Like the rest of the world, I’m dreaming of a day when it is safe to travel again. I’m making a list of adventures I want to have when it’s safe to travel again. I miss traveling, although revisiting past trips has been enough to keep me satiated.
For the time being.
(I completely understand why the world isn’t traveling now, and I am not intending to harp on anything virus-related. I also recognize that there will never be a perfect time to start traveling again, and each person will have to make their own decisions. This is a purely hypothetical post where I discuss the adventures I want to have when it is safe to do so.)
I love thumbing through one of the many photo albums I’ve made.
Virtual travel has become a thing and I’ve enjoyed perusing through museums across the globe.
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I travel vicariously by rereading older blog posts about my favorite trips.
In Canada, I relived the time that Ashley and I drove the Icefields Parkway, walked on the Athabasca Glacier and learned about glaciology and climate change, and even though we’re not Trekkies, discovered the town of Vulcan…LL&P.
When I needed a tropical fix, I reread my stories from the US Virgin Islands. I remembered the time my friends got married in one of the most romantic settings possible, the difficulties I faced driving on the opposite side of the road while dodging iguanas, and appreciated the simple island life.
I rekindled my love for Romania. I miss the awkward blend of historical buildings interspersed with Communist-style blocks. I miss the street art scene and the impact it has on daily life. I miss the lush countryside of Transylvania, with rolling hills guarded by the numerous citadels and fortresses and castles.
And while the virtual vacations and adventures are endless and satisfy for the time-being, I’m looking to the future.
I’m dreaming of the places I’ll go, adventures I want to have when the world heals.
Maybe something on my list of adventures I want to have when it’s safe again might inspire your next adventure…
Domestic Road Trips
I’m always down for a great road trip, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me! I’ve put hundreds of thousands of miles on my cars over the years, with plenty more to come.
Check out my ULTIMATE ROAD TRIPS GUIDE!
Road trips are always a great idea. They’re completely customizable to your personal taste and style, and a great way to get into traveling for the first time.
During this crazy time, your own vehicle might also be the safest way to travel (as far as germs go): you control who gets into your vehicle.
I’ve always got a running list of road trips that I want to take, but a few domestic road trips have been on my mind a lot more than others.
Missoula, MT to Rapid City, SD
Although it might need to start off with a flight up to Montana, this road trip is definitely going to be a long one. Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve had a love and desire to learn more about the Native American cultures and history of the American West.
I visited Montana for the first time in October 2019 and have been dying to go back. It’s such a beautiful, rugged, untouched landscape that dwarfs any visitor and makes them question their place in the universe (in a good way).
The one and only time I’ve been to South Dakota was right after I graduated from college back in 2006, but it’s a place I still dream about. I still have a dream catcher hanging in my room from that trip (14 years later!!). I fell in love with the Black Hills and the romance of the old west towns, such as Deadwood (yes, the Deadwood that the show is named for) and the treasure trove of history that they hold.
So, why not drive from Missoula, a place where I can find cheap flights to and from, to Rapid City? Along the way, I can satisfy so many dreams and bucket-list items (feel free to Google them!):
Native American History: the route would take me through the Crow and Northern Cheyenne land. I would finish the loop in the Black Hills, a stunning section of the badlands in western South Dakota, sacred to the Sioux and Lakota. And I’d love to check out the progress of the Crazy Horse statue.
Old West History: cities like Deadwood, Mystic, Spearfish, Sturgis, Custer…who wouldn’t want to explore places with names like these? Although it was back in 2006, I fell hard in love with Deadwood: picture a wooded 1880s-era town, nestled in a deep valley crevice, surrounded by towering pine trees that kissed the misty sky. Oh, and it was also the place where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried!
Mount Rushmore: after I graduated from college in Idaho, my graduation trip was to Mount Rushmore. There was a large group of us and I don’t remember too much of the monument, so I’d love to go back and spend more time exploring.
Salt Lake City, UT to Albuquerque, NM
I had a friend living in New Mexico a few years ago, and my biggest regret was not visiting her when she lived so close. Since then, I’ve been wanting to do a road trip down to New Mexico to discover whether I am team red or team green.
(If you know, you know…)
I want to check out the national parks and monuments, learn more about the Native American, Latino, and Hispanic cultures in that part of the country, and experience what the Wild Wild West still is in the 21st century.
Boston, MA to Bangor, ME
I had a colleague move to New Hampshire a few years ago and I’ve always wanted to go and visit him and his family. But even better, I thought it would be awesome to turn it into a road trip!
I thought Boston would be a great starting point for an upper New England road trip, plus flights from SLC to BOS are relatively cheap! I’d get to finally see a few places that are on my bucket list:
Salem, Massachusetts: when I was in Boston, I didn’t factor in enough time for a side trip north to Salem. The whole idea of the witch trials and history surrounding that 1600s-era timeframe is simply fascinating to me.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire: I’ve heard nothing but beautiful descriptions about this quaint seaside town, right on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. Plus, this was a hot spot for a historical game my class played in 5th grade, so it’s always been on my mind (don’t ask me HOW I can remember this…but I can thank Miss J for instilling a love of history in me!)
Portland, Maine: although it might look like another quaint seaside town, this place is an up-and-coming foodie scene that has been on my radar for the last year or so. Yes, I’ll travel for good food!
Bangor, Maine: okay, so this is going to show my #nerd. I’ve wanted to visit Bangor ever since I saw the movie “D2: The Mighty Ducks.” (Where my ’90s kids at??) In the movie, a hockey team returns to play as Team USA for the Junior Goodwill Games. They gain a few other players from around the country, including a female goalie from…BANGOR, MAINE! Yup, that’s why Bangor is on this list!
Pony Express Trail, Utah
I love that so many fun and quirky road trips are accessible to me, having my home base as Salt Lake City. The Pony Express National Historic Trail runs from Missouri to California, and follows the original route that young men would ride horses across the country to carry mail between 1860-1.
The route cuts through Salt Lake City, but I’m more interested in the historical markers and points of interest in the-middle-of-nowhere, Utah. Every time I go and visit my sister’s family, I pass signs pointing to the trail. So I get reminded of it every time I visit, oddly enough.
Although the trail itself spans a handful of states, I’m interested in the section in western Utah. I can’t imagine the stifling heat, lung-crushing blizzards, and vast nothingness that the dozen young men and their horses must have experienced. It makes me stop and think about how easy we have it today.
Side note: with the restrictions loosening up in Utah, and due to the sheer remoteness of the trail, this might be happening sooner rather than later!
International Road Trips
After testing my international driving skills in places like Romania, I’m ready to expand my driving horizon outside of the USA. There are always road trips on the list of adventures that I want to have, regardless of the current situation of the world.
While attaching myself to a tour group with a hired driver might be the easier way to see a new country, there’s something to be said about being able to pull over, stop, and get out of the vehicle whenever I want.
With the freedom of exploring a new country (or a familiar one) in a personal vehicle, I have the ability to “discover” more off-the-beaten track nooks and crannies. And sometimes I just like to follow the signs to see what I can find.
Plus, road trips are just so amazing!
Here are some of the international road trip adventures I want to have when it’s safe to do so. Believe me, this list is decidedly not all-encompassing!
Scotland
My last name is Gordon and our family clan dates back hundreds and hundreds of years in the Scottish Highlands. There are a few castles and castle ruins around Aberdeenshire that were once controlled by Clan Gordon that look fantastic and would feed my romantic wanderlust. It would be fun to visit a place where my name carries a little clout, too.
I’ve heard so many wonderful things and had multiple recommendations to embark upon a Scottish road trip. It might be time to embrace a little more of my Scottish heritage and learn to play the bagpipes on the road trip!
Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
This was a recent addition to my list of adventures I want to have after the world heals, and I can thank Adventurous Kate for this one!
Kate recently embarked on a solo road trip adventure around the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and I was hooked!
Although I grew up in Southern California, I’ve never been to Mexico.
I know.
Judge me all you want.
But after reading Kate’s post highlighting a 2 week road trip, avoiding the major tourist hot-spots of Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, I decided that I was going to follow her itinerary.
Not that I don’t want to someday visit those crazy resort towns, but just not on this trip.
Campervan Around New Zealand
I’ve been in love with New Zealand ever since I “discovered” the islands. Plus, I love Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, which is just a showcase of the stunning countryside of New Zealand.
Doesn’t renting a campervan and driving/sleeping around the country sound like a dream? I envision listening to the LOTR and Hobbit soundtracks, jumping off of bungee platforms, watching the misty mountains kiss the sky as the sun creeps up and floods the darkness with oranges and reds, and just having the time of my life!
Romantic and Fairytale Roads, Germany
There are tons of lists that float around cyber-land (online) that educate the general populous on the “top” roads in the world to drive. Most of the lists will have the Romantic Road and Fairytale Road somewhere in the lineup.
To be honest, I thought that they were one in the same, until my friend set me straight.
The Fairytale Road is a 600km-long tourist route in western Germany, connecting major sites that are associated with the Brothers Grimm.
The Romantic Road is an actual route that winds through medieval towns and villages in southern Germany, passing through some of the most scenic landscapes that Bavaria has to offer.
Although I’ve been on the Romantic Road before, I’ve never driven it fully.
Adventures I Want to Have
It’s going to be some time before international travel is going to be fully accessible and advisable for everyone, which is why these adventures that I want to have are at the bottom of the list. Road trips and local travel are going to be the next travel trend, for sure.
Nevertheless! Here are some of the adventures I want to have abroad when it is safe to do so:
Sleep in a Rainforest in Costa Rica
My friend’s parents recently purchased a home in Costa Rica and we are just itching to get down there! I’ve never been to Central America, but Costa Rica seems to be the place to dive in head-first. I’d love to drive coast to coast, being able to touch both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Learn to Play the Steel Drum in the Caribbean
Most of you don’t know this about me, but I love musical instruments. I grew up playing the piano, clarinet and trombone. During school and summer school, I learned to play a host of other instruments. The thought of learning a region-specific instrument with a significant historical connection would be amazing. And of course, I would need to be on a Caribbean island to complete the romantic picture in my head.
Redeem Puerto Rico
En route to my friends’ wedding in St. Thomas, I was stranded overnight in Puerto Rico. It left some pretty bad emotions on my heart, so I think a redemption trip is in order.
Read about my terrible travel experience getting stranded in Puerto Rico HERE!
Train Around Eastern Europe
I loved taking the train all over Germany, Denmark, Poland, and the Czech Republic. I’d really love to get a rail pass and just bum around Eastern Europe. It’s cheaper, a little more rough around the edges, not as touristy as the western countries, and still exudes that adventure je ne sais quoi!
Whew, that is a list! Of course, it’s nowhere near comprehensive, but definitely full of places I want to visit and adventures I want to have sometime soon! Are any of these on your bucket lists? Are they now?
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