View of Santorini, Greece

Bucket List Ideas: Amazing Things To Do in Your Lifetime

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Have you ever created a bucket list? If not, this is the perfect opportunity for you to create one!

Having an active bucket list is a great way to keep some fun personal goals in front of you of places to see, things to explore, and anything you’d like to do in your life. I’ve created a list of bucket list ideas below for you to explore things to add to your own list.

There are different types of bucket lists – travel, adventure, personal growth, seasonal, fun things to do, and more. Essentially, a bucket list is just an organized list of things, goals, and experiences you’d like to have during your lifetime.

Thinking about the things you want to do before life ends may seem a bit morbid, but as someone that has been thinking about my mortality since my early teen years, especially after watching the movie, Dead Poets Society, I can assure you that recognizing how short life truly is can help you move out of that comfortable place of thinking… “one day,” “some day,” or “I’ll do that in the future” to “today,” “next week,” “next month,” or “next year.”

The difference is moving from hoping things will happen to scheduling things to happen in your life.

The Blue Grotto off the coast of Naples in Italy

We don’t know how much time we have on this earth, and by carving out some time to deliberately think about your future, creating an intentional list to pursue, and then taking action to schedule these things, you’ll live a life that wasn’t side-tracked by a thousand distractions.

Instead, you’ll have a list of things completed that you wanted to do, and have a rich life with memories you’ll be glad to have.

The truth is that the more you put things off, the more things get pushed off into the future. Time has a way of ticking away, and new priorities will always come at you.

If you are a parent, you may be very familiar with this feeling. It’s easy to do everything to take care of the needs of children while putting yourself on the sidelines, but since you are here, that is about to change.

You’re here to create a personalized list that’s customized just for you so that you can start living intentionally and start dreaming about all that you can do in your life.

Whether it’s by yourself, with your family or friends, or something you just want to try, it’s never too early or too late to create a bucket list and define what you’d like to do in your life.

Keep the list in front of you to remind yourself to make time to do things that you’d love to do!

I’ve created a free bucket list template to help you create your bucket list.

Free Bucket List Template

Create your bucket list by using our free template for a bucket list.
Download the printable here.

New York City Skyline

What Is a Bucket List?

Where did the term “bucket list” originate from?

If you don’t know, the term “bucket list” took off with the movie, The Bucket List. If you’ve never heard of it or watched it, you can still watch it now. It’s available here on Prime Video. And believe it or not, you can still purchase a DVD of it for a very good price if you prefer to be able to watch it on DVD.

I don’t know the true origin of the term “bucket list”, but it also became popularized with this book, 1000 Places To See Before You Dle, as people were looking to create their own travel bucket list. It’s a great reference if you want to explore places to travel to in a book.

This was one of the first books I purchased to get me thinking about my bucket list more seriously. At the time, there wasn’t much on the internet, so it was a great reference that showed me all the places around the world that I didn’t know existed. That was nearly 20 years ago, and I still have the book. You can find the updated book here.

Travel magazines were also a great resource to find new places to dream about, such as National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, Wilderness Travel, and the former Departures Magazine.

Bucket Lists by Category

Bucket lists can take on different categories. Below are bucket lists I’ve created in different categories for you to explore different things you might want to add to your bucket list!

If you’re interested in seeing my personal bucket list for ideas, you can see my bucket list here.

Mom and daughter looking at the view of Montreal from Mount Royal
View of Montreal, Canada, at Mount Royal. See post: Things to Do in Montreal.

Bucket List Travel Destinations

More will be added to this list, so be sure to check back if you want to see more travel bucket list ideas, but for starters, here is a list that many people who live in the U.S. would like to do in their lifetime:

Read post: National Parks Bucket List

Zion National Park
  • Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
  • Ride a gondola in Venice
  • Visit Italy
  • Visit New York City
  • Visit Japan
  • Go to Hawaii
  • Visit South Korea
  • Visit Thailand
  • Visit Bali, Indonesia
  • Visit the Maldives
  • Visit Niagara Falls
  • Visit Los Angeles, California
  • Visit Cancun, Mexico
  • Visit Santorini, Greece
  • Visit Morocco
  • Visit Singapore
  • Float in the Dead Sea
  • See the pyramids of Egypt
  • Visit Petra, Jordan
  • Visit Spain
  • Visit Singapore
  • Visit Turkey

Bucket List for Adventurers

Couple Parasailing in Mexico

So many adventures to experience! When you want to live a life of adventure, there are so many things in this world to explore! Here are some ideas for you to add to your bucket list.

Camel ride in Marrakesh, Morocco

Spa & Hot Springs Bucket List Ideas

There are so many hot springs, thermal baths, and spas around the world to visit. Here are some places to consider adding to your bucket list.

Some places you can visit in the U.S. are:

Family Bucket List Ideas

A girl is riding inside a glass fish at the SeaGlass Carousel in New York City.
A son playing in water with his dad inside an indoor water park.
A boy and dad on a ropes course.
SeaGlass Carousel in New York City | The Cove in Little Elm, TX | Ropes Course at Hapik Dallas Firewheel

Creating a family bucket list can make life more fun. It keeps you organized with a list of things you’d like to experience with your family and provides a resource for those days when you have nothing planned.

Check out some of our blog posts on Kids Attractions or a list of 100 Summer Bucket List Ideas.

Here are some other family bucket list ideas:

Dinosaur World in Glen Rose, Texasu
  • Visit Dinosaur World
  • Visit Frost Museum of Science and Planetarium – Miami, Florida
  • Visit Epcot Theme Park – Orlando, Florida
  • Do a high ropes course
  • Visit Puroland – Japan
  • Visit Unicorn Cafe – Bangkok, Thailand
  • Visit a Hello Kitty Cafe
  • Take your kids to a water park
  • Take an all-inclusive vacation to Nickelodeon Resorts

Bucket List Experiences

There are some activities and shows that feel like bucket list experiences. Here are some experiences to add to your bucket list.

Royal Gorge Train in Colorado

Creative Bucket List Ideas

For the creatives out there, you may have so many fun, creative things you’d like to try. Create a list to put all of your creative ambitions down on paper. As a fellow creative myself, I’ve compiled a list of many things you can do to explore your creativity. Hobbies are good for the soul.

  • Take a class to create pottery on a wheel
  • Learn to watercolor
  • Write a song
  • Sew your own clothing
  • Paint a painting
  • Take a glass-blowing class
  • Learn to knit
  • Learn to crochet
  • Try cross-stitching
  • Create an embroidery to hang
  • Try using soft pastels
  • Do a 3D puzzle
  • Use a Cricut machine
  • Create a scrapbook
  • Make Christmas ornaments
  • Learn hand lettering
  • Learn to write calligraphy
  • Create a video gift for someone
  • Create a video book gift
  • Take a paper-making class
  • Weave something on a loom

Seasonal Bucket List Ideas

Some activities are truly dependent on the season. Whether it’s hot or cold outside, here are some ideas to add to your spring, summer, fall, and winter bucket lists!

Read post: 100 Ideas to Add to Your Bucket List for Summer

Some other popular ideas for seasonal travel are:

  • See the cherry blossoms in bloom in Japan
  • Visit NYC during Christmas
  • See the tulips in Holland

Special Occasion Bucket List Ideas

Santorini, Greece

Milestones are a great time to complete a bucket list item. You can pull from the ideas above and implement them on some of your important milestone dates. Here are some milestones and some bucket list ideas to consider:

  • Milestone Birthday – 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and even 100!
  • Graduation Trips – Trips after graduating high school, college, graduate school, or any specialty programs
  • Before 30 Bucket List – Some ideas for things to do before you turn 30
  • Things To Do Before 40 – 40 things to do before 40 bucket list ideas
  • 50 Before 50 Bucket List – 50 items to check off before you turn 50
  • Anniversary Adventures – Take a bucket list trip for your anniversary! Here are some examples we did:
  • Babymoon Travel
  • Retirement Goals

Things To Do or Achieve

There are some things in life that are not time-dependent, but you can do in any season of your life. Here are some potential goals that you might want to add to your bucket list.

  • Learn a foreign language
  • Learn an instrument
  • Volunteer for a good cause
  • Write a book
  • Create a personalized photo book of your family
  • Create a video montage for someone
  • Create a YouTube channel
  • Run a race

Food Bucket List

If you love trying out new restaurants or different foods, you might want to add a food section to your bucket list! We love to try new food. I’m not as daring as some when it comes to eating exotic things, but maybe you’d like to try some interesting ingredients.

  • Eat at a Michelin Restaurant
  • Try caviar
  • Try omakase sushi
  • Eat pizza in Italy
  • Try fondue
  • Eat poutine in Canada
  • Eat a lobster roll
  • Eat sushi in Japan
  • Try escargot
  • Try truffles
  • Eat fresh oysters
  • Try a new ethnic restaurant

How To Create Your Own Bucket List

When you’re creating your own bucket list, think about the different categories of things you’re interested in. Then, within each category, start thinking about all the things you might want to do in your life. If you need some ideas, look through some of the lists I’ve created, search for different travel experiences, or head over to social media for some inspiration.

You can also take a look through my Pinterest curation to see if anything sparks your interest.

Write anything down that you might want to try. Repeat this same process for each category.

This is not a process to be rushed. It can take time to create a list that fits you. Keep this list somewhere handy and add to it as you go about your life, and new inspiration arises.

When you’re ready to start scheduling some of these things into your calendar, you’ll need to organize your list.

  1. Separate your list by timeframe: short-term goals vs. long-term goals.
  2. Reorganize your list in terms of priority. Put the things you are most excited about at the top.
  3. Dream, plan, and schedule items on your list into your calendar as you see fit, one by one.

If you haven’t already, download my free bucket list template to give you a place to write down your list.

Free Bucket List Template

Create your bucket list by using our free template for a bucket list.
Download the printable here.

FAQs About Bucket Lists

Q: What should be on a bucket list?

What’s on a bucket list is a personal decision based on what you want to do in your life. Every bucket list is personal and is based on your dreams and goals of places to go and things to experience and do in your life. Many bucket lists include different categories such as travel, adventure, family, food, etc.

Depending on your personality, you may keep it somewhat high-level. If you’re really into details, you may go very granular and detail things out for every single category and sub-category. The most important thing is to make sure you add the things that are the most meaningful to you.

If you’ve always wanted to ________________. Add that. If you never thought about doing ____________, but saw something on Instagram that sounded super fun, you can add that too. This is an exercise to free yourself from your regular routine and allow yourself to dream new dreams!

It’s your life, and what you desire to see and do comes from within. You can gain inspiration from others, but the best bucket lists are the ones that fill you with joy.

Q: Is it better to write it down or use an app?

When writing a bucket list, some people like to write it down on paper, and others like to use an app. You can also do both. There is no best way to write down your bucket list. The best way is the method that will enable you to see it and be able to revisit it often.

Whether it is to hang up a printed list on your wall, keep in a binder or notebook you frequently use, or on an app in your device, the way that works is what you will use often. You don’t want to create this list once and hide it away, never to see the light of day. It will always be a work in progress, and things may change over time.

I’ve personally used both methods – first on paper to brainstorm, and then a list on a notetaking app that has a checklist option. I like to check things off as I go. I have also written my bucket list on this blog to have it available every time I’m working on this blog.

I like to check in at least annually to see if things have changed.

When I’m more focused on checking things off and have more time to check in, I like to check in quarterly, or with every seasonal change in my kids’ school schedule. It’s a great habit for me to revisit my goals and dreams at the beginning of every school year, winter season, spring semester, and during my kids’ summer break. Based on our schedules, I can determine what I can add to my life and what items will need to wait.

You’ll be revisiting this list regularly, and you’ll find that many of the things on your list may change as you enter new seasons of your life. What you may have really wanted to do before may change to something else that you find more important now.

In terms of what system to use to keep track of your bucket list, the most important thing is that you’ll be inspired to access your bucket list regularly. You know your habits best. Weave it into whatever system you currently use that works for you.

Q: Should kids have their own bucket list?

Kids having their own bucket list is a great way for you to see what they want to do. It’s a fun family exercise to do, and can help you plan school breaks and or your summer vacation.

I find that my kids don’t have that much to add to their list, so it may take some research, exploring, and seeding ideas to help them tell you what they would like. If your kids have access to social media, though, I find that they will have seen something they want to do. It’s your opportunity to weave that into one of your trips.

A boy and a girl are standing on top of the Four Corners Monument.
Standing on the Four Corners Monument

For example, my daughter told me she wanted to go to the Four Corners and step on 4 states at once. When she told me this, I had no idea this was even a thing! So, when we were driving to Colorado, we made sure to make a stop so that all of us had a chance to stand on that 4 corners point.

A girl is walking into the upside down house in Xenses Park in Mexico.
Xenses Park in Mexico

Another example was going to the Xenses in Mexico. My daughter had seen it on a YouTube episode and knew we go to Mexico from time to time, and asked us to go, so we built it into our schedule and went! You never know what ideas your kids may have from what they’ve seen.

We’ve also tried baking things, making things, and all sorts of fun activities and ideas that came straight from our kids. Engaging your kids in this activity will help you plan activities and trips that the entire family will really look forward to!

Final Thoughts

As you collect ideas for your bucket list, start small with things you can check off pretty quickly. This will give you momentum as you check new things off your list. Be sure to also include BIG goals on it, too, as you never know when the opportunity to check things off my list may arise.

I personally have used my honeymoon, babymoon, big anniversaries, and milestone birthdays as an excuse to check off my biggest bucket list items. For example, we went to the resort that was at the top of my list for our 10 year anniversary. I’m so glad that I did because that resort has been closed after 2020, unfortunately. It has been newly acquired by a joint venture and has plans to open at the end of 2025.

I’ve had a similar experience attending a nutrition program and a culinary school program that I had on my bucket list. The nutrition program I attended ended up being the last in-person program that they did. I’m glad I didn’t hesitate so that I could get the full experience! The culinary school I attended was purchased by another school, so it no longer exists as a standalone school.

You never know if opportunities will come back, so if you have an idea you want to pursue and can make it work, take the opportunity.

I also had the opportunity to attend fashion design school at Parsons for a year and a half for a career change. I’m so glad I did it then because after having a baby, it would have been impossible. I learned so much, experienced a life similar to what you may have watched on the show “Project Runway,” and worked briefly at a famous fashion house. It gave me the groundwork to launch my own baby brand later.

There is always the right timing for things, and you will know if it is right for you and will have peace about it as you pursue it.

Take the time to dream, explore, discover, and pull out those buried dreams that you once had or that have been put on a shelf. No matter where you are in life, today is a new day, and tomorrow can be a bright future if you dare to reach for things that you may have thought that you needed to leave behind. As long as you are breathing, remember, it’s never too late to create a new dream.

And you’ll have the satisfaction of being able to say to yourself, “bucket list check!”

Do things for the joy of it.

You won’t regret it.

What’s at the top of your bucket list? Leave a comment if you’d like to share. I’d love to hear from you.

See all posts about bucket list ideas.

If you haven’t already, grab your Free Trip Planning Template to plan your next trip!

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Christine is passionate about traveling the world, exploring new places, and building memories with family. She has been traveling the world with her family for the past 14 years and believes life is too short to constantly put bucket lists dreams off for later. Christine loves to inspire families to travel more by sharing her family adventures around the world.

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