We have big plans for our 2025 travel bucket list this year! This is my first full year of blogging without my corporate job, so it’s a whole new mindset when thinking about the trips we want to take.
Usually, I have specific destinations in mind when planning our travels. While that’s still true for some trips, I wanted to approach this year a little differently—focusing on the type of trip rather than just the destination.
I’m curious to see how this shift changes my perspective. Will it help me manage expectations if a specific trip doesn’t work out? Will it open the door to possibilities I hadn’t even considered?
Here are the five types of trips I’m dreaming about this year—some are already in the works, while others are just ideas waiting to take shape:
- Visit a new continent
- Road trip in a new destination
- Return to a familiar place
- Explore a National Park
- Go on a spontaneous weekend getaway
Last year, we had quite a few impromptu trips. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed embracing the unknown and you can read all about our 2024 travels here.
This year, we’ll have a mix of planned adventures, and I’m excited to see what last-minute trips pop up. Plus, Dan might have a work trip or two that I can tag along on—something I’ve never done before, but I’m looking forward to a chance of solo exploring!
Alright, let’s get into our 2025 travel bucket list!
Visit a New Continent
Since we’re already a month into 2025 (how does time fly so fast?), this one is at the top of our priority list—and it’s already in the works! Over the past year, we’ve been itching to explore a new continent and immerse ourselves in a place we’ve never been.
In late 2024, we started seriously considering a trip to the Southern Hemisphere. We went back and forth between South America—likely Chile and Argentina—or Oceania, with Australia and New Zealand as top contenders.
South America has been on our list for years, but between moving, settling into a new state, Dan changing jobs, and my corporate career keeping me busy, I didn’t have the time or capacity to plan this big of a trip. For me, South America isn’t a place I’d want to “just wing it”—it would take quite a bit of research and logistical coordination to truly make the most of it.
On the other hand, Australia and New Zealand were supposed to be our 2020 trip—the one that never happened. We had planned to leave in March of that year, but we all know what unfolded. After months of planning, securing visas, and making a few non-refundable bookings, we had to cancel. Of course, it was the right decision, but it still broke our hearts a little extra.
So, thinking about this year, we wanted to keep both options open. I set up flight alerts through my Going Membership. A few tempting deals popped up for both locations, but I held off, knowing this would be a major trip and wanting to stretch our budget as much as possible.
Finally, two deals came through—one for Sydney, Australia, and one for Auckland, New Zealand—that were too good to pass up. That sealed the decision: we’re making a second attempt at Australia and New Zealand! South America continues to be high on our list, and we’re even toying with the idea of combining it with an Antarctica cruise—potentially knocking out two continents in one trip!
So, it’s official: we’re heading Down Under this spring for two and a half weeks. I’ve nailed down our Australia plans, but I’m still researching New Zealand. We’ve decided to focus solely on the North Island this time, so at least that part is settled. I can’t wait to share all the Australia and New Zealand content with you, stay tuned!
Road Trip in a New Destination
Since moving to Utah, we’ve done quite a bit of road-tripping, and I’ve grown to love the experience. Growing up in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, our family road trips were usually five hours or less.
We didn’t venture beyond Wisconsin, Iowa, or North Dakota. Our trips were about visiting friends and family, which I’m grateful for, but I never considered myself a “road trip person.”
That changed when we drove from Minnesota to Utah for the first time. We took a long route through North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho, and I was in awe.
The stunning scenery, the freedom to stop whenever we wanted, and the way time flew by with so much to take in—it was unlike any road trip I’d ever been on.
While we still have plenty more to explore out west, I’ve been itching to road trip through New England in the fall. It’s been over 20 years since I spent time in the Northeast (aside from catching connecting flights at JFK).
When I was 12, my mom, sister, and I visited friends in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
While I remember bits and pieces, the details have faded, and experiencing it as an adult will be completely different. Dan has never been to the Northeast, and he loves road trips, so he was an easy sell on this idea!
This trip is still in the brainstorming phase. Driving all the way from Utah isn’t realistic with Dan’s work schedule, so we’d likely fly in and rent a car. The only thing we know for sure is that we want to time it for peak fall colors.
I’d also love to incorporate some historical stops along the way. Planning won’t start until summer, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for flight deals in the meantime.
Return to a Familiar Place
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for getting to truly know a place rather than just passing through. I still love discovering new destinations, but I also want a few spots that feel like home.
A place where we don’t have to plan every detail, where we recognize familiar faces, and where we can navigate without Google Maps. We found that kind of place last year during our end-of-summer trip to Bear Lake in Garden City, Utah. Just three hours from home, Bear Lake is where Utahans and Idahoans go for their lake vacations.
Growing up surrounded by lakes in Minnesota, this was the missing puzzle piece for us in Utah. With its stunning aquamarine and turquoise waters (often called the “Caribbean of the Rockies”), it’s the kind of place that instantly puts you at ease.
We spent five wonderful days there last summer. Even with all the fun trips ahead this year, I’m already looking forward to going back. Halfway through our stay, we decided to make it an annual end-of-summer tradition. This year, I’m hoping we can stretch it into a full week, which means more time to indulge in raspberry shakes!
Check Out a National Park
Fun fact: I didn’t visit a National Park until I was 33. Growing up in the Midwest, they weren’t as accessible, and they weren’t the kind of trips my family took.
Now, living in Utah, with five incredible parks nearby, I’ve caught the bug—going from zero to eight parks in just three years!
Over the last few years, we started to ask for a National Park Pass for Christmas. It’s become one of our favorite things and we always put it to good use. This year, though, I’d like to explore a new one outside of Utah.
We’re considering Glacier, Yellowstone, or Grand Teton National Park. Since we have the flexibility to travel in the off-season, fall seems like a great time. Although, looking at our schedule, summer might be more realistic. Time to start planning!
A Spontaneous Weekend Getaway
To wrap up 2024, we took a last-minute trip to Santa Barbara, California—and it was a blast. We booked it less than a week in advance, with no real agenda. I loved the spontaneity of exploring a new place at our own pace.
The irony isn’t lost on me that I’m “planning” a spontaneous trip. But really, I just mean I want to embrace another trip that comes up on a whim.
For it to be somewhere we hadn’t considered before, where we can just go with the flow and “wing” it a bit. Well, at least my version of “winging” it.
That said… I may already have a place in mind. Oops! Sounds like I need to get back to planning our Australia and New Zealand adventure first!
Let’s See Where the Wind Takes Us
We have a lot of exciting possibilities this year, but that doesn’t mean everything will happen. I love this new mindset of focusing on the type of trip rather than just the destination. It makes room for surprises, and I can’t wait to see where we end up.
What about you? Any exciting trips planned for 2025, what’s on your travel bucket list? I’d love to hear— send me a message or leave a comment and let me know. Here’s to another year of adventure!
With joy,
Bri
