It is the time of year when everyone needs a little getaway: a bustling city with endless opportunity for cultural immersion, a sunny seaside or a lush tropical town — pack a suitcase and head out. But as college students, this timing is neither plausible nor sane when exams are approaching, so we settle for the brief pause to wherever home may be for Thanksgiving break. If in need of destination inspiration, allow the Her Campus Virginia Tech team to be your guide and start planning where to travel to next!
MONDAY
First, Estefania takes us to Caye Caulker.
“After a week long mission trip in Belize, I traveled to Caye Caulker, a Caribbean island off the coast. The location and trip itself was so special because I was with my mission group that I had bonded with over the past week, and we went to such a beautiful and relaxing island during the summer. It’s an amazing place to travel to, especially because of the clear, blue, warm water!”
TUESDAY
Kaitlyn takes us to Lima, Peru.
“My boyfriend is originally from Peru, so this past summer, he invited me to visit to explore and meet his extended family. This photo is of us in Lima, the capital of Peru. We were also able to visit Machu Picchu and tour other areas. It was such an amazing experience. I would highly recommend traveling to a new country; there are so many things you can learn!”
Maury takes us to Doswell, Virginia.
“My friend and I bought summer passes to Kings Dominion [in Doswell, Virginia] this year, which included the amusement park and the water park. We tried this new water slide where you stand at the top and then the bottom falls out, so you free fall for a second before continuing through the tubes. The guy running it was named Hokie; I did a very poor job of containing myself when I found this out. A Hokie’s presence is probably why I went through with the ride despite my crazy fear of falling. I’m not exactly sure what I screamed when the bottom fell out, but my friend said everyone in line laughed.”
WEDNESDAY
Marin takes us to Capri, Italy.
“My junior year of high school I was given the chance to go on a study abroad trip which took me to multiple places including Capri, Italy. It was an absolute dream to be fully immersed in authentic Italian culture throughout the trip but my favorite was Capri because of the small island culture that was so different from back home. Although the island was small, I learned or experienced something new each day.”
And Dilara takes us along on the VT Camino de Santiago.
“This picture was taken 150 kilometers in on the VT Camino de Santiago backpacking study abroad program. The journey taught me how minimally we can really live if we integrate ourselves into nature and culture. All we need is a good pair of boots, good company, and good food. Al andar se hace el Camino – by walking, we make our own path.”
THURSDAY
Rebecca takes us to Rome, Italy and the happiest place on Earth.
“After my senior year of high school, my best friends and I went on a trip to Italy and Greece. We stayed for two weeks, and this was taken our first day in Rome!” “My friends and I road tripped 12 hours down to Florida last year for Spring Break. We went to Clearwater first and then drove to Orlando to go to Magic Kingdom for a day!”
FRIDAY
Madison takes us to the Misty Fiords in Alaska.
“This is the Misty Fiords in Alaska. It’s a great place to go to remind oneself of the power of the beauty of the earth and the insignificance of humans comparatively – in a good way! It’s definitely a breathtaking sight that I’d recommend to anyone.”
SATURDAY
Lissandra takes us to London, England.
“I’ve always wanted to travel to Europe, and I’m so glad the first place I was able to go was London. It’s a city for fashion-lovers, like myself, but there’s also a ton of history and beautiful architecture on every street. You’ll never get bored! London has definitely been my favorite place to travel, and I recommend going ASAP. PS: bring your motorcycle jacket with you. That’s all they wear!”
SUNDAY
Chrissy takes us to Philadelphia and Jersey City.
“Philadelphia is my absolute favorite city to go to. My family lives 20 minutes outside of the city, and I’ve grown up in love with it. There’s so much to see twisted through historic and modern architecture. It’s amazing!” “We drove up to Jersey City while we were in Philly visiting family. My youngest sister was determined to see Carlo’s Bakery, so we made a trip out of it. It’s a beautiful city right across the water from NYC.”
And Sierra takes us to Venice Beach, California and Maui, Hawaii.
“California dreaming” Location: Venice Beach, California.
“Noho me ka hau’oli – be happy” Location: Maui, Hawaii.
Happy travel dreams!