With countries starting to open up their borders and life returning to a semblance of “normal,” many of us are digging out travel credits and dusting off travel dreams. And just as we pull backpacks and suitcases from closets, check passports and flight fares, it’s also time to look over our travel bucket list. 

Don’t have one yet? 

We’ll tell you why you should and how to get started!

What is a “travel bucket list”?

According to Oxford Languages, a “bucket list” is defined as:

a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime

A “travel bucket list” is those “experiences or achievements” specifically related to your travel hopes and dreams. It can be part of a larger life bucket list or your only bucket list! And whatever form it takes, it’s the special place you jot down all those places and activities around the world you want to experience in your lifetime.  

Why have one?

I personally love lists! The more the better in my opinion. But not everyone is into them. I get it. But we promise this isn’t a list of to-do’s that have to be done while you wish you were doing something else. It’s the list of “something else!” And it ensures 1) that you don’t forget all your great ideas, and 2) that you start taking the steps to make it happen. 

Are you ever going about your day and think of a movie you want to watch or a restaurant you want to try, but when you need to remember them you can’t? In a world bombarding us with information and images, it can be easy for things to be forgotten, even the things we want the most!  A travel bucket list ensures you don’t forget that cool bookshop in Portugal you saw while scrolling through Instagram or that brilliant idea to take salsa lessons in Colombia. It makes sure ideas aren’t lost to memory when it comes time to plan your trip. 

As for making it happen, I refer you to the wisdom of author and motivational speaker, Greg Reid: 

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.”

You might feel as you make your travel bucket list that it’s full of impossible dreams. That might be true if they continue to live in your head. But as soon as you write a dream down or bring it out into the physical world, you give it life. It becomes part of reality, and in turn, you start, consciously and unconsciously, taking steps to make it happen.

How to create your list?

The word “create” implies creativity, which is all you really need to create your travel bucket list: your creativity, your passions, your interests. This is what shapes and fuels your travel bucket list. 

First, think about all those places you’ve always wanted to visit, or things you’ve wanted to see and experience. They can range from local spots to faraway destinations. They can be places that you saw in a film, read about in a book (wait until you see my list!), are found in nature, or bring you closer to friends and family. There are no rules here. No destination or activity is too small or too big. All that matters is that it lights you up and makes you want to get out in the world and experience it.

If your list feels sparse, there are lots of ways to get inspired. Check out “best of” lists online (Amazon, Tripadvisor, etc.), rewatch favorite movies and reread favorite books, splurge on a glossy travel magazine. Ask friends and family about their travel dreams. It’s okay to steal these ideas; you might even plan a trip together!

As for where and when to put all those ideas...the actual “list” part...there are as many ways to create it as there are individuals. You can keep it in a beautiful journal or spiral-bound notebook, in your smartphone notes or a document on your laptop, or taped to your bathroom mirror. Here are some other ideas to get you inspired:

A map

Hang a map on a wall or corkboard. Stick in a thumbtack for every place you want to visit. Use one colored thumbtack for places to visit, and another color after you’ve been there. As you travel, add postcards, money, and souvenirs around the edges.  

Pinterest 

Pinterest is great at organizing our dreams and wishes. It lets you create boards for each destination and provides inspiration with countless images. Once you’ve visited a destination or done an activity you can click the “tried it” button at the top of the pin to keep track of your progress! 

Vision board

Again, if your heart and mind work best with images, consider a vision board. Similar to Pinterest but with a tangibility in the form of clipped newspaper and magazine articles. It’s always visible and where you can pin ideas scribble on receipts and scraps.

An actual bucket 

Or a cute jar or bowl. It can be decorated or plain. As you think of ideas, jot them down and toss them in. When you’re ready to start planning, dump your bucket (or bowl), sort through your dreams, and choose one!

New Year & New Moons

This is more about adding some extra energy to your list creation by considering when you make it. Some people create their travel bucket list like a New Year’s resolution list on New Year’s Eve. Another fortuitous time to set new intentions is on the monthly New Moon.

Need some examples?

Still not sure what a travel bucket list looks like? A simple Google search will yield lots of ideas to get inspired. People love to blog their travel bucket lists and detailed accounts of the journeys they inspire.

Here is part of my own travel bucket list which I store in Google Keep with images and links:

• Ride the Orient Express from Calais to Istanbul

• Cruise the Nile on a dahabeeyah (yes, these first two are inspired by Agatha Christie novels I read as a kid)

• Visit Yosemite National Park in the fall (checking this one off this September!)

• Sit on the edge of Loch Ness in Scotland and look for Nessie, the fabled sea monster (another one from childhood)

• Charter a sailing boat and sail the Caribbean for a month

• Travel across the Pacific Ocean on a cargo ship

Then what?

A travel bucket list isn’t set in stone. Once you have your list started, keep adding to it. And if you reach a point in life where something on your list no longer apples like it once did, cross it off. No judgment. This list is for YOU and you alone. You may share it, but in the end, it’s about your life dreams. Then start saving and planning!

We hope you get out there soon, traveling and checking items off your new or revamped travel bucket list. And when you do be sure to capture these epic, once-in-a-lifetime trips and adventures. We have local photographers in over 500 destinations ready to help. And even if you don’t have an adventure planned just yet, our Flex Package is the perfect solution. Buy now, then book your photographer and shoot whenever you know which bucket list item you’re tackling first.

We’ll see you on your life travels! 📸