My last overseas trip was an ideal mix to me, particularly because our driving time was kept to a minimum. We stayed in North Berwick for 9 nights, playing Musselburgh Old, all 3 courses at Gullane (#3 course twice because it was so much fun), Kilspindie, Luffness New, North Berwick West Links (3 rounds), Muirfield (2 rounds), Dunbar, the Glen, and Goswick (2 rounds). Goswick was our only significant drive, at a little less than an hour, and we were all glad to make the trip.
All of the courses we played were great in one way or another, with some obviously both critically acclaimed and expensive, and others much less so, but still quite captivating. Removing Muirfield, NBWL, and Gullane 1 from the trip would have lessened the experience some, but the remaining courses still would have combined for a wonderful trip.
After doing some trips with substantially more driving time, this most recent trip set the new ideal for my future travel plans. I'm now looking to do similar trips, with a fairly tight travel radius, in many spots, including the Highlands, Liverpool, et al. Having still not seen so many of the world's best, I maintain desire to do so, but don't foresee any trips that exclusively focus on highly ranked courses, for quite a few reasons. Just as golf courses need some ebb and flow (in my opinion), so too do trips, from day to day.