Kari and Bill stand together in front of a wooden fence with the massive Perito Moreno glacier behind them. Reaching Patagonia was one of the major experiences they checked off their travel bucket list.
Enjoy this post? Save and share!

From the Galápagos Islands to Antarctica, we’ve checked off some pretty big dreams. But you should see what’s still on our Travel Bucket List!

Our Travel Bucket List Is Always Changing

Travel has always been important to me, but when you’re working full-time and only have two or three weeks of PTO each year, there’s only so much of the world you can explore.

Then I had a near-death experience when a runaway boat almost crushed me. That was a pretty powerful reminder that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Bill and I decided we didn’t want to keep putting our Bucket List off until “someday”.

That frightening day in Costa Rica changed how I think about the future. If you’re curious about what happened, I tell the full story in Life Can Change in an Instant: Don’t Put Off Your Bucket List.

Eventually, I quit my job and we kicked our travel Bucket List into high gear. Since then, we’ve spent months at a time exploring different parts of the world. And one thing I’ve learned? The more places we visit, the more places we add to the list!

This is our real Travel Bucket List—both the places we’ve already experienced and the ones we still hope to explore in the future. If you’re looking for inspiration for your own Bucket List, you’ll find plenty of ideas you might want to add to yours. I’ll keep updating it as we turn more of those bullets into checkmarks.

Of course, some experiences stand out more than others! I’ve also put together Our Top 10 Greatest Travel Experiences, featuring some of the most memorable things Bill and I have done around the world.

Affiliate disclaimer telling readers that if they click on any of the red links on my website, I may receive a small bit of compensation at no additional cost to them.
Blue checkmark in a blue box - indicating completion of a task or a Bucket List item.

PLAN YOUR TRIP WITH OUR
FAVORITE TOOLS

– Best Lodging site: Booking.com
– Book Day Tours here: Viator.com
– Rent Cars here: DiscoverCars.com

How to Read Our Travel Bucket List

  • Been there
  • Places still to be explored

Sometimes a country is listed twice. We’ve been there, but there are new places within that country we want to explore on our next trip.

South America & Antarctica

We spent four months traveling across South America, and this part of the world has delivered some of our biggest Bucket List experiences yet—from Patagonia, Iguazu Falls, and the Galápagos to Antarctica.

  • Argentina — Buenos Aires, El Chaltén, Perito Moreno Glacier, Iguazu Falls
  • Chile — Atacama Desert, Torres del Paine NP
  • Ecuador — Galápagos Islands, Quito, Mindo
  • Antarctica & the Falkland Islands
  • Peru — Amazon Rainforest, Sacred Valley, Lima, Manu National Park, Islas Ballestas
  • Ecuador — Cuenca, Cajas National Park, Cotacachi, Manta Coast
  • Chile — Carretera Austral, Chilean Fjords, Valparaiso
  • Brazil — Rio de Janeiro
  • Argentina — Bariloche, Mendoza, Route 40 Road trip
  • Colombia – Las Lajas Sanctuary, Amazon Rainforest, Valle de Cocora
Kari and Bill stand together in a reddish desert landscape, with dramatic rust-colored rock formations rising beneath a cloudless blue sky. Exploring the otherworldly scenery of Chile's Atacama Desert was one of their memorable South American adventures.
Atacama Desert, Chile
Kari and Bill smile aboard a cruise ship, with calm dark water, snow-covered mountains, and glaciers stretching across the Antarctic coastline behind them. Reaching Antarctica was one of Kari's biggest travel bucket list dreams, and this photograph captures that long-awaited achievement.
Antarctica Peninsula
A giant tortoise rests in a grassy field while Bill and Kari stand smiling behind it among scattered trees in the Santa Cruz highlands. Seeing giant tortoises in their natural habitat was one of the most unforgettable wildlife experiences of our Galapagos trip.
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Europe

We’ve spent 3-1/2 months traveling through Europe, generally staying in each city long enough to really explore rather than trying to race from country to country.

  • Greece — Athens, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos
  • Switzerland — Lake Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen Valley
  • Italy — Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Rome, Sicily, Tuscany
  • Portugal — Algarve Coast, Lisbon/Cascais, Porto
  • Ireland — Galway County, Kerry County
  • Germany — Munich
  • Austria — Salzburg
  • Spain — Valencia, Seville, Barcelona, Madrid, Andalusia
  • Croatia — Split, Dubrovnik, Novigrad, Plitvice Lakes
  • Iceland — Ring Road, Vatnajökull National Park, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
  • Norway — Oslo, Bergen, Lofoten Islands, fjords, Vigeland Sculpture Park
  • Scotland — Edinburgh, Inverness, North Coast 500 Road Trip, Glasgow
  • Portugal — Azores, Madeira
  • Italy — Dolomites, Lake Como, Milan, Taormina
Kari and Bill proudly hold a large tray filled with rows of handmade pasta at an outdoor cooking class, with rolling Tuscan hills and vineyards behind them. Learning about local food and traditions is one of the ways they make their travel experiences more meaningful.
Cooking class in Tuscany, Italy
Kari and Bill smile for a selfie at a wooden overlook, with golden coastal cliffs, greenery, and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean behind them. This scenic stop highlights the beautiful coastal landscapes they discovered while exploring Portugal.
Algarve Coast, Portugal
ari and Bill pose for a selfie on a sunny green hillside, with rolling mountain pastures, a lake, and distant blue mountain peaks stretching behind them. Their time in Switzerland added spectacular Alpine scenery to their European travel adventures.
Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

Africa

Our Tanzania safari checked off one enormous Bucket List dream. But when I look at what’s still on our Africa list, it’s pretty obvious we’re not finished with this continent. #Africa2027

  • Tanzania — Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha
  • Egypt – Red Sea Coral Reef (snorkeling)
  • Namibia — Sossusvlei sand dunes, Etosha National Park, Swakopmund
  • South Africa — Cape Town, Garden Route Road Trip, Panorama Route Scenic Drive, Kruger National Park, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
  • Botswana — Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta
  • Gambia, West Africa for bird-watching
  • Zambia – South Luangwa National Park, Victoria Falls
Kari and Bill stand beside a beige safari Land Cruiser parked beneath leafy trees, with the vehicle's pop-up roof visible above them. Their African safari fulfilled a major travel bucket list dream and strengthened Kari's passion for wildlife photography.
A leopard looks to the right as he sits in the tall brown grass of the Serengeti. Being able to photograph wildlife in Tanzania was the highlight of this Bucket List trip.
Bill holds a camera with a large white telephoto lens to his eye while sitting inside a safari vehicle. The photograph captures the wildlife-photography opportunities that made their African safari such a memorable experience.

Ad for Facebook Group Achieve Your Bucket List. Community of travelers helping each other achieve travel dreams. Click to join our Facebook Group!

Asia

Two months in Southeast Asia gave us everything from temples and ancient ruins to beautiful beaches and some incredible snorkeling. There is a LOT more in this part of the world we still want to see.

  • Thailand — Ao Nang/Krabi, Khao Lak
  • Cambodia — Angkor Wat temples, Siem Reap
  • Vietnam — Da Nang, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh
  • Bali — Pemuteran, Amed
  • Turkey — Ancient Ruins of Ephesus
  • Turkey — Istanbul, Turquoise Coast, Cappadocia, Göreme National Park, Pamukkale Thermal Pools,
  • Northern Thailand — Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai
  • Southern Thailand — islands and snorkeling
  • Japan — Tokyo, Kyoto, Nikko, Lake Kawaguchiko, the floating gates at Miyajima, Mount Fuji
  • Laos — Luang Prabang
  • Malaysia — the jungles of Borneo
  • Singapore
  • Indonesia — Gili Islands and other snorkeling areas, Lombok,
  • Bali — Ubud and more snorkeling areas
  • Philippines — Palawan Island, Shimizu Island
Kari and Bill pose among ancient stone ruins in Ephesus, with the towering columned façade of the Library of Celsus rising behind them beneath a bright blue sky. Exploring historical sites like Ephesus is one of the ways their travels bring ancient history to life..
Ephesus Ruins, Turkey
Bill sits on a stone ledge while Kari stands nearby, surrounded by weathered stone walls and intricately carved architectural details at Ta Prohm Temple. Exploring Cambodia's ancient temples added another fascinating cultural experience to their travels through Asia.
Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia
Kari and Bill stand on a sandy beach beside calm pale-blue water, with a traditional-style sightseeing boat and hazy limestone islands in the distance. Their visit to Ha Long Bay highlights the dramatic landscapes and coastal destinations they've experienced in Vietnam.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Oceania

We spent three months exploring Australia and New Zealand. Even after that much time, we still have more places we want to experience.

  • Australia — Adelaide/Glenelg Beach, Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island, Melbourne, Mildura, Sydney
  • South Island, New Zealand — Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Hokitika, Kaikoura, Lake Tekapo/Mount Cook, Queenstown, Te Anau, Wanaka, West Coast
  • Raja Ampat
  • French Polynesia
  • Fiji
  • Australia — Gold Coast, Tasmania, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef (snorkeling) Whitsunday Islands, Western Australia, Broome Bird Observatory, Rottnest Island, Grand Pacific Drive
  • New Zealand — Mount Aspiring National Park, Stewart Island, North Island, Tongariro National Park
Kari and Bill smile along Sydney's waterfront promenade, with the white sail-shaped roofs of the Sydney Opera House and the harbor visible behind them. Visiting this famous Australian landmark was one of the highlights of their time exploring Sydney.
Sydney, Australia
Kari and Bill stand on a rocky hillside overlook above a long blue lake, with steep green mountains and a winding lakeside road stretching into the distance. The beautiful South Island scenery represents the outdoor adventures they enjoyed during their extended travels through New Zealand.
Devil’s Staircase, New Zealand
Bill and Kari stand in front of craggy rock formations in the distance with gray clouds overhead. We happened to go on Christmas Day when none of the tour buses were there so we had the place to ourselves!
Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island, Australia

Central America

We’ve spent almost three months traveling through Central America, with some longer stays in Costa Rica and Panama that gave us time to explore beyond the major tourist stops.

  • Costa Rica — Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, Monteverde, La Fortuna
  • Panama — Casco Viejo, Boquete, Bocas del Toro
  • Belize — for snorkeling
  • Mexico — San Miguel de Allende, Ajijic, Baja, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas
Kari and Bill hold a colorful Costa Rica sign beside two large stone sculptures, overlooking the blue waters of Lake Arenal and surrounding green hills. Their travels through Costa Rica have provided countless opportunities to experience the country's extraordinary landscapes and wildlife.
Lake Arenal, Costa Rica
Kari stands on a narrow forest trail surrounded by dense green vegetation, raising binoculars to watch birds in the trees above. Birdwatching is one of the passions that helps shape Kari and Bill's travel bucket list and the destinations they choose to explore.
Bird-watching, Panama

North America

Bill and I have road-tripped extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, and there are still plenty of places calling us back. I’ve lived in Minnesota my entire life, and we also have a seasonal home in Southwest Florida, where we spend part of the year. Those are two places we know especially well.

  • USA — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, Southwest Florida, Texas, Utah National Parks, Wisconsin
  • Canada — Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Banff National Park, Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto
  • USA – Thor’s Well Oregon, Petrified Forest Arizona, Death Valley California, Great Basin Desert Nevada, Sonoran Desert Arizona, Valley of Fire State Park Nevada, The Wave Arizona
  • Canada — Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Jasper National Park
Kari and Bill smile for a selfie beneath towering red sandstone arches, with the bright desert landscape behind them. Their Utah road trip is one of the many adventures they've enjoyed exploring America's national parks.
Arches NP, UT
Kari and Bill stand beside a brilliant turquoise mountain lake, surrounded by pine trees and towering, snow-dusted peaks in Banff National Park. Canada's spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery is one of the many highlights of their travels through North America.
Banff NP, Canada
A brilliant orange sun sits just above the Gulf waters, casting golden reflections beneath a sky streaked with pink, purple, and amber clouds. The peaceful sunset represents the natural beauty Kari and Bill enjoy near their seasonal home in Southwest Florida.
Gulf Sunset, FL

What Will We Check Off Next?

Our Bucket List definitely isn’t getting any shorter. Every time we travel somewhere, we hear about three more places we want to go. Or our friends go somewhere we had never heard of and it looks amazing.

Our next big adventure will take us back to Africa for three months, where we will turn several more of those bullets into checkmarks. #Africa2027

After that? Our plans have a way of changing when another place catches our attention.

That’s one of the things I love about having a Bucket List. It isn’t something you create once and finish. It changes as you experience new things.

If you haven’t created a Bucket List yet and don’t know where to start, choose my Make a Bucket List in 5 Easy Steps guide to creating a list based on your interests and passions.

If you already have a Bucket List but keep putting off booking it, choose just one place to start. Our Bucket List Travel: 7 Steps to Finally Make It Happen guide walks you through how we take an idea and start turning it into an actual trip.

More Bucket List Resources

Here are some more posts to help you create your Bucket List, overcome the barriers holding you back, and finally start achieving your dreams!

If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.

Ad for Facebook Group Achieve Your Bucket List. Community of travelers helping each other achieve Bucket List travel dreams. Click to join our Facebook Group!


Enjoy this post? Save and share!