Family Travel Bucket List: 50 Ideas For the best Adventures

‘The days are long but the years are short’ – Gretchen Rubin

Like many other families, we fit our travels around school, work and life commitments. To ensure we make the most of our time together, we created a travel bucket list of travel adventures to check off.

Some bucket list ideas are exotic, cultural or picturesque, while others are adrenaline-pumping, out-of-this-world family experiences.

We’ve been making memories and ticking off our bucket list travels since our kids were toddlers. Now, teenagers, they’ve visited six continents, hiked to Everest Base Camp, flown in a hot air balloon over ancient temples, and seen wild elephants on safari.

These are just a few of our favourites, but some of our unforgettable experiences have also been the simpler ones, with more to come.

Check out the travel adventures that made the cut for our family bucket list and use it to help create ideas for your own bucket list.

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50 Ideas for Family Adventures

We find that the best ideas often come from our kids. Involving them in making a family bucket list has helped us to explore their wildest dreams.

While some suggestions have required a little bit of tweaking (travelling to space), others (camping in Antarctica) were added to the list until we find a budget for them.

Remember, travel adventures do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Your family may not achieve them all, but having a bucket list to fuel wanderlust and adventure helps bring travel dreams to life.

Outdoor Adventures Ideas For Families

1. National Park Hopping: Explore the breathtaking landscapes of the USA’s national parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Arches.
2. Explore a Rainforest: Enter one of nature’s best playgrounds. From the Amazon to Hawaii, and the world’s oldest rainforest in Australia.
3. Camping in the Desert: Pitch a tent and stargaze in a remote location from the Sahara to Antarctica.
4. Multi-Day Family Hike: Discover the wonders of the Inca Trail, Everest Base Camp trek, Tour du Mont Blanc or the West Highland Way.
5. Wildlife Safari: Witness animals in their natural habitats in Sri Lanka, Kenya or Tanzania.
6. Relax in Hot Springs: Visit a natural geothermal pool in Iceland, New Zealand or Costa Rica.
7. Explore the Great Barrier Reef: Experience the iconic reef by boat, snorkel, helicopter or dive.
8. Hot Air Balloon Ride: Float above picturesque landscapes like the Valley of the Kings, Cappadocia, or the plains of Africa.
9. Explore a Volcano: Experience walking through lava fields, toboggan down or watch an active volcano erupt.
10. Kayak an Exotic Waterway: Paddle among glaciers in Iceland, wildlife in Alaska, limestone karsts in Haylong Bay or through mangroves in Thailand.

Family Cultural Experiences

11. Visit a Museum: Discover the world’s finest art, history and worldwide treasures.
12. Visit the Wonders of the World: From ancient pyramids to modern wonders.
13. Explore an Ancient City: Walk through history around the world from Rome, Angkor Wat, to Mexico.
14. Celebrate ‘New Year’ in a Different Country: Discover how different countries party on various dates to welcome in a new year.
15. Engage in a Homestay: Stay, eat and learn with local families in a different country.
16. Attend a festival: Diwali in India, Holi in Nepal, Day of the Dead in Mexico, Octoberfest or Edinburgh Fringe are a few options for travelling families.
17. Adventure by Train: Take a picturesque day trip through mountains, tea plantations, national parks or a multi-day adventure through Europe, Africa or Australia.
18. Discover Traditional Japan: explore temples, gardens and Kyoto’s Geisha District
19. Join A Family Cooking Class: Learn to make delicious local dishes in different countries around the world.
20. Greek Island-Hopping: Discover the idyllic Greek islands and their rich cultural heritage.

Adventurous Activities

21. White Water Raft: Take on wild rapids in Austria, Norway or Costa Rica.
22. Swim with Manta Rays or Whale Sharks: Encounter these magnificent creatures in Indonesia, Australia or the Philippines.
23. Paraglide: Soar above picturesque landscapes in Switzerland.
24. Ski or Snowboard: Hit the wintery slopes of a family-friendly ski resort.
25. Skydive: Experience the ultimate adrenaline burst with a tandem jump.
26. Learn to Surf: Ride beginner waves as a family on a surf camp in warm waters.
27. Bungee Jump: Take a leap of faith from a bridge for a thrill.
28. Zip Line: Fly through the rainforest or from the mountains.
29. Rock Climbing: Scale natural climbing walls for an adrenaline rush.
30. Learn To Scuba Dive: Discover the underwater world of reefs, sealife and wrecks.

Educational Travel Ideas

31. Visit NASA: Explore Kennedy Space Centre and watch a shuttle launch (this was our compromise to going to space).
32. Excavate fossils: Dig for prehistoric remains in Morocco or search for dinosaur footprints in Scotland.
33. Be a King or Queen in a Castle: Dive into the history of knights, royalty and battles in a fortress.
34. Watch the Aurora Borealis: Witness the night sky burst into colours in the Northern Hemisphere.
35. Run in the Olympics: Kids dream big! Family race in the Panathenaic Stadium.
36. Take a City Walking Tour: Explore a city through the eyes of a local.
37. Charter a Boat: Navigate waterways by canal, open sea, fresh water or island hop.
38. Volunteer Abroad: Immerse in a foreign language, learn a new skill or help a local community.
39. Take A Family Gap Year: Gain from real-life experiences while exploring the world together.
40. Family Road Trip Adventure: Follow historical routes, spot landmarks, and embark on an adventure across multiple regions.

Family-Friendly Fun

41. Theme Parks: Family thrill rides and magic at Disneyland, Universal Studios, or other family-themed parks.
42. Ride a dog sledge: Enjoy the snow in Lapland, Alaska or Canada
43. Take a Family Cruise: Sail the oceans in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Antarctica, Halong Bay or other destinations.
44. Harry Potter Studio Tour: Enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
45. Ride an Alpine Coaster: Roll down the mountainside in a self-controlled cart.
46. Stay in an Overwater Bungalow: Relax, swim and paddle with sea life in the Maldives or Thailand.
47. Visit a Chocolate Factory: Experience how chocolate is made in Switzerland.
48. Zoo and Aquarium Adventures: Explore exotic wildlife and marine creatures up close.
49. Explore a Water Park: Splash and slide at water parks around the world.
50. Stay in an ice hotel: Cosy up in a sub-zero bed for the night in Sweden or Canada.

How To Come Up With Family Bucket List Ideas

Creating a bucket list of activities or destinations to visit with family is a great way to visualise your travel dreams.

• Discuss things you and your children would like to do, see or experience
• Make a list together (you could have multiple lists; from with kids to individual bucket lists)
• Add a time scale if appropriate (to be completed within the summer holidays, by the time your kids are 18 years old or over a lifetime)
• Make plans to cover one or multiple items on the list
• Add more bucket list ideas as you tick them off

Bucket list ideas can vary from easily achievable to nearly impossible, requiring imagination and hard work for the family to check them off. Once achieved, we move on to another item on the bucket list.

Final Thoughts: Travel Bucket List Adventures

Drawing up your family’s ultimate list of travel adventures may include hiking, exploring new cultures, learning a new skill, or just having fun together.

The great thing is your family bucket lists will adapt as your kids get older. New ideas will be thrown into the mix, and others may be removed.

Ticking off your bucket list is a way to make unforgettable memories as a family, one adventure at a time.