Bucket List Planner

The top ten Bucket List Places to see should really be a list of the top 50 (or more) bucket list cities and other great monuments. Or maybe a top 100 or two hundred. And how would you rank the cities? We might put them in groups of 20 or 30. Or best cities by size. Maybe best cities by number of mosques. Or best cities for seeing sports. When you are thinking of top Bucket List Travel Destinations, how you rank things is up to you. Here is a Great City list, to help you start narrowing down.

Number 4: California Coast

"They say it never rains in Southern California." Just be sure not to underestimate the foggy June-Gloom and what it will do to the temperature during your summer visit! In the meantime, the coast is huge (840 miles long, to be exact) and from San Diego to Oregon there are so many different versions of the California Coast to visit. Traveling the Pacific Coast Highway can be an amazing family adventure. Surf in La Jolla. Camp in Big Sur. Kayak with the Sea Lions in Monterey. Watch the big wave surfers at Mavericks. Walk amongst the Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo. Look for great white sharks at Stinson Beach. Dive for abalone in Medecino. Explore the Redwood Forests in Eureka. Check out our California Coast recommendations and have a blast!

Number 5: The Taj Mahal

Is it as exotic as you expect? Yes! Is it a palace? NO! That is the most frequent misconception about the Taj Mahal. The Taj was actually designed as a monument honor to the wife of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. Shah Jahan ruled Southeast Asia in the mid 1600's. While he had many wives, Mumtaz was his true love. There is more to the story, which you will enjoy when you go. The Taj Mahal itself is more than just a pretty building. The strategic dimensions, engineering and structural design are all ahead of their time. While the Taj is absolutely a must-see on many people's bucket lists, it is not a convenient 3 hour ground excursion from a cruise ship! That being said, the easiest way to get there is as part of a tour. Alternatively, we can arrange a private agenda for you that gets you safely, without a tour group to the Taj - in luxury.

Number 8: Oktoberfest in Bavaria

This is one of the most underrated cities in the world. Incredible history, beautiful surrounding area and a very fun culture. Any time of year in Munich (also called München) can be fantastic, but if you want to kill two birds with one stone, then we strongly suggest visiting Munich and the surrounding Bavarian countryside during the 3 week Oktoberfest celebration in September and October. The weather is often lovely and cool at that time of year, with the colors of the leaves just starting to change. There are amazing museums and fantastic shopping in Munich. For Oktoberfest, you will also want to got to the Wiesn and ejoy the festivities of the season. This is something you cannot do in your every day clothes. We strongly sugest picking up Trachten (the traditional clothes) at C & A for just over $100. It is totally worth it. Everyone dresses for the event! Munich is definitely a city that needs to be on your list of Bucket List Destinations.

Number 9: The Vatican

Every Catholic person should make it to the Vatican at some point during their life. And anyone, catholic or not, who appreciates art or architecture has to be sure to get to the vatican as well. It was built over hundreds of years, under the sponsorship of so many popes. And the art that was commissioned within, whether the Cistine Chapel or in the main halls, is extraordinary. But Rome should be on your Bucket List for allot more reasons than just this church. It is the kind of city that deserves at least a 5 day visit, if not 6 months. The people of Rome are amazing and friendly. Don't be surprised if you are invited to share an after dinner cocktail with your restaurant. In any case, churches and museums can be the biggest reasons to visit any travel destination. Add the Vatican to your Travel Bucket List.

Number 1: The Golden Gate Bridge

There is something magnetic about the Golden Gate Bridge. It's iconic silhouette and color elicit a full spectrum of sensations. The sound of wind and fog horns, the cool refreshing temperature, the thrill of riding a bike across the 2 mile long expanse, the smell of the salt air, the memory of men lost during the bridges construction all factor in to the extraordinary experience of visiting San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. There are so many ways to incorporate the Golden Gate Bridge into your bucket list travel. If you go all the way to California, don't skip San Francisco. Many people refer to it as their favorite city in the world. When you get there, you will begin to understand why. For ideas on what to do in San Francisco, check out our Bucket List Ideas for the city by the bay!

Number 2: The Grand Canyon

No matter what you are expecting, it's bigger than you expect. It is 277 miles long! And even at it's narrowest point, it is still 4 miles wide. The colors change all day long and the thermal conditions allow fog to suddenly explode from behind a ridge when the conditions are just right. The Grand Canyon National Park has been in business since 1919, enabling safe viewing platforms and managed access to the bottom of this stunning 6000-foot-deep gorge. The Grand Canyon is not all that conveniently located if you are flying there, but it is well worth the extra effort to see this unfathomable natural wonder. Tip: You should get your reservations at the lodge or campsite well in advance of the trip. They book completely. Check out our rafting adventures on our featured tours page.

Top 10 Bucket List Places to See

Every individual has their own version of the top ten places they would like to see. A baseball fan may want to see every major league babseball field in North America. A historian may want to visit every civil war battlefield. An architect might include every Frank Lloyd Wright building on his or her bucket list. No two lists are the same. This list includes destinations that show up frequently on all kinds of people's bucket lists.

by Manitou Rey

Number 10: The Eiffel Tower

Probably the most photographed and iconic structure of it's time, this tower is the center of the city of love. If you make it to the tower, you have made it to Paris, so you will then have the opportunity to see some of the most amazing works of art in the world, experience fantastic cuisine and shop for some of the finest fashion in the world. The amazing thing about Paris is that it is more fantastic every time go. Our feature page on Paris can tell you much more about the amazing things to do and see in this city. Paris is also a great city for a family trip with children. There is so much history and also some very memorable things to do there, like visiting the marionette theater or shopping at the Sunday bird market just down the street from Notre Dame. Definitely add the Eiffel Tower to your bucket list.

Number 6: Hong Kong at Night

Victoria Harbour is the larger-than-life cross between the lights and city action Times Square and the scale and incomparable views of the Grand Canyon. You can be in the view, looking out or you can be across the river in Kowloon and toast to the view. And our favorite way to do Hong Kong at night is to start before dusk on the Hong Kong side, ride the Star Ferry across as the evening takes over have dinner on the Kowloon Side. Enjoy the light show and ferry back over for continued fun - shopping, clubbing or just walking around. As with any big city, there are several great areas that a traveler would want to explore during their visit to Hong Kong. And reservations in Hong Kong are another thing that will save you some time and enrich your experience. Look for more Hong Kong travel details, coming soon. Hong Kong belongs on your Travel Bucket List.

Number 7: Sydney Opera House

Not everyone appreciates the opera. But when the opera house looks like music itself and sets the tone for the entire city skyline (and that city is in Austrailia!) the result is the movement of the Sydney Opera House existing on many people's Bucket List of Things to See.

Number 3: Times Square NYC

OK. This isn't really a picture of Times Square. But it IS a picture of Broadway; just downtown, in SoHo. The truth is that Time Square is something most people visit on their first trip to New York City. The pure density of people, action, lights, theaters, stuff for sale, smells, sounds and energy set Times Square apart from any intersection in any city. There are so many things to do in NYC that they cannot ever all be done in an individual's lifetime; so explore this amazing city at least a few times. The bucket list for New York is always evolving. And if you want to go to the statue of liberty when you are in New York, make your reservations MONTHS IN ADVANCE: BEFORE YOU BOOK AIRFARE.