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Hands down the highlight of my last 30 years has been the privilege of seeing so many different parts of the world. Although I started Shipping Across The Globe in 2020, my travel experiences started well before then.
Having a passion for travel, it’s easy to get caught up in all the things you want to do. The list goes on and on, and you’re constantly adding to your travel bucketlist. If you’re anything like me, your determination can get the best of you. When I see a list, I always want to check everything off as quickly as possible. But looking back on the last decade and actually thinking about all the things I have accomplished instead of all the things I have yet to do, I’m so proud of making a goal and exceeding it beyond what I thought possible.
Your 20’s are the decade to learn, explore, and grow! Making a travel bucketlist for your 20’s will only help keep you on track with accomplishing the things you really want to do! It’s true when you hear people say you’re never going to regret traveling. You will never look back and wish you had traveled less. So get out there and start exploring this incredible world while you’re young!
From someone who just turned 30 (and may be going through a slight crisis because of it) here is my best advice for must have experiences to add to your travel bucketlist for your 20’s.
The ULTIMATE TRAVEL BUCKETLIST FOR YOUR 20’S
Table of Contents
Do a homestay in another country
In my opinion, there is no better way to immerse yourself in a culture than to throw yourself in completely. Staying with a family in another country can be such an eye opening experience to understanding others and even yourself.
When I visited Thailand, I stayed with the Akha hill tribes of Northern Thailand for a couple days. The thought of living with no running water and strangers who didn’t speak English absolutely terrified me. The experience was hard. I’ve never had a worse nights sleep than on a concrete floor of a bamboo hut. However, the time I spent there taught me so many life lessons I carry with me to this day. In fact, looking back on all my travels, this may be one of my favorite experiences yet.
Read more about my experience staying with the Akha Hill Tribes.
Do a homestay at least once in your 20’s. The incredible life lessons you can learn from others halfway across the world can absolutely blow your mind!
See the Great Pyramids
Seeing the Great Pyramids was on my travel bucketlist since I was a kid. Seeing them in person left me in absolute awe. These incredible grand structures were so precisely constructed thousands of years ago. There is still so much mystery behind them, which I find fascinating.
Find tickets to The Great Pyramids here!
There are so many unforgettable experiences to have in Egypt. Between the Nile River, Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple and Abu Simbel, a visit to Egypt is something you’ll want to add to your travel bucketlist for your 20’s.
Thinking about visiting Egypt? Check out my blog posts on Egypt. They are packed with information for planning your trip, booking your experiences, and how to hire a guide!
Stay in a Hostel
Hostels are one of the best ways to cut costs while traveling. Although they get a bad rep, there are some really incredible hostels out there! It’s also one of the best ways to meet other young and likeminded travelers.
I have stayed in hostels I loved and others that weren’t as great. However, it’s an experience I think everyone should at least try! The best place to find hostels is hostelworld. Here you are able to check reviews, book online, and see pictures of the rooms and amenities.
Experience the nightlife in another country
Whether you’re a partier or not, everyone should go have some drinks and experience the nightlife when traveling. A night out bar hopping can lead to some pretty epic adventures. Plus, you see a while different side of a culture you may not hear talked about as much. Grab some new travel friends and whoever you are traveling with and go make some memories. Just be careful and trust your intuition. (In other words, have fun but don’t get out of control.)
Travel with your siblings
If you have siblings, add a sibling trip to your travel bucketlist for your 20s! Being able to experience a new country with just my sister was so much fun. We have so many incredible memories from our trip to Peru that we will have for the rest of our lives.
Think about all the time you’ve spent with your siblings as kids. Once you get older and no longer live in the same house anymore, it’s awesome to be able to have an epic adventure together. It’s not as easy to just spend time together once you’re older, so making it a priority and staying close can be really special! No one has known you as long as your siblings have, which makes for a great travel partner.
Travel for longer than 2 weeks
This is a priority for your travel bucketlist in your 20’s. If you are able to travel for an extended period of time, do it. Before you have a home, a family, and endless work obligations, extend those trips for as long as you can. These will be experiences you’ll remember forever.
You always hear people talk about how they wish they traveled more when they were younger. Don’t be that person! Do it now!
Hike to Machu Picchu
Although people of all ages visit Machu Picchu every year, if you want to hike parts of the Inca Trail, I highly recommend doing it in your 20’s. Between the rough terrain and altitude, the hike to Machu Picchu is no joke! There are so many different Inca Trail tours you can do, so choose the one that works best for you and your group.
Thinking about traveling to Peru? Check out my Ultimate Peru Travel Guide!
Be sure to stay overnight in Machu Picchu’s nearby town, Aguas Calients! We enjoyed being able to explore the adorable winding streets of this town and soak in the natural hot springs after exploring Machu Picchu for the day.
Get a rewards credit card
This is less of a bucketlist item and more advice, but if you can take away one thing from this blog post let it be this: get a rewards credit card. As long as you are in good financial standing, a credit card that can rack up points will be so beneficial in your 20’s. Not only does it help with your credit score, but using it on purchases you will already be making will only help you receive rewards that can be redeemed for travel, hotels, cash back and more.
My favorite travel credit card is hands down the Chase Sapphire Preferred. With a low annual fee and 2x points on travel, it was the perfect credit card for my 20’s.
Sign up & start earning credit card points now!
Let A Cheap Flight Dictate Your Destination
If you’ve never picked a destination based on the cost of the flight, you have to do it! In your 20’s when you may be more budget conscious, this is hands down one of the best ways to travel. Not only will it save you lots of money, but it can also open your mind to destinations you may have never considered before! There’s something really exciting about that concept.
Check out my top tips for how to find cheap flights!
Attend an important world event
With major events happening all around the world, make it your mission to attend one. Wether it’s the olympics, carnival in Brazil, the Superbowl, or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, going to important events that everyone knows about can be such a thrilling experience. I was able to go to a World Cup game once, and the atmosphere made it so much more exciting in person than through the TV. I will never forget the upbeat chants, screams of happiness when goals were scored, and the overall adrenaline running through that stadium!
Walk the cliff sides of Santorini
Don’t get me wrong, you can visit Santorini at any age. However, those cliffs are no joke! From our hotel in Fira, we had to walk up 160 stairs from our hotel just to get into civilization. And no, there are no elevators.
I think being able to explore the cliffs of Santorini with all its cobblestone streets is best to do while you’re young. Plus, it’s an incredible island to experience at least once in your lifetime. Yes, it really is as beautiful as all the photos you see on the internet! Check out some of my photos I captured in Santorini to see just how gorgeous it really is.
Go to a music festival
Trust me when I say as you get older music festivals are going to sound a lot less exciting. Live it up in your 20’s and go to a music festival that you are really excited about! I went to EDC Las Vegas in my 20’s, and as much fun as I had, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not sure I’d be able to hang anymore.
Soak in Iceland’s Blue LAgoon
Pre-book your tickets to the Blue Lagoon here!
The Blue Lagoon is a top travel buckelist item for many people, and it’s for good reason! There is nothing like soaking in the milky blue waters of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. I loved visiting during the winter time when the air was crisp, but the water was warm. Once you soak in these waters with a complimentary face mask and drink of choice, you will leave feeling like a million bucks! With close proximity to the capital city of Reykjavik, the trip to the Blue Lagoon is worth the visit.
Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Iceland’s Blue Lagoon.
Visit as many UNESCO world heritage sites as possible
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an organization with a mission to promote world peace and international education in arts, sciences and culture. UNESCO is in charge of determining World Heritage Sites, which legally protect cultural or natural landmarks that they consider add “outstanding value to humanity.”
Visiting many World Heritage Sites such as the Acropolis is Athens, the Great Pyramids in Egypt, and the city of Cusco, Peru, I have never regretted a visit to one of these places. It’s easy to see why they are held in such high regard.
Currently, there are over 1,000 World Heritage Sites that can be found all over the world. From entire cities, to National Parks, each and every World Heritage site is well worth the visit. In fact, the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is a great place to find some incredible things to add to your travel bucketlist in your 20’s.
Learn parts of another language
Studies have shown that your brain is able to learn other languages better while you are young. Although it’s not impossible as you get older, I think it’s important to always learn some key phrases in every country you travel to. Not only does it help you get along better in your travels, but trying to speak the language in another country really shows others that you care about their culture.
Take in every sunrise or sunset
I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older that stopping and watching the sunset can be so grounding. Whenever I am in a new place, I love being able to watch as the sun sets on another day. If you’re anything like me, the sunrises and sunsets were easily taken for granted at a young age. My advice, is to change that mindset and watch every sunrise or sunset you possibly can!
Go Snorkeling
Whenever you have the opportunity for really great snorkeling, be sure to take advantage! It’s such a cool experience when you snorkel for the first time in crystal clear waters. Being among the fish and other creatures in their environment is one million times cooler than seeing them up close at an aquarium.
Some of the best places in the world to snorkel are the Great Barrier Reef, the Caribbean, Indonesia, and the Maldives. Don’t forget to add these places to your travel bucketlist!
If you are traveling to a destination directly on the ocean, many hotels include snorkel equipment in their resort fees. Be sure to look into those amenities wherever you are staying and take advantage of this perk!
Experience different religions while traveling
When traveling, opening your mind is extremely important to understanding a new place. Although someone may not have the same religious beliefs as you, I think visiting a gorgeous church in England or walking through a Buddhist temple in Thailand can be a remarkable experience for anyone. It also gives you a glimpse into the country and culture you are visiting!
Just seeing how vastly different each religion is can be fascinating. I loved exploring the temples in Thailand and seeing how much detail was put into each one. With unique architectural details and ornate decor covered in gold, you can truly see how important these places are.
Try skiing or snowboarding
This activity is something you definitely want to try while you’re young. There is a learning curve to both skiing and snowboarding. When starting out, you will absolutely fall. I think everyone should at least try skiing or snowboarding when visiting a destination like Vermont, Colorado, or the Alps. You never know, you may fall in love with it! (No pun intended.)
Camp overnight at an Elephant SanCtuary
Camping overnight at an Elephant Sanctuary was one of the highlights of my travel bucketlist in my 20’s. Being able to spend some time with such incredible creatures, was just an unreal experience. I will always remember waking up to the sound of the elephants from my tent. If you think roosters are a loud way to wake up, wait to you hear the dinosaur-like noises that come from a hungry elephant!
Book a humane elephant experience in Thailand here!
Travel Solo
Traveling solo has taught me so many lessons. Sometimes being able to explore a place on your own is the best form of self love! Plus, there will be many times where you are waiting for a friend or family member to go somewhere with you. In all reality, you could be waiting forever for everyones schedules and finances to line up! Stop waiting, and just go yourself. If you can’t find anyone to go with, don’t let that stop you. When traveling solo, you can be completely in charge of where you go and exactly what you do. How exciting is that?
Take long flights in economy
Yep, not an exciting travel bucketlist item but you have to do it! The reason it’s on my list is for two reasons. One, I feel like every traveler should know exactly what it’s like to spend a long amount of time in economy seats. And two, long haul flights are harder to recover from the older you get. Take those long flights while your body recovers quickly!
(Don’t get me wrong, I STILL fly economy everywhere I go. It’s just much harder for me to convince my husband who has a bad back to come along.)
Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone
If I can give you any advice for your 20s, its to push yourself out of your comfort zone. This is the time to really learn about yourself. Think about what scares you, what makes you nervous, and try to conquer those fears. During challenging times is when you see yourself grow, become more confident, and really flourish into the person you want to become. So face those challenges head on, and try to say yes to some of the things you’d rather say no to! You will be forever grateful.
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I made it my mission to prioritize travel as much as possible in my 20s. (No, I am not rich. No, I did not inherit money. Yes, I pay my own rent.) After college, I budgeted and changed my lifestyle accordingly to be able to work full time while still traveling as much as possible. Looking back, I am thrilled with all I’ve been able to see and do! Even with a pandemic involved, I was able to visit many travel destinations including Asia, Africa, Europe (twice), and South America all in my 20s. I accomplished a lot, and although my outlook on life may be shifting slightly as I get older, I’m never going to stop experiencing the world. Ever.
Your 20’s are such a pivotal part of your growth! Making sure to prioritize your travel bucketlist in your 20’s, ensures you will grow, learn, make new friends and open your mind to things you may have never thought about before. Travel more during this time. You will never regret the memories (both difficult and exciting) that you made all over the world.
Now go prioritize that travel bucketlist! I promise you won’t regret it.
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I still do this and I’m (almost) 45 ☺️ Never settle for less than you deserve, or for less than the goals you want to achieve!
I love that! I think making your bucketlist a priority is important for any age. These are what I suggest doing while you’re young to help you grow and learn so much from all over the world.
Besides being a great list, you’re 100% right about people wishing they had traveled more in their 20s. I barely started really traveling till I was around 30 and already working. It’s doable, but it helps I have a good paying job with better PTO benefits than most other places in America. It’s also different than what I imagine travel could have been like for me in my 20s before I was married. I love traveling with my wife, but at the same time I do sometimes wish I could just do whatever I wanted to do. It’s kind of a selfish way of thinking, but sometimes it’s nice to only think about yourself. I’m happy for you and everyone else who doesn’t make the mistakes I made and has taken advantage of that time while you had it!
Thanks for your insight Paul! I’ve really made the most out of traveling as much as possible in my 20’s. As much as PTO can now hold me back a bit more than I would like, showing others that you can still travel and maximize your PTO is my goal with this blog.
Thanks for reading!