MY TRAVEL BUCKET LIST

Quick - what's your dream vacation?  If you're like me, your list goes on and on.  Below are the top ten places on my travel bucket list:

1. Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town has been at the top of my travel list for as long as I can remember.  Not many places offer beaches, hiking, and wildlife. I mean, come on, can you think of a better place to go on a safari?  Cape Town is rich in culture and I hope that one day I am able to see it with my own two eyes.

2. Costa Rica

Don't go chasing waterfalls...or maybe you should. When I think of Costa Rica, I think of hot springs and the jungle and yoga on the beach.  It would be impossible not too since Costa Rica has over 25 national parks and some of the best beaches in the world.  Costa Rica seems to be the perfect tropical getaway.

3. Istanbul, Turkey

The designer in me is dying to see all of the beautiful architecture Istanbul has to offer.  My senior year at IU, I took a course on Islamic Architecture and loved learning about the design and history of the mosques.  Ever since then I've dreamed of seeing them in person.

4. Barcelona, Spain

Two words: Park Güelle.  I mean, have you seen Americas Next Top Model season 7 finale? Barcelona is another architectural hot spot that I dream of exploring.  The bright colors, the tapas, oh my!

5. Alaska

I once read that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen went on an Alaskan cruise, and I immediately told my parents that I wanted to go on an Alaskan cruise.  But really, how cool would that be? I can't think of a better way to see the glaciers and do some whale watching.

6. Yellowstone National Park

What better place to be one with nature than the first national park.  Home of Old Faithful, Yellowstone boosts over 2,000,000 acres of wildlife and vegetation.  Just talking about all Yellowstone has to offer makes me want to plan a road trip for summer!

7.  Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is full of history and art (and coffee).  I imagine the perfect day would include a little museum hopping and canal cruising, and of course,  a bicycle ride along the cobblestone streets at sunset.    

8. Machu Picchu, Peru

One of the new wonders of the world, Machu Picchu combines two of my favorite things - hiking and history.  The Inca Trail has quickly become one of the most popular trails in the world, and rumor has it, the views along the trail are pretty spectacular.

9. Glottertal, Germany

Most people have never heard of Glotteral, and to be honest, neither had I until about 10 years ago when my grandparents took a trip to Germany to retrace our family's footsteps.  At the time, I was too young to pay to much attention to the details but since my grandparents passing, I hope to one day make it to Glotteral and learn more about my family's history.

10. The Great Barrier Reef

Sun, sand, and scuba - sign me up!  The GBR boosts crystal clear water and one-of-a-kind views of the world down under.  Spending some quality time in the open water sounds like a great way to spend time to me.

What's on your travel bucket list? 

xoxo

jennifer marie

Photos via www.goodfreephotos.com

SMALL TOWN GIRL, BIG CITY DREAMS

My name's Jenn, and I'm a twenty-something post grad trying to figure it all out.

I sound like every other recent college graduate, right?

Well, I'm a couple of years out of college and I still have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I take that back, I want to be a professional traveler, but I'm still trying to figure out how to make that happen (feel free to let me know if you have any ideas).  In the meantime, you can find me exploring my love for design, photography, fashion, food, adventure, and event planning.

Growing up I spent my weekends on one volleyball court or another, my biggest concern was if I really needed to do that 20 page reading for class, and any free time I had was spent around a bonfire with friends.  Fast forward five years and life has changed a little a lot. Now-a-days I spend my time organizing my closet, expanding my jewelry collection, and searching for the perfect day planner. 

Travel is a huge part of my life.  I am fortunate enough to have explored the cobblestone streets of Europe, walked the beaches of Hawaii, hiked the mountains of New Mexico, and cruised the waters of the Caribbean.  I am extremely grateful for each of these experiences as I have arrived home a better version of myself that when I left.  For me, travel is more that a destination - it's a journey.  A journey full of planning, exploring, learning, growing, and loving. 

The world is a big place.  I want to watch the Northern Lights from the banks of a lagoon in Iceland. I want to smell the exotic spices in the markets of Morocco.  I want to taste the sweet grapes grown in the valleys of Italy.  I want to feel the scorching sand under my feet on the beaches of Australia.  I want to hear monkeys jumping from tree to tree in the Amazon.  There is so much to see, so much to do, so much to experience - I want to do it all.  And this is where my journey begins.

xoxo
jennifer marie