Where in the World Should I Go

It’s Hard to Know Where to Start

Where in the world should I go?

Initially, the question seems simple, but it’s very subjective and quite complicated. If you’re just beginning your travel adventures, how on Earth do you decide where you should spend your precious time and money?

The world is enormous and there’s so much to see. If you’ve never been forced to make your own decisions, figuring out where to go on vacation may seem like an impossible task. Even worse, if you want to see a lot of places it may seem like a monumental burden to narrow down your list. 

Take a deep breath and smile, we’ll figure it out together. I promise.

Grab a pen and paper and let’s make a list.

I recommend you start by sitting quietly with yourself, or go for a nice long walk. When your mind is settled, ask yourself: As a child, was there somewhere I really wanted to visit?

What Does Your Inner Child Want?

When I was in 4th grade I did a class project on the pyramids of Egypt. As I engrossed myself in the “C for Cairo” encyclopedia, I wanted to see the fabulously old and dirty pyramids more than I wanted to breathe! However, being a poor kid growing up in the middle of nowhere, going to Egypt seemed as likely as finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. 

Fast forward to October 2011 and the morning I woke up in the Port of Alexandria. I had figured out a way to make my dreams come true and I popped up out of bed ready to explore Egypt! Cairo didn’t disappoint, it was loud, dirty and thrilling! I loved every minute of my stay and look forward to returning. 

A Note About Fear

I grew up afraid of literally everything, believing the world to be a big, scary place that should be avoided at all costs. Click here for a long list of things I’ve spent most of my life being afraid of. If I can overcome my own irrational fears of “everything” and make my childhood dreams come true, you can too.  

I haven’t fulfilled all of my childhood dreams yet. As a kid, I loved watching Big Cat and Elephant nature shows on PBS. An African Safari is still at the top of my list and something I hope to do soon!

Popular Places To Consider for Your List

Israel

For folks who grew up in Christian or Jewish homes and have been subject to Bible or Torah stories, Israel will likely be near the top of your travel list. Israel is a fabulous place to visit, don’t feel too disappointed when you see the Sea of Galilee.

Home of Your Ancestors (Wherever That May Be)

Many Americans trace their ancestry back to Britain, France, Scotland and Ireland. For many, the pull to go back to experience their “home country” is strong. When you arrive in the “land of your ancestors”, it’s totally normal to feel like you’re visiting your strange cousin. Regardless of where you’re from, visiting your country of origin is rewarding and should be added to your list.

Notorious Tourist Traps

There’s a reason Amsterdam, London, Paris, Rome, Athens and Tokyo are top tourist spots. It would be weird if a couple of these cities weren’t included in your list. 

Don’t Forget Asia

I haven’t spent much time in Asia. I’ve been to Japan, China, Thailand and Cambodia and enjoyed my time in each country. Aside from visiting the Great Wall of China, Asia wasn’t high on my list, I think it’s because I wasn’t exposed to a lot of Asian culture and tradition until recently.

As you’re making your list don’t forget to include Asian locations, you’ll be better off for it.

Other Places To Research

Because we all have different interests it would be beneficial for you to visit Google and ask her opinion. You’d be surprised what you’ll learn when you type in “Must-See Art Museums Around the World” or “Best Hikes in Europe” or “Awesome Rock Collections”. It would be a missed opportunity if you were near “The World’s Best” of something you loved and you didn’t go see it.

Remember, knowledge is power and luck favors the prepared. 

Make Your List!

Hopefully your brain is buzzing with exciting sites around the world. It’s time to transfer those thoughts onto paper or a word document or however you keep track of things that are important to you.

This is where things get fun. The world is your oyster and it’s literally all yours!

I don’t recommend throwing a dart at a map. You want to see the world in a thoughtful, considerate way, we aren’t here to have an “epic” time. I truly believe that vacation time and money are both precious commodities, you should use both wisely. By taking a bit of a scientific approach to travel you’ll get the best bang for your buck. 

It’s Not a Bucket List, You Aren’t Dying

You’ve got your piece of paper and your pen and maybe even a map. It’s time to start creating your Travel List.

Start by writing down the top 50 SITES across the world that you’d like to visit.

Do not write 50 cities, states or countries. “Visit India” isn’t particularly helpful, whereas “Attend Ashiyana Meditation Retreat in Mandrem, Goa” is.

Write down anything and everything that comes to you. This should be a fun exercise and nothing is off-limits.

My first list would’ve looked something like this. (I was really into the World Wonders at the time):

• Great Wall of China
• Chichen Itza
• Christ the Redeemer
• Machu Picchu
• Petra
• Taj Mahal
• Colosseum
• Pyramids of Giza
• Grand Canyon
• Sagrada Familia
• Sistine Chapel
• Angkor Wat
• Library of Celsus
• Pompeii
• Terracotta Army
• Mona Lisa
• The Starry Night
• The Birth of Venus
• The Pieta
• The David
• Versailles
• African Safari
• Wailing Wall
• Jordan River
• Canals of Venice
• Tikal
• Stonehenge
• Red Light District
• Louvre Abu Dhabi
• Berlin Wall
• Grand Palace
• Tower of London
• Neuschwanstein
• Burj Khalifa
• Blue Mosque
• Turkish Bath
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Red Square
• Zocalo
• Acropolis
• Yellowstone
• Antarctica cruise
• Victoria Falls

Once you have your list together, put it aside for a day or two and give your brain a break. However, if you think of any other places you’d like to visit, be sure to add it. Budapest was never on any list I created, now it’s one of my favorite places to go! 

Organize Your Travel List

After you’ve given it a couple of days, grab your original list, a new piece of paper and put your dream sites in order. The places that call out to you will be at the top of your list (you’ll know it’s your destiny because your chest will burn when you think about visiting.) The places that sound interesting but don’t cause as big of a physical reaction will be a little lower but should still be kept on your list.

It’s okay to reorder this list multiple times, and it’s good to add to it as more places strike your fancy. 

This Travel List will ultimately become your travel guide. I bet it also becomes one of your favorite pieces of paper and something you’ll smile at fondly as you cross off the dream destinations you’ve visited.

Down the Road

I’ve been to most of the specific sites on my original travel list, so my current list includes exploring bigger cities and visiting countries I haven’t been to. Many of these places don’t have particularly well-known sites to explore, the experience is visiting the area as a whole. My current list would look something like this:

• Jerusalem – To me Jerusalem is a site in itself, can’t wait to go back

• Petra

• Egypt – Cairo, Valley of the Kings, Nile Cruise, Red Sea Retreat

• Portugal – Explore Lisbon and take a coastal drive

• Australia/New Zealand – Cruise?

• Golden Triangle – Taj Mahal

• African Safari – Self Drive or Tour?

• Antarctica Cruise

• Romania – Drive through the county, visit Transylvania

• Columbia – Explore Medina/Go Back to Cartegena

As you travel, your list will start to include less specific sites and more general journeys. You’ll hear fellow travel enthusiasts describe exotic new destinations and I bet you’ll find yourself continuously updating your Travel List with places you’ve never heard of before!

It’s normal for your travel style and interest to change as you experience more and more of the world.

You Have Your List. Now What?

I’d suggest you begin by planning your trip to the Number One spot on your list. You can check out my section on Research if you need a refresher on how to get started.

Then, take an accurate assessment of your vacation time: 

• How much vacation time do you have? 

• How many trips can you realistically go on in the next year? 

• Can you take some vacation time back-to-back? 

• Can you schedule your vacation along with company holidays? 

• Do you have some kind of flex-time available to you?

Pro-Tip: If you only have two weeks of vacation, try to take each week around a holiday, like Memorial Day and Labor Day. This will strategically give you an extra day for travel. 

Use your vacation time wisely. If it makes sense to go on a trip for ten days instead of seven (maybe some of the sites you want to see are close-ish to one another) take a longer trip. 

Good Back-to-Back Trips

If you have sites you’d like to see in both Britain and France, the Chunnel conveniently connects the two countries.

Rome is very close to both Pompeii and Pisa.

Milan, Venice, Florence and Pisa are simple to visit on the same trip.

Prague, Vienna and Budapest easily connect for a week-long adventure.

Israel and Petra are right next to one another.

It’s possible that some sites on your list can be easily accessed by cruise ship, check different itineraries. Be creative as you put your trips together. 

“I don’t know geography” isn’t a good excuse here. Your phone knows everything, use it to your advantage.

Sign Up for Travel Websites

I’d recommend you sign up for several weekly Travel Special Website emails. Using your Travel List you can quickly browse through your weekly travel email offers and see if there are any deal-of-a-lifetime trips to any of the destinations you want to visit.

If the Great Wall is at the top of your list and you see a ten-day trip to China for $299, that’s a no-brainer. Book it!

If wandering through the mountains in Nepal is your thing and you see a two-week retreat for $579, the Universe has sent you a gift. Snatch it up!

Your Travel List should bring you joy. Use it as a guide. Let it help you enjoy your journey. Show off your travel list on Instagram at #travellist

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

If you enjoy what you’re reading, the kindest thing you could do is Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. I appreciate your support.

In fact, while you’re here take your time and poke around the site, see if there are any other topics you’re interested in. If you have any questions or see any typos, please let me know!

If you’re wondering what prompted me to share my travel knowledge, check out the About Me section.

I’d love to hear about your travel experiences, good and bad. We’ll all be better travelers if we learn from one another. 

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, a huge thanks to Alex for the awesome photos.