Where are you starting out? Do you have money for plane tix, are you going to camp? stay in a hotel? I can only speak from experience, but if you can get to Hawaii drop everything and go. It has everything you mentioned and more. Beautiful cascading waterfalls, wildlife (I had never seen before) all walks of life, beautiful and empty beaches but are completely public, incredible nightlife, food you probably have never had, the nicest people you'll ever meet, and above all loads of time to yourself can be easily found in abundance. I visited a friend right after I finished college. My original plans were to stay for 10 days. I stayed for over a month. The following summer 8 weeks. Then the real world set in. Can't wait to get back and I may stay for good this time. It's that perfect. (For me anyway.) It's like living on a postcard.