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Looking for some outdoor vacation ideas? Vacation planning can be hard and sometimes the hardest part can be picking a location. This post is going to help ease the struggle!
When planning a vacation for any season, there are a lot of steps to take. In my post about summer vacation planning, I walk you through the steps of planning. Here, however, we are going to get more in-depth about actually picking your location(s) for traveling! There are so many to choose from and it can be overwhelming, so keep reading to begin narrowing down your choices! Reminder: this post is not all-inclusive, that would be the longest list ever! These are just places I believe are the best for vacationing out of the ones I’ve been to.
This part one post is all about vacation planning to an outdoor location!
SEVEN AWESOME OUTDOOR VACATION IDEAS!
1. Arizona – Sedona & Flagstaff
Hear me out, Arizona in the summer can be brutal, but depending on when in the summer you go, it can be absolute perfection. If you don’t like the heat or early mornings, however, I say you should go from April to June, which is the end of spring and the beginning of summer. This is before monsoon season and before it gets scorching hot. Late winter or late fall is also a great time to go if you have a vacation planned around that time. Just remember to check the weather depending on WHERE in Arizona you’re going.
Sedona and Flagstaff are part of Northern Arizona, so there’s much cooler temps than if you were in Tucson or Phoenix. These two locations are so popular with in-state and out-of-state visitors. Even the drive between the two cities is beautiful as the 89A state road passes through Oak Creek Canyon. While they’re different in activities, they’re both great options for outdoor vacation fun!
Flagstaff is a dark sky city (the first recognized!) and is also known as the “City of Seven Wonders“. I loved the fact that you could actually clearly see the stars at night, even though the city itself was SO dark. The city itself is lively when Northern Arizona University (NAU) is in session and it’s the best place to see parks, canyons (including the Grand Canyon!), mountains, and museums.
Sedona is an awesome place with hikes like Devil’s Bridge Trail and the ability to go off-roading (it’s so much fun)! Within the actual town, there are shops, food, and other things you’d expect in a more touristy town, but the real seller people come here for is the outdoor activities.
2. Utah – National Parks
Utah is famous for its national parks, the most popular being Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches National Parks. Like Arizona, it can get HOT in the summer, but you can also go skiing for many months out of the year too! If you enjoy fishing, this is a great location for you as Utah has over 1,000 fishable lakes to pick from.
You don’t have to be far from big cities to do outdoor things in Utah though. There are places like Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City and Y Mountain in Provo. A surprising thing I found was that there are a LOT of different scavenger hunts you can do in Provo too…and I don’t have an answer as to why it’s so popular!
3. Washington State
Now, Washington State is very popular with the outdoor community, and for good reason! It has a ton of options and it’s simply just beautiful. The greenery is like no other.
With that said, the first option is actually inside of Olympic National Park and it’s the Hoh Rain Forest. It’s recommended to visit outside of October to June because of the amount of rain it gets, so it’s actually a perfect place to visit in the summer! Oh, and if you like birds, this is the PERFECT place for you.
If you’re looking for something easy or more relaxing, check out the Ape Caves, specifically the Lower Cave. The upper cave is much more difficult, but if you’re looking forward to that, definitely do both!
Another fun option to do here is Mount St. Helens, which the Ape Caves is a part of. While it might be a little scary being this close to a still-active volcano, it’s a magnificent sight to see. The visitors center is very informative and if you’re experienced enough to climb, be prepared for a LONG day as this takes 7-12 hours round-trip.
Obviously, there’s so much more to do in Washington like the obvious Mount Rainier and Puget Sound, but I just wanted to give a few other options that maybe aren’t as popular. For a “not-so-outdoors” activity that still is so much fun, check out the Pacific Science Center. I swear it was so much fun when we went on our Spring Break in Seattle!!
4. Colorado
Colorado is well-loved by my family and friends because there’s a bunch of wonderful nature and beauty to experience there. Obviously, the Rocky Mountains are there, but oh my goodness there is so much more to the state!
The first thing of note is that there are a lot of hot springs, so if you’re into that, you’ll be in luck here. There are some located near Vail and Aspen too, so if you’re interested in visiting those places, you’ll still have options. Definitely plan your Colorado trip with the season in mind!
Telluride, CO is a place that is talked about constantly and I actually heard about it from one of my old roommates. If you like skiing, this is the place for you. Seriously, one of the reasons it’s known is its world-class skiing! If you don’t know how, then visiting would be a perfect way (and place) to learn!
If you’re in Colorado (or the other three states to be named) and you have the time, check out Four Corners, it’s the location where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado geographically meet in their respective corners. It’s part of the Navajo Tribal Park and the only place in the US where four states meet each other.
5. South Dakota – Black Hills & Crazy Horse
I wasn’t aware of all that South Dakota had until I met my fiance, but the main ones I’m here to talk about are Black Hills & Badlands and Crazy Horse. Yes, Mount Rushmore is here, but that’s not at all the best thing about this place.
Crazy Horse Memorial (currently under construction) is a monument of the Oglala band Lakota warrior Crazy Horse and represents all indigenous people of North America. It is a fantastic way to learn about heritage and culture and the land that these memorials and parks sit on.
The Black Hills, while under dispute with the US Government and the Sioux, is the perfect gateway to many natural wonders and parks including Badlands. There are many hikes and activities to do here, and I’d definitely recommend more than one day to see all that this location has to offer.
Other things you can do in South Dakota include seeing the Mississippi River, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park if you want to see animals such as elk and bison. It’s really something you can’t miss.
6. California
California, my home! While California is well known for its beaches, it also has tons of other outdoor activities up and down the state. From the Redwoods to Joshua Tree National Park, you would never be bored on an outdoor trip in California.
Here’s a quick list to check out when planning your outdoor vacation in California (or we’d be here forever with options):
- Yosemite National Park
- Sequoia National Park
- Redwoods National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Channel Islands Sea Caves (for when your legs are tired from walking all of those national parks!)
- Griffith Park Hiking (definitely check out Griffith Observatory as well)
- Big Sur Coastline (or the entire coast of California, both are beautiful, but be aware of the windy roads and mountains. Check out the state parks and creeks along the road!)
- Slot Canyons Anza Borrego (or literally any of the slot canyons in the states)
- South Lake Tahoe (yep, it snows in multiple areas of California. This place is AMAZING.)
Obviously, California is a BIG state and there’s so much more than just this list. But I think it’s safe to say you can keep yourself busy with this list above.
7. Oregon
I can’t even begin to pick just one location in Oregon for this list, but I will try. There are so many places that you can go kayaking, hiking, rafting, cycling, skiing, and so, so much more.
One of the most popular locations in Oregon is Columbia River Gorge. It is a gorge with the highest concentration of waterfalls in North America and if you like water, it’s the perfect place for you.
Another super fun option for outdoor vacation ideas in Oregon is camping on a Fire Lookout (crazy, right?!). Yes, you really get to camp in a cabin on stilts that was built for spotting wildfires. There are a few locations, but you have to be on it when booking because they go QUICKLY. I’d recommend the Clear Lake Butte one for the views. You have to be experienced in a multitude of things to do this, so definitely read everything before trying to book.
If you really want to be surprised, check out the Painted Hills. You’d probably never expect something like that from Oregon.
Quick Outdoor Adventure Bonus:
If you’re looking for outdoorsy, but want a little break on your trip on the West Coast, check out Napa or Sonoma. Not far from San Francisco and Sacramento, these two cities offer so much, and not just in terms of vineyards and wine tastings!
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While every state has some kind of activity to do outdoors, these are the states that I believe are the best for vacationing out of the ones I’ve been to. If you’re looking for other types of travel destinations such as Best Beaches, subscribe to my newsletter to see when I post about them! When you’re planning a vacation, be sure to check these states out and you’ll never be bored!
