The Ultimate (& Exciting!) Travel Bucket List For My 30s

I’ll be honest with you, travel in my 30s looks pretty different than travel did in my 20s. A big reason for this? I am more financially secure. I have the extra money to splurge on a vacation and actually work on my travel bucket list for my 30s.

In my 20s, I did travel. But I was big on finding the best deal, which typically tended to be an all-inclusive resort. Don’t misunderstand me – there’s nothing wrong with a good all-inclusive. I still love them!

But, they can definitely be more of a budget friendly option. And let’s face it – I wasn’t really doing much exploring on those trips or immersing myself in the local culture. I was just having fun.

Official Travel Bucket List For My 30s

Now in my 30s, I’ve traveled and want to travel to places where I can experience the local culture. I want to see the world and see it right. Everyone’s preferences are different, of course, but here’s what’s on my travel bucket list for my 30s.

Staying At An Overwater Bungalow

You’ve seen them all over Instagram and TikTok – the glorious, luxurious overwater bungalows. Who doesn’t want to stay in one? It was number one on my bucket list for sure – and yes, I used past tense because I made it happen!

My husband and I went to the Maldives on our honeymoon and stayed at an overwater bungalow at the St. Regis. Honestly? It was the best vacation we’ve ever taken. The ability to jump off your patio into crystal blue waters and to snorkel and see some great reefs.

Sharks were even swimming near us! (Don’t worry, as they say in the Maldives, there’s never been a shark attack there). It was incredible and probably the most relaxing vacation I’ve ever been on.

Going On A Safari

As someone whose favorite ride at Disney is the safari, it’s no surprise that going on a safari in Africa is high on my travel bucket list. We toyed with doing this for our honeymoon, but opted to do something more relaxing, so this is still on my “must do” list.

I have several friends who went and showed me videos from being on the safari and being up close with the animals in their natural habitat is just incredible. It’s truly an experience!

Visiting Jerusalem

I will preface this by saying I am a Christian who goes to church on Sunday. Going to visit the Holy Land was absolutely amazing and life-changing. I am so glad I was able to check this off the travel bucket list for my 30s. When I first went, I didn’t think I’d want to go back and that it would be a one and done.

But when it came time to leave, I found myself already wanting to plan a trip back. Of course, with everything going on presently, this trip is one that you may want to wait on like I am. But even if you are not religious, visiting Israel may be something you want to add to your travel bucket list.

The Dead Sea, riding a camel, and Tel Aviv are all great experiences all in itself. I even rode a donkey through the desert – how cool is that?!

Go to a European Christmas Market

This has been on my bucket list for ages and I just haven’t made it happen yet, likely because I typically do not travel during the holidays. But European Christmas markets just look amazing, it’s definitely something I know I need to experience eventually.

I think I’d want to do a few different ones in different European cities, to get the full experience. I’m hoping to check this one off by the end of my 30s, but this one may actually stay on my travel bucket list for my 30s a bit longer.

Visit Morocco

Again, I’ll blame all my trips to Disney World for this one, but with Morocco being my favorite Epcot pavilion, I knew I needed to go. I have been to Morocco but I will keep it on my bucket list because I only did a quick day trip.

Fun fact – if you’re visiting the south of Spain, you can easily hop on a ferry and do a day trip to the city of Tangier in Morocco! My husband and I did that and I enjoyed it, I just wish I had more time there and got to see other cities (like Casablanca). The food was great, the architecture was beautiful, and it’s a place I wish I had more time to explore.

Greece!

Okay, in all honesty, Greece actually isn’t on my travel bucket list for my 30s, but it should be on yours. Why isn’t it on mine? Because my family’s from Greece and I’ve been there and have even worked there.

It’s not on my bucket list because I do go back frequently and am very grateful to be able to. But it should 100% be on yours and I’m not just talking about Mykonos and Santorini.

Sure, those are some great spots to hit, but if partying isn’t your vibe anymore or you don’t want to deal with so many tourists, there are plenty of smaller islands you should try visiting. Naxos, Syfnos, Symi, Kefalonia, Kerkyra, Zakynthos, Aegina, are just some I’ll quickly name off the top of my head.

If you do Greece, you’ll also want to spend some time in Athens too, immersing yourself in the rich history and also taking in lots of local markets. The food in Greece is not only delicious, but extremely fresh – you really can’t go wrong by visiting Greece. Plus, it’s so easy to island hop so you can see more places than just being on one island (but that’s OK too!).

One other island you should look into if you are considering Greece? Cyprus. It’s a beautiful, smaller island in the Mediterranean with absolutely beautiful beaches. Again, I’m a little biased because my family is from this island, but it’s such a great destination that’s not spoken about enough.

And That’s A Wrap On The Travel Bucket List For My 30s

Are any of these places on your travel bucket list for your 30s? Have you been to any of these places? Let us know in the comments – we’re always looking for new places to explore!

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