travel section.