Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 260
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $180 ($20 camp, $40 gas, $100 food, $20 other)

  • Day 1: drive to the campground, hike in the area (Indian Cove Nature Trail), relax in the campground
  • Day 2: breakfast and drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: ~300
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $130 ($30 gas, $70 food, $30 camp)

  • Day 1: drive from Irvine, CA to Anza Borrego, CA (140 mi, 3 h), hike Slot Canyon trail, visit Galleta Meadows statues, overnight camping
  • Day 2: relax in the campground, drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 1000
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $300 ($120 gas, $150 food, $30 other)
No hotel expenses since we stayed at a friend's place

  • Day 1: explore San Francisco (Golden Gate bridge area)
  • Day 2: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, local beaches, Santa Cruz

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Flight: San Diego -> Mexico City -> Cancun -> Mexico City -> San Diego
Duration: 10 days
Mileage: ~350 in Yucatán area
Starting point: Mexico City
Countries: Mexico
Budget for 2 people: $2930 ($1500 flights, $215 hotels*, $275 car rental, $125 gas and taxis, $50 buses, $420 food, $90 tickets, $140 snorkeling, $115 airport parking)

  • Day 1: fly to Mexico City, visit Museo Nacional de Antropología
  • Day 2: explore Chapultepec park, dinner with local family
  • Day 3: visit Teotihuacan, explore CDMX Zócalo
  • Day 4: visit Tepoztlán
  • Day 5: explore CDMX Xochimilco
  • Day 6: fly to Cancun, drive to Chichén Itzá, swim in Ik Kil cenotes, drive to Tulum and enjoy local food

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Duration: 1 day
Mileage: ~160
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $90 ($20 gas, $70 food)

  •  Day 1: drive from Irvine, CA to Oak Glen, CA (80 mi, 2 h) and back

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 160
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $163 ($33 camp, $30 gas, $100 food)

  • Day 1: drive to the campground, visit Lake Arrowhead Village, hike
  • Day 2: relax in the campground; drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 500
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $210 ($58 camp, $60 gas, $70 food, $20 other)

  • Day 0: drive to Montana de Oro State Park, California
  • Day 1: explore the park and nearby hiking trails
  • Day 2: relax by the beach; drive back home

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Flight: Los Angeles, LAX –> Paris, CDG –> Los Angeles, LAX
Duration: 16 days 
Mileage
: 2000 by trains
Starting point: Paris, France
Countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria
Budget for 2 people: $5640 (1900 flight,  $1370 hotels, $970 transport, $1300 food, $100 other)

  • Day 0: flight from Los Angeles to Paris
  • Days 1-2: explore Paris, train to Brussels
  • Day 3: explore Brussels
  • Day 4: daily trip to Brugge
  • Days 5-6: morning train to Amsterdam, explore Amsterdam

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Duration: 4 days
Mileage: na
Starting point: Los Angeles, CA
Countries: Canada
Budget for 2 people: ~$1500 ($500 flight, $200 hotels, $90* snowboard rental, $180 airport transfers, $300 food, $200 other)

  • Day 0: flight from Los Angeles to Vancouver (2.5 h), dinner with friends
  • Day 1: Stanley Park, then Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
  • Day 2 : explore downtown, Gastown, Granville island, Charleston Park and Olympic Village areas
  • Day 3: snowboarding in Whistler
  • Day 4: explore another part of Stanley Park, flight to Los Angeles

* We have Local Epic passes that include 5 days of snowboarding in Whistler

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Duration: 10 days
Mileage: ~400
Starting point: Los Angeles, CA
Countries: Dominican Republic
Budget for 2 people: $3220 ($1150 flight, $450 hotels, $220 car, $100 gas, $300 food, $700 kitesurfing, $100 surfing, $200 other)

  • Day 1: flight from Los Angeles to Santo Domingo via Mexico City
  • Day 2: drive from Santo Domingo International Airport to Cabarete (150 mi, 4 h)
  • Days 3 - 9: enjoy beaches, kitesurfing, surfing, caves, food and drinks!
  • Day 9: drive from Cabarete to Santo Domingo International Airport (150 mi, 4 h)
  • Day 10: flight from Santo Domingo to Los Angeles via Mexico City

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Duration: 4.5 days
Mileage: ~2000
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people : $450 ($65 for 2 nights in camps, $45* for 2 nights in hotels, $200 gas, $120 food, $20 other)

  • Day 0: drive to San Francisco after work
  • Day 1: drive to Redwoods National Park along Pacific Coast, explore Glass Beach and Avenue of the Giants (420 mi, 10 h overall)
  • Day 2: explore Fern Canyon, Big Tree of Elk Creek Prairie SP, Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy, Crescent Beach, Enderts Beach, Howland Hill Road; drive to Lassen Volcanic National Park (400 mi, 9 h overall)
  • Day 3: hike to Cinder Cone; drive to Sacramento (300 mi, 6 h overall)
  • Day 4: explore Sacramento; “17 mile drive”; drive home (600 mi, 10 h)

* We used our Wyndham rewards to book hotels, one night price was $15, second $30

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Flight: Orange County, SNA –> Salt Lake City; Denver, DEN –> Orange County, SNA
Duration: 10 days
Mileage: ~3200
Starting point: Salt Lake City, UT
States: UT, ID, WY, MT, ND, SD, NE, KS, CO
Budget for 2 people: $1953 ($22.5* flight,  $500 car rental, $700 hotels, $300 gas, $330 food, $100 other)
Map

  • Day 0: flight from Orange County, SNA to Salt Lake City, SLC; night walk in the downtown
  • Day 1: explore Salt Lake City, UT; drive to Jackson, WY via Idaho Falls, ID (300 mi, 5 h)
  • Day 2: explore Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park; stay in Jackson, WY
  • Day 3: continue exploring Yellowstone; drive to Hungry Horse, MT (550 mi, 10 h)

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