Navillusmik

Hi All,

I've decided to skip going home for the holidays and instead take a trip on my own. I'm a female in her early 30s and would like to avoid a big party area.

Ideally I want to possibly go on some sort of backcountry camping or do the complete opposite & hit up a nice beach for a few days. I'de like to keep the trip domestic or travel possible near the carribean or maybe even South America.

I've researched some of the listed REI trips in addition to some other guided tour sites, but I'm scared that I will get stuck with a bunch of couples, etc.

Anyone have any experience or ideas related to this?!

janisj

>>Ideally I want to possibly go on some sort of backcountry camping > but I'm scared that I will get stuck with a bunch of couples, etc.

Navillusmik

Thanks! Yes, I would like to try Hawaii but I feel like I could save costs not traveling that far. I've been viewing those REI trips so maybe I'll take a closer look.

sf7307

We went on an REI trip to Peru last year. We do skew older, but the group's ages were as follows:

Single woman age 22
Her mother age 54
Married guy there without wife or family 38
Single woman age 41
Couple ages 62 and 61
Couple ages 63 and 63

We all got along famously, so much so that we had a reunion 7 months later.

Nidhi124

"Navillusmik" If you are worried about the cost or another thing then go online and book your flight online on discounted price and also search about REItrips.

DebitNM

Christmas time means high airfares and hotels.

Backpacking and camping in winter limits where you can go domestically.

Hawaiian air and Alaska air have been having sales on airfare to Hawaii.

Try Costco travel, they have some good deals.

What's your budget? That matters.

Carribean is $$$$, airfare to S. America too.

Maybe. Central America? Belize or Costa Rica?

andy_lewis

Hey,

Are you going simply alone or with may be your friends? When you travel around the Hawaiian Islands, fantastical beaches, friendly faces and ono grinds (good eats) are practically guaranteed, but every island has a unique flavor. Get swept up by the kinetic energy of the capital island, O'ahu. Hang loose on Maui, which offers a little something for everyone, but especially for beach bums & as nidhi said you can book online ticket.

StantonHyde

I have done a backpacking trip almost every year with the Sierra Club since 1994!! I go alone--I meet new people. Not best buds for life. But people with interesting stories who are pleasant for a week--I thoroughly enjoy it!! They are less expensive than REI, I think. But I have looked at REI too. Not sure the Sierra Club does trips over Christmas.

As for ages on Sierra Club trips--on my first trip, I was 29 and someone on the trip was 79!!!! It was an awesome experience. Those darn retired people have nothing to do but get/stay in shape--I have had my a$$ hiked off by people in their 60s! I am now 50 and am glad to still keep up with everyone!

However, I wouldn't be backpacking in the desert in December--unless you are prepared for cold and snow--this is high altitude!! I wouldn't backpack alone anyway--I have done solo trips and they aren't all they're cracked up to be!! Plus you have to be extra careful when you are by yourself--nobody to help out if you twisted an ankle etc.

Whatever you do--make sure somebody knows your route and your schedule to check in. You don't want to pull an Aaron Ralston!

Christina

I agree with above, have you ever gone camping/backpacking alone? This is never a good idea. In winter, there would be few places you could do it, but of course, there are some. I took a group trip canoeing down the Colorado River south of Las Vegas one year, and we camped out, and it wasn't too bad but did get chilly at night. But it was doable if you had the right gear. Would never do that alone. I've also noticed Sierra Club trips seem a little cheaper, but they don't have anything over Christmas, anyway. REI does have some but they are real expensive.

Prices are higher in some resort areas at the holidays, I think your best and cheapest bet could be just find some reasonably warm area that isn't a super resort destination, and a decent hotel. Being alone in a big city on a holiday isn't that big a deal, plenty to do and if a diverse area, plenty of others for whom that isn't a religious holiday, anyway. Say, a hotel in San Diego, for example, like this one http://www.catamaranresort.com/ You can get a room there for $200 or less around Christmas. But that still isn't beach weather in December, most likely, even if pleasant (say around 70 in day time). And somehow it's never seemed that Christmasy when in areas with a warm climate to me, but that's probably because I was raised in a cold one.

As for where you could go to a beach, this is a modest hotel I've stayed in a couple times in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. http://rivieradelsol.com/ Their cheapest room is around US$240 over Christmas, which is high for them, but it's not an expensive hotel in that area. YOu can fly into/out of Cancun and get a group van shuttle cheaply. YOu could go to the beach there. Lots of ruins you can see if you want, I book small group van tours for those easily, also. You can go snorkeling for some physical activity, if you want.

I've never noticed airfare to be that especially high at Christmas myself, and I do fly at Christmas a lot. Airfare to/from Cancun isn't any different than a lot of other times for me.

Sassafrass

You might also post on the Caribbean and the Mexico forums.
There are a couple of experts who frequent each forum.
You might even consider a cruise to some great beaches in the Caribbean.
Look for those on vacationstogo.com.
Look for some other ideas on Travelzoo.com