Places I want to go around the world before I die.

As far as I can remember, I have always loved to travel. I think Family vacations and moving across the country at an early age played a big role in that. I have been privileged to travel quite a bit in my life so far. I’ve been on four cruises, many trips to Florida, back and forth to California countless times, Belize, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Puerto Vallarta, the Bahamas, NYC, most states in the south, Israel, and more that are slipping my mind right now.

It’s good to reflect on fun times in the past, but also to hope, plan and dream for the future.  So here is my travel bucket list for when I have all the time and the money in the world to travel. This year a vacation was not in the cards for us since we are trying to save money. But, one day I will travel to all these places.

Hawaii:  This is my dream vacation spot. The beaches, the islands, the scenery; it is true paradise. My family has spent a lot of time here, but I have never been. Hawaii is a great place for honeymoons. It also helps when your relatives own a condo in Kauai (the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands) and will let you stay there anytime they are not using it! I would like to visit Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island. Everything is very expensive here since it is so isolated and all items have to be shipped in.

About Kauai — Hawaii’s Island of Discovery: “The oldest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain is draped in emerald valleys, sharp mountain spires and jagged cliffs, aged by time and the elements. Centuries of growth have formed tropical rainforests, forking rivers and cascading waterfalls. Some parts of Kauai are only accessible by sea or air, revealing views beyond your imagination.”

Things to Do: Kayak the WailuaRiver. Snorkel on PoipuBeach. Hike the trails of KokeeState Park. Go ziplining above Kauai’s lush valleys. Visit a volcano.

Alaska: Not especially in the winter time, but Alaska is such a beautiful place. It’s the last American frontier. From watching Flying Wild Alaska, I have learned what a remote and fascinating this place is. The remote towns are very isolated and the sunlight and lack of the sunlight during the year would bother me. But it’s neat to think about seeing a critter in Alaska like a fox or elk and know that you may be the only human it has ever seen. Many people go to Alaska to hunt, but I want to go to see the beauty of the countryside and get a glimpse of the glaciers in the winter.

Things to Do: Take a sled dog ride. Go hunting (legally of course). Wildlife viewing.  Go fishing. Wintertime skiing. See the Northern Lights. Hike around the backcountry. Go four wheeling and zip lining across the wilderness.

Vegas: Viva Las Vegas! I have been meaning to take a trip here during a visit to California, but haven’t yet. You can get hotel suites at The Palms and many other famous Vegas hotels for very cheap, because they want you to stay a while and spend lots of money gambling in the casino. The shows, the lights, the glitz and glamour, quick weddings, and huge buffets, there is no other city like it. I’m not a huge gambler myself and wouldn’t feel comfortable betting more than a hundred dollars or so, but there is so much more to do here than gamble. Seeing all the neat hotels and shows would be fabulous and Vegas is a great Bachelor/Bachelorette party destination.

Things to Do: Gamble in a fabulous casino. Jump off the Stratosphere Tower at SkyJump Las Vegas. Sky dive indoors. Ride a rollercoaster at Adventuredome at Circus Circus. Dive with Sharks at Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Hotel. Explore CityCenter on the Las Vegas strip. Get Hitched. See an Elvis impersonator show.

London and the UK: Since the Olympics are going on right now, everyone is talking about London. I have wanted to go here for some time now. London is the birthplace of modern society and also the home of my favorite author Madeline Wickham (Sophie Kinsella) where her books take place. For my first trip to Europe, the first stop would be London since we speak the same language and all. Although, I would have to get used to British English, which has many words and phrases that differ from American English. When I go, I would also travel to the rest of the United Kingdom. The countryside outside of London is quite nice. I hope I can understand the Scottish accents in Scotland though!

Things to Do: Visit the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, Canterbury Cathedral, and WelshCastles. View paintings at the National Gallery. Watch the Wimbledon Championship. Have afternoon tea. Shop in London like a Royal.

Greece: This is such a beautiful country. From watching movies and looking at photographs, I have determined that Greece is my ideal European destination. The Greek culture is very unique and the food is delicious. Although the natives are having a major economic crisis, it is still a great tourist spot. Santorini is one of the gorgeous Greek islands. I love the architecture of the houses along the water.

About Greece: “Greek sovereign land includes 6,000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 islands are inhabited. This is a truly unique phenomenon for the European continent.”

Things to Do: Santorini Architecture. Visit the Acropolis. Meteora. Beaches of Crete. Delphi Ruins.  Ride a boat through the Melissani Cave.

France: Oh Paris. The city of love. The Eiffel Tower. I can’t wait to experience everything that this city has to offer. It is world renown for its museums.  Nice, the south of France would be a wonderful vacation destination. The French Riviera is known for its great beaches.  Although the people of France have been known to be somewhat unpleasant to tourists, I hope they are nicer in Nice.

Things to Do: Louvre Museum, Disneyland Paris, Palace of Versailles, Le Val de Loire (The Loire Valley), Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dam Cathedral.

Italy: This is a country made up of many great cities — Florence, Rome, Venice, etc.  Rome was the capital city of the Roman Empire which is home to many archeological and artistic treasures. Florence is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance” for its monuments, churches and buildings. Venice is a city of small islands that uses canals as the main means of transportation. And let’s not forget the great Italian food including pizza and pasta.

Things to Do: Visit the aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs. The Colosseum and the Pantheon. Have a romantic boat ride through a Venetian canal.

Sweden: I have family here that I have never met. The Swedish Zlotniks still reside in here and have lived there since right after World War II. My grandfather lost his wife and kids in the Holocaust and him and his brother were the only two survivors of my dad’s family. They spent some time in displaced persons camps, and then traveled to Sweden. My grandfather met my grandmother and they left to live in other parts of Europe and later America, but his brother stayed and grew his family in Sweden. My cousin went and visited my Swedish relatives for Passover when she was studying abroad in Europe and someday I would like to go there.

Things to Do: Catch a ferry to the Stockholm Archipelago. In Stockholm, see the fantastic architecture of Gamla Stan, the old town. Go to Lapland. Head to the beach in Gotland.

Germany: I would like to visit Germany and travel through Berlin. I want to go to the Concentration Camps and walk around, but I imagine it would not be an easy experience for me. I would not like to ride on the autobahn. I don’t think I could handle the extremely high speeds. It would be neat to talk to the natives because I think hearing Germans speak is kind of amusing. It’s such an interesting sounding language.

Things to do: Experience the Romantic Road. Visit Neuschwanstein Castle. Visit a beer garden such as Schlenkerla Brewery and Tavern. Go to the BMW museum. See the Berlin Wall. Spend time in Berchtesgaden National Park.

Kenya: In Africa, I would love to go on a Safari in jeep and see all the wild animals. I probably would not like the accommodations, being a city girl and all. But, I do know more about this country than any other in the continent of Africa thanks to a report I did in geography class in high school about Kenya.

Things to Do: Visit Nairobi City. Maasai Mara, Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. Stay at a beach resort in Malindi. The exotic old town markets in Mombasa.

Patagonia: Patagonia is a region that expands into Argentina. It is known as the most beautiful scenery on the planet. During the wintertime you can ski and snowboard. In the summer you can climb mountains and it is known to be the most amazing mountain climbing in the world. You can go sightseeing in the summertime and look at glaciers and crystal clear waters.

Things to Do: Winter Sports. Kayaking, camping, boating, birth watching, scenic hikes. Whale-watch in Puerto Madryn. Stay at a ranch. Horseback riding.

United Arab Emirates: Dubai would be a great city to travel to, seeing as how you can do pretty much anything you can think of here. Except of course, show some skin and the whole men and women embracing in public thing. The UAE is the European vacation spot with indoor skiing and neat resorts. I have to admit, my knowledge of The UAE comes mainly from watching the movie Sex and the City 2. But it just seems so fabulous.

Things to Do: Shop at the Gold Souk in Dubai. Ride a camel through the desert.  Go skiing at the Mall of the Emirates. See the Lost City. Play at Wild Wadi WaterPark.

Australia: Although the plane ride would be hellish, I’d love to go to the land down under. I love it when I talk to people with Australian accents. It would be neat to see kangaroos and meet aborigines in the outback.

Things to Do: Swim, snorkel, ride and sail on the Great Barrier Reef.  Go surfing. Visit Kangaroo Island. Tour the central Australian desert. Hike Franz Josef. Cruise along the beautiful Swan Valley.

Where in the world would you like to travel? Leave me a comment about your dream vacation spot.