Summer is on the way again — and with it, the desire to get out and explore a little. Whether you’re looking to travel around your state, down the road to the cute farmers market you’ve never been to, or to another country entirely, a travel bucket list will help keep you on track and inspired all summer long. I’ve curated a little list of places to see, experiences to have, and things to remember while you make your way through a summer filled with laughter, learning, and exciting new things.

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Experiences

Fly on a Private Jet

Wherever you’re going, you should be going in style! Book a private jet for at least one of your summer travel expeditions, and you’ll experience true luxury and decadence while you fly. You’ll also get to relish in impeccable service, a flexible schedule, and the comfort of knowing that the entire cabin is yours.

Learn To Cook Another Cuisine

This one is for those who love to travel by experiencing other cultures or want to know a little more about a culture before traveling to that country. Take a cooking class in authentic Thai, Italian, Japanese, or whichever cuisine tickles your fancy. Have fun, learn a new skill, and learn about a new culture, too.

Take a Language Class

You can’t go to a foreign country without knowing at least a few basics of their language, right? Whether you sign up for a class that runs all summer long or set a little time aside for Duolingo each day, learning another language is mind-expanding and will prepare you to interact with first-language speakers a little bit better when you travel.

Go Kayaking

Move your body differently and spend a little time on the water in a kayak. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie who wants to hit the white water or simply glide downstream to a gorgeous campground, you’ll experience the outdoors and have a lot of fun while getting from one place to another.

Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride

Many places are famous for their hot-air balloon rides, like Turkey, but most countries offer some form of hot-air balloon trip. Whether you’re booking a trip down the road from where you live or seeing the sights of a new country from above, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Go Wine Tasting

Many countries are well known for their wines: South Africa, Spain, and Italy, to name a few. Incredible vineyard experiences are available when you travel, but you can also book a wine-tasting experience in your home town to taste wines from different lands. Whether you travel for the love of wine or to prepare yourself for a wine adventure, it doesn’t matter; it tastes good either way!

 

Places

Rocky Mountain Train through Canada

One of the best modern railway experiences available takes you through the picturesque Canadian Rockies. Through towering, snow-capped mountains, past glittering lakes, and next to deep green forests, your journey will take you to well-known Canadian locations and offer you truly breathtaking views.

Drive the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)

The great American road trip is a tradition still observed by locals and foreigners alike, and this is one of the most gorgeous routes you could take. From San Francisco to San Diego, you’ll experience the open road like never before. Cruise along next to rugged cliffs, look out over the deep blue sea and see landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge. If you drive straight through, it’s a 10-hour drive, but there’s so much to see you’ll want to stop everywhere on the PCH.

Cruise Around the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a paradise of weird, wild, and beautiful flora and fauna (the marine iguanas that inspired the legendary Godzilla live here) set against miles and miles of the exquisite Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see. Many cruise lines offer packages allowing you to see as many islands as possible, so get ready to experience the lands that promoted Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Hike to Machu Picchu

Experience one of the oldest inhabited places in the world as you hike into the mountains around Machu Picchu. Walk in the footsteps of ancient peoples as you take the Inca Trail — 26 miles of pristine mountain hiking that lead to the ruined city. This is for the adventurers who don’t mind roughing it a little, as the hike can be tough at high elevations, but the views are more than worth it.

Drive the Garden Route in South Africa

One of the most beautiful road trips South Africa has to offer, the Garden Route is a drive you won’t want to miss. This 125-mile strip of the N2 highway takes you from Mossel Bay to Storms River past lagoons, mountains, exquisite local flora, the Atlantic Ocean, and even some local wildlife — watch out for the roadside baboons!

Whale Watch in Kaikoura, New Zealand

Nothing will ever prepare you for seeing a majestic whale for the first time, and seeing it surrounded by the beauty of Kaikoura is even more special and is a travel bucket list must. Come face to face with the largest animals on the planet and breathe in the fresh salty air of the New Zealand coast from the ocean’s edge.

 

Things To Remember

Have an Open Mind

Be ready to take that turn that wasn’t on your itinerary or have lunch (in public, of course!) with friendly strangers. Expect the unexpected!

Be Respectful

When you’re traveling in your own country or abroad, you should be respectful of the customs and traditions of wherever you find yourself.

Embrace the Mistakes

So it rained all day, so what? The view over the ocean is still gorgeous when it’s cloudy! With a growth mindset, all your travel dreams are made possible.

Broaden Your Horizons

Get ready for the summer of a lifetime! Setting up a travel bucket list will keep you inspired to keep trying new things and seeing new places — far afield or in your own backyard.

 

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