Canyon Single
what would be the best place to travel to: alaska, grand canyon/yosemite, washington dc, or costa rica?
I have all the above places on my radar in which I want to visit. I'm from California and can plan one trip next year. I'm a single female in my 20's and will go alone if necessary. Which place do you recommend? I'm moderately active, which means I enjoying hiking and nature, but I'm not hardcore or anything like that. I really appreciate natural beauty, but am open to any and all new experiences.
Thank you for your help 
I've been to all the places on your radar except Costa Rica so I'll exclude comments about Costa Rica in my reply. I will say that if you want to hit the beach you best go to Costa Rica because that's the only place on your list where you can go swimming.
Of the other places on your list, Washington D.C. sticks out because it's not about the outdoors. It's about the history and government of this country. It's a fascinating place to visit and you can easily spend a couple of weeks exploring the area. I love the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo not to mention the National Cathedral. So, if you want to know more about the history, culture and government of this country then visit Washington D.C.
The remaining three places are all on my short list of favorite places. Of the three I would recommend you go to Alaska because you live in California and can drive to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon from your home. Los Angeles is normally my base of operation on the west coast because my daughter lives in Redondo Beach. I've driven from LA to Yosemite more than a dozen times and to the Grand Canyon five times. In fact I'm planning to make the drive to Yosemite again next May. The scenery and hiking in Yosemite are great.
I've been to Alaska twice and I'm thinking about another trip there next summer or the summer after. Alaska is as different from the other states as Hawaii is. It's all about the wilderness and the wildlife. A cruise up the Inside Passage is OK if you're an indoors type of person and don't like exploring and finding new adventures. However, to see the real Alaska you need to do a ground tour of at least south-central and central Alaska. You have to visit places like Anchorage, Seward, Soldotna, Palmer, Wasila, Talkeetna, Fairbanks and Valdez. Alaska is as safe for a single woman as most other places as long as you take the necessary precautions. Stay out of bars, don't walk alone after dark, etc. In other words, don't make yourself a target. The same is true of any city. By the way, during the summer, darkness falls after midnight. You can do it alone but it will be more fun if you have a travel companion for company and to share car and hotel expenses. It's a great experience but it can be expensive. You should definitely see Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park. If you have time, do a boat tour of the Prince William Sound out of Whittier. If you have money, do a day tour of Katmai National Park out of Anchorage or Homer and a flightseeing tour of Denali National Park out of Talkeetna.
Wherever you decide to go, I hope you have a great trip.
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