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The Ultimate Bucket List for Families

Over the last few weeks, I was looking through and editing old photographs when I started thinking about our bucket list for families that I made. When I was in college, my friends and I used to watch a television show about these families that were traveling around the world. They were marking things off their family bucket list as they voted to do the different adventures that they went on. After I finished my doctorate degree, my husband and I started doing the same thing for our family travel. Since I think it is vital to make, keep, and cross off bucket lists for our family, I have created a bucket list for the families of my readers.


The Ultimate Bucket List for Families


Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Maloney Family in Ballon, France

What is a Family Bucket List?

A bucket list is a list of activities and goals that you want to do as a family… or even things to do before you die. As the name ‘bucket’ implies – these are things you want to do with your family before you kick the bucket or die. It can involve visiting an exciting family travel destination, and typically includes doing something you haven’t done before.

Some families make a list of things to do before they die and then set off to achieve them over their lifetime. While other families may refer to the bucket list as a dream list or wish list. We do it, not to just be doing it, but to experience it.

For me, most of my cross-offs have been in travel, but there is so much more to life. So I decided to add to our bucket list for families more types of bucket list ideas. I think you should make one too, and even though some things on our bucket list may only interest me or my family. I think it is important to have a family bucket list so that you can look back during your life and remember the good times you had with yourself and your family, as well as marking them off your master bucket list.

Our Two Rules for the Family Bucket List:

I decided to have two rules when adding anything NEW ideas to my bucket list:

  1. Nothing is too big or small to put on a family bucket list. Whether it be something difficult to achieve or easy, it doesn’t really matter, as long as it is something I or my family wants to do.
  2. I don’t delete anything from the list that I have created! This way I don’t impulsively add something to the list that I may never do. This also helps remind me of the things me and my family want to do at different times in our lives. Hopefully, my family’s bucket list will inspire you as much as it has inspired me to keep on doing it!

Bucket List Categories for Families

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

I have broken our family’s travel ideas into category ideas and then added photographs to them. I did this mostly because it makes it more entertaining for me to create and easier for you to follow along. On the other hand, it has also allowed me to show the ones which I or my family have done (which will be in parenthesis) and which ones we still need to do (no parenthesis).


Here are my categories of ideas for a bucket list for families:

Adventure Travel

Education

Fitness with Sports

Gives Life Meaning to Me

National Parks

Road Trips

Talent

Travel

Why not?


Bucket List for Families

Adventure Bucket List

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Elephant Safari, Sri Lanka, Photo by Hai Huynh


Related: Things to do in Antigua Guatemala


Education

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Diplomas

Drs. Cacinda and Patrick Maloney

  • Graduate High School – Pampa High and Notre Dame International School (Texas and Italy)
  • Graduate from undergrad college with a BS – University of Houston (Texas, both)
  • Get our Doctorate degrees (California, both) Cleveland Chiropractic and Los Angeles School of Chiropractic
  • Graduate from Thunderbird School of Management – Patrick
  • Learn to Blog (2012) (Cacinda)

Diego Maloney

  • Graduate High School – Brophy College Prep (Arizona)
  • Graduate from undergrad College – Arizona State University (Arizona)
  • Working on Masters Degree – Johns Hopkins (Washington DC) 

Christian Maloney

  • Graduate High School – Brophy College Prep (Arizona)
  • Graduate from undergrad College – Montana State (Montana)

Maloney Family

  • Never stop learning new things (Forever) √√

Looking for Other:

Family Activities and Things to do with Kids? Then look no further!


Fitness & Sports

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Galapagos Islands, Photo by Gillian Marsh

  • Attend the Olympic games
  • Attend Kentucky Derby
  • Attend a Cricket game
  • Become scuba certified (Hawaii)
  • Go Hang Gliding
  • Go sky diving
  • Hike Iguazu Falls (Argentina)
  • Hike Prekistolen (Pulpit Rock) (Norway)
  • Learn a martial art
  • Learn to ski (California)
  • Learn to surf (sort of, California)
  • Learn to sail
  • Lose weight (2017)
  • River raft down the Green River (Utah, USA)
  • River raft down the Petrohue River (Chile)
  • See a Soccer World Cup Game
  • See the Super Bowl
  • See a World Series Final Game (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • See an NBA Final Game
  • Scuba the Galapagos Islands to Wolf and Darwin (2020)
  • Scuba the Great Barrier Reef (2004)
  • Scuba dive Raja Ampat (2018)
  • Scuba a shipwreck (2012, 2015)
  • Scuba with sharks (Roatan, Honduras)
  • Scuba with dolphins (Roatan, Honduras)
  • Ski Alta (Utah, USA)
  • Ski Aspen  (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Beaver Creek (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Big Bear (California, USA)
  • Ski Big Sky (Montana, USA)
  • Ski Durango (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Jackson Hole (Wyoming, USA)
  • Ski Pagosa Springs (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Park City (Utah, USA)
  • Ski Portillo (Portillo, Chile)
  • Ski Red River (New Mexico, USA)
  • Ski Taos Ski Valley (New Mexico, USA)
  • Ski Telluride (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Vail (Colorado, USA)
  • Ski Whistler Blackcomb (Whistler, Canada)
  • Ski Wolf Creek (Colorado, USA)
  • Swim with dolphins (Roatan, Honduras)
  • Swim with Beluga whales (Canada)
  • Swim with whale sharks 
  • Take up boxing (Phoenix 2020)
  • Take a spin class in the dark (Phoenix, 1995-2020)
  • Race a car on a real race track
  • Run a 5k, (maybe)
  • Visit the BOCA stadium (Argentina)
  • Walk the Camino de Santiago
Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Cenote Kulkulkan, Mexico


Give Life Meaning for this Bucket List Family

  • Find my passion (Travel, Interior Design, Cacinda) (Boxing, Chiropractic, Patrick)
  • Be well-read and cultured
  • Quit a job. Travel and make memories (2012-2020)
  • Have the love and respect of my friends and family
  • Learn to overcome my fears and self-doubts
  • Be someone’s Best Friend (Annette)
  • Give a memorable Toast
  • Find the love of my life (Patrick)
  • Know that I’ve inspired someone for the better
  • Be a mentor to someone
  • Be someone’s shoulder to cry on
  • Visit a new country every year until I die
  • Write hand-written love letters to the love of my life (Patrick)
  • Donate anonymously to a great cause
  • Start collecting something that fascinates me (1999 Christmas ornaments)
  • Have friends all over the world (2012- current) 
  • Attend the TED conference
  • Help a large group of people in need
  • Have a wall to wall bookshelf in my study filled with books I’ve read
  • Have a wall to wall bookshelf in my study filled with books I want to read
  • Write hand-written notes to those who’ve impacted my life
  • See the world’s most beautiful cemetery (Argentina)
  • Enjoy a white Christmas (1986, 2013)
Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Cacinda Maloney in Australia


National Parks for Family Travel

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania Africa


Road Tripping for a Family Bucket List

  • Amalfi Coast Road in Italy (2017)
  • Grand Canyon, Arizona to Moab, Utah (2000)
  • Highway 101 California to Oregon (2019)
  • Route 66, Illinois to California
  • Through the Red Center, Australia
  • The Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland (2015)
  • The Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway
  • The Great Ocean Road in Australia, Melbourne to Adelaide
  • Ring Road, Iceland
  • The Dalton Highway, Alaska
  • Miami to Key West Florida  (2018)
  • Milford Road, New Zealand
  • North Coast 500, Scotland
Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Southern Most Point in the USA, Florida, US

Related: Ultimate Road Trip to Yellowstone National Park


Talent & Skills for a Bucket List Family

  • Get ridiculously good at interior design (Cacinda)
  • Get ridiculously good at Chiropractic (Patrick)
  • Get ridiculously good at detailed research (Diego)
  • Learn a second language (Patrick, Diego)
  • Learn to dance: flamenco, tango, salsa
  • Learn to fly an airplane or helicopter
  • Learn how to drive a motorcycle
  • Learn to drive a stick shift (1980, Cacinda, Texas)
  • Sing solo in front of a large group
  • Learn to play an instrument (1976, Piano, Cacinda, Texas)
  • Take a cooking class (2015, Thailand, Cacinda)
  • Have a “signature dish” or two (Arizona, Cacinda)
  • Have one hobby that I’m known for (Travel, 2012, Cacinda)
  • Learn to play the guitar
  • Solve a Rubik’s Cube (Christian)

Travel – Family Bucket List

Africa

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Tanzania

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Tanzania

Related: Seduced by the Serengeti


Asia

Related: An Off-Road Experience in Bandung, Indonesia

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Canoes in Indonesia

               Kerala

              Bali

              Gili Islands

              Lombok              

              Komodo Island

             Raja Ampat

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Dehli, India

Related: An Off-Road Experience in Bandung, Indonesia


Canada

Related: Swimming with Beluga Whales in the Wild

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Quebec, Canada

Related: 15 Exciting Things to do in Quebec City in the Winter


Caribbean

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Guadeloupe

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Diego volunteering at a Lacrosse Camp in Jamaica for an entire summer

Related: 10 Must-Try Jamaican Drinks


Central America

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Antigua, Guatemala

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Antigua, Guatemala

Related: Costa Rica: Horseback Riding and Waterfall Rappelling


Europe

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Sicily, Italy

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

Related: Things to do in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France


Mexico

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Pyramid of the Niches, El Tajin, Mexico

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Morelia, Mexico

Related: Famous Landmarks in Mexico You Must Visit!


Middle East

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Dr. Cacinda Maloney in Doha, Qatar

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Petra, Jordan

Related: The Ultimate Jordan Bucket List


Oceania

  • Australia
  • Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  • Cook Islands
  • Moorea, French Polynesia
  • Fiji
  • Tahiti French Polynesia
  • Raiatea, French Polynesia
  • Avatoru, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
  • Rangiroa, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
  • Fakarava, Tuamotu  Archipelago, French Polynesia
  • Rotoava, Tuamotu  Archipelago, French Polynesia
  • Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
  • Papua New Guinea
  • New Zealand
Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Diego Maloney in Tonga

Related: 10 Adventurous Things to do in Bora Bora


South America

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Iguazu Falls (Both Sides)

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Machu Picchu, Peru

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Maloney Family in Quito, Ecuador

Related: The World’s Most Beautiful Cemetery in the World!


United States

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, family bucket list ideas, family summer bucket list, summer bucket list for teens #BucketList #travel

Antelope Canyon, Arizona USA

Related: Ruidoso NM: 15+ Fun Things to Do

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Wormesloe Historic Site, Georgia

Related: Savannah GA: Guide to the Best Things To Do


Travel Goals

                                                                 
See the “New 7 Wonders of the World”

  • See Petra (Jordan) √
  • See the Great Wall of China (China) √
  • See the Taj Mahal (India)
  • See the Colosseum (Italy) √
  • See Chichen Itza (Mexico) √
  • See Machu Pichu (Peru) √
  • See Christ the Redemer – only one more to go!
  • Join the Travelers Century Club– Visit 100 countries (93/100) (close)
  • Go to the Stats Opera (Vienna, 2009)
  • Ride the Rocky Mountaineer (2013-2020)
  • See the sunrise from Mount Sinai
  • See the Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
  • See the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy)
  • See the Eiffel Tower (France)
  • See Big Ben, London Eye, Tower of London (England)
  • See the Pyramids in Egypt
  • See Easter Island in Chile
  • Visit Antelope Canyon and the Wave, Arizona
  • Visit Havasu Falls
  • Visit every continent (One more to go!)
  • Visit Iceland
  • Visit Istria, Croatia
  • Visit Chiloe, Chile
  • Visit Cuba
  • Visit Scotland
  • Visit Isla Holbox, Mexico
  • Visit St. Lucia, Caribbean
  • Visit Porto, Portugal
  • Visit Puebla, Mexico
Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Dr. Cacinda Maloney at the Taj Mahal, India

Because, Why Not?

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Tuscany, Italy

  • Become really knowledgeable about whiskey, vodka, tequila, mescal
  • Be present
  • Buy a Burberry Coat in London
  • Get a custom made dress
  • Get over 1 million views on PointsandTravel
  • Have over 1 million followers on PointsandTravel
  • Live in San Miguel de Allende for two weeks 6 months! √
  • Move to the West Coast of America (California, 1990)
  • Make a Campfire and stay the night on the beach (1990)
  • Own my own car and pay cash (2015)
  • Plant a tree and watch it grow over time (1997)
  • Rent a lake or beach house for a month
  • Start a blog (2012)
  • Start my own company, (Maloney Chiropractic Clinic in 1993, PointsandTravel in 2012)
  • Vacation in a place without internet for at least a week (Galapagos 2020)

There you have it, That’s my bucket list for families! 

I know this family bucket list will never be finished because I’m constantly adding to it and updating it as I go to new places. Reading and meeting new people always allows me to add new things to this family travel list. The world is an incredible place and there is so much out there for each of us to do and see.

I’ve found that by writing this bucket list for families for myself that it is easier for us to do them. As we review the bucket list and make decisions based upon it. It may sound cliché, but life is really about the journey and not the destination. It is about creating family travel memories for all to enjoy. Sometimes I go alone, sometimes with girlfriends, many times with just my husband, but also many times with my entire family, and even once in a while, I get to spend time with my extended family!

What are some of the coolest things you’ve done? More importantly, what things do you still want to do? Is there anything not on this bucket family list that you want to do? Am I missing something? Tell me in the comments!

Keep Dreaming my dreamers, and never give up!

Bucket List for Families, bucket list ideas, Bucket list for couples, #BucketList #travel

Cusco, Ecuador

 

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