Let me help you create an epic list full of travel and adventure
Originally posted November 2019, updated April 2022 – I have updated this post to provide even more great tips to help you create your ultimate travel bucket list. Travel is finally reopening and I want to help you get out and explore more!
Is your bucket list a ‘pie-in-the-sky’ wish list? Or is it a checklist of stuff you’re actually doing? My travel bucket list is a very long checklist of things I want to accomplish, but the important thing is that I am checking items off every single year. Let’s help you create a travel bucket list full of awesome activities you can actually do!
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Back in 2018, I checked off seven items, including walking on the Great Wall of China, eating at a Michelin Star restaurant, and travelling to Rome. It was a big year for me because I decided to take a gap year from working after being let go from a job. I was extremely fortunate to receive a severance that allowed me to do so.
Not everything on my list is an expensive vacation. In 2019, I check off a few smaller items, including taking a silks class and buying myself a pair of red-soled Louboutins.
I also got to see Dolly Parton in concert, which was a dream of mine since my dad had me listening to her music when I was younger. A definitely nostalgic and sentimental item to tick off.
fulfilled a childhood dream of mine.
was a dream come true for this foodie!
Travel Bucket list Review
I started my list at the end of 2014. As of today, I have checked off 39 items. As I check items off the list, I continue to add new ones. I have also begun to notice that some of the first items I added 7 years ago are things I no longer wish to do.
This is bound to happen, and that’s okay. When I find one, I delete it and then replace it with a new place, activity or goal. Keeping your list realistic helps keep you motivated to tick items off.
Variety is essential for a good bucket list
In reviewing my bucket list the other day I came to realize that it is comprised of a good mix of small trips as well as large-scale, very expensive trips that will take a lot of time and planning, such as an African Safari complete with having breakfast with the locals at Giraffe Manor. Dining at the underwater restaurant in the Maldives is also a big one and I can’t wait to check that one off the list.
Because one can only feasibly do so many big vacations per year, I also have shorter, less expensive trips on my list. For this reason, I have also included touring the underground city of Seattle on my list. At just over a two-hour drive away, this should be easy to accomplish on a weekend.
Tips For Creating the Ultimate Travel Bucket List
One of my pro tips to keep in mind when creating your list is to make sure that you include both big and small trips and activities. If everything on your list is a $10K dream vacation, you’re unlikely to check many items off.
Keep your list realistic and include local activities that don’t cost an arm and a leg. With a good mix of these, you’ll actually be able to cross off some items every year.
- Start with your ultimate dream destinations, the BIG trip ideas
- Add local destinations and activities as well, think local as well as global
- Research top activities in your area and add a few that you missed
- Include art galleries, museums, botanical gardens etc.
- If you need some travel inspiration, check out Pinterest for ideas
- Ensure your list has both big and small destinations and activities
- Create a vision board full of inspiring and gorgeous images
- Post this somewhere you can see it regularly
- Start small, but start ticking things off!
I challenge you to review your bucket list or start one if you don’t already have one. Make sure it includes adventures that you will be able to check off this year. Think locally and include small, weekend trips as well as your dream vacations abroad.
For one of my adventures last year I drove out to the suburbs of Vancouver for a day of Langley winery tours. It was a great day, and local!
Ultimate Travel Bucket List Ideas
Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas to get you started. I’ve added things you may be able to accomplish locally depending on where you live, as well as some of the top bucket list destinations.
- African safari
- Boat rental for the day
- Caribbean cruise
- Winery tour and tasting
- An art museum or gallery tour
- Float plane ride
- Visit a theme park
- Splurge on a spa day
- Sleep in a castle
- Get certified in Scuba Diving
Ultimate Adventure Travel Bucket List Ideas
When creating your list, think about adding adventures that you can do without an international plane ticket and two weeks’ vacation. Research ideas for your local area by using sites such as Tripadvisor or Booking.com.
Their top 10 lists likely have activities you haven’t yet done. I checked and there is one item on Vancouver’s top 10 that even I haven’t done yet!
Here are some ideas of activities that you could add to your list:
- Skydiving
- Horseback riding
- Go on an ATV tour
- Try a Cross Fit class
- Go Paintballing
- Drive a Go Kart
- Bungee jump
- Helicopter ride
- Participate in an obstacle course race
- Ride in a hot air balloon
Not sure about skydiving? Check out my article about Skydiving in Cabo. Spoiler alert, it was awesome!
Being able to check items off your travel bucket list is important so you don’t get discouraged. Try not to think that you’ll do these things ‘one day’ because today should be that day. I am a huge supporter of being a tourist where you live and taking staycations.
I previously wrote a post about staycations. And another post full of tips for how to make a staycation an amazing vacation. Because yes, these can be ‘real’ vacations!
Travel plays a prominent role in my life. During periods when I can’t go far, a road trip or even a staycation has always been the answer. You don’t need to go far to be a tourist, go adventuring somewhere new, or enjoy some R & R. For this reason, my bucket list includes places that are local and perfect for a weekend getaway.
Never forget that where you live is a destination for others.
Try not to take your backyard for granted. I guarantee you there are hidden treasures waiting to be discovered right outside your doorstep. To stay inspired, check out these inspirational travel quotes.
What’s on your ultimate travel bucket list that you can’t wait to check off? Share with me in the comments below. And be sure to pin this post to remind you to continually review your travel bucket list. Happy travels, friends!
