**Solo microtrip Thu–Sun (Juneteenth weekend) from LA — done some research, looking for recs from people who've done summer trips out of SoCal**

Hey all — I have Juneteenth (Fri June 19) off and I'm tacking on Thursday for a 4-day solo getaway from Los Angeles. Budget ~$2,500 all-in. Drive or short flight both work.

I've been looking into a few directions but wanted to hear from people who've actually traveled this time of year before I commit:

**What I've looked at so far:**

- **Beach/coastal** (San Diego, Santa Barbara) — easy, but wondering if holiday weekend pricing makes it not worth it vs. a normal weekend

- **Desert/Southwest** (Palm Springs, Zion, Sedona) — love the idea but June heat is a real concern. Is it actually manageable or do you basically lose midday?

- **Mountain/nature** (Big Bear, Eastern Sierra) — seems like the sweet spot for late June weather, but not sure how crowded these get on a federal holiday weekend

- **City trip** (Portland, San Francisco, Denver) — short flight, different vibe entirely. Open to it if somewhere makes sense for 4 days solo

**A few specific things I'd love input on:**

1. Any of these destinations see a big pricing or crowd spike specifically for Juneteenth weekend, vs. being more of a July 4th problem?

2. Any underrated spots in the region that are worth it over the obvious choices?

3. Anything to watch out for booking this late for that weekend?

Not asking anyone to plan my trip — just looking for a gut-check from people who know these areas in summer. Appreciate any firsthand takes!