Why You Should Have A Travel Bucket List
Travel is absolutely one of my favorite things to do, and if you’re reading this, my guess is you love to travel as well. Not only does travel allow you to explore new places and learn about new cultures, but the challenges that come with it push you out of your comfort zone and force you to live in the moment. And the memories are gifts that last a lifetime. That’s why I have a travel bucket list.
If you don’t have a travel bucket list, I’m here to tell you why you need one. It’s important to have goals that are purely for your enjoyment, and experiences that inspire and change you. Travel is one of the things that can do all that. And if you actually create a list with the places where you want to go, it’s more likely to become a plan and ultimately a reality.
A travel bucket list doesn’t have to be filled with exotic destinations that take 30 plus hours to get to and cost a fortune. As long as they are places you dream about and want to visit, then it’s a destination worthy of your bucket list.
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The places on my list are the kind of destinations that make my heart beat faster and get me fired up. Some of them are ‘once in a lifetime’ trips that I endlessly dream about, and others could easily be visited over a long weekend but I just haven’t had the chance to get there yet. Now that they are on my list, I know it’s only a matter of time before each of these trips becomes a reality.
And so with no further ado, and in no particular order, here they are:
My Top 5 Travel Bucket List Destinations
#1 Finland:
There are many reasons to visit Finland and other Scandinavian countries. The friendly people, the incredible design, the food, and the magnificent scenery, to name a few. Most people would prefer to go in the summertime when they can experience the midnight sun. But for me? I want to go in the dead of winter. Why? The northern lights of course! And specifically, I want to stay in the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. It’s going to cost me a pretty penny, but staying in a glass-domed igloo, 250 KM above the Arctic Circle, while watching the northern lights explode in a riot of colors directly above me, is priceless.
#2 Japan:
Japan has been on my travel bucket list for a long time. Why? One word describes why I want to go to Japan: umami! I literally want to eat my way through this country. This would not be the first time I traveled somewhere to eat, and it’s not to detract from the myriad cultural offerings and the natural beauty of Japan. But if travel is my passion, food is one of my obsessions. And the sheer variety of delicacies in Japan – sushi, ramen, tempura, kaiseki, unagi, shabu-shabu, okonomiyaki, (Ok, I think you get the point!) – are reason enough to take a 14-hour flight across the world to this foreign land. And first on my list when I get to visit this country? An amazing meal in Tokyo (Sukiyabashi Jiro if I’m lucky!) and some damn good karaoke.
#3 Marfa, Texas:
Marfa has been on my list for a very long time. It’s not an easy place to get to and requires a minimum of a 3-hour drive from the closest airport. But there’s something about a road trip through the wide-open vistas of Southwest Texas that calls to me. And not only has Marfa become a cultural destination, known for its art, music, and food. There’s plenty to do outdoors as well, with Big Bend National Park nearby. And finally, with little light polluting the sky in this part of the state, the stargazing is supposed to be incredible.
#4 Scotland:
I’ll admit it. I’ve always been a bit captivated by stories of folklore. And Scotland has a good one with the legend of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. But beyond the local legends, Scotland has piqued my interest because of its rugged beauty, bustling cities, and did I mention the castles? Better yet, some of the best ways to explore the Scottish highlands aren’t in a car but on foot and bicycle. Whether cycling on the Isle of Skye or hiking near Doune Castle, (Pop-culture fact: Doune Castle was the location of Winterfell in the pilot episode of Game of Thrones), there are plenty of options to choose from. And when you’re all petered out, tuck into a local pub for a pint of ale or a nip of Scottish whiskey.
#5 Antarctica:
Of all the destinations on my list, this one definitely falls into the ‘once in a lifetime’ category. I’ve always dreamed of visiting Antarctica. Part of it is my obsession with wanting to visit all 7 continents, and the desire to see a part of this planet that is like no other. But the thing that’s really piqued my interest in Antarctica is the journey to get there. Flights to Antarctica are exorbitantly expensive and the waitlist to get on a flight can be more than a year-long, so almost 90% of tourists travel by boat. And that means about 48 hours of sailing the Drake Passage, also known as the roughest water in the world.
The Drake Passage terrifies and fascinates me at the same time. The average sea swells range from 15 – 40 feet. I’m definitely packing my Dramamine for this trip! But I think it’s kind of poetic that the journey to get to Antarctica is extremely challenging and daunting. After all, it is a trek to the end of the Earth, so a couple of days of nausea-inducing high seas seem appropriate for the price of admission. And I’m guessing the reward for persevering is more than worth it.
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It’s so hard to choose just 5 destinations for my travel bucket list, so here’s my bonus location!
#6 Tanzania:
There are so many places to see in Africa, but next on my list is definitely Tanzania, for the Great Migration. Technically the migration takes place twice a year, with 2 million wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle migrating between the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania and the grasslands of the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Even though I’ve been on a safari in Africa already, Tanzania is on my list because there aren’t many spectacles left that we can witness to truly get a sense of the biodiversity and raw power of nature. And there is something very humbling about watching these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
And there you have it. My travel bucket list, at least for now!
Related: Why you should plan that bucket list trip now plus 5 tips to get you started
What places are on your travel bucket list? It doesn’t matter if it’s a day trip or an epic adventure that takes years to plan, because all trips start with our imagination and a wish to see something new. So if you have a list, share what’s on it in the comments below! And for those of you who don’t, grab a pen, a piece of paper and start one now. I can’t wait to hear where you want to go, and I’m pretty sure some of your ideas will inspire me to add to my own travel bucket list.
Happy travels!
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