As 2026 approaches, I’ve decided to put my travel bucket list on here so that it’ll hopefully hold me accountable to actually check these things off. Last year I went a little overboard and set too high goals, so this year I’m going to dial it back in and make sure that these are doable.
I also excluded the obvious goal of continuing to grow this blog, since that will always continue to be an objective of mine forever and ever. Like, comment and subscribe to be a part of the journey ❤
The Dolomites
Although I’ve been to Italy twice now, I haven’t been to the Dolomites yet. Their natural beauty paired with the solemness of the European countryside is a big eye-catcher to me, so hopefully sometime this year you guys will get some Dolomites content.
They do seem to be growing in popularity though, since it seems as though every other TikTok or Instagram Reel that I see is a video of a couple romantically frolicking through the tall grass with the Dolomites in the background, so I’m going to try and get there before they become too touristy.
Explore Colorado
If you’ve been reading the blog lately, you know that at the beginning of the year I will be moving to Denver. It’s a pretty big move for me, but I’ve known for years that at some point I want to live in/near the mountains, so I figured now is the time. I love skiing, hiking, camping and being outdoors in general, so it’s going to be a fun year exploring my new home and adjusting to the change of scenery.
That also means that you guys will finally get some fresh new content outside of boring ol’ St. Louis, so heck yeah. Exploring Colorado also kind of ties into the next item on the list, but we’ll make it separate.
Hike a 14er
For those who don’t know, a 14er is a mountain with an elevation of over 14,000 feet. There are only 96 mountains that tall in the U.S. and 56 of them are in Colorado, so I’d say it’s reasonable to summit at least one of them this year since I’ll be living there. Maybe two, who knows. Heck, maybe even 56 if I’m feeling limber. But we’ll just start with one.
Japan
There may or may not be a Japan trip with the boys in the works, but I’m hoping it comes to fruition. I’ve never been to anywhere in Asia, but I’ve heard really good things about Japan and the culture there. I especially want to try the sushi. It’s proven to be somewhat complicated to find a good sushi place here in the Midwest for some reason, so I might have to cut out the middleman and go straight for the source. I’ll have to go on a Kurosawa and Ozu film binge before I go, to fully immerse myself.
Visit a New State
I’ve been to the vast majority of the states in the U.S., but it’s been a while since I visited a new one. The top contenders are Maine, Alaska or Oregon, but right now it’s looking like Maine might be the winner. I might have to abscond to New England and spend a grey autumn in a quiet and dreary east coast town doing nothing but sitting alone in a pub, smoking cigarettes and writing a crime novel. Doesn’t sound too bad now that I write it out, actually.
If you guys have any tips or guides to any of the places up above, please share them in the comments below! Any feedback is always welcome.
Thank you guys for such an amazing year! I truly appreciate every one of you for reading the blog and sticking around in 2025, and I’m really excited for what’s to come.
Happy New Year!!!!
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