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Many of us spent the pandemic dreaming about bucket list trip itineraries in between loaves of sourdough bread and episodes of Ted Lasso. Local travel agents report we are now living those dreams, often bringing multigenerational family groups or friends along to celebrate milestones or, in some cases, just because we once again can.
“This is the first summer everyone feels safe to travel with no restrictions across the board,” says Niki Peters, a travel designer and founder of Dallas-based Experience Travel, who has clients all over the world. “Yes, things are more expensive … but overall the industry has seen an incredible surge this year on big trips.”
There’s also a pent-up energy about travel right now, says Marisa Stephens, a local luxury travel advisor with TravelDesigns by Campbell. “I think we all have that same attitude: We’ve got to start living again. There’s an anxious feeling of ‘I’ve got to go,’” she says.
With all that energy in mind, it begs a question: Where are people traveling? Well, that depends on a range of things, from age to interests. According to Amy Ingrum, a travel advisor with Sherry Lane Travel, people in their 50s and 60s are looking for a different kind of experience.
“[They’re] targeting different destinations because [they’ve] already been to some places with the kids when they were younger or might be headed back to a country [they’ve] been to but seeing different things,” she explains.
Thinking about booking a trip for the summer? Here are five of the most popular bucket list trips travel agents are seeing right now.
Ireland/United Kingdom
Europe in general is a bucket list item for most people, but in the past year, Ireland and surrounding countries have been the top destination for Peters’ clients. While Italy usually holds that honor, Ireland likely is catching travelers’ eyes because the Emerald Isle generally has a lower price, something especially helpful during these days of higher-than-usual flight prices. “I think people also have a comfort with the language, it’s safe, and the people are welcoming and happy to see us,” Peters says.
Ireland has taken in refugees from Ukraine and is housing them in hotels, and sometimes inventory can be tricky — so begin planning your trip as early as possible. Peters suggests starting in Dublin to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse and the pub of your choice. Then get out to the countryside to see the Cliffs of Moher and Galway, Killarney National Park, the Ring of Kerry, Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle.
One of Peters’ clients is celebrating her 60th birthday by flying more than 30 family members to Dublin for a long weekend. If you have longer, Peters recommends the northern coast of Ireland as well as venturing to Scotland and England, with a return flight out of London.
Great Barrier Reef
There are many options for seeing the Great Barrier Reef and Australia, but Ingrum particularly likes Lizard Island. It’s home to an all-inclusive resort with 40 suites that will run two people about $14,000 for a five-night stay. “It’s a very good way to see the Great Barrier Reef because you’re right on it,” Ingrum says.
The resort is part of a national park, and visitors are welcome to picnic on the beach, dive the famous Cod Hole, snorkel, fish and enjoy the above-the-water reef wildlife. A good itinerary would be to fly into Sydney first, spend a few days there, then fly out to Cairns and on to Lizard Island.
Stephens recently booked a client trip to the reef for a family celebrating a mom turning 60 and the daughter turning 30. When another client was looking for an exotic dive, Stephens knew Lizard Island would be the perfect fit. “She said, ‘I want a bucket list trip, and we like to dive and snorkel,’ so this resort came to mind,” Stevens says. “I put her in the middle of the reef. And now her friends are going with her.”
African safari
African safaris are on the bucket lists of many adventurous travelers, but a trip to see the rare mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is perhaps one of the most unique experiences in the world. The easiest trip is to fly into Kigali, Rwanda, which is an interesting and tragic city to spend a day or two before taking the two-hour trek to see the glorious mountain gorillas at Volcanoes National Park.
A guided trip to see the gorillas at the park currently runs about $1,500 and needs to be booked well in advance (a permit can be secured up to six months before), but it’s guaranteed to be some of the most memorable hours of your life. Arrive in the morning to meet your guides, who will have already trekked into the rainforest to find the family you’ll be seeing that day. You can hire a porter to carry your backpack/camera for $10-$15, a worthwhile expense because those bags get cumbersome and the porters often are reformed poachers hired to learn the value of the gorillas to the ecosystem and the region. Once the small group locates the family, you’ll have one hour with them. They move slowly, giving you a glimpse of their normal day: eating bamboo shoots and leaves, grooming each other, holding their babies and wrestling with their toddlers. While the silverback may greet you with his signature chest beat, these peaceful animals are vegetarians, so be respectful and they will, too.
Japan
Ingrum and her husband toured through Japan last November, and she has a few clients traveling there with their adult kids this summer. “Americans are drawn to Japanese culture — some to the pop culture side of it, some to the history, some to the sushi,” she says. “Plus, it’s a very welcoming community.”
Because the flight is your biggest investment, Ingrum recommends staying at least two weeks, flying into Tokyo and spending a few days there before exploring the rest of the country. Recommended day trips from Tokyo include Kamakura, a walkable town full of local shopping, great restaurants, and Buddha statues and temples.
Unlike Kamakura and Tokyo, the city of Kyoto wasn’t bombed in World War II, so it’s worth the trip to see original parts of Japanese history and culture. The town of Hakone offers a day trip to the geothermal hot springs, or take a few days to explore nearby Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji (to view or climb, depending on the season and your athleticism). Ingrum recommends reserving a ryokan, a traditional inn connected to the hot springs.
If you ever wanted to be greeted at the train station by a herd of deer, plan a stop in Osaka, which is also home to the country’s most famous Buddha statue. To get around, Ingrum touts the Japanese train system. “If it says it will leave at 11:02, you’ll be standing at the train station at 10:58 with no sign of it. Then it’ll come up at 10:59, and you’ll be on your way at 11:02. Everything about the country is very well run.”
European river cruise
Surprisingly, the cruise industry did not take a long-term hit post-pandemic. They are as popular as pre-2020 and can accommodate a variety of destination interests. One of Stephens’ favorites is the European river cruise. She’s especially fond of Uniworld, Tauck and AmaWaterways.
“Before the pandemic, we went on a river cruise in Europe through Germany, Austria and Slovakia,” Stephens says. “I loved it, and now it’s on my list to do one a year. I’m 55 and I’m still able-bodied, but the 70- and 80-year-olds were fascinating to visit with on these trips. There are three types of walks on the cruise — slow, medium and fast — and most of them are picking fast.”
European cruises are a fair deal considering what travelers spend to visit a variety of cities on the continent on their own. “When you pull up into the ports, you pull up into someone’s lakehouse dock,” Stephens says. “You’re seeing smaller cities. I’m taking my mom to see the Christmas markets in December, and we did South of France last July to see the wine and lavender.”