Well, there is a name for it and it's called post-summer camp
gap year travel! A mouthful to digest, but an easy decision to
make! And as an after taste you'll have plenty of time to let it
all sink in on your explorations of America.
Once your summer camp duties have been fulfilled and you've
squeezed every ounce of fun and satisfaction out of your time
there, the last thing you'll want to do is go home. So, what
else is there to do in America? And what are you going to spend
that hard-earned summer camp cash on anyway?
America is a land of infinite possibilities. Since the US has a
staggering 12,000 available summer camps scattered throughout
the country, you'll have to consider which camp the launching
pad for your adventures is going to be.
A good idea is to plan your route before deciding on the camp
you're going to be working at. Remember, with your J1 visa,
you'll have up to ten whole weeks of travel time in the United
States. Spend that time wisely.
Summer camp is a great place to meet the people who actually
live in America. They know the country well so get their advice
on interesting places to visit, especially the ones that are off
the usual touristy trails. Since there are 12,000 summer camps
to choose from and thousands of possible places to visit, here
are a few options to help give you some ideas on your camp
choice.
Let’s start at Route 66
Route 66 is the Great American Road Trip. “In addition to
(working at) Camp America, I got to travel from coast to coast”
says Bojan from Serbia. Many who leave camp start road trips in
Chicago and end them on the sunny beaches of the Pacific Ocean
in Los Angeles, California.
Travel through a series of eight American states and the
landscapes that made the West famous. You'll literally find
thousands of things to see and do. It is highly recommended that
you take your own transport. That way you'll be able to stop in
the various towns for as long as you like. If you're familiar
with motorcycles, this is the iconic bikers dream route; there
is no other.
America: Land of Theme parks
The most awe-inspiring park has got to be Six Flags Magic
Mountain in Los Angeles, California. From a New Yorker’s
perspective, Gordon Teoh says “It’s all going on, all the time”.
This is not a theme park so much as it's an extreme park, and
it's home to one jaw dropping rollercoaster – The Viper,
otherwise known as the largest looping rollercoaster in the
world. But wait, the Viper is set to lose this title to an even
taller and faster opponent with the planned unveiling of The
KingDa Ka. Towering at 456 feet and launching you screaming at
over 127 MPH, America's theme parks just keep getting bigger,
faster and meaner....almost out of control. So make sure your
camp is based around the Los Angeles area if you decide to take
the plunge.
The Grand Canyon
Few people have not heard of the Grand Canyon, but not many have
seen it. This is an American classic for film locations of every
kind and for those who know, this was Airwolf's lair in the
famous TV series by the same name. The Grand Canyon is an
exceptionally deep, steep-walled canyon in the northwestern
Arizona area. “It is amazing - just like in the movies!”
comments Helen Anderson who worked at Camp Canonicus. River
rafting in the Colorado River, hiking and of course good old
photography are things to do at the Canyon. The Grand Canyon
cannot be missed; it's big, it's wild and it's absolutely
amazing.
These destinations represent only a small fraction of the
possibilities of post-summer camp gap year travel. The summer
camp you work at could be anywhere in the USA, so do some
research or contact one of the camp organizers for things to do
after camp. Ten weeks of America's infinite possibilities await,
so waste no time!
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