I really think the idea of a bucket list is fun and smart. I think we should live every day to the fullest and try to do everything that we want to and can do. If you are unfamiliar with what a bucket list is- it is just a list of some things you want to do before you kick the bucket aka die. But I don’t want to focus on that- let’s focus on some of the best bucket list ideas.
Best Bucket List Ideas
Animal Related Ideas
Swim with Whale Sharks– My family wants to do this really bad. Whale sharks can be found many places- I want to do it in the Philippines.
Visit an Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand
See Penguins in Antartica
Swim with Pigs in the Bahamas– there are feral pigs that live in the Bahamas at Big Major Cay. Find them at Pig Beach where they like to hang out and be fed.
Go on a Wildlife Safari in Africa to find the big 5– If you can spot the big 5 on your safari it is a good day. The big 5 refers to lion, elephant, rhinoceros, cape buffalo and a leopard. I would also love to see a zebra and giraffe.
Swim with dolphins
Air boat in an alligator infested swamp– I did this in Florida and it was a blast- highly recommend!
Dog sled in Alaska
Swim with giant manta rays– You can do this on the Big Island in Hawaii. You go at night when the manta rays are feeding on the bioluminescent plankton. Such an adventure!
Visit the Christmas village in Finland at the North Pole and see the Reindeer
Watch or participate in a Rodeo
Hold a monkey and/or sloth
Release baby turtles into the ocean
Sit in a hot spring with snow monkeys– in Japan at Joshinetsu Kogen National Park you can warm up in a hot spring with wild snow monekys.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Trek with llamas to Machu Picchu
Ride a camel across the Sahara dessert
Ride in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park
Run with the bulls in Spain
Swim with humpback whales in Tonga
Travel Related Bucket List Ideas
See the Northern Lights
Dive or Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef
Visit the 7 Wonders of the World
Explore all the National Parks in your Country
Travel to all 50 US states
Island hop in Greece or the Caribbean
Be in the Saturday Night Live audience– or whatever your favorite show is. I would also love to be a contestant on a game show.
Swim in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland
See the sunrise in Grand Teton National Park
Experience a show in Broadway in New York
Ride the London Eye
Hug a Giant Redwood Tree
Stay in an over water hut– I won’t be picky with where haha. I am good with the Maldives, Fiji or Bora Bora.
Swim in a natural hot spring
See the cherry blossoms blooms in Japan
Sleep in a yurt/teepee/igloo etc– one of the glass igloos in Finland with the Northern Lights would be ideal haha.
Take a baking class in Paris or a Pasta class in Italy
Get a caricature drawing by a street artist
Gamble in Las Vegas
Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans– be sure to grab beignets while you are there and check out the voodoo scene.
Visit Saunas in Sweden
See the Ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve– I have heard horror stories of people waiting all day in a sea of people wearing a diaper to see the ball drop. I personally don’t want to do that but would love to stay in a hotel with a view of the ball.
Float in the Dead Sea
Fly first class
Fly somewhere random– I just learned about this company that is a surprise travel agency. Sounds fun!
Walk on the Great Wall of China
See the Tulips in Holland
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See the Sistine Chapel
Visit Easter Island
Visit all the Disney Resorts
Go to the Palace of Versailles in Paris
Visit a pink sand and a black sand beach
Go to Salem, MA in October– to see all the festivities, witch and ghost tours etc
Sail to the Statue of Liberty
See a show at the Sydney Opera House
Hunt for Bigfoot. And Nessie the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland.
Take a boat through Halong Bay in Vietnam
See Mount Rushmore
Plan an epic road trip that visits all or most states and National Parks– here is a western road trip route that is awesome!!
Iguazu Falls in Argentina
Find a 4 leaf clover
Shop at European Christmas Markets
See the Eiffel Tower glitter at night
Kiss the Blarney Stone
Make a Wish in the Trevi Fountain
Go on a River Boat Cruise-this would be fun through Europe but I also think a cruise on the Mississippi River would be fun too.
Oktoberfest in Germany
Adrenaline Bucket List Ideas
Hot Air Balloon Ride in Turkey
Go Bungee Jumping or Base Jumping
Be in a parade
Skinny Dipping
See a World Series Game or Go to the Super Bowl
Go to the Olympics
Zip line through the jungles of Costa Rica
Sky Dive- it could be indoors if you are a little bit of a chicken like me
Rappel into a cave or down a waterfall
White Water Rafting
Summit an Impressive Mountain– whatever impressive means to you- you choose.
Snowmobile
Go in a submarine
Go in a shark tank
Walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk– at the West entrance of the Grand Canyon you can walk on a glass floor bridge high over the canyon.
Learn how to sail on a sailboat
Spend a week on a Yacht or House Boat
Fly in a private jet
Extract honey from a beehive
Hunt for wild mushrooms
Be on a jumbo tron
Do a polar bear plunge
Hike Havasu Falls– in Arizona on the Indian Reservation so you need to pay for permits. You can hike to a crystal blue waterfall and have the option to helicopter out.
Dive off a high dive
Go deep sea fishing
Learn to surf in the ocean or behind a boat
Drive a super car around a track– I know they do this a lot in Las Vegas
Drive a cute vintage car in Monaco
Helicopter over the Grand Canyon
Ski by the Matterhorn
Hike to Everest Base Camp
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Wellness and Be Your Best Self Ideas
Tell someone you love them daily– this can be yourself, your cat – whoever!
Go vegan for a month
Cook all your meals for 2 weeks
Compliments yourself and others
Take more risks
Start a business
Write a book
Retire early
Send hand written thank you cards
Mediate for 15 minutes each day
Always wear sunscreen
Try new hobbies and sports
Learn a new language
Learn how to play an instrument
Set a Guinness World Record
Make a viral video
Run a half or full marathon
Meet someone famous
Give blood
Help someone check something off their bucket list
Learn the alphabet in sign language
Learn how to say hello and thank you in 10 languages
Pay for the toll for the person behind you
Buy someone’s drink behind you
Volunteer at an orphanage
Write a letter to you future self
Be on a podcast, radio show or tv show
Go to a drive-in movie
I hope these best bucket list ideas got you dreaming and thinking! What did I miss? What would you add to your bucket list?
