Summer Vacation Ideas to Fit Your Personality and Passions

May 7, 2015 in College Life by Textbooks.com •

Psychology, finance, geography, sociology, history. Your backpacking trip this summer is undoubtedly going to teach you more than you know. Budgeting money, navigating maps, interacting with new people, absorbing another culture – yup, you’ll be learning more than how to stuff an iPhone full of selfies. And if you’re looking to get the most of your trip, why not book one that lines up with your course of study or interests? We teamed up with StudentUniverse to line up summer vacation ideas by personality type, hobbies, and academic major.

The History Buff
The question for history lovers is not where to go, but how to narrow down where to go. Just about every European destination – from London to Rome to Athens – is like stepping into a magical time machine. Then there’s Beijing, for awe-inspiring day trips to the Great Wall of China, the palace and gardens of the Forbidden City, and Zhoukoudian, the archeological site that is home to Peking Man. And the ancient Mayan ruins across Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula couldn’t be further from the all-you-can-tan set in Cancun.

The Adrenaline Junkie
Thrill seekers should head to Queenstown, New Zealand for bungee jumping and cave diving. Or to Pamplona, Spain in early July for the running of the bulls. Or climbing Chile’s stunning Patagonia mountains.

The Nomad
You? Aimless? Never. You travel far and wide, and with purpose. StudentUniverse’s packed itineraries make it easy to explore London and Istanbul with pit stops in Paris, the Swiss Alps, Vienna, Budapest, and more. Or carve out half your summer for an epic South American adventure from Lima to Rio, which includes hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and exploring Andes’ Lake Titicaca before celebrating your feats in Rio de Janeiro.

The Sunseeker
Have sunblock, will travel. And to sit on Puerto Rico’s renowned beaches, all you’ll need is a driver’s license – that’s right, no passport required for U.S. travelers. Boardsharks will appreciate the epic surf in Byron Bay, Australia, while Marbella’s black-sand beaches on Spain’s Costa del Sol are equal parts lux and lax.

The Art Lover
The Thinker and the Mona Lisa in Paris. The David and the Birth of Venus in Florence. The Sistine Chapel and La Pieta in Rome. The landscapes and cafes that inspired countless Impressionists in the south of France. The mix of modern and gothic in Berlin. Sculpture, painting, photography, even street art – there’s no shortage of summer vacation ideas for artsy types.

The Philanthropist
Are you a nursing major or a pre-med student? Follow your heart and consider volunteer vacation in high medical need countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, or India. Not only will you be lending a helping hand, you’ll be experience the real-life day-to-day of these stunning places.

The Newbie
Haven’t traveled abroad yet? Christen your passport with stamps from London, Paris, or Barcelona. From sightseeing and food to architecture and history, these summer travel spots give first-timers the complete experience of what Europe has to offer.

The Bookworm
Oh, you know we had to include this one, right? Chapter 1: Stratford-upon-Avon to soak up Shakespeare’s precious hamlet. Chapter 2: James Joyce’s wordsmithing playground, Dublin. (Bonus points for centering your trip around June 16, the Bloomsday celebration of all things Ulysses.) Chapter 3: St. Petersburg and Moscow to explore the inspirational homeland of Russian masters such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Nabokov.