By Jennifer Skornik, 3L
So you spend two months studying for the Bar, finally take it, and then have to wait several months for results.  Why not vacation?  Whether it’s three weeks or three months this might the last big chunk of free time in your adult life to experience different cultures, eat great food, and travel to an exotic location. Andrea Escalante, SW alum who took the August 2009 bar, said, “My bar trip was a great way to take a break from the anxiety of waiting for results – except I still thought about that while on the trip.”
Whatever the motivates to go on a bar trip, most grads want to take advantage of one of the last times they will be able to take a few weeks away without missing work or other responsibilities.  Why not take the path less traveled?  Everyone agrees that Disneyland probably won’t cut it.
Above the Law, a popular legal blog, ran a forum for the August 2009 bar takers to post their picks for best destination and we’ve narrowed ours down to a few of the best that don’t require making the euro-dollar conversion.
1.    Route 66 Trip: Road trip somewhere in the USA. Inexpensive and you don’t have to deal with the exchange rate. Plus, you get the added benefit of moving your stuff if you’re moving back home or somewhere new for work.
2.    The Safari. Check out South Africa and try your hand at a safari. While you’re over there you can cruise to the Seychelle Islands.
3.    Vietnam. For a long time, Thailand has been the hotspot of East Asia, but young travelers are beginning to flock to Vietnam for the beautiful beaches and untouched destinations. February bar takes beware – monsoon season in the north runs from October through April.
4.    Buenos Aires. For February bar takers, Buenos Aires is a hot spot to check out. With fabulous wineries to enjoy and a night life that goes on until the early hours of the morning, you can enjoy the summer all year round. Also, for those ski buffs who are taking the summer bar, some of the world’s best skiing can be found around the corner in Patagonia.
5.    Passaic River. It’s no surprise that after the exciting 14 hour days of studying for the bar at the library downtown, some students opt to just get away to a quiet cottage along a river. One choice is the Passaic River in Newark. It’s a stone’s throw from Krug’s Tavern and within walking distance to Casa Vasca.
6.    Australia. Just next door to Tahiti you hop from city to city with special city hopper passes and checkout the outback. Common stops include Melbourne, Carrins (for some great barrier reef diving), and Sydney. A lot of packages also include New Zealand and Fiji as destinations, depending on how long your vacations are.
7.    Morocco. For those of you who really want to get away from the world there are desert treks, and Morocco has some of the more tourist friendly programs but you can also check out destinations such as Ethiopia. Lonely Planet offers a great, though expensive, Morocco excursion.
8.     Burning Man. Just kidding.
8.    Costa Rica. Surfing in Costa Rica for a couple of weeks does not sound too shabby either.
9.    Panantal. Have you always wanted to see what a capybara is in person? If your heart jumped as you longingly exclaimed “yes” then you might want to check out the wetland region of Brazil, which offers a wide array of biodiversity rivaling Brazil’s rainforests. You know who you are, you enjoyed pulling up photos of cute animals in class to distract you from lecture. Here’s your chance to adopt your own.
10.    Ireland. Rent a castle for a month. Take a bunch of your friends. Make some new ones. Enough said.
11.    The Budget Buster- French Polynesia. The equivalent of getting a helicopter to drop you off at prom, the Paul Gauguin cruise liner allows you to enjoy state of the art ship with the ultimate in luxury. They boast six star service and cruise year round including stops at exotic locations like Tahiti.
Either way: don’t put it on your credit card.  But take some time to trip, you only live once!