How to Plan That Bucket List Trip (Get Started Now With 5 Easy Tips)

How many of you have a travel bucket list of places you are dying to see, but has not a single destination on your list been checked off yet?

I get it. It can be daunting to plan a typical family vacation to Disney World for a week, let alone a trip to a bucket list destination. And many of us tell ourselves that we’ll travel more once we’re retired, have more money, more time, or [insert excuse here]. Sound familiar?

Here’s the deal. There is never an ideal time to travel or plan that ultimate bucket list trip. Life will always get in the way. So why put it off? If you can budget for it and plan appropriately, why can’t you start checking off places on your travel bucket list now? Isn’t the point of living to experience things throughout our life? And not save them all for the future?

Don’t Postpone Your Bucket List Trips

Taking bucket list trips is exactly what I started doing a couple of years ago. I got a last-minute invitation to join a friend on one of my ultimate bucket list adventures – trekking with the gorillas in Rwanda. I was lucky that my friend had planned the trip already, and all I had to do was hand over my credit card. At first, I was hesitant to say yes. But then I thought, why not? I have the money. I can take the time off from work. So, why not take this incredible trip that’s been on my travel bucket list for ages? And so I did!

My trip to Rwanda taught me a valuable lesson. We build up these bucket list trips in our heads as highly complicated, expensive, and time-consuming endeavors, but that’s not always the case. Ok, maybe a cruise to Antarctica will take a lot of money, time, and planning. But some of the other places you’ve probably dreamed about? Iceland? Bolivia? A coastal road trip in Maine? I bet these bucket list trips aren’t as complicated to plan as you think.

So, did I convince you? Are you ready to plan a bucket list trip but not sure where to begin? I’ve got five tips to help you get started.

Related: If you’re like me and love keeping track of everywhere you’ve been, plus the destinations you want to visit, then you’ll love this map. 

5 Tips To Help You Plan Your Bucket List Trip

1. Write It Down

This one might sound odd to you, but the first thing you should do is put together a travel bucket list. Don’t hold back with this! Put down every far-flung destination you’ve ever dreamed about. This is the fun part. But beyond that, physically writing down your goals (in this case about travel) versus keeping them in your head means there is a higher chance you’ll take action on them.

As an added bonus, writing things down also improves your memory. The more you remember the destinations on your bucket list, the more likely you are to focus on them and have more awareness when you see an article or hear someone talking about one of the destinations on your list. This can all serve as motivation for you.

2. Research

Next, pick a few destinations on your list that have piqued your interest and start researching. If you’re looking to take this trip within the next year, stick with options that will be easier and less expensive, i.e., the Grand Canyon versus Argentina.

But what do you research? If you are traveling on a budget, find out when the shoulder and off seasons are because those are the cheaper times to travel. Also, do some digging with a site like Kayak to find out when they recommend airfare will be the cheapest for that destination. You can also look into hostels, cheap hotels, and home rental options. And don’t forget about Pinterest. Most people don’t realize it’s a search engine, like Google. You can find many travel tips and recommendations from savvy travelers on the site.

But even more critical than doing your research online is reaching out to your friends and family. Who among your network has been to this bucket list destination? What did they love? What did they hate? What are their travel tips? Usually, when someone comes back from a trip, they love to talk about their experience. I’m sure you’ll get some great travel tips this way, which will help you plan.

3. Start Saving Now

Yep. That’s right. After researching, you should have a pretty good idea of how much this bucket list trip will cost. And that’s when you get out the piggy bank and start saving. Be realistic about this. Aside from the money you’re putting away for retirement and rainy day savings, how much can you save each week for your trip? It might not be a lot, but ultimately, it will add up.

I recommend allocating a separate account for this so you can see the money accumulating for your trip. You can open a fee-free savings account at Capital One 360 or try out an app like Simple, which allows you to save as little as a dollar at a time.

You can also have fun saving money. Try challenging yourself to put away more money one week out of each month. Look at your daily activities and see where you can cut corners or find a deal. When you prioritize it, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you have the money saved for your dream trip.

4. Block Out the Dates On Your Calendar

Once you have a budget in place and have figured out how much time you need to save, you can block out the actual dates on your calendar. Do it now so you can see it visually and have something to look forward to. Once you put something on the calendar, it becomes real, and that will motivate you to keep saving and planning to reach your goal.

5. Move From Bucket List to Booked

With everything else in place, you are finally ready to take care of logistics. This includes everything from booking your airfare/transportation and accommodations to any tours you want to take. Now is also the time to research any visas, immunizations, or special permits that you might need. For example, you need a permit to hike the trail to Machu Picchu. When I traveled to Rwanda, I needed a special permit to enter Volcanoes National Park, where the gorillas live. Luckily, I was able to purchase one even though I had booked the trip only four weeks before traveling.

And my last piece of advice for a trip like this is that it always pays to book travel insurance.

Still Undecided About Planning A Bucket List Trip?

If you’re still on the fence about planning a bucket list trip, here are a few more reasons to consider it.

First, planning a trip like this gives you something incredible to look forward too.

Second, saving, planning, and preparing for the trip can also help motivate you to move forward with other goals in your life.

And last but certainly not least, once you come back, you will always have the memories of your bucket list trip, and those? Well, those memories will last a lifetime.

Bon Voyage & Happy Travels!

Looking for great travel accessories? Check out my gift guide for travelers.