To travel is to live. Not only do you get to enrich your own life by learning about new cultures, you get to meet new people and maybe even enrich their lives.
I have been traveling the world since I was 11 years old, and there are so many places I still want to go. Some of these are from personal experience, and others are from research.
Without further ado, here are some of the coolest things you could do across the world.
1. Swim with otters in California
At Nurtured By Nature, you can swim with otters! It costs $400 per person, but I think it would totally be worth it. Otters are my favorite animal — they’re so cute! Plus, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
2. Have afternoon tea in London
When I visited London back in 2015, I went to afternoon tea at Harrod’s. However, there are a million other places you can go such as the Shard or Brown’s Hotel. Afternoon tea is a staple — the finger sandwiches are to die for.
3. See the ruins at Machu Picchu
Backpacking through there and seeing ancient history before your very eyes is truly amazing.
4. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
If you’re heading to Australia, you need to go to the Great Barrier Reef. You should hurry, though, because climate change is destroying that beautiful ecosystem.
5. Take the Chunnel
The Chunnel, or Channel Tunnel, is a train that runs directly under the English Channel between England and France. The views of the French countryside are absolutely breathtaking.
6. Walk along the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China expands over 21,196 kilometers or 13,170 miles. You can’t walk the whole thing, but you could at least walk along part of it.
7. Go on a Safari
Go2Africa offers a bunch of different choices for Safaris all over Africa. I hope I can one day see all of those beautiful animals in their natural habitat.
8. Climb to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica
Climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica gives you a full view of the city of Rome. How cool!
9. See the Northern Lights
There are a bunch of places that you can see the Northern Lights like Alaska, Finland or even Russia!
10. Hike the Grand Canyon
There are a lot of trail options at the Grand Canyon, but be careful when you do. The Grand Canyon is not a day trip.
11. Visit the Taj Mahal
Don’t try to go on a Friday because they are closed for prayer. Otherwise, it’s open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
12. Drink wine in a vineyard in France
VisitFrenchWine.com has endless options. You could tour the vineyards, taste wine or even stay at a vineyard!
13. Eat from a food cart in New York City
There is literally nothing better than eating a soft pretzel while standing on the side of the road in New York.
14. Play with Sloths in Costa Rica
Visit the Sloth Sanctuary in Cahuita, Costa Rica. You may make a best friend on that trip.
15. See the Pyramids of Giza
I can’t even imagine how they built those pyramids without modern technology (Aliens, maybe?)
16. See skulls in the Catacombs of Paris
I remember seeing the Catacombs on TV as a young child and thinking, “why would anybody want to go there?” Now that I’m older, I totally understand the thrill of it.
17. SkyJump at the Aukland Sky Tower
If you’re too afraid to jump, the Aukland Sky Tower also offers SkyWalks. You get a beautiful view and a rush of adrenaline from the jump at the same time! What’s cooler than that?