The world is full of places that will take your breath away — ancient ruins, pristine beaches, towering mountains, and cities that buzz with life. This travel bucket list covers 200+ destinations and experiences organized by region and travel type. Whether you’re planning your next trip or dreaming about someday, start here.
North America
- See the Grand Canyon at sunrise
- Drive the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles
- Visit New York City and see a Broadway show
- Explore Banff National Park in Canada
- Visit Yellowstone and see Old Faithful erupt
- Road trip along Route 66
- See Niagara Falls from both the US and Canadian sides
- Explore New Orleans during Mardi Gras
- Visit Hawaii and swim with sea turtles
- Go whale watching in Alaska
- Hike Zion National Park’s Narrows
- Visit the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.
- Explore the Yucatán Peninsula — Chichén Itzá, cenotes, Tulum
- Drive through Monument Valley
- Visit Glacier National Park before the glaciers disappear
- Explore San Francisco — Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf
- See the fall foliage in New England
- Visit Nashville and hear live country music
- Camp in Yosemite under Half Dome
- Explore Cuba — Havana, vintage cars, live salsa music
Europe
- Walk the streets of Paris and see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night
- Explore the Greek islands — Santorini, Mykonos, Crete
- Visit the Colosseum in Rome
- Walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain
- Explore the Scottish Highlands
- Take a gondola ride in Venice
- Visit the Amalfi Coast
- See the Northern Lights in Norway or Iceland
- Walk across the Charles Bridge in Prague at sunrise
- Visit Barcelona and see Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia
- Explore the canals of Amsterdam
- Visit Dubrovnik’s old town walls
- Take a scenic train through the Swiss Alps
- Explore Istanbul — Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus
- Drive the Ring Road in Iceland
- Visit the Louvre in Paris
- Explore the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia
- Visit Cinque Terre’s colorful villages
- Attend Oktoberfest in Munich
- Visit the fjords of Norway
Asia
- See the sunrise over Angkor Wat in Cambodia
- Visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise
- Walk the Great Wall of China
- Explore Tokyo — Shibuya Crossing, temples, street food
- See the cherry blossoms in Japan
- Visit Bali — rice terraces, temples, beaches
- Explore the temples of Bagan in Myanmar
- Trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal
- Visit the floating markets of Bangkok
- Explore Vietnam — Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City
- See the terracotta warriors in Xi’an, China
- Visit the Maldives and stay in an overwater villa
- Attend a full moon party in Thailand
- Visit Petra in Jordan
- Explore Sri Lanka — beaches, tea plantations, ancient ruins
South America
- Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Visit Iguazu Falls on the Brazil-Argentina border
- Explore the Amazon Rainforest
- See the Galápagos Islands
- Walk through the streets of Cartagena, Colombia
- Visit Rio de Janeiro during Carnival
- See the Salt Flats of Uyuni in Bolivia
- Hike Torres del Paine in Patagonia
- Visit Easter Island and see the Moai statues
- Explore Buenos Aires — tango, steak, street art
Africa
- Go on a safari in the Serengeti or Masai Mara
- See the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
- Visit Marrakech — souks, palaces, Jardin Majorelle
- See Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border
- Go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda
- Explore Cape Town — Table Mountain, penguins, wine
- Visit the Sahara Desert and camp under the stars
- See the Great Migration in Kenya/Tanzania
- Explore Zanzibar’s beaches and Stone Town
Oceania
- Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
- Visit Sydney — Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach
- Drive the Great Ocean Road in Australia
- Visit Queenstown, New Zealand — the adventure capital of the world
- See Milford Sound in New Zealand
- Explore Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the Australian Outback
- See glow worms in Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
- Visit the Whitsunday Islands
- Explore Tasmania’s wilderness
- Surf at Bondi Beach
Beach Destinations
- The Maldives — crystal-clear water and overwater bungalows
- Bora Bora — turquoise lagoons and volcanic peaks
- Seychelles — pristine, uncrowded beaches
- Turks and Caicos — Grace Bay Beach
- Zanzibar — white sand and spice markets
- Maui — beaches, volcanoes, whale watching
- Tulum — ancient ruins overlooking Caribbean waters
- The Algarve, Portugal — dramatic cliffs and golden sand
- Phi Phi Islands, Thailand — jaw-dropping scenery
- Fiji — island paradise with friendly locals
Mountain Adventures
- Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc in the Alps
- Trek to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal
- Visit the Dolomites in Italy
- Hike the W Trek in Patagonia
- Explore the Rocky Mountains by road trip
- Go heli-hiking in the Canadian Rockies
- Visit the Swiss Alps and ride a cog railway
- Hike the Appalachian Trail (all or part)
- Visit Machu Picchu via the Salkantay Trek
- Go mountaineering in the Himalayas
Road Trips
- Pacific Coast Highway, California
- Route 66 across the United States
- The Ring Road, Iceland
- Great Ocean Road, Australia
- Garden Route, South Africa
- North Coast 500, Scotland
- Romantic Road, Germany
- Amalfi Coast, Italy
- Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia
- Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
Cultural Experiences
- Attend Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
- See the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico
- Attend the Holi Festival of Colors in India
- Visit a traditional Japanese ryokan and onsen
- Attend a flamenco show in Seville
- Take a cooking class in Tuscany
- Visit a Buddhist temple in Thailand
- Attend a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto
- Explore the souks of Marrakech
- See a show at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London
Food Destinations
- Eat pizza in Naples, Italy
- Try street food in Bangkok, Thailand
- Have dim sum in Hong Kong
- Eat croissants in Paris, France
- Try ceviche in Lima, Peru
- Eat tacos in Mexico City
- Have sushi at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo
- Try pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain
- Eat BBQ in Texas
- Try pho in Hanoi, Vietnam