If you’re like most people, you might have a list of things that you wish to do before your life comes to an end. They are the things that make your life more meaningful, and for the travel enthusiast, this is often called a bucket-list (list of things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket’).

But the world is full of incredible experiences and destinations, so where do you even begin?

Generating a bucket list is pretty simple, and while it’s likely something that you’ll keep adding to throughout your life, it should only take a couple of minutes to start one. All it requires is putting your dreams and aspirations into writing.

But if you’re truly stuck for where to start, the following are 5 ideas that commonly feature on almost everyone’s list!

5 Ideas to Kick Start Your Bucket List Today

Take a Cross Country Road Trip

Whether you buy or rent an RV, take a train, or choose to backpack across the country, taking a cross country road trip is an experience that you’ll never forget in your lifetime.

A road trip is often the best way to explore if you’re looking to appreciate the diversity of natural scenery you would otherwise miss from a plane. And it’s an especially good idea if you’re one of those travelers who enjoys the freedom and flexibility to travel at your own pace.

With some truly stunning roads throughout the world, your first decision is planning out where you want to drive. And then you should conduct some research on how to stay safe, as every country will have different road rules, environments and landscapes.

[clickToTweet tweet=”A road trip is often the best way to explore if you enjoy the freedom and flexibility to travel at your own pace.” quote=”A road trip is often the best way to explore if you enjoy the freedom and flexibility to travel at your own pace.”]

Experience A Major Sporting Match Live … and Then From a Suite

If you’re a sports fanatic with the travel bug, worldwide sporting events are a great opportunity to experience the energy of your favorite competition in a new place. And why settle for a TV screen when you can be right in the middle of the action and watch it live?!

But as well as plans to hit up the Olympics, or take in the World Cup, add a second item line for watching a major sporting event from a luxury suite; the advantage being that you don’t get interrupted by the noise of the cheering crowds, rain or strong winds!

Unlike the terraces that limit your space, luxury suites give you the freedom of watching the game with friends and relatives without any disturbance from the rest of the fans. And certain sports actually offer packages because this is such a popular experience (like Dallas Cowboys suite tickets for their forthcoming events).

[clickToTweet tweet=”Worldwide sporting events are a great opportunity to experience the energy of your fav competition in a new place.” quote=”Worldwide sporting events are a great opportunity to experience the energy of your fav competition in a new place.”]

Photo credit: Yu-Jheng Fang

Take to the Skies in a Hot Air Balloon Flight

Flying in a hot air balloon is an incredible experience; it’s actually more interesting than flying in a plane! This is because the balloon moves slowly which allows you spectacular view from an aerial angle.

Some of the best places in the world for a hot air balloon flight include flying above the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, Turkey, taking in the majesty of thousands of ancient ruins and temples above Bagan, Myanmar, and soaring over the ancient wonders of Luxor in Egypt.

Or, why not combine two huge bucket list items at the same time and take a hot air balloon while on African Safari! you can do this when visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Why not combine two huge bucket list items at the same time and take a hot air balloon while on African Safari!” quote=”Why not combine two huge bucket list items at the same time and take a hot air balloon while on African Safari!”]

Bagan, Myanmar, by Christopher Michel 

Every Year, Go One Place You Haven’t Been Before

Traveling is arguably the best hobby; by visiting various parts of the world, you get to make new friends, taste new and exotic flavors, expose yourself to different lifestyles and cultures, and explore landscapes you may not have encountered before.

Though to keep alive the wonder and excitement of experiencing something new, make a promise to yourself to visit one place every year that you haven’t been before.

While there is definitely something to be said about revisiting destinations you love, and immersing yourself deeper with every trip, there are 196 countries in the world (and even then, that number is only those which are officially recognized), so you shouldn’t have any trouble running out of places to visit.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Every year, go somewhere that you haven’t been before. There are 196 countries so you shouldn’t easily run out!” quote=”Every year, go somewhere that you haven’t been before. There are 196 countries so you shouldn’t easily run out!”]

Visit Historical Sites

Whether you visit Normandy in France where the historic D-Day events took place, or choose Egypt and see the pyramids, visiting historical sites can be an exhilarating experience, and a great way to further your knowledge in a way that you’ll actually remember.

The world is full of historical sites and you would have to travel consistently to be able to see everything. Some of our favorites to date include Hagia Sofia, in Istanbul, Chichen Itza and the Mayan ruins throughout the Mexican Riviera, and the Silk road which is an ancient trading route including many historic site throughout Asia.

By visiting historical sites, you’re able to imagine in person the events that took place there and fully grasp the concept at how remarkable (or horrific) the event was.

THESE BOOKS WILL INSPIRE YOU TO TRAVEL! ↓

Journeys of a Lifetime

100 Countries, 5,000 Ideas

World’s Best Travel Experiences

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.