My 8-year relationship ended and I feel like a solo trip is a right of passage for the heartbroken; help me choose one of these five U.S.-based trips to take?

I'm a 30-year-old woman and in the wake of my engagement ending, I want to plan something to look forward to. I've never traveled by myself before, so I think this will both be a fun experience for me as well as empowering and perhaps a little spiritual. I've been considering where to go and want to start seriously planning one of these trips for sometime between the beginning of June and mid-October (whatever the best time to visit is for the place I ultimately decide on.) I have extremely rough ideas to start, and since this is my first solo trip, I'm most comfortable keeping travel domestic (I'm in the US.) Once a decision is made, I'll start developing a detailed itinerary, but please share any ideas or thoughts you may have for any of these locations! I love blending nights in a city with opportunities for outdoor recreation, swimming, anything spooky/true crime, walkable cities/towns, live music - just to throw a few things out there. Open to any other suggestions as well that are not listed. Thanks in advance!

Trip ideas:

·      Fly into Chicago (my favorite city), spend a few nights there then head to Galena, IL, for a few nights and visit Starved Rock state park.

·      Fly into San Francisco, stay a few nights, move to Carmel-by-the-Sea, stay a few nights there while visiting Big Sur.

·      Fly into LAX (I have a relative in Studio City I can stay with), Joshua Tree for at least two nights, hit a state park or two – maybe Malibu Creek

·      Burlington, VT. I can stay here and make a few trips out to nearby outdoor recreation spots like Bolton Potholes, Green Mountains, Camel’s Hump, North Beach Park

·      Branson, MO, the mountain coaster looks fun, lakeside forest wilderness area, spend a day or two in Eureka Springs, AR.

EDIT: THANK YOU to all who responded, and especially those who shared kind words. Heartbreak is such a universally understood pain, and the empathy extended toward that and simultaneous excitement for my trip means a lot - especially from strangers on the internet who don't even know me. From everyone's feedback, I'm sold on a Cali trip, but also interested in adding the possibility of New Orleans! All I know there is Bourbon Street and there are plenty of magic/voodoo attractions. Any suggestions for NOLA welcomed! In the meantime, I'll be researching some on my own and deciding between there and Cali 💛