Life is too short to not go on adventures! If you’re looking for bucket list ideas or the best travel destinations around the world, look no further. We’re exploring over 100 of the most epic travel destinations around the globe to inspire you to create your own list of things to do before you die.
Travel is the gorgeous feeling of teetering into the unknown
Anthony Bourdain
Don’t you love that quote?
I do. It gives me a sense of being on the edge of something great. With equal parts excitement, fear, and anticipation.
And that’s really the beauty of travel – it heightens your emotions and is such a departure from the routine of everyday life.
I’m a creature of habit, and I love my routines. I basically eat the same breakfast every day (eggs and toast) without fail. And I don’t mind it!
When life can be chaotic and busy, consistency or repetition isn’t always a bad thing. It’s comfortable, familiar, and safe.
But we don’t daydream enough
We don’t take time to reflect
And we’re often left missing that piece of the unknown in our lives
If you can relate and have felt that longing to travel and explore, you will love this post! Let’s dream a little and make a list of things to do before you die…
Let’s Dream A Little
Before we get started, I want you to do something: set a timer on your phone for 10 minutes
(just go with me on this)
I know you have your phone with you, and you’re probably on it right now, so this is an easy one.
Now, for the next 10 minutes, I want you to simply enjoy the quiet (we never seem to have enough of it) and reflect on where you’d love to travel to one day…
What immediately comes to mind?
What are the experiences you dream of having?
What are the things you really want to do before you die?
And trust me, this is worth your time! A few moments of self-reflection can really get the wheels turning. Here’s a quick, free worksheet you can use to jot down your ideas:
You’d be surprised how many good ideas you can generate in just a few minutes. If 10 minutes feels too long or short, it’s definitely ok to adjust and make it work for you.
Once you’re done, let’s begin…
Things To Do Before You Die
Choosing things to do before you die might sound a little ominous, I’ll admit.
But let me first say that this post is meant to help you reflect and dream (not dwell on death). It’s about enjoying the time you have, so we’ll keep that the focus.
I’ll be sharing over 100 incredible things to do before you die, all related to travel. Here’s a sneak peek:
- Famous landmarks around the globe
- Iconic cities you have to see
- Weird and unusual (but fascinating) things to do
- Crazy adventures
- Festivals you can’t miss
I hope to inspire you and make you think outside the box when it comes to creating your bucket list. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive – there are so many great things to see and do! But use this as a starting point to create your dream list.
There will also be space for you to “fill in the blanks” for things that hold significance to you. Let’s get started!
Famous Global Landmarks
- Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx (Egypt)
- Big Ben (England)
- Eiffel Tower (France)
- Statue of Liberty (United States)
- Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy)
- Sydney Opera House (Australia)
- Golden Gate Bridge (United States)
- Stonehenge (England)
- Mount Fuji (Japan)
Unforgettable Experiences
- Visit the largest waterfall in the world (Zambia and Zimbabwe)
- Go whale watching
- See a volcano from above
- Visit the oldest island on earth (Madagascar)
- Go backpacking for a month
- Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway (Russia)
- Stay at an over-water villa
- Explore the last frontier (Alaska)
- Take a cross-country road trip
- Ride on a dog sled
- See bioluminescence
Festivals Around The World
- Oktoberfest (Germany)
- Rio Carnival (Brazil)
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (United States)
- Carnival of Venice (Italy)
- Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (China)
- Mardi Gras (United States)
- Dia De Los Muertos (Mexico)
- St. Patrick’s Festival (Ireland)
- Holi (India)
- Running of The Bulls (Spain)
- Coachella (United States)
Iconic Cities You Can’t-Miss
- Bangkok (Thailand)
- Seville (Spain)
- Rome (Italy)
- New York City (United States)
- Florence (Italy)
- Kyoto (Japan)
- Tokyo (Japan)
- Mexico City (Mexico)
- Copenhagen (Denmark)
- Paris (France)
- London (U.K.)
- Dubai (U.A.E.)
Breathtaking Natural Beauty
- Sahara Desert (Africa)
- Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
- Yosemite National Park (United States)
- Mount Everest (Nepal and China)
- Antarctica
- Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
- Grand Canyon (United States)
- Amazon Rainforest (Brazil)
- Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
- Serengeti (Tanzania and Kenya)
- Redwood National Park (United States)
- Northern Lights (varies)
- Monument Valley (United States)
World Wonders
- Taj Mahal (India)
- Colosseum (Italy)
- Machu Picchu (Peru)
- Christ The Redeemer (Brazil)
- Petra (Jordan)
- Great Wall of China (China)
- Chichen Itza (Mexico)
Places of Historical Significance
- See the ruins at Pompeii (Italy)
- Visit the temples of Bagan (Myanmar)
- Easter Island (Chile)
- Site of the Chernobyl disaster (Ukraine)
- Visit Auschwitz (Poland)
- See Michelangelo’s paintings at the Sistine Chapel (Italy)
- The largest religious monument in the world, Angor Wat (Cambodia)
- Normandy beaches (France)
- The ancient site Skara Brae (Scotland)
- The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)(between north and South Korea)
- Cape Cod, where the first pilgrims to the US landed (United States)
- Holy city of Jerusalem (Israel)
- Acropolis (Greece)
- Hiroshima (Japan)
- Pearl Harbor (United States)
The Weird and Unusual
- See a solar eclipse
- Visit a bone church (like the one here)
- Area 51 (United States)
- Bermuda Triangle (Atlantic Ocean)
- Loch Ness (Scotland)
- The Giant’s Causeway (Ireland)
- See the pink Lake Hillier (Australia)
- Glass Beach (United States)
- The Catacombs (France)
- Worlds Largest Mirror (Bolivia)
- Island of the Dolls (Mexico City)
Crazy Adventures
- Cage dive with sharks
- Try Cliff jumping
- Meet mountain gorillas (Rwanda and Uganda)
- Go on a safari (Africa)
- Take a leap and go skydiving
- Go mountaineering and climb Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Go white water rafting
- Experience scuba diving or cave diving
- Spend a night on a deserted island
- Go on a sailing trip
- Try spelunking
- Take a hot air balloon ride
What Matters To You
Feeling inspired? Now that you have lots of ideas for things to do before you die, take a moment to add to your list any places that hold meaning to you personally.
Maybe it’s your ancestral country, the town where you went to high school, or a favorite vacation spot from your childhood. It can be really fun to take a walk down memory lane, especially if there is a place or places that hold meaning for you.
Add them to the list!
I’d love to know which of the places listed above really intrigued you – comment below and let me know! (Petra is the one that really catches my eye and I’d love to go there).
