[forgottenowl]

I'm in this age range and hoping to travel everywhere but I'm thinking about where I should go in the next few years.

My question applies for both women and the entire travel experience.

Are there any countries where women go crazy over this age range? Countries where it's good to be this age to get the best social and night life experience? Where do you get the best value out of being young?

[Trumpian]

Honestly you're better off in the West during those years for both women and building up your capital.

[the-dream]

- USA college towns
- 2nd tier European party islands in the summer (Magaluf, Kos, Kavos, Pag etc)

[a beer is enough]

(11-25-2018 05:25 AM)the-dream Wrote:  

- USA college towns
- 2nd tier European party islands in the summer (Magaluf, Kos, Kavos, Pag etc)

As I have always said about US college towns, be weary and don't bother with them unless you are a college student there. Most of the social scene revolves around Greek Life and if you are not a part of that in scene, it is real tough to break in. In my opinion, once you have graduated from college, you shouldn't even bother with college towns anymore. If you are in college, don't post on forums and instead work on being heavily involved in campus groups, rushing a frat and getting as socially ingrained as possible.

Once you're done with college, just leave it and move on. You're wasting your time in college towns at that point as the cliques are borderline impenetrable.

Instead, work on moving to a major city and a young part of that major city. Move to the cities that have high millennial populations. The people are going to be more approachable in general and you won't have to deal with the cut-throat cliquishness that comes with college town life where Greek Life pretty much controls the social scene. If you are a young guy without much of a direction in life, go take a nightlife job at these cities, there you go.

[BaatumMania]

Unless you're an incel or neet then you're not benefiting by moving to most of Asia. Remember Asia is the land where obese 70 year old white men seem to be slaying 18 year olds (whether by paying daily or the woman thinking he'll marry her).

[the-dream]

(11-25-2018 12:45 PM)a beer is enough Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 05:25 AM)the-dream Wrote:  

- USA college towns
- 2nd tier European party islands in the summer (Magaluf, Kos, Kavos, Pag etc)

As I have always said about US college towns, be weary and don't bother with them unless you are a college student there. Most of the social scene revolves around Greek Life and if you are not a part of that in scene, it is real tough to break in. In my opinion, once you have graduated from college, you shouldn't even bother with college towns anymore. If you are in college, don't post on forums and instead work on being heavily involved in campus groups, rushing a frat and getting as socially ingrained as possible.

Once you're done with college, just leave it and move on. You're wasting your time in college towns at that point as the cliques are borderline impenetrable.

Instead, work on moving to a major city and a young part of that major city. Move to the cities that have high millennial populations. The people are going to be more approachable in general and you won't have to deal with the cut-throat cliquishness that comes with college town life where Greek Life pretty much controls the social scene. If you are a young guy without much of a direction in life, go take a nightlife job at these cities, there you go.

I'm speaking more about traveling and stopping by than settling. I visited American college towns during that age, not even knowing what "Greek Life" was, and had a blast.

[RDF]

Completely agree with the-dream.

European party destinations like Ios, Magaluf, Zrce, as well as spring break type spots (Cabo, PCB, South Padre) are typically best done when younger. It’s not only about feeling out of place (though this is a contributing factor), but also that these are extremely high energy spots. When older, most people won’t have the energy to party and get wasted for 4 straight days while staying at a cramped hotel or a hostel dorm, which is what you typically do at those places.

As for college towns, moving to then full time after you’ve graduated is def not the best idea since it’s hard to penetrate social circles with hot girls long-term, even if you’re still college age. Especially in specific places, beer is def right.

However, in terms of visiting, it is absolutely still worth it. I’ve had a great time visiting multiple college towns (most big CA and AZ schools, UT Austin, U of Florida, Boulder, etc) post-grad. You probably won’t get into the best house party but plenty of hot girls to meet at bars

When you’re an out of towner, you’re more exotic, and if you’re decently attractive/fun, girls don’t expect you to be in a top frat or have a bunch of friends in town. If you actually live there, then a girl is going to have higher standards and compare you to the top guys she knows on campus.

Also I feel this is a dupe though I can’t find the other thread right now.

[yankeetravels]

As someone in this age range currently, I feel like I can provide a good perspective on this topic.

First of all, I think this age range needs to be separated into two brackets. The first should be 18-21, the second should be 22-25. In America particularly, this is a big difference. 18 year olds have a MUCH different mindset than 25 year olds. Most of the environment is brand new to them while 25 year olds are getting ready to move onto the next stage. Not only that, but in America, the 18-21 crowd has a much more college mindset. They chill in college pj's all day in dorms, they're in a big bubble, and bitch about class, while they do their main partying in sports or fraternity houses. Oh, and they're much more drawn to countries where they can drink at 18 for spring break. The 22-25 crowd usually has a more young professional mindset, may travel abroad or start backpacking/teaching English. But, the real coin flip for this age group is if they live in an apartment or back home with their parents to save money. This is make or break, because dealing with dorm students is about the middle ground to those.

I have done a lot of what I'm going to suggest recently or know people well who did.

18-21

Spring break destinations. These are not for the older crowd. We simply don't need it and there's better options for young professional types. Cancun is great for Americans along with the Bahamas and Punta Cana in DR. Brits I've heard like the Spanish and Greek Islands. Aussies and Northern Asians tend to go to Bali, Phuket, and Koh Phangan. Any party island is ideal for this age group.

I agree on the college town thing for the 18-21 crowd. This may not be for everybody but in my experience, I've been a lot more accepted into other college circles when I've told others I'm currently attending college. Since I've graduated a couple years ago, I've lost a lot of access I once had. I don't think the 22-25 crowd benefits much from this area unless they get their shit together incredibly fast. It's kind of a purgatory age group for college towns in my opinion.

One more I'll throw out there. Orlando. A lot of young people work, live, and visit there. Disney and Universal have two of the biggest international internship programs in the world. If you like theme parks at all, I've heard very good things about the girl ratio. There tends to be a lot of girls and beta guys in the internship crowd and I've heard they party hard via a few sources formerly in the crowd. And these are just the people that work there. You have UCF near there too for college crowd plus tourists from all over the world constantly coming in (granted a lot are with families). Another bonus, if you want a spring break beach, Panama City Beach isn't too far.

22-25

This is where it gets a bit interesting. Some cities have a lot of young professionals but younger men may not be in a position to do it right. NYC is a pretty good example of this. So, my recommendation from an American perspective is second tier cities. One ideally filled with a lot of young professionals in the same boat. Second tier cities do nicely for this like Stamford, Austin, Columbus... you get the idea. For a vacation, New Orleans is unbeatable as a younger guy American option. Harder to fit in the tourist environment there the way we'd want to when we're older.

Europe I don't have a lot of experience on, but based on reputation, it appears that Spain may not be a bad option as it's a good mix of cities, beaches, and affordability. Amsterdam may be worth checking out as well, along with Tallinn in the summer. The Poland guys can chime in on if they think that's a good younger guy destination.

In Asia, I actually think there's multiple places not being discussed. Taipei is the big one I recommend. Pretty much the best city in Asia to cash in younger guy value, as the girls here value that more than other places. Also incredibly convenient to live in, safe, rookie traveler friendly, and a lot of ESL opportunities to live there. Bangkok believe it or not I think is good too based on reputation. 35 million tourists a year, older value isn't what it used to be there. Another affordable city for younger people to settle in, supposedly more rookie traveler friendly for SEA, plus it has every type of girl you want with a looser dating vibe from what I hear. Then of course there's Bali, which attracts a lot of nomads and backpackers. Probably more friendly for the younger crowd. I don't know how attractive that area would be in your 30's.

One by itself I'll recommend in special circumstances is the Philippines in general. I think for young guys lacking confidence or needing a redemption moment from their college experience, this is a great place to get that. I know it has an older guy reputation, 30's guys definitely have more value there, but it can do wonders getting the wheels in motion for younger guys needing a boost. For me personally, this was the college experience I never had back home.

[Black Caesar]

You should go as many different places that you’re interested in as possible.

When you see the world and how other people live you can then really think about what you want for your life.

Traveling far and wide was the best thing I ever did because it opened my mind to life’s possibilites .

[a beer is enough]

Are the Greek Islands really that out of the question for guys over the age of 25? I recently heard about Dan Bilzerian visiting one of them and it is huge on my bucket list to go there and do Yacht Week in Croatia. As for high energy, I feel like as someone who completely missed out on the college experience I go 7 days a week of drinking and partying hard.

I'll chime in on NYC though, nothing can beat it for a man in general, young or old. Moved there when I was in my early twenties and do not regret it a bit. No city in the US can rival NYC in terms of access to not just lots of single women but also a great social circle. You have areas of the city where tons of people in the 22-30 age range move to in order to live out the party life, continue having fun and avoid marriage and kids like it is the fucking plague (and it is tbh). In any other major US city you have to deal with the family cucks and the goody two shoes, it was not an issue in NYC.

I cannot think of any other city in the US where someone fresh out of college can move to in order to find others in the same exact situation as them. Even if you make less than 80k, go there and live with roommates. I did it and have zero regrets, my only regret is moving to a smaller city to save money but I am definitely going to go back very soon and this time for good.

[Jaygg]

Koh phi phi, Mallorca, hvar, all the party spots. Still the best times of my life

[TravelingBodybuilder]

Party destinations like Cancun, or Ibiza.

Places like SE asia you can experience when your older and still sleep with woman easy... But places like cancun with tourists ONS with tourist girls from around the world has better success when you are more young and have more energy for that night game shit.

[the-dream]

(11-25-2018 04:25 PM)a beer is enough Wrote:  

Are the Greek Islands really that out of the question for guys over the age of 25? I recently heard about Dan Bilzerian visiting one of them and it is huge on my bucket list to go there and do Yacht Week in Croatia. As for high energy, I feel like as someone who completely missed out on the college experience I go 7 days a week of drinking and partying hard.

I'll chime in on NYC though, nothing can beat it for a man in general, young or old. Moved there when I was in my early twenties and do not regret it a bit. No city in the US can rival NYC in terms of access to not just lots of single women but also a great social circle. You have areas of the city where tons of people in the 22-30 age range move to in order to live out the party life, continue having fun and avoid marriage and kids like it is the fucking plague (and it is tbh). In any other major US city you have to deal with the family cucks and the goody two shoes, it was not an issue in NYC.

I cannot think of any other city in the US where someone fresh out of college can move to in order to find others in the same exact situation as them. Even if you make less than 80k, go there and live with roommates. I did it and have zero regrets, my only regret is moving to a smaller city to save money but I am definitely going to go back very soon and this time for good.

The Greek islands have a mix of high end, cash splashing, older spots and wild trashy teenage spots. I've never actually been but it would be great to travel around the different types of places there. I've been to similar islands in Spain for the younger cheaper crowd but never the high end. Can anyone chime in if the financial crisis in Greece affected tourism there?

[scengja]

(11-25-2018 11:53 PM)the-dream Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 04:25 PM)a beer is enough Wrote:  

Are the Greek Islands really that out of the question for guys over the age of 25? I recently heard about Dan Bilzerian visiting one of them and it is huge on my bucket list to go there and do Yacht Week in Croatia. As for high energy, I feel like as someone who completely missed out on the college experience I go 7 days a week of drinking and partying hard.

The Greek islands have a mix of high end, cash splashing, older spots and wild trashy teenage spots. I've never actually been but it would be great to travel around the different types of places there. I've been to similar islands in Spain for the younger cheaper crowd but never the high end. Can anyone chime in if the financial crisis in Greece affected tourism there?

I have been to some "young crowd" Europe summer party spots in my late 20s; Magaluf, Mykonos and Ayia Napa. It was a very different experience compared to when I was 16-20 and used to go every summer. I have to say I did not enjoy it, it is just "too much". The most obvious thing you notice is how inexperienced people are with alcohol (many getting drunk for the first time). The quality of the girls is not that great, this combined with how wasted everyone is and the general seediness kind of makes you hate these places very fast. Of course even these destinations have some more "upscale" places (Magaluf have a Nikki beach for example) but I am talking about the majority of venues.

Now I stay away from all those "10-15EUR all you can drink" destinations. There are still plenty of destinations with a slightly more experienced party crowd, like Palma, Ibiza, Barcelona, Marbella (I have not been but maybe Croatia like Zadar as well? Also Odessa if that is your thing!)

[Gpx90210]

I’m about to share knowledge that I wish I had known when I was around your age. Follow my advice and it will prove invaluable to you. Stop worrying about the traveling at 18-22. Do spring break and such but read on. How old are you exactly? Note: there is an exception, if you can study abroad for a year in Eastern Europe, that would be definitely worth it.

First, finish up a degree in either a trade or a high yield with remote possibility later in life. Example: nursing, computer science, etc.

Second, smash as much pussy as you can while graduating as quickly as possible from college. You should have your BS degree no later than 21. Enter every type on internship you can. Continue to go to spring break every year and join a frat - mainly for social circle and connections later in life.

Investments/401K/IRA CRITICAL - open a Roth account and max out each year from 18 on. If you do an internship, work as a bartender, whatever. Max. Out. Your. Retirement. Put 50% in biotech funds and 50% in a Leverged 3x index fund. I can assist you with these if you’re lost. Or just ask your dad.

After college, find a job that offers great PTO and time off. Travel as much as possible while still maxing out your retirement. Go to places worth your money: highest exchange ratio. $18000 for 401k and $5500 for Roth. INVEST.

At about 35 years old you can retire easily in Thailand or Phil and live off dividends of both your mutual funds and other funds you can select then. I wish I had someone give me this advice when I was your age and I hope you heed it. Game on, grasshopper.

[BaatumMania]

You could try Eastern Europe. It's a cheaper place and most 18-25 year olds are broke (and your money will go further there). And your age group is used to being blue balled / incelled so it probably won't ruin your ego when local women go out with you 3 times but still don't want to have sex.


Else if you want to get laid: find the places that fat British women go to - and I think the guys on this thread already mentioned Greek Islands and Ibiza.

[Soy Jooce]

Almost anywhere outside of the anglosphere, except for maybe NYC, Miami and London

[JimBobsCooters]

To be honest that's the age range to do the Anglosphere places, places like Latin America, Asia, Africa or Eastern Europe are all there in your late 20s and early 30s with very little of the getting caught up on age thing that is so massive in Anglosphere. As an early 30s guy I'm going to have to cut through some severe age related bitch shields before being able to do anything back home or in similar spots. All the places I mentioned are great because most of the local girls just see a man and don't give a fuck if I'm a few years older than them.

Party spots are always top of the list of places to hit when young, the big festivals that go for days (if your kind of thing), spring break and comparable events for other countries and the like where being older gets a bit of a creep vibe automatically attached to it are great to hit while young and far more sustainable on the body. Cancun, Ibiza, Greek Islands, Sail Croatia, Tomorrowland, Exit Festival, Szigetfest, Oktoberfest and the like all make a ton of sense to do while young. Vegas obviously you have to wait until 21 like most of the spots in the US, so the US in general kind of stinks for the 18-21 age range on this front but Vegas is a great one to do with a bunch of early 20s, smash one of the pool parties and live large for a day or two. Full Moon Party is probably an exception for mine as something worth doing while younger but still in Asia.

The other spots to hit are the action sports areas, snowboarding, bungee jumping, biking and that sort of thing, you never know what life will throw at you and which of those might not be possible at an older age, I for example have had to give away the snow sports because of my shady knees and really wish I'd done a season at one of the slopes when I could have in hindsight. Places like NZ with all its action oriented stuff makes sense as a young person destination for example.

Most of the stuff in a place like Italy for example is still going to be there in 20 years time and you don't need to be young, I'd argue that being older and more patient will make these places better in fact as someone who really struggled to enjoy a lot of it because of the crowds and type of crowds that it draws. France, Germany et al are the same, not to mention they're cold-blooded expensive.

None of this is to write off Asia, Latin America and the likes either, if you're passionate to learn a language going to LA and learning Spanish is a great way to take advantage of your younger more nimble brain and if those are the places you're passionate about then you should do them regardless and make sure you see them but, from the girls perspective, they'd be the places I'd keep waiting more than other spots as they have the girls who are actually more likely to turn away from you for being 18-25 than 28-35 as opposed to vice versa.

The other factor obviously is money, if you're going to have to work to sustain your travel, while traveling, then places like Australia come into consideration because of the strong work and travel visa option, a lot of people do 6 months in Australia and come out ahead on the finances from it. Asia is also a great option on this front because it's very easy to get into teaching English which can be done for a few months to stock up the bank account to go again.

[a beer is enough]

I am kind of lost on this thread.

Are Ibiza, Sail Croatia and places like the Greek Islands really only for the college aged kids?

I don't see why you guys are saying this because when I was in college, there is no way I could have afforded any of that and the best we could do is a spring break trip to PCB. In my opinion I think the age thing should be far less of an issue or controversy outside of the Anglosphere but primarily outside the USA.

I'd love to hear more from Europeans on here but it seems like Ibiza and the Greek Islands should be more than doable and age hardly much of an issue. Only issue I see is if you are one of those older guys who starts acting holier than thou and hates alcohol and partying in which case, have fun being a shut-in but maybe I am missing something here about these places.

I mean fuck, I am going to be out of my mid-20s soon so it looks like I better book a trip fast!

[melikey]

I think Thailand is a really good place a for a young guy. Easy to get laid, cheap and there is some nice islands you can visit and full moon party etc. I would also hit some music festivals if I were you.

[scengja]

(11-27-2018 10:50 AM)a beer is enough Wrote:  

I am kind of lost on this thread.

Are Ibiza, Sail Croatia and places like the Greek Islands really only for the college aged kids?

I don't see why you guys are saying this because when I was in college, there is no way I could have afforded any of that and the best we could do is a spring break trip to PCB. In my opinion I think the age thing should be far less of an issue or controversy outside of the Anglosphere but primarily outside the USA.

I'd love to hear more from Europeans on here but it seems like Ibiza and the Greek Islands should be more than doable and age hardly much of an issue. Only issue I see is if you are one of those older guys who starts acting holier than thou and hates alcohol and partying in which case, have fun being a shut-in but maybe I am missing something here about these places.

I mean fuck, I am going to be out of my mid-20s soon so it looks like I better book a trip fast!

Yes, some places are primarily for a younger crowd (16-22). Going to these places is not really that expensive from a lot of European countries (like 200-500USD for a week including hotel and flights). Some of the more notorious young-and-getting-totally-wasted places are Magaluf in Spain, Mykonos in Greece, Ayia Napa in Cyprus and Sunny Beach in Bulgaria (there is also a place in south of Portugal where a lot of young Portugese kids go to get wasted, forgot the name). Now OF COURSE there are older people in these places as well, however unless you are a total rookie to nightlife these destinations might not be too enjoyable since you will be partying with people that have very limited party experience (with minor downsides like people puking on you, the floors in bars being all sticky due to spilled drinks etc...)

A place like Ibiza is slightly older crowd primarily because everything is more expansive (esp. cover charge to the most popular clubs).

[zatara]

Different areas of Ibiza are different age ranges. San Antonio is 17-21, Playa den Bossa 22-30 and Ibiza town is 30+. Different club nights are different age ranges, depending on the style of music. The more raucous stuff is the younger side of the island though - 1euro shots, foam parties etc. The "older" nights are more underground techno/hip and far more reserved. The Greek islands are also different ages depending on the island: Crete or Rhodes are 17/18 year olds, Ios 21 year olds, Mykonos the outlier at 25+. Yacht week the average age is about 25, for their most popular Adriatic week anyway - I haven't done their Asian/Caribbean ones so can't speak of them. Rougher holiday island spots like Magaluf, Kavos or Ayia Napa are all very young - 17-21.

Just because you couldn't afford it doesn't mean large numbers of American college kids can't - its pretty common. I've met 18-21 year old Americans in all of the above spots, all traveling on their parents dime. There are lots of very wealthy Americans who think nothing of paying for their kids all expenses paid Eurotrips as a high school or undergrad graduation present. Or just for a summer between years of college, to stop them hanging around the family home all summer.

Also bear in mind the majority of people in all of the above spots will be Northern Europeans, who can do most of them very cheaply. 100euro ryanair flights and a hostel or else a 300eur 7 night package holiday aren't hard even for an 18 year old to save for when they can earn 10eur+ an hour working part time in a shop in Northern Europe. Or for any middle class or wealthier kids their parents will likely chip in.

Age will definitely still be an issue in Europe if you go to a club night full of 18 year olds and you're 25+, both in terms of fitting in and more importantly just for your own fun. Its no fun being surrounded by teenagers puking on themselves, being unable to relate to anyone in conversations. JimBobsCooters' post is spot on, its definitely worth prioritizing the younger party spots when under 25.

[yankeetravels]

Some very interesting responses in this thread. A couple stuck out to me after my post.

(11-25-2018 04:25 PM)a beer is enough Wrote:  

I'll chime in on NYC though, nothing can beat it for a man in general, young or old. Moved there when I was in my early twenties and do not regret it a bit. No city in the US can rival NYC in terms of access to not just lots of single women but also a great social circle. You have areas of the city where tons of people in the 22-30 age range move to in order to live out the party life, continue having fun and avoid marriage and kids like it is the fucking plague (and it is tbh). In any other major US city you have to deal with the family cucks and the goody two shoes, it was not an issue in NYC.

I cannot think of any other city in the US where someone fresh out of college can move to in order to find others in the same exact situation as them. Even if you make less than 80k, go there and live with roommates. I did it and have zero regrets, my only regret is moving to a smaller city to save money but I am definitely going to go back very soon and this time for good.

I've been to this city plenty of times and know the region pretty well. I cannot say I agree with this assessment in terms of living there. It's no doubt a great nightlife and girl city, perhaps one of the best in America. My main criticism with it, and why I don't live there, is that it will absolutely cripple an early 20's guy financially. It's very rare for guys in the 22-25 age range to get a near 6-figure job fresh out of college. In my opinion, there are more affordable options for guys to go to and being in NYC will come at a cost for most in this range. Either you won't be able to go anywhere else or you will have to work your ass off just to stay there. It's definitely the best area in the region to meet women, maybe the country, but I have personally chosen to sacrifice basing there in exchange for the option to travel to several other cities/countries. However, a quick vacation there could be great for those not from the area.

(11-27-2018 08:00 AM)JimBobsCooters Wrote:  

To be honest that's the age range to do the Anglosphere places, places like Latin America, Asia, Africa or Eastern Europe are all there in your late 20s and early 30s with very little of the getting caught up on age thing that is so massive in Anglosphere. As an early 30s guy I'm going to have to cut through some severe age related bitch shields before being able to do anything back home or in similar spots. All the places I mentioned are great because most of the local girls just see a man and don't give a fuck if I'm a few years older than them.

Party spots are always top of the list of places to hit when young, the big festivals that go for days (if your kind of thing), spring break and comparable events for other countries and the like where being older gets a bit of a creep vibe automatically attached to it are great to hit while young and far more sustainable on the body. Cancun, Ibiza, Greek Islands, Sail Croatia, Tomorrowland, Exit Festival, Szigetfest, Oktoberfest and the like all make a ton of sense to do while young. Vegas obviously you have to wait until 21 like most of the spots in the US, so the US in general kind of stinks for the 18-21 age range on this front but Vegas is a great one to do with a bunch of early 20s, smash one of the pool parties and live large for a day or two. Full Moon Party is probably an exception for mine as something worth doing while younger but still in Asia.

The other spots to hit are the action sports areas, snowboarding, bungee jumping, biking and that sort of thing, you never know what life will throw at you and which of those might not be possible at an older age, I for example have had to give away the snow sports because of my shady knees and really wish I'd done a season at one of the slopes when I could have in hindsight. Places like NZ with all its action oriented stuff makes sense as a young person destination for example.

Most of the stuff in a place like Italy for example is still going to be there in 20 years time and you don't need to be young, I'd argue that being older and more patient will make these places better in fact as someone who really struggled to enjoy a lot of it because of the crowds and type of crowds that it draws. France, Germany et al are the same, not to mention they're cold-blooded expensive.

None of this is to write off Asia, Latin America and the likes either, if you're passionate to learn a language going to LA and learning Spanish is a great way to take advantage of your younger more nimble brain and if those are the places you're passionate about then you should do them regardless and make sure you see them but, from the girls perspective, they'd be the places I'd keep waiting more than other spots as they have the girls who are actually more likely to turn away from you for being 18-25 than 28-35 as opposed to vice versa.

The other factor obviously is money, if you're going to have to work to sustain your travel, while traveling, then places like Australia come into consideration because of the strong work and travel visa option, a lot of people do 6 months in Australia and come out ahead on the finances from it. Asia is also a great option on this front because it's very easy to get into teaching English which can be done for a few months to stock up the bank account to go again.

Agree with a lot of what was said here. For Americans specifically, the difference between 18-21 and 22-25 is important to note, which is why I separated my original response into those categories. Age range I definitely agree is a much bigger issue in the west. I look a bit older despite my age and even I've gotten that neg a couple times already. In the Philippines, sometimes my neg was being too young lol. But, I still think for young beginners it's a great place to get the wheels in motion. Also a great place if money is an issue but you still want to travel. Philippines is much cheaper to live/travel in independently than the US or Europe.

Asia in general also can be a good option for younger people despite what was said above. It's one of the easier chances for young people to get out of their home environment because it provides more jobs than anywhere else for foreigners. Westerners are pretty lucky by this, but there's at least 6-7 countries in Asia where ESL opportunities are available.

Your middle two paragraphs definitely get one thinking about the long-term. Europe is very appealing to a lot of Americans and there are hostel and travel discount advantages for younger people there, but the mega cities and certain countries can probably wait like you said. I turned down an opportunity recently in a mega Europe city where I could've done a vacation there for free accommodation. I chose somewhere else that was higher on my bucket list instead that I thought I could tolerate better younger. One thing that may or may not be beneficial could be to do something like Amsterdam or if you have European descent, it can be tempting to explore the roots a bit while you are still growing.

The adrenaline and adventure travel comments got to me. A couple years ago, I did some cliff diving in the Philippines. Took me a bit to get over the initial fear and about 75% of the people on my boat tour didn't have the guts to go on the highest diving board. I did and it was one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done. But, as soon as I did it I could tell I was going to land hard in the water every time and thought to myself I was lucky to have a good back and legs. Not long after that, I got in a pretty serious accident and messed my back up for several months. I'm not sure if it's ever going to be 100% again, so if I find out I'm not healthy enough to do that in the future, I'm going to look back on that and be damn glad I did it in my early 20's. Because of your comments, I think New Zealand and Australia have both moved a bit higher on my travel list to maybe do in the short term than they once were.

[Motorola]

I've heard that big East Asian cities really change your mindset, but they are expensive.

[RDF]

This thread should also be broken down by places to live full-time, vs places to visit or spend a month or two in.

Places to Live:
-- If you are unsure of what you want to do (or pursuing location-independent work), you should base yourself in the biggest and most fun city out there. New York City is the best choice for many reasons, though other large cities such as Chicago, London, Los Angeles, will do as well. Find a cheaper place, or a place with great logistics to nightlife to split with roommates. Nobody expects you to have much money in your early 20s so take advantage of this.

-- If you know exactly what you want to do, then move to the hub of that industry (likely a specific city). If you're becoming a software engineer, yep, that probably means moving to San Francisco. Do your research, but don't pick against a city just because of its forum rep. I've lived in SF and I can say that there are many men getting laid there just as much as they are in NYC. When you're younger, you're more adaptable and it'll be easier to adjust to the style of the city.

-- The exception is if you are fully location independent, and have no real desire to maintain a home base. In that case, travel everywhere you can!

-- In short, I think it is a bad decision to limit yourself by staying in a small city or a college town full-time. Your goal with your career should be to become a big fish in an ocean, not a big fish in a small pond. You can always visit those places.

Places to Visit:
You want to prioritize places that have:
1) A high energy environment, think lots of drinking/drugs, dancing;
2) Cheap party scene that is focused on bars rather than clubs with bottle service.

The two main limiting factors of getting older are:
1) Being able to relate to people; if you prefer drinking scotch and everybody else is mixing red bull with cheap vodka, you will feel out of place. If you look noticeably older, other people won't be able to relate to you;
2) Energy.. it gets harder to drink and party for 7 days straight when you're older.

Obviously this can vary for different people. Some guys can be 30+ and still relate to a younger crowd (look younger, have younger siblings, have appropriate style, etc) while others might not be able to handle 5-day Tomorrowland even at 21. However this is a general guideline and is not person-specific.

Lots of good stuff has already been mentioned. I'll add my perspective on specific places that I have visited and things I have done. Note that I'm in my mid20s, and would say that I have good social skills and know how to dress/relate to all kinds of people, including those younger.

American college towns - Most of these are awesome to visit any time that you are reasonably college-aged (18-25). Take advantage if you have many friends who are attending other schools and visit them, they won't be there forever. My experience is based mainly on West Coast + UF. It is cheap as hell, and if you're not from the area you have natural exotic value which helps you with competing with the top guys at the school.

Spring Break spots (US/Mexico) - Do this before you're 25; if you're American, preferably while you're still in college. The scene is pretty trashy and it will definitely be hard to relate to people or fit in when older. If you missed it, don't worry too much, there's plenty of better places to go.

Las Vegas - I actually think this can wait until late 20s/30s. Definitely give it a shot anytime after you're 21, especially if you live close, but don't have your hopes too high as a younger guy. Vegas nightlife swings older than most party destinations (I would say ~29/30 is average age at most nightclubs) mainly because it is very expensive if you want to ball out. You will notice that the best-looking girls tend to be with older guys. I couldn't pull table scraps in Vegas until I was like 23, most girls would laugh me off on approach. My game was worse, sure, but my age didn't help.

Miami Beach - Similar to Las Vegas. Not saying you can't enjoy it as a younger guy, but you'll probably enjoy it more when you're older, have better game, and can afford the $20 drinks without flinching. Even more so than Vegas, I typically see the best looking women with guys in their 30s and 40s in Miami.

Music Festivals (EDC, Tomorrowland, Coachella, etc) - I would recommend going initially when younger, but there's nothing wrong with going to festivals in your mid/late20s and older IF you actually enjoy the music and scene. If you are only going for the chicks, it'll be harder to handle the grind of the heat/crowds when you're older. I personally love festivals and all kinds of music (house, "EDM", etc) and plan to keep going to festivals for the foreseeable future. Have yet to feel out of place.

Extreme sports (skiing, cliff jumping, etc) - Similar to the above, where you should try as many things as possible when younger, and if you enjoy it, keep doing it until your body says no.

Cheaper EU party destinations - Think Ios, Ayia Napa, Magaluf, and some others that I haven't been. The younger the better, basically. You can probably still swing it when older, but for shorter periods of time. I'll be going to Ios and Corfu this coming summer, will see how I enjoy them being a little older.

Pricier EU party destinations - This includes Mykonos, parts of Ibiza, Cannes, Marbella, St. Tropez. You can definitely do this when you're older, as long as you have the energy and the money. I went to Cannes and St. Tropez as a 20 year old and got zero play despite staying out till 7am most nights. Still a great time, but no need to force your way here because you're afraid of being too old.

I haven't been to Sail Croatia but a friend of mine went this summer (he's 28) and had the time of his life. It wouldn't really make sense to spend that much money when you're 21.