Bucket List: 10 dream vacations
TripAdvisor members were asked to list their most pie-in-the-sky vacation plans. They didn't disappoint.
Bora Bora to Machu Picchu »
Bucket List: Your 10 Top Dream Vacations from TripAdvisor
Some people travel all the time, some people travel once a year, and some people barely travel at all. But most of us have someplace we must see before we die, and not in a Frodo Baggins-reaches-Mordor kind of way, but in a way much happier.
The travel site TripAdvisor asked its members what their biggest dream trips are, and below are the top 10. See any you’d agree with?
1. See the Northern Lights in Iceland
Photo: TripAdvisor
It
should be no surprise that a phenomenon as brilliant as the aurora
borealis would top travelers’ wish lists. If you’re dedicated and
patient enough, you can enjoy them without leaving the U.S.,
especially up in Alaska. But for some real multicolor dazzle,
Scandinavia is tough to beat in the winter months, be it on land or a
cruise. Saga in Akureyi offers a tour designed to show you the lights.
2. Sleep in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora
Photo: Four Seasons Bora Bora
TripAdvisor’s
members went from marveling at nighttime science in their No. 1 pick to
pure beach indulgence with the runner-up. But who can blame them?
Perhaps Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux were among the voters for
this choice, considering their recent honeymoon.
That couple chose the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, wits its 100
overwater bungalows. Other bungalow stays you could splurge on are the St. Regis Bora Bora, the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, and the Sofitel Private Island.
3. Admire the sunset over Santorini
Photo: Pedro Szekely/Flickr
Yes,
this doesn’t get the originality award for vacations. Taking your
special someone to cuddle up and watch the sun set over Oia is almost as
popular as ordering a latte at Starbucks. But that’s one gorgeous
latte! The views of the whitewashed houses and blue domes here never get
old.
4. Take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Photo: TripAdvisor
Even
people who recoil at the thought of a tent back home have been
compelled to hike and camp the Inca Trail during the four-to-five-day
journey. It must have something to do with the transformative powers of
travel, or maybe an Incan spell. Either way, if you’d rather not rough
it too much, there are lodging options along the trail as well.
5. Explore the Galapagos Islands
Photo: TripAdvisor
If
you love animals, this has to be on your wish list for the sheer
variety and quantity of exotic creatures, not to mention the natural
beauty of the islands themselves. You’ll probably arrive here on the
Ecuadorian island of San Cristobal and take a boat tour from there.
Because of the delicate ecosystem here, this is a bucket-list item worth
checking off first.
6. Visit Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Photo: TripAdvisor
Pick
a town –Positan, Ravello, Sorrento, Amalfi – and it’s hard to take a
bad picture here. The colorful homes vertically dotting the rugged
cliffs along the coast rival Santorini for their charms. You can explore
the area through the hairpin turns of a road trip or the serenity of a
cruise.
7. Photograph the Big Five on safari at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Photo: TripAdvisor
That’s
lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffaloes, if you’re keeping
track of the Big Five. And there’s a whole lot more, of course, such as
the giraffe above. The safari experience has come under a lot of recent scrutiny because of such issue as hunting,
poachin, and maulings. But the chance to commune with these majestic
creatures from a safe, respectable distance with a responsible tour
company is still a rare treat.
8. Take the ultimate road trip on Route 66
Photo: TripAdvisor
The
original “Mother Road” Route 66 that stretched from Illinois to
California is no longer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the
vestiges of this legendary stretch of freeway. There are more than 2,000
miles to be driven and some old-time kitsch to be found along the way,
such as Cadillac Ranch and the World’s Largest Rocking Chair.
9. Set foot on Antarctica
Photo: TripAdvisor
Setting
foot on most places isn’t considered an accomplishment these days –
even Cuba is fast becoming an easy travel stop. And while the South Pole
isn’t the death-defying visit it once was, it does take some real
commitment (and money) to get here and explore it on the ground. You can
choose an Antarctic tour among these operators.
10. Ride the Trans-Siberian railway
Photo: TripAdvisor
Be
the star of your own Russian suspense novel by riding along the almost
6,000 miles of train track from Moscow to Vladivostok. Along the way you
can experience life at the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, see the
massive Lake Baikal, or wind up in Beijing.
WATCH: Heaven on Earth: The Hidden Oasis of the Arabian Desert
Let Yahoo Travel inspire you every day. Hang out with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andPinterest. Check out our original adventure travel series A Broad Abroad.
end quote from:
Bucket List: 10 dream vacations
Yes,
this doesn’t get the originality award for vacations. Taking your
special someone to cuddle up and watch the sun set over Oia is almost as
popular as ordering a latte at Starbucks. But that’s one gorgeous
latte! The views of the whitewashed houses and blue domes here never get
old.
4. Take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Photo: TripAdvisor
Even
people who recoil at the thought of a tent back home have been
compelled to hike and camp the Inca Trail during the four-to-five-day
journey. It must have something to do with the transformative powers of
travel, or maybe an Incan spell. Either way, if you’d rather not rough
it too much, there are lodging options along the trail as well.
5. Explore the Galapagos Islands
Photo: TripAdvisor
If
you love animals, this has to be on your wish list for the sheer
variety and quantity of exotic creatures, not to mention the natural
beauty of the islands themselves. You’ll probably arrive here on the
Ecuadorian island of San Cristobal and take a boat tour from there.
Because of the delicate ecosystem here, this is a bucket-list item worth
checking off first.
6. Visit Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Photo: TripAdvisor
Pick
a town –Positan, Ravello, Sorrento, Amalfi – and it’s hard to take a
bad picture here. The colorful homes vertically dotting the rugged
cliffs along the coast rival Santorini for their charms. You can explore
the area through the hairpin turns of a road trip or the serenity of a
cruise.
7. Photograph the Big Five on safari at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Photo: TripAdvisor
That’s
lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffaloes, if you’re keeping
track of the Big Five. And there’s a whole lot more, of course, such as
the giraffe above. The safari experience has come under a lot of recent scrutiny because of such issue as hunting,
poachin, and maulings. But the chance to commune with these majestic
creatures from a safe, respectable distance with a responsible tour
company is still a rare treat.
8. Take the ultimate road trip on Route 66
Photo: TripAdvisor
The
original “Mother Road” Route 66 that stretched from Illinois to
California is no longer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the
vestiges of this legendary stretch of freeway. There are more than 2,000
miles to be driven and some old-time kitsch to be found along the way,
such as Cadillac Ranch and the World’s Largest Rocking Chair.
9. Set foot on Antarctica
Photo: TripAdvisor
Setting
foot on most places isn’t considered an accomplishment these days –
even Cuba is fast becoming an easy travel stop. And while the South Pole
isn’t the death-defying visit it once was, it does take some real
commitment (and money) to get here and explore it on the ground. You can
choose an Antarctic tour among these operators.
10. Ride the Trans-Siberian railway
Photo: TripAdvisor
Be
the star of your own Russian suspense novel by riding along the almost
6,000 miles of train track from Moscow to Vladivostok. Along the way you
can experience life at the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, see the
massive Lake Baikal, or wind up in Beijing.
WATCH: Heaven on Earth: The Hidden Oasis of the Arabian Desert
Let Yahoo Travel inspire you every day. Hang out with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andPinterest. Check out our original adventure travel series A Broad Abroad.
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