The best graduation trip ideas run the gamut from celebrating your achievements among Alaska’s fjords, relaxing on the Bahamas’ beaches, or devouring your thesis’ weight in delicious Italian trattorias and Greek tavernas. When rewarding your hard work, there’s no wrong mark—the world is now yours to explore.
Whether you’re craving a classic European city combo to study storied architecture with family, or would prefer to celebrate with friends and a rum punch at a Caribbean beach club, these graduation trips are the perfect vacation before commencing your vocation.
The ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao
Willemstad, Curacao
What better way to celebrate your academic achievements than re-learning your ABCs—island style?
Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao are a close-knit trio of Caribbean islands linked by their connections to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, making for an idyllic island-hopping graduation trip.
Aruba
Seeking the perfect beach day? Pamper yourself at one of the spas on Aruba’s sweeping Palm Beach, snorkel with turtles in the azure waters of Bonaire’s National Marine Park, or scuba dive a shipwreck in Curaçao’s Caracas Bay.
Prefer a little more adrenaline? Head inland to explore the rugged terrain of Aruba’s arid Arikok National Park, where a 4WD will bounce you towards hidden coves and caves adorned with Arawak Indian artwork.
There’s no shortage of retail and dining therapy, either. Each island has a colorful capital—Oranjestad, Kralendijk, and Willemstad respectively—where museums, boutiques, and mouth-watering Caribbean restaurants occupy pastel-hued, Dutch-style architecture.
France
Paris, France
How about marking the end of an era atop the Eiffel Tower? Commemorating your graduation with a splurge at one of the Champs-Elysées’ chic boutiques? Or cramming a mini Bachelor of Fine Arts into an afternoon as you explore the Louvre?
Yes, Paris is a perfect celebration. Whether taking a péniche river boat along the Seine or admiring the recently reconditioned interior of Notre Dame Cathedral, it’s impossible not to fall for the City of Love.
Villefranche, Côte d’Azur
For an even grander graduation trip, set your sights on the swoon-worthy south of France. Hop on a bike and cycle between Provence’s pretty villages, soaking up the bucolic scenes that inspired Cezanne and Van Gogh. Or be captivated by the shimmering shorelines and joie de vivre of the Côte d’Azur.
Settle at a table on Nice’s sweeping Promenade des Anglais to pair provincial wines with a perfectly prepared bouillabaisse, a typical fish stew, or amble around Cannes, famed for its film festival, and you’ll feel a world away from any classroom.
Alaska
White Pass Scenic Railway, Alaska
Few graduation trips can rival Alaska for life-affirming, lifetime-lasting memories. Denali National Park, dog sledding, whale watching, and flying above ice fields are just a few experiences that make the United States’ “Last Frontier” phenomenal.
For an easy-going introduction, ride the outlandishly scenic White Pass Scenic Railway. Waterfalls, glaciers, and pristine wilderness provide plenty of ooh moments en route, while you’re transported back to the Gold Rush era.
Humpback whale
Yet the best way to embrace Alaska’s wilderness and wildlife is al fresco. Make your way to the base of Resurrection Mountain on a dog sledding adventure in Seward, or head to aptly-named Icy Strait Point to spot humpback whales breaching, and you’ll feel a new level of awe.
Alternatively, simply sit back and marvel at Mother Nature’s finest work as you explore the Alaskan waterways. Some of Alaska’s most beautiful sights, like hulking and humbling Hubbard Glacier and Dawes Glacier, are particularly active and you can observe vast chunks of ice calving off and crashing into the water with a thunderous roar.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Netherlands’ canal-crossed capital city carries legendary status for its laid-back atmosphere and celebratory credentials, making Amsterdam one of Europe’s best graduation destinations.
Decked out in typically Dutch gabled town houses, colorful facades reflecting in the waterways, it’s also one of the continent’s prettiest.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Take in the sights on a canal boat cruise, or do as the locals do and hop on a bike to cycle between popular art museums, such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.
Cultural attractions aside, Amsterdam’s café culture also makes it an excellent place to watch the world go by. Whether you’re craving first-class cheeses, a superb stroopwafel, or excited to explore the city’s craft breweries, the city’s infectious energy—and delicious local treats— are found everywhere.
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
If you’re seeking graduation trips suitable for the extended family, consider the largest of the Cayman Islands, dreamy Grand Cayman.
From sinking into the silky soft sands of aquamarine-lapped Seven Mile Beach to swimming with stingrays on the off-island sandbars, collectively known as Stingray City, aquatic experiences are effortless and accessible.
Stingray City, Grand Cayman
For more things to do in Grand Cayman, spend an afternoon spelunking in Crystal Caves, hidden deep below the island’s tropical forests. Kids and adults alike will be amazed at the stalactites and stalagmites shaped by time.
Should the Caribbean sun become too much, a clutch of cultural attractions, including the National Gallery, Cayman Museum, and colonial-era Pedro St. James’ Castle, provides an afternoon excursion appropriate for all ages.
Australia
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
To combine a continent’s worth of graduation trip ideas into one incredible adventure, set your study-free sights on Australia.
There’s nowhere else where you can snorkel over the largest coral system on our planet, the Great Barrier Reef, or stroll through the ancient trees of Daintree, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. Or bask on the silica sands at Whitehaven, regularly voted the world’s best beach.
Equally as extraordinary are the country’s endemic animal encounters. Whether you’re spotting koalas, Tasmanian devils, or kangaroos on the fittingly-named Kangaroo Island, Australia is a wildlife wonderland.
Sydney, Australia
Nature aside, Australia’s cities ooze charm. Wander through Melbourne’s graffiti-coated laneways in search of the perfect cup of joe, or climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge for another angle of arguably the world’s most iconic harbor and opera house. Australia doesn’t do anything by halves.
Italy
Venice, Italy
Italy has been an end-of-education rite of passage since the 16th century, when Europe’s aristocracy and wealthy would embark on the so-called Grand Tour, essentially the original “graduation trip.”
Not much has changed and favored stops of the classical route—marvelling at Venice’s Grand Canal from a gondola’s bench, roaming Rome’s nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum, and admiring Florence’s Gothic and Romanesque architecture—remain just as timeless centuries later.
However, you’ll also want to add your contemporary spin to the traditional course.
Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre
Choose from venturing to the Ligurian Coast to be charmed by the Cinque Terre’s five colorful, cliff-hugging villages. Opt to soak up Sicily’s sunshine as you relish the Valley of the Temples, an ancient Greek archaeological site. Or devour the best Margherita pizza of your life in Naples’ atmospheric back streets. Every corner of Italy is more enchanting than the last.
Read: How to Plan a Trip to Italy
The Galapagos Islands
Blue-footed boobie
Island-hopping around the Galapagos gives you a front row seat to some of the world’s most pristine and protected landscapes. And while most graduation trips mean study is over, class is nearly always in session here.
Whether you’re learning about the incredible conservation and scientific work of the Charles Darwin Research Station or studying the night sky on a clear night, far from any light pollution, education about Earth is always forthcoming.
Nothing beats witnessing our planet’s raw beauty in all its forms. Spot marine iguanas, sea lions, and nesting blue-footed boobies across the archipelago. Snorkel at Vicente Roca Point or hike on Bartolomé to capture the money shot of pointy Pinnacle Rock.
Barcelona, Spain
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain
Spain has no shortage of graduation trip ideas, but Barcelona undoubtedly takes top billing. Everything about the coastal Catalan capital is captivating, from the Mediterranean beaches on its doorstep to the Gothic Quarter’s historic labyrinth and Catalonia’s exemplary gastronomy.
Much of Barcelona’s allure can be attributed to the architecture of Antoni Gaudí, the city’s most famous graduate. Most recognizable is the Sagrada Familia, a whimsical, one-of-a-kind basilica which will finally be completed in 2026, 144 years after the first stone was laid.
Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain
Stroll through the city and you’ll stumble across more of Gaudí’s flamboyant designs, including UNESCO-listed Park Güell and the curved, beguiling facade of Casa Batlló.
Yet Barcelona’s atmosphere and appetite rival its architecture. Whether jostling along Las Ramblas boulevard toward iconic La Boqueria Market, or tasting typical tapas overlooking urban Barceloneta Beach, Spain’s second city has charm by the bucketload.
Dominica
River tubing in Dominica
Cast college aside and feel like a true castaway on deliciously underdeveloped Dominica. With jungle-shrouded river rapids, bubbling volcanic lakes, and whales breaching in the cerulean ocean beyond, this Caribbean isle is the antithesis of a cramped classroom.
Ease into the island life by letting geothermal activity bubble away any lingering exam stress as you soothe yourself in the hot springs. Then, jump into a river tube and let the rapids carry you downstream, drifting under the jungle’s dense canopy towards the coast.
Don’t miss the chance to see playful pods of dolphins in the wild, especially as the chance of spotting one of Dominica’s resident sperm whales is high year-round.
Iceland
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
With a nickname like the “Land of Fire and Ice,” it’s fair to say a visit to Iceland is one of the world’s most remarkable graduation trips. Blanketed with vast glaciers, forbidding volcanoes, tempting thermal springs, and dramatic waterfalls, this Nordic nation is as cinematic as they come.
Yet, far from simply being photogenic, this otherworldly land promises the kind of experiences you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
For the adventurous, scuba diving in the frigid waters of the Silfra Gap, a fissure separating the Eurasian and North American plates, or trekking atop a glacier, is all in a day’s work. Prefer something less extreme? Witnessing the picturesque waterfalls and geysers of Thingvellir National Park supplies just as much anticipation.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Or slow it right down with a dip at the Blue Lagoon, a steaming, misty, geothermal spa, famed for its mineral-rich waters. Iceland will always surprise you and with nearly 24 hours of daylight in summer, there’s always another adventure waiting.
Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel, Mexico
If you’re searching for graduation trip ideas involving learning a new skill, look no further than scuba diving in Cozumel.
Few islands boast such an excellent introduction for first-timer divers, with the canyons and colorful corals of Cozumel National Marine Park furnishing a fascinating underwater world.
Alternatively, hop on a ferry to Mexico’s mainland—Playa del Carmen is practically a stone’s throw away—for more aquatic adventures.
It’s just a short drive to the region’s astonishing cenotes, where you can climb a ladder to swim in a serene, natural sinkhole. Prefer diving into history? Make for the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio instead.
Greece
Acropolis in Athens, Greece
With history-defining cities on the mainland and thousands of idyllic islands, Greece’s graduation trip ideas are abundant and inspiring. Where better to celebrate your achievements than Athens, the city of famed scholars Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle?
From the Acropolis, an ancient citadel crowned with the Parthenon, a fascinating fifth-century BCE temple, to the National Archaeological Museum crammed with antiquities including Cycladic marble figures and Mycenaean royal tombs, the city creaks under the weight of history.
After absorbing facts, myths, and myriad ancient sights, retreat to one of the Greek isles for a well-deserved rest. Whether it’s to the whitewashed village of Oia on volcanic Santorini or the blissful beaches of Corfu, all of Greece’s islands promise a restorative seaside escape.
Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Invoking images of gold-embellished temples and equally golden shorelines, Thailand is the perfect destination to rest, recharge, and celebrate.
If you’re seeking serenity, the sapphire-lapped shorelines of Koh Samui, home to some of Thailand’s best beaches, are calling. Prefer to party? Kick back on Phuket’s Patong Beach, where you can dance to the early hours on the sands.
Patong Beach, Phuket
Regardless of which islands you escape to, don’t skip Bangkok. Thailand’s capital city is a bewitching blend of old and new.
Spend a day whizzing between the main sights by tuk tuk, such as the regal Grand Palace and spiritual Wat Phra Kaew temple, before watching Bangkok’s sunset skyline twinkle from the Sky Bar on the 64th floor of Lebua State Tower.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru
One of our planet’s most mystical human-made wonders, Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca citadel hidden in Peru’s Andes Mountains, is a unique graduation excursion.
From the first glance of the sky-reaching ruins tumbling down the often cloud-shrouded slope, to taking your final iconic photo of a llama posing in front of it all, exploring this spiritual archaeological site is an incredible experience that feels like stepping into an encyclopedia.
The Bahamas
CocoCay, Bahamas
Step into a real-life screensaver of coconut palms, powder white sands, and cyan waters in The Bahamas and you’ll instantly feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Whether slithering down water slides on fun-packed CocoCay or swimming with pigs on Pearl Island, the sea breeze and glorious sunshine ensure everything about this tropical nation is easy-going.
Plenty of cultural attractions await inland if you can pull yourself away from the beach. Sample Bahamian Rum on a tour of John Watling’s distillery. Tour Nassau’s 18th-century forts, complete with cannons and dungeons, or head to a food shack to try typical chowder or fritters made from conch, a local specialty.
Pearl Island, Bahamas
Are you excited to embark on an unforgettable, multi-destination graduation trip? Browse Celebrity’s worldwide cruises to plan your perfect vacation.
