Best Places To Travel To After Camp (USA)
You have been placed to work at a summer camp in the USA and are ready for the best summer of your life?
Perhaps you are starting to think of all the endless travel opportunities you have been presented with now you have secured your J-1 working visa.
The USA is brimming with exquisite national parks and some of the largest, sprawling metropolises in the world. It’s difficult to think of where to begin when planning your after-camp travels.
In our guide, we will introduce you to the best places to travel to after camp, as well as providing handy tips of after-camp travel and answering any other camp travel-related questions.
So, let’s get into the Best Places to Travel to after Camp (USA):
Disclaimer - this blog post contains affiliate links where we can earn a commission, if you make a purchase through them (at no extra cost to you).
Ben and Jack after Colour-Run at Timber Lake West
Need a new backpack to go travelling with? Read our review of the best backpacks for summer camp counselors for some suggestions of where you should be looking.
Questions about travelling after working at Summer Camp
We are going to start by answering some of the most common questions people have when thinking about travelling after working at summer camp.
How long can I travel for after camp?
If you’re working at a summer camp in the USA, unless you are from the USA or Canada, you are more than likely going to be working on a J-1 Visa. The brilliant thing about this visa is that it gives you flexibility in terms of travelling in the USA.
As part of the visa, you are allowed to enter the USA 30 days before your camp contract begins and you don’t have to exit the country until 30 days after your camp contract has finished.
This gives you 2 full months to explore the wonderful country of the USA.
For example: if your camp contract begins June 15th and ends August 15th, you could enter the USA on May 16th and leave the USA on September 14th. Giving you the best part of 4 months in North America.
Summer Camp Counsellors at Timber Lake West
One of the main draws of working at summer camp for us is that summer camp is a great long-term travel option for couples. You can combine working at summer camp with multiple trips around the US and further afield.
Before you know it, you’ve been travelling for 3 years in a row with your summer camp job topping up your income as you go.
Can I travel before I start working at camp?
Yes, you can travel before you start working at summer camp. Your J-1 Visa allows you to enter the country 30 days before your camp contract begins, giving you an entire month to explore the best sights of the USA before heading to your summer home.
How do you get your camp wage back to your home country?
The best way we have found to send money back home is through the Wise App (formerly known as TransferWise).
Essentially you create an account and at the end of the summer you can transfer all of your hard earned American Dollars into your Wise Account. Once you have done this, you are then able to transfer directly from your Wise Account to your bank account at home.
Wise does take a small fee in order to make this transaction but it is completely hassle-free and by far and away the easiest and most straightforward way of getting your money back home.
Where can I travel after camp?
To be honest, your options are pretty much endless. Take our after-camp travels over the years for example:
2015 - Ben went on an East coast road trip to Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Niagara Falls
2016 - we went to Florida to visit Universal Studios, Disneyland and West Palm Beach
2017 - Vegas and San Diego, San Francisco and Yosemite, followed by a quick trip across the border (Vancouver Island and Toronto)
2018 - a week spent in Havana, Cuba
2019 - we flew up to Nova Scotia for a wedding before heading for a 6-week South America Adventure
2021 - we spent 2-weeks in Mexico City and a few days in Cancun before flying up to New York to work at camp
2023 - flew to Guatemala after camp for the 17-Day Volcano Trail Tour through Central America
As you can see, you can pretty much travel wherever you like once you’ve finished working at camp and aren’t just restricted to the borders of the USA.
Don’t worry, we have gone into much more detail about everywhere you can travel in the US (and beyond) in the rest of this article.
Our suggestion: get hold of a travel scratch map and see how many different places in the US you can scratch off by the end of the summer. A scratch map is a brilliant gift idea for summer camp counselors and inspires them to see more of the country they will be working in.
Route 66 - a great place to visit after Summer Camp
How much money should I budget for travelling after camp?
This question is a particularly tricky one to answer and completely depends on what your individual itinerary looks like.
For example, in 2015 I (Ben) travelled around the East Coast with my brother and we primarily used overnight Greyhound buses and stayed in cheap hostels.
We somehow managed to spend a week travelling to the major cities around the East Coast and only spent around $500.
If you want to travel further afield and head to the West Coast for example, you’re obviously going to have to factor in the costs of flights to the equation.
The best financial advice we can give you for your first year at camp is to bring at least $500 with you to America and use the rest of your camp wage to help fund your travels after camp.
This might not be enough to get you all the way across the US, but if you budget correctly you’ll still be able to see plenty of the places in this article. At the end of the day, the more money you can bring with you to America, the more of America you will be able to visit.
Boys Side Bunks at Timber Lake West
Best Places to travel to after Camp (USA)
One of the main reasons you should work at summer camp is because you have the chance to travel all over the USA. Your visa allows you to both work and travel in the US and you should certainly take advantage of this.
In 2019, the last full year of tourism before the pandemic, the USA attracted over 80 millions tourists, which shows you how much there is to see and do in the country.
We have highlighted some of the most popular destinations within the USA that you could travel to once you’ve finished working at camp.
We have split the destinations up by region and have given you a few suggestions, but don’t think that these are the limit to your options.
Best Places to travel to on the East Coast
Perhaps with the exception of Florida, the majority of these destinations and cities are accessible to one another by public transport. Long-haul coach and rail journeys are particularly easy to find around the East Coast of America, making all of these destinations just a matter of hours away from each other.
Here’s our list of some of the highlights to travel to in and around the US East Coast:
Boston
Found in the far North-Eastern corner of the USA, Boston is a city full of rich history thanks largely in part to being one of the oldest cities in the US.
Freedom trail walking tours, baseball games at the famous Boston Red Sox stadium and fresh seafood in the restaurants, Boston has something for everybody.
A particularly great feature of Boston, especially for those of us on camp wages that are looking to travel on a budget, is that it is a very walkable city. Meaning you can explore all of the main sights without having to spend too much money.
Florida
Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is a popular favourite with camp counselors who are looking for a place to relax and unwind after a hectic summer schedule.
With world-renowned destinations such as Miami, Key West and Disneyland, Florida makes you feel like you’re visiting several different countries in one trip, despite never leaving the State.
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit to Florida is stopping in Orlando to visit Universal Studios. Especially when there is a big group of you travelling together after camp, it’s difficult to imagine a more fun place to spend a few days.
Universal Studios - Orlando - Florida
New York
As the most famous city in the World, New York is arguably the most popular place to base yourself for your travels after camp.
In the city that never sleeps, you are completely spoiled for choice when it comes to activities and places to explore. From the great heights of the Empire State Building to the flashing lights of Times Square, there are lots of must-visit attractions in New York City that all summer camp counsellors should explore.
We appreciate that a camp wage doesn’t always go a long way, so perhaps you should check out the best free things to do in New York City to get the most out of your budget.
Jump into one of New York’s famous yellow taxis and visit the Vessel, the apartment block from Friends or Broadway. The choices are endless...
Niagara Falls
Straddling the US-Canadian border, Niagara Falls is an impressive natural phenomenon that you can visit after camp in the East of the US.
Take a boat cruise to get as close as possible to the 50m falls or wait until the evening to see Niagara beautifully illuminated from the Canadian side.
Niagara Falls is one of the places in the US that you always see on TV and postcards, so don’t miss your chance to visit once you have finished working at summer camp.
Niagara Falls
Philadelphia
With great transport links from New York and Washington DC, Philadelphia is the perfect city to visit while you are exploring the USA’s East Coast.
Such is the historical significance of Philadelphia, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is one of the USA’s most visited cities.
Home to the Liberty Bell, the famous symbol of American Independence, and the iconic Philly Cheesesteak, Philadelphia is certainly a brilliant place to discover and has to factor into your after-camp travel plans.
Washington DC
As the Capital of the United States of America, Washington DC is home to some of the most significant and fascinating buildings and monuments in the whole of the country.
The White House, the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Memorial are all within walking distance of each other and represent unmissable places to see when paying a visit to the nation’s capital.
Added to that, Washington DC is also home to over 70 unique museums so you can embrace and learn about the history and rich culture of the country you have been working in all summer long.
Best Places to travel to in the West of USA
The majority of the destinations listed below are a little further apart than those on the East Coast list, which makes public transport a little more expensive to hop between each of the places - this doesn’t mean it’s not doable on a budget though.
Having said that, our recommendation would be to hire a car if you are wanting to explore the West Coast. In 2017, we flew from New York to Las Vegas, explored the strip for a few days, and then hired a car to take us to San Diego, Yosemite and San Francisco.
Here’s our list of some of the highlights to travel to around the West of the USA:
Grand Canyon
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of any trip to the USA, whether working there or simply travelling, is the prospect of seeing the world-famous Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon National Park turned 100 years old in 2019 and yet an estimated 6.5 million yearly visitors continue to flock to the staggering geological phenomena.
With 358 miles (576km) of established hiking trails and 277 miles (445km) of river to explore, the vastness and sheer size of the Grand Canyon soon becomes apparent.
The infamous South Rim photograph spot isn’t the limit of your Grand Canyon adventure either - with hundreds of biking, canoeing, hiking and boating options available, the ways to explore the Grand Canyon are there for your choosing.
Horseshoe Bend - Grand Canyon
Las Vegas
Despite being found in the heart of the Nevada Desert, one the driest regions on the planet, Las Vegas is the home of wealth, glitz and glamour.
If you’re 21 or above and want to have an experience that will be hard to replicate anywhere else in the world, then perhaps you should consider travelling to Las Vegas after you have finished working at summer camp.
Lively casinos, lavish hotels and bustling nightclubs await in the self-proclaimed Sin-City. Probably best not to put your whole camp wage on red though...
Note: despite all the wealth in Las Vegas, it is possible to visit the city on a budget. We travelled as a group of 20+ after camp in 2018 and being able to share hotel rooms with such a big group brought our overall costs down massively.
Las Vegas - “Sin City”
Los Angeles
The home of Hollywood stars and renowned musicians, Los Angeles is an upscale Metropolis in the heart of California.
At summer camp you can wear what you like and might not shower for 2 days because you’ve been too busy - life couldn’t be more different in America’s second largest city.
Color War attire is replaced with expensive ball gowns, and sophisticated suits and ties are worn in favour of ragged, old camp t-shirts. Don’t panic though, that’s only for the actors and actresses - visitors travelling on a camp wage can get away with shorts and a t-shirt.
Cap off your trip to Los Angeles by visiting the famous Hollywood sign and tracing the celebrities footsteps on the Hollywood walk of fame.
Hollywood Sign - Los Angeles
San Diego
Located further down the Californian coast than Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Diego can often get overlooked when planning a trip to the USA’s West Coast.
With incredible beaches and world-renowned surfing conditions, San Diego actually has a lot to offer and represents a very budget-friendly destination to explore after camp.
On top of the beaches and surfing, the highlights of San Diego also include a world-famous zoo, several boutique street markets and restaurants brimming with delicious mexican-inspired cuisine.
Our recommendation: group together and rent an AirBnb by the ocean in San Diego. It’s cheaper than a hotel and you get the privacy of having the entire place to yourself while only being a few footsteps away from the beach.
San Diego Beach
San Francisco
The gem of the USA’s Western Flank, San Francisco is often considered to be the technological-centre of the USA, but there is much more to the city than telecom giants and giant corporations.
No visit to San Francisco can be completed without walking across the famous Golden Gate Bridge. The 1.7 mile (2.7km) walk allows you to feel the full extent of the engineering marvel.
San Francisco is also home to Alcatraz, and with day tours (including ferry) to the famous island starting from only $41 per person, it is certainly worth looking around the former prison that has housed inmates such as the notorious mobster Al Capone, amongst countless others.
Getting around San Francisco is also fairly easy when you consider the city is home to the oldest, manually-operated cable car system in the world - San Francisco really has it all!
Yosemite National Park
Potentially the most iconic national park in North America, Yosemite sits firmly on top of many outdoor enthusiasts bucket lists and for good reason.
Found in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite National Park is famed for its ancient Sequoia Trees and the giant granite behemoth - El Capitan.
Whether you are looking to embark on a multi-day hike taking you through mountains, forests and rivers, or whether it’s just a whistle-stop visit to the 3000 year old Sequoia trees, Yosemite is sure to live long in the memory.
Yosemite National Park
Best Places to travel elsewhere in the USA
The shortest possible distance from the Atlantic Ocean on the USA’s East Coast to the shores of the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast is 2089 miles (3362km), meaning there is a lot of ground to cover in the interior of the USA.
Not to mention that another 2400 miles (3862km) into the Pacific Ocean you will find a tropical paradise and the USA’s 50th state - Hawaii.
With so much to see in the USA, we want to give you a brief taster of some more options you have available to you once you leave the comforts of your summer home and begin to explore the centre (and further afield) of this vast country.
Here’s our list of some of the highlights to travel to elsewhere in the USA:
Chicago
Winters are very harsh in the ‘Windy City’, but by the time you have finished working at camp, Chicago will have warmed up nicely and it becomes one of the most fascinating cities to visit in America.
Revered sites such as the ‘Chicago Bean’ and Navy Pier will fill-up your time in America’s 3rd largest city, but with passionate local football, soccer, hockey, basketball and baseball teams, Chicago is a brilliant city to get your fix of live, American sport.
For those more into their food, don’t miss out on one of the city’s famous deep-dish pizzas.
Our recommendation: group together and rent an AirBnb by the ocean in San Diego. It’s cheaper than a hotel and you get the privacy of having the entire place to yourself while only being a few footsteps away from the beach.
Chicago Bean Sculpture
Hawaii
A popular destination for surfers and honeymooners, Hawaii is also a favourite place for camp counselors who are in search of a slice of paradise after an exhausting 2 months working 14 hour days.
Hawaii is a collection of islands, with 6 of them making up the bulk of the islands that are easily accessible to visitors.
The main draw of flying over 2400 miles from the American mainland is the promise of white sandy beaches, spectacular landscapes, lively luaus (partys) and even the chance to see active volcanoes - Hawaii definitely has to be on your after-camp travels list.
Na Pali Coast - Hawaii
New Orleans
Live Jazz performances, captivating architecture and an unbelievable fusion of flavours in its famous food scene - New Orleans really does live up to its reputation as being the city where they ‘let the good times roll’.
New Orleans has a unique Afro-Creole culture that began in the 1700s and 1800s with the influx of slaves from Africa - today this has led to the creation of a melting pot of cultures and diversity that is seldom seen anywhere else in the USA.
Do not leave New Orleans without sampling some of the city’s most famous sounds and experiences at one of the signature Jazz Clubs that are dotted throughout the city.
Yellowstone National Park
Straddling the borders of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the country and is full of natural phenomenons that will take your breath away.
Undoubtedly the show-stopper of Yellowstone is one of the 500 geysers erupting up to 400ft in the air.
Watching Bighorn Sheep, Elk and 1000-pound Bison roaming the plains of Yellowstone make you feel as though you’ve been placed directly into a David Attenborough documentary - what a fantastic way to end the perfect summer adventure in America.
Yellowstone National Park
Zion National Park
Tucked away in the South-West corner of Utah you will find a simply remarkable National Park and the final American destination on our list of places you should visit after working at summer camp in the USA.
Zion National Park is often overlooked in favour of the Grand Canyon National Park, but if you’re wanting to explore the rugged outdoors in the USA with half as many crowds, then Zion may just be for you.
3000ft high vertical walls, vivid red and white sandstone formations and narrow slot canyons create a wilderness that many have described as completely otherworldly.
With some of the best hiking trails and conditions in the country, Zion is the place to get off the beaten path and take your brain away from what we are sure will have been a manic and crazy summer at camp.
Zion National Park
Best Places to travel to after camp (Outside USA)
Working at Timber Lake West Summer Camp for a combined 11 summers has given us the opportunity to afford to travel to many incredible places all over the Americas.
From the astonishing beauty of the Bolivian Pampas, to the unimaginable mountain peaks in the Canadian Rockies, working at summer camp has completely spoiled us in terms of experiences and unforgettable opportunities that we would have never dreamed of being able to have otherwise.
Obviously you can explore pretty much anywhere you like within the Americas, given the parameters of your individual budget, but we thought we would outline some of our favourite trips in Central, North and South America as a result of working at summer camp:
Canada
In 2017, we both took a trip North across the border at the end of summer and it is a great option if you’re looking to see a different part of North America after finishing working at camp.
Ben spent a week or so exploring Vancouver Island, just off the West Coast of Canada in British Columbia. Visiting the famous surf-town of Tofino and attempting surfing for the first time was a particularly memorable experience.
Orla, on the other hand, nipped over the border at Niagara Falls and headed for the city of Toronto, visiting the famous CN Tower along the way.
In 2019, we once again headed over the border at the end of camp, but this time to the far East of Canada. A wedding by the ocean in Nova Scotia was a pretty magical way to end the summer.
We were also very fortunate to spend an entire year living and working in Lake Louise, Alberta. As one of the best places to visit in the Canadian Rockies, we instantly fell in love with the whole of Banff National Park and we would implore you to visit if your budget allows at the end of the summer.
Sunrise Canoe - Lake Louise - Canada
Our advice: remember that your J-1 visa allows you to spend up to 30 days in the USA once your camp contract has ended. If you want to explore more, why not hop up to Canada for a few days, and then re-enter the US on an ESTA tourist visa to continue exploring for a while?
Mexico
In 2021, it was looking unlikely that we were going to be able to make it to camp as the US Embassies around Europe were unwilling to accept J-1 visa applications.
Thankfully though, Mexico opened its doors for a finite number of applicants and a group of 9 of us took the chance.
We had to spend 2-weeks in Mexico (i.e. 2 weeks away from the UK due to travel restrictions) before we were allowed to enter the USA so we spent 2 weeks in Mexico City and completely fell in love with CDMX.
Chichen Itza and Cancun for a few days were also pretty memorable highlights, but for us it was the wonders of the sprawling metropolis of Mexico City that would encourage us to visit Mexico again.
Orla wandering through Mexico City
Caribbean and Central America
In 2018, we had looked at trying to find a relatively cheap cruise that sailed around the Caribbean, stopping at lots of different islands. We tried to book this cruise with one week left at camp so it was unfortunately a little too late.
Undeterred, we opted for a week in Cuba with 3 of our closest friends from camp. We spent 7 days exploring the charming city of Havana and even visited the cigar fields of Viñales.
We have had other friends from camp that have decided to go backpacking through Central America once their contract was up for the summer. Starting in Belize and making their way through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua before arriving in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica.
As you can tell, if you have the money to do so, there are plenty of different options when it comes to exploring outside of the US borders after summer camp.
Tobacco Plantation - Viñales - Cuba
More after-camp Caribbean travel inspiration: Best Caribbean Islands to Visit.
South America
In 2019, we embarked on our longest, and potentially most exciting after-camp travel adventure to date. 6-weeks Backpacking in South America was our reward for 3 tiring months working at Summer Camp.
We only did a whistle-stop tour of South America but in that short time we managed to tick off a few of the bucket-list places to see in Bolivia, including a 3-day tour in the Bolivian Pampas.
We were also fortunate to squeeze in trips to the absolutely breathtaking Machu Picchu (Peru), visit the former home of Pablo Escobar in Medellin (Colombia) and spend a magical weekend in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil).
If you’re looking to extend your summer for as long as possible and avoid returning to the real-world, then we would definitely encourage you to take a backpacking trip around South America.
Machu Picchu - Peru - An unbelievable place to visit after camp
Our tip: it’s best to brush up on your Spanish before heading to South America (or Portuguese if you’re visiting Brazil). We use Duolingo to practice a language we travel because it’s one of the best apps to use while travelling.
Tips for travelling after Camp
Don’t forget that you can travel on days off too. We appreciate that most days off you are going to want to relax and sleep away from the kids, but sometimes you can have the best experiences in just 24 hours.
In 2018 we drove to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and it remains to this day one of the best days off we have had while working at Camp.
Six Flags Great Adventure - New Jersey
If you intend on travelling for more than a couple of days after camp, then we’d definitely recommend bringing a backpack (around 70 litres) instead of a great, heavy suitcase. It’s one of our best pieces of advice for your summer camp counselor packing list, and trust us, if you follow the packing list carefully then you will be able to fit everything you need into just one backpack.
Before you fly out to the US, it’s great to have a rough itinerary of some of the main things you want to see while travelling after camp. After all, that’s what articles like this one are for. Maybe book a few flights or even book a few tours and activities you want to do in each place.
But we also recommend leaving a few free days in your itinerary so you can fit in plans with all the fantastic people you are going to meet throughout the summer.
Orla embracing friends at Summer Camp
Factor in a few rest days before beginning your after-camp travels. Trust us here, you’re going to want a few days to recover and catch up on sleep after camp finishes. If you have followed the best tips for being a great summer camp counselor, you will have thrown yourself into everything at camp and will be pretty exhausted.
If the last day of camp is on Sunday, you really don’t want to be waking up at 6am on Monday to catch the 9-hour bus from Boston to Washington DC - it will be gruelling.
Our top tip: always book your flights to the US through SkyScanner - they are the cheapest tickets you will find. Use the handy search tool below to find the cheapest possible flights to the USA this summer.
There we have it folks, the ultimate round-up of everything you have to consider when planning your after-camp travels.
We hope this article has inspired you into creating the ultimate after-camp travel bucket-list and that you will find lots of like-minded camp counselors to embark on an adventure of a lifetime with you after camp this summer.
