Bucket list ideas
101 concrete ideas, sorted by category and by how big they are. Tap + to put one on your own list.
Travel bucket list ideas
- See the northern lights in Tromsø or Lapland Lifetime
- Take a night train across a country This year
- Walk part of the Camino de Santiago Lifetime
- Visit every national park in your state or region Lifetime
- Watch sunrise from a mountain summit This year
- Spend a month living in another city Lifetime
- Visit the town your grandparents grew up in This year
- Take a trip with only a carry-on bag This year
- Go somewhere where you don't speak the language This year
- See the cherry blossoms in Japan Lifetime
- Drive a coastal road trip end to end This year
- Stay overnight in a lighthouse or a cabin with no Wi-Fi This year
- Visit a new-to-you city within two hours of home Weekend
Adventure bucket list ideas
- Sleep under the stars away from light pollution Weekend
- Learn to surf and stand up on a wave This year
- Finish a half marathon This year
- Go snorkelling on a coral reef Lifetime
- Try indoor rock climbing, then climb outdoors This year
- Kayak or canoe a river over two days This year
- Go on a multi-day hike carrying everything you need Lifetime
- Swim in the sea in winter Weekend
- Take a hot-air balloon ride Lifetime
- Ride a bike across a whole island This year
- Go skiing or snowboarding for the first time This year
- See a total solar eclipse Lifetime
- Try a zip line or a via ferrata Weekend
Learn bucket list ideas
- Hold a 20-minute conversation in a new language This year
- Learn to play five songs on an instrument This year
- Learn to swim properly, or a new stroke This year
- Take a first-aid course Weekend
- Learn to identify ten birds by their song This year
- Read 25 books in a year This year
- Learn to drive a manual car This year
- Take an evening class at a local college This year
- Learn basic car or bike maintenance Weekend
- Learn to cook one dish from every continent This year
- Learn to dance one dance well enough for a wedding This year
- Learn to read music This year
- Learn the night sky constellations for your season Weekend
Create bucket list ideas
- Write a short story and share it with someone This year
- Plant a vegetable garden and eat what it grows This year
- Build a piece of furniture This year
- Make a photo book of one year of your life This year
- Paint a picture good enough to hang This year
- Throw a pot on a wheel Weekend
- Record a song, even just on your phone Weekend
- Knit or sew something you wear This year
- Start a blog or newsletter and publish ten posts This year
- Write a letter to your future self to open in ten years Weekend
- Bake bread from scratch Weekend
- Make a short film This year
- Write a book Lifetime
Give bucket list ideas
- Donate blood Weekend
- Volunteer regularly for a whole year This year
- Plant a tree where it will outlive you Weekend
- Mentor someone starting out in your field This year
- Register as an organ donor Weekend
- Pay for a stranger's coffee or groceries Weekend
- Foster an animal This year
- Help build a home or a community garden This year
- Raise money for a cause by doing a challenge This year
- Teach someone a skill you have This year
- Write thank-you letters to three teachers Weekend
- Pick up litter along a beach or trail Weekend
People bucket list ideas
- Throw a party for no reason Weekend
- Record an interview with a grandparent about their life Weekend
- Reconnect with an old friend you lost touch with Weekend
- Take a trip with your parents or siblings This year
- Host a dinner for friends who haven't met each other Weekend
- Go on a solo trip This year
- Say yes to every invitation for a month This year
- Make a new close friend as an adult This year
- Write down your family tree This year
- Plan a surprise for someone you love Weekend
- Start or join a club that meets weekly This year
- Tell someone exactly what they mean to you Weekend
Food bucket list ideas
- Eat at a restaurant from a cuisine you've never tried Weekend
- Take a cooking class abroad Lifetime
- Eat street food at a night market in Asia Lifetime
- Pick your own fruit and make jam Weekend
- Cook a full holiday meal for your family This year
- Make fresh pasta by hand Weekend
- Visit a vineyard, brewery or tea plantation This year
- Catch, clean and cook a fish This year
- Master one signature dish you can make without a recipe This year
- Go foraging with a local guide Weekend
- Eat pizza in Naples Lifetime
- Host a potluck from ten different countries Weekend
Wild card bucket list ideas
- Do a digital detox for one week This year
- Try stand-up comedy at an open mic This year
- Go a whole year without buying new clothes This year
- Get your photo in a newspaper for something good Lifetime
- Learn to juggle three balls Weekend
- Watch the top 25 films on a list you respect This year
- Go to a music festival This year
- See your favourite band live This year
- Take a trapeze or aerial silks class Weekend
- Spend a full day in silence Weekend
- Visit a place in the world on the same day each year Lifetime
- Sing karaoke in front of strangers Weekend
- Stay up to watch a meteor shower Weekend
Questions people ask
What should I put on my bucket list?
Start with three questions: where do you want to go, what do you want to learn, and who do you want to spend time with. Then add a few small, cheap items so the list moves this month, not just someday.
What are good cheap bucket list ideas?
Filter by "Weekend" above. Sleeping under the stars, donating blood, recording a grandparent's story, baking bread and watching a meteor shower cost little or nothing.
How do I save ideas from this page?
Tap "+ Add" next to any idea. It goes straight into your bucket list on this device, where you can set a category and tick it off later.