In 2016, I want to continue exploring the world and experiencing new countries and cultures, but I want to spent more time with my family and discovering my new backyard – California. I’ve decided to limit my international travel to one trip every two months and spend more time in the amazing state that I call home.
This is what that looks like…
2016 Bucket List:
Destinations:
Zambia
Madagascar
Mauritius
Seychelles
Maui
Idaho
Tennessee
Minnesota
New Brunswick, Canada
Yukon
Nova Scotia, Canada
Joshua Tree National Park
San Diego
Palm Springs
Lake Tahoe
Avenue of the Giants
Pasadena
Mammoth Lakes
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Yosemite National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
San Francisco
Temecula
Santa Clara
Adventures:
Hike to Ruby Falls, Chattanooga
Travel by campervan
Rock climbing with Athena
Ride on a riverboat with Athena
Mall of America (The largest mall in the US)
Fly a Warbird
PADI certification
Hike Rock City in Chattanooga
Hang gliding
Ride the Skunk Train through redwoods
Ride on Tennessee Valley Railroad
Go off-roading in dune buggies
Wine tasting in California
Follow Route 66
Underwater Scooter Adventure
Seaplane Flight Tour
Canyoning
Take the train across several states with Athena
Family:
Camp on the beach with Athena and Darren
Teach Athena to use a mask and snorkel
Stay at LEGOLAND hotel
Aquarium of the Pacific
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Take Athena for her first ski lesson
Take Athena to Disneyland on her birthday
Universal Studios Hollywood
Ride the Ferris wheel in Santa Monica
Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram with Athena
Take Athena paddle boarding
Spend a month in Canada with my family
Take Athena boogie boarding for the first time
Create an outdoor space in our yard that we love
What’s on your list? The more you share it, think about it, and put it out there, the more likely you are to accomplish your dreams.
Bucket List Publications 
Iceland, Spain, and a return trip to Venice and Rome. We didn’t spend enough time there the first trip, and I’ve been itching to explore these cities more.
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That sounds like a fantastic year! I’d like to visit Iceland as well. I’ve never been. I wish I could stop time once and a while so I could fit more in a year 😉
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You will love Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. My wife and I were there in mid December.
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We visited Palm Springs a few years ago but I was 8 months pregnant with Athena and struggled with doing much in the heat. I’d like to return and experience it with her at my side rather than kicking me from the inside. 😉
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I am adding Chile and Uruguay to my list of visited countries. I have been to at least half on your first list, but the others look real interesting.
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I must have added and taken off Chile and Uruguay a dozen times for this year. It’s so impossible to choose, isn’t it? 🙂
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Trip to South America booked and starts soon!
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Spain, NYC and Chile. 🙂
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Have you been to any of them before? I love NYC and enjoyed Spain but I haven’t been to Chile yet. Do you have any plans for them yet or are they still in the making?
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This year, I’m hoping to visit Spain twice — one trip to Madrid and one in Andalucia — and the Scottish island of Harris. Take a look at these beaches! http://m.roughguides.com/article/7-must-visit-places-in-scotland-youve-probably-never-heard-of/
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Damn, that’s an ambitious list.
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You can swim with belugas? Cool. Well, actually cold. Very cold
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More backpacking is on my list, as is archery, and the Yosemite Half Marathon. I can’t wait to read about the experiences you’re planning for 2016!
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You’re doing it right in 2016. Family comes first but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time and explore new things! Your list reads like a lot of fun ahead for all of us!
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What? No Ohio? Need to work on my list.
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I only added states that I haven’t visited before or maybe Ohio would have made the list 😉
What’s something you want to accomplish/see/do this year?
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I want to hit a national park or two (haven’t made up my mind yet which one/s) and visit the Brooklyn bridge which I’ve never seen in all my trips to NY.
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I was in OH for work in October and I would say, “YES.”
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Need to save my pennies for 2017 which we hope to go to New Zealand! This year, I’d like to go to the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter if I feel up to dealing with the inevitable crowds. If you make it up to Napa for wine tasting, you’ll be in my neighborhood 🙂
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Nice list, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!
My bucket list for this year is to see all amazing places in China and learn some Chinese language 🙂
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The Albuquerque Balloon Festival early October 2016. Three couples of us have already rented a house to stay in.
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Visiting Yosemite was like walking in a hymn. I spent six years in California and it is full of adventures. Put Lotusland in Santa Barbara somewhere on your list. It’s not well known yet, but AMAZING!
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great ideas !!!
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Fly a jet fighter and go to Santa Clara? I love it! Beautiful mix of grand and unexpected. I’m curious what draws you to Santa Clara…
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I’ve been trying to explore new areas in California and I saw a photo of Santa Clara that drew me in. Do you know the area?
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I dig the sentiment. Why only be curious about an area if you don’t live there? I wish I could help you, but my Santa Clara knowledge is pretty limited. I took an SAT prep course there whose primary benefit was accidentally proving that a Mazda MPV minivan was capable of doing 90 on the freeway. (How ever do we survive being 16?) I’ll be curious to see what you find.
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I would have added half of California to the list if it wasn’t getting out of hand already. I’ll be driving from San Diego to San Francisco at the end of the month and I hope to do 6 extensive California road trips this year. We could have lived anywhere in the world and we chose California. I want to explore all of it.
Where is home for you?
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I desperately advocate the beauty of the whole world, but I won’t deny a tinge of pleasure that y’all chose California. I grew up in the SF Bay Area and settled in Oakland a couple years ago when I came back to the US. I recommend this town too. Maybe for 2017’s list? 😉
And while you’re circa Santa Clara, there’s a restored classic theater in downtown Palo Alto, shows old movies, if you’re into that sort of thing. http://www.stanfordtheatre.org/
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I couldn’t agree more with seeing as much as humanly possible. This time last year I was sailing to Antarctica on tall ship, Bark Europa. I visited 8 new countries last year and I have 6 in mind for this year. There’s just so much to experience that my list keeps getting longer and longer. I was just looking at Seychelles before typing this message to you. How to fit it all in?
I visited Oakland five years ago and truly enjoyed my stay. We spent a week there during a home exchange.
Where were you living outside of the states? I’m Canadian originally but I’ve been living in the US for almost 6 years.
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I’m catching up on your posts and learning some of the answers for myself 😉
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It won’t let me add another response on that chain… Finicky wordpress gremlins.
I lived in Belgium on and off for a couple years, stints in Nepal and Curacao, but mostly wandered.
What did you think of the Antarctica trip?
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The Antarctica trip was the greatest travel adventure of my life. I was part of the training crew and responsible for manning the helm, hauling the lines, and being on watch. The entire experience was unbelievable. I felt like a pirate 😉
Curacao sounds like an odd stop among the others. I do love the country though, especially the people. I worked with the tourism board there a couple years ago and still chat with my host and his family. Did you visit Bonaire and Aruba while you were there?
Well, you have me hooked now. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon reading your posts. 🙂
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That Antarctica trip sounds truly amazing. I’ve been reading your blog for (what I’m pretty sure is) years now, but I think I missed a big section there! I’m at a 9 day conference starting today, and don’t expect to have much mental bandwidth, but when I get back I’ll have to do likewise and catch up!
I was in Curacao teaching English. It was definitely different from most other places I’ve been. If I had to pick its closest relative, I’d say South Africa. It was basically apartheid. Kind of ironic that it was also a Dutch colony? Yikes. That’s a whole other topic…
I didn’t make it over to either Bonaire or Aruba. Should I have? Next time?
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Well if you find yourself in my neck of the woods, or beach, please let me know. I’d love to host you. We have a small house but we’re close to the beach and love guests. I think I could chat for hours about your travels and similar experiences. My Facebook is – https://www.facebook.com/lesleymcarter. It would be great to stay in touch that way as well.
Enjoy your conference.
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I would like that very much. 🙂 And you let me know if/when you’re up in the Bay Area for the same!
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I’ll be there the end of the month. Maybe we can figure something out. Lunch or dinner perhaps?
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What a great plan for the new year and as always packed full of adventures! To fly a fighter jet would be one hell of a thrill! Good luck with making them all come true, Lesley!
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Looks like you have a great year ahead of you. I’ve got a trip planned to Tennesse later this year too. Hope it’s a great year.
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wow and all this in one year only? This is impressive especially because there are destinations and adventures everywhere across the world! I want to make sure that 2016 helps me cover all the places in Asia I have yet to visit and some unexpected surprises
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That’s one very cool list. Any plans on where you want to achieve that PADI certification? Ours is Latin American focused.
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Lol I like that Manitoba is rubbing shoulder with Seychelles and Sweden in your list 🙂 Sweden is also on my bucket list for 2016, along with the whole of Scandinavia 🙂
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Sure is! Manitoba was one of my first picks. I’d like to head to Churchill again so I can swim with the beluga whales in the wild. 🙂
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My 2016 list isn’t nearly as extensive or exciting as yours! We’re planning England, Italy, Germany, Dubai, Qatar and Maldives for our International trips. We do like to stay closer to home on the weekends and throughout the year too. There’s so much to see in the U.S.!
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you crazy girl!
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I cant wait to hear all about your adventures this year! You are an inspiration. Have a great year.
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Wow looks like a pretty huge year for you! You listed Minnesota – will you be going to TBEX this year?
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No, I’m heading to Mall of America with my daughter in February.
I’ve actually never gone to TBEX although I think it would be fun. Will you be there?
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On my list this year:
Joshua Tree National Park
Move to Colorado
Hang gliding
Bungee jumping
Trapeze (again!)
Parasailing
Four Corners
Grand Canyon
Route 66
Road trip that involves:
-Montana
-Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park)
-Utah
-Idaho
-Washington
-Oregon
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Interesting… I’m at the same point. Really feeling the hometown CA love. I have been asked about my own hometown/ state/ country while on my travels. I realized how much of it I hadn’t explored yet. Or at least not locally. Funny touring our own towns doesn’t sound interesting and yet when you look at them through a tourist perspective all the sudden they are much more exciting!! We should meet up when you come to Temecula (it’s our town).
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That would be lovely. I will be in Temecula for certain at some point this year; figuring out when is another story. Let’s connect. That would be fantastic!
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My family and I are going to bike the Hiawatha Trail in Idaho this summer – very excited to cross over into Montana, where I’ve never been before!
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Sounds like u have much to do. I wish u the best this year and for the years to come!
With love,
Chris
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I really love your 2016 list! I have one of my own bucket lists but my blog is just getting started!
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I’ve been coming across a lot o bucket lists recently, but never made one myself, just living from day to day and getting on adventures as they present themselves suited my desire to travel. Since I am temporarily “semi-settled” at the moment (mostly to keep my Greencard), it might be a good time for one of those bucket lists! No paper is big enough and no screen can possibly contain everything I hope to experience and accomplish, though. 🙂
Liesbet @ Roaming About
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I’m down in Carlsbad going through a similar life journey, after 25 years. I do understand. If you’re near Legoland again, let’s meet up for coffee or tea!
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