Make your once-in-a-lifetime trip a reality. Here are 6 tips to plan a bucket list trip that you’ll actually take.
From climbing Mount Everest to splurging in the Maldives, there’s no shortage of unforgettable journeys on our planet. But while most people add travel to their bucket list, many never accomplish them. Creating a travel bucket list is one thing but actually experiencing the trip is the life-changing part.
To help you prepare and fulfill your fantasy travel bucket-list vacation—which is not as unattainable as you think—these are our 6 tips to plan a bucket list trip that you’ll actually take.
Remember, if you’re going to travel now, do it safely. Make sure you read our 9-point guide to travel safely during the pandemic.
6 tips to plan a bucket list trip that you’ll actually take
- Set intentions, no matter the limit
Beach hopping in Thailand. Wine tasting in France. Safari in South Africa. There’s no destination that’s out of reach. One-of-a-kind, far-flung adventures are popular on travel bucket lists as they are known to change someone’s life enormously. Once you set intentions to get there, they can become a reality.
It’s important to set intentions by visualizing the dream trips you specifically want to take, why you want to take them and how they’ll make you feel. This is the key. You can make a list of hundreds of fantasy vacations but actually visualizing the ones that resonate with you most is extra motivating.
You can dream big, but setting intentions gets you halfway there. Remember to actually make a list and even put the list in a place you can see every day, like your fridge, so that dream trip doesn’t just fizzle out of your mind.
2. Set a date for your bucket list trip
When you set an actual date for your bucket-list trip, you’re giving yourself a deadline, which makes the trip more of a goal you’ll want to achieve. The date can be six months from now or two years from now, whatever you think feels right.
If you have more than one dream vacation, prioritize them. Which one really calls to you? Which one makes you smile when looking at the list? Which one will your husband or friend or sister take off work for, and what months are better for both of you if you want to travel with a partner?
When you set a date, it’s also important to plan around times that make sense to you. For instance, off-peak travel can save you money and there will be less crowds. If your bucket-list trip revolves around a festival or event, like going to Mardi Gras in Sydney, plan travel for those dates.
3. Get inspired
This step is crucial: get inspired! Let’s say your bucket-list vacation is in Thailand. Learn how to make Thai food, cut out pictures of Thai beaches and put them on your wall, learn basic Thai language, imagine getting pampering massages and visiting markets when you’re stuck in traffic.
Spend time researching everything you want to do in that destination. If you make the dream bucket-list trip part of your life right away, it will help inspire you to make it happen.
4. Start saving for your bucket list trip
Bucket-list trips are not cheap (it’s why they’re on your bucket list in the first place… they’re once-in-a-lifetime journeys!). Putting money aside now will motivate you to make the trip a high priority in life, and you also take the trip more seriously rather than dream about it.
Even if you skip one meal out and stash $25 under your mattress every week, your dream-trip vacation fund adds up faster than you would believe. Also, now’s the time to use those frequent-flier miles you saved!
5. Don’t let this be a secret
The more you share your bucket-list trip with your friends, family and colleagues, the more encouragement you have. They help you visualize your dream, stay in line with your set date and can offer tips and advice if they’re well traveled. Their excitement will be infectious, so spread the news.
Don’t keep your bucket-list trip a secret; put it out there in the universe! And who knows? Maybe a friend or family member will want to join you, which will not only help keep the expenses down, but having a travel buddy can make an adventure more memorable.
6. Celebrate your journey
The life-long memories from a bucket-list trip will be priceless, and you should prepare to celebrate them. Imagine the amazing slideshow with all your beautiful photos. Make a post-trip video on YouTube shared with all your friends.
(IF you’re traveling, don’t forget to mask up! Providing a link to our favorite mask below).
Or even plan a celebratory gathering upon your return. This can be a house party, an intimate dinner or a fun night out where you can recap your adventure to your loved ones.
Not only will everyone be proud of you for achieving your bucket-list trip, they will be inspired. The bucket-list trip is one that took heart and effort, so it should be celebrated and immortalized upon your return. And, best of all, it may just motivate you to do it all over again with a later bucket-list trip in another exciting destination.
Do you have any tips to plan a bucket list trip? Let us know in the comments below.
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