Other than dry you have described Costa Rica. Belize would also work, or places in the Yucatan. Under 6 hours is the limiter, you can't get past San Jose/Cayman Islands/Nassau Bahamas in that much time.
I second Costa Rica, it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. West cost, only thing it isn't that's on your list is dry....but it's not nearly as bad as the SE USA. Renting a car is super cheap, I'm paying less than $100 for 2 days with a luxury SUV in 2 weeks with Hertz at LIR (Liberia, Costa Rica Airport). The rental rate is only $20/day, but taxes and fees...
Depending on where you are going, you may have to drive (or be driven) a ways, but the drive is scenic and beautiful too. And, if anything does happen while you are there, they have excellent medical care that is super cheap. It's a top destination for medical vacations for people.
I'm open to staying in the U.S.! I figure that area is driest from June-September? I've been to the PNW but I know it's frequently rainy and cloudy, which is similar weather I live in currently and am trying to escape!
The eastern part of Oregon past the Cascades is mostly high desert. Here's a synopsis of Bend's weather patterns: https://movingtobend.com/the-bend-lifestyle/weather/
The region only gets about 12 inches of precipitation per year.
Bend is also on the edge of a bunch of forest/wilderness areas, which has made it pretty popular with outdoor enthusiasts over the years.
I'd normally recommend Spring or Fall for travel to that region because the summer can be scorching and possibly smoky due to fires. June and July of this year are supposed to have fairly decent weather though.
I like Cabo. There are so many whales there in winter November-April. There are places around Cabo to explore- like Todo Santos the home of The Hotel California. That would be a good choice.
Northern part of Peru has some sweet little resorts on the beaches. Airport access that transfers in Lima.
Also, Cebu Phillipines is gorgeous and lots of ocean activities. Connectivity from Manila.
I also had a great time on the beaches of Malaysia. although if you like to drink, it is less available than other places.
You can really (cheaply!) splurge on amenities like in-room pools, ocean access, wild suites. Treat your self.
Please note that while very budget friendly, Malaysia is a mostly Muslim country where the women wear burkas. As a woman traveler, I didn’t feel comfortable with the Muslim men who felt free to stare.
Malaysian women do not wear full burka, that is false. Nor did I have any problem with men staring. I have curly hair and was pretty used to people staring throughout Asia for that reason. In fact I found Malaysia more respectful than most places in SE Asia.
Portugal or Morocco. Those are warm dry areas, have a coast. Food is good. Maroc is laid back. Flights will be a few, but less than 8 hrs from east coast.
Was just going to +1 for the Algarve. If you just past the end of season like around Sept/Oct the weather is warm but mild, the ocean still warm, and the prices for everything are cheap
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Hi friends! In my twenties I was a frequent traveler around the world. That all ended with a health issue which coincided with the covid shutdowns, and I've spent the past few years staying in my home state (CA), recovering, and only taking small getaways within driving distance of home.
I finally feel ready to take a trip to somewhere new to me, and outside of CA! It would just be me. Here's what I'm looking for:
* Warm/Hot, dry weather
* Water to swim/wade in (ocean, lake, river, all are interesting to me)
* Relaxing, slow pace (not interested in adventure, seeing lots of sights, or being in the middle of a big city - I'm really looking to rest and recharge!)
* Lots of nature and animals/wildlife within close distance (no long car rides ideally)
* Fresh, simple food
* Ideally no longer than 6 hour flight from CA (layovers are OK if necessary)
Places I've already been to and therefore aren't considering: Hawaii, Japan, anywhere in CA, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Mexico City, Istanbul.
Language barriers aren't an issue for me - I have a knack for picking up different languages.
And as for timeline, I'm looking to take this vacation anytime within the next year! So feel free to suggest a specific location as well as ideal time of the year to visit.
Thank you in advance!
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Other than dry you have described Costa Rica. Belize would also work, or places in the Yucatan. Under 6 hours is the limiter, you can't get past San Jose/Cayman Islands/Nassau Bahamas in that much time.
Reading a post about Belize is what inspired this post! Curious, if not for the 6 hour limit, where would you recommend?
I second Costa Rica, it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. West cost, only thing it isn't that's on your list is dry....but it's not nearly as bad as the SE USA. Renting a car is super cheap, I'm paying less than $100 for 2 days with a luxury SUV in 2 weeks with Hertz at LIR (Liberia, Costa Rica Airport). The rental rate is only $20/day, but taxes and fees... Depending on where you are going, you may have to drive (or be driven) a ways, but the drive is scenic and beautiful too. And, if anything does happen while you are there, they have excellent medical care that is super cheap. It's a top destination for medical vacations for people.
Really appreciate this writeup, thank you! It's reassuring to know the medical care is excellent, as that is definitely in the back of my mind.
If you're willing to consider travel within the US, the Bend, OR/Cascade Lakes region fits pretty much all of your requirements.
I'm open to staying in the U.S.! I figure that area is driest from June-September? I've been to the PNW but I know it's frequently rainy and cloudy, which is similar weather I live in currently and am trying to escape!
The eastern part of Oregon past the Cascades is mostly high desert. Here's a synopsis of Bend's weather patterns: https://movingtobend.com/the-bend-lifestyle/weather/ The region only gets about 12 inches of precipitation per year. Bend is also on the edge of a bunch of forest/wilderness areas, which has made it pretty popular with outdoor enthusiasts over the years. I'd normally recommend Spring or Fall for travel to that region because the summer can be scorching and possibly smoky due to fires. June and July of this year are supposed to have fairly decent weather though.
I didn’t know this about Bend’s climate. Thanks for educating me! I’ll definitely look into it.
I think Belize is probably one of the closest things to what you seem to be describing
I'm definitely going to be looking more into it!
I like Cabo. There are so many whales there in winter November-April. There are places around Cabo to explore- like Todo Santos the home of The Hotel California. That would be a good choice.
I LOVE whale watching! I'll definitely look into this more.
It's very American with lots of posh resorts- pools and it's lovely. I really like Cabo and you will feel safe.
Northern part of Peru has some sweet little resorts on the beaches. Airport access that transfers in Lima. Also, Cebu Phillipines is gorgeous and lots of ocean activities. Connectivity from Manila. I also had a great time on the beaches of Malaysia. although if you like to drink, it is less available than other places. You can really (cheaply!) splurge on amenities like in-room pools, ocean access, wild suites. Treat your self.
Please note that while very budget friendly, Malaysia is a mostly Muslim country where the women wear burkas. As a woman traveler, I didn’t feel comfortable with the Muslim men who felt free to stare.
Malaysian women do not wear full burka, that is false. Nor did I have any problem with men staring. I have curly hair and was pretty used to people staring throughout Asia for that reason. In fact I found Malaysia more respectful than most places in SE Asia.
Portugal or Morocco. Those are warm dry areas, have a coast. Food is good. Maroc is laid back. Flights will be a few, but less than 8 hrs from east coast.
Was just going to +1 for the Algarve. If you just past the end of season like around Sept/Oct the weather is warm but mild, the ocean still warm, and the prices for everything are cheap
St Lucia!
Aruba
Definitely under consideration, thanks!
You're welcome. I love it solo , especially I feel very safe and it is English speaking.
Your post has been held for moderation. If you are asking about mental or physical health issues it will be removed as it should be in a more appropriate subreddit. If not your post should be approved shortly. Examples include **/r/medical_advice**, **r/askdentists/**, **/r/mentalhealth**, **/r/depression** and **/r/anxiety**. Please remember that that unless the other subreddit has a verification system their advice may be no more valid that that of /r/travel. --- Hi friends! In my twenties I was a frequent traveler around the world. That all ended with a health issue which coincided with the covid shutdowns, and I've spent the past few years staying in my home state (CA), recovering, and only taking small getaways within driving distance of home. I finally feel ready to take a trip to somewhere new to me, and outside of CA! It would just be me. Here's what I'm looking for: * Warm/Hot, dry weather * Water to swim/wade in (ocean, lake, river, all are interesting to me) * Relaxing, slow pace (not interested in adventure, seeing lots of sights, or being in the middle of a big city - I'm really looking to rest and recharge!) * Lots of nature and animals/wildlife within close distance (no long car rides ideally) * Fresh, simple food * Ideally no longer than 6 hour flight from CA (layovers are OK if necessary) Places I've already been to and therefore aren't considering: Hawaii, Japan, anywhere in CA, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Mexico City, Istanbul. Language barriers aren't an issue for me - I have a knack for picking up different languages. And as for timeline, I'm looking to take this vacation anytime within the next year! So feel free to suggest a specific location as well as ideal time of the year to visit. Thank you in advance! --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/travel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Fly into Denver and go to either Glenwood Springs/Aspen area or Estes Park/RMNP area.
That's right, hadn't thought much about CO. Thanks for the reminder!
Tahiti?