Last Updated on November 12, 2022 by Suzy McCullough
I created our family bucket list back in 2016. It came about because of a heartbreaking reality check. Life really should be for living and we really need to try to enjoy it as much as we can. For me, I love travelling and going out for the day.
I’m not one for sitting still. Even watching TV isn’t really my thing. In the evening I’d rather be sat in a restaurant, down the beach, at the gym, or in a theatre. One thing I really love doing is going away for the weekend. Luckily our son loves it as much as I do. It’s a great way of exploring somewhere and as we are often restricted with regards to how long we can go away it’s perfect for us.
There are at least 400 ideas below.
Day Out Bucket List Ideas
Climb to the top of a Lighthouse. = completed read here
Do a Junior animal experience somewhere = completed
Enjoy lots of free days out = Ongoing read here.
Follow a trail in a city = completed
Go and see a major airshow display = completed
Go bowling = completed
Go canoeing = completed
Go crabbing off a pier = completed
Go fishing at a lake = completed
Go fishing on a boat = completed
Go for afternoon tea somewhere = completed. Read here.
Go Geocaching.
Go Go Karting = completed
Go Ice skating = completed, read here.
Go Indoor Skydiving = completed
Go Indoor Sledging = completed read here.
Go Llama trekking.
Go on an Easter egg hunt at an attraction = completed
Go on a Go Ape adventure = completed, read here.
Go on a Gruffalo trail = completed, read here.
Go pond dipping.
Go on a pony trek. = completed
Go pumpkin picking = completed read here
Go roller skating = completed
Go on a scavenger hunt = completed
Go strawberry picking = completed read here
Go on ‘themed’ walk in woods = completed read here
Go to a bubble rush.
Go to a carnival.
Go to a children’s festival = completed
Go to a circus = completed
Go to a ‘dress up‘ event.
Go to a Major fair = completed read here.
Go to a fire station open day.
Go to a Grand prix formula 1.
Go to a large outdoor water park = completed
Go to a major American civil war re-enactment event.
Go to a major Sealed knot re-enactment event = completed read here.
Go to a medieval dinner event = completed read here.
Go to a music festival = completed
Go to an indoor bounce centre = completed
Go to an open-air concert and take a picnic.
Go to an outdoor swimming pool/lido = completed read here.
Go to a pantomime = completed
Go to a ‘proper’ Christmas market = completed
Go to a rodeo.
Go to a Wild Wild West show.
Go to see a live Orchestra = completed
Go to a County Show = completed
Go to watch American baseball.
Go to see a film at a classic cinema = completed, read here.
Go to see a football match.
Go to see the seals at a major seal colony in the UK = completed read here.
Go to watch horse racing – day at the races = completed read here.
Go whale and/or dolphin-watching
Have an owl/falconry experience = completed
Have a ride on a camel = completed
Have a ride on a tourist boat in the UK = completed read here.
Have a themed birthday party.
Play as many crazy golf courses as possible = ongoing
Ride on a donkey = completed read here.
Ride on a pirate ship = completed read here.
Ride on a pony = completed
Ride on an epic zip wire = completed
See a bird show = completed
See a dolphin show = completed read here.
See a famous waterfall = completed read here.
See all 7 wonders of the modern world.
See a medieval joust at a castle = completed
See a Punch and Judy show = completed
See lots of hot air balloons take off.
See the red arrows at a major air show = completed
See the tulips and windmills in Holland.
Splash in a splash park = completed
Theatre – Take our show mad boy as much as possible = ongoing
Transportation – Go on at least 5 open top tourist buses = ongoing Lincoln, Stratford London
Transportation – Go on a boat on a boating lake = completed
Transportation – Go on a cable car = completed
Transportation – Go on a glass bottom boat = completed read here
Transportation – Go on a pedalo = completed
Transportation – Go on a red double-decker London bus = completed read here
Transportation – Go on a sea/sand train = completed read here.
Transportation – Go on a tram = completed read here.
Transportation – Go on a Trolleybus = completed read here.
Transportation – Go on a water taxi.
Transportation – Go sailing on a yacht.
Transportation – Ride in a dune buggy in the desert.
Transportation – Ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
Transportation – Ride on a miniature steam train = completed read here.
Transportation – Ride on a paddle steamer = completed read here.
Transportation – Ride on a steam train = completed read here.
Visit at least 10 different castles = ongoing – Bolsover, Castle Rising, Belvoir castle, Peveril, Lincoln. Boston,
Visit at least 10 different English heritage places = ongoing – Thornton Abbey & Gainsborough, Middleham castle, Pickering Castle, Kenilworth Castle. Please click here for more ideas.
Visit at least 10 different Historic houses association places = ongoing.
Visit at least 10 different museums = ongoing – Lincs life, National railway, Magna, National Space centre, Yorkshire museum farming, Cusworth Hall. Beaulieu, York castle museum. Royal Museums Greenwich,
Visit at least 10 different National trust places = ongoing – Belton House, please click here for more ideas. Brimham Rocks, Beningbrough Hall, Fountains Abbey,
Visit at least 10 different UNESCO sites.
Visit at least 10 different zoos = ongoing – Woburn, Twycross, Yorkshire Wildlife park.
Visit at least 5 different aquariums = ongoing Bournemouth Oceanarium, The Deep Hull, Scarborough Sea Life.
Visit 5 different air museums = ongoing – Lincs Aviation.
Visit 6 different Cathedrals/Minsters = ongoing – York, Lincoln Cathedral.
Visit 5 different nature reserves = ongoing – Gibraltar Point, Donna Nook, Whisby
Visit a big maze = completed
Visit a children’s museum = completed
Visit a famous pier = completed
Visit a large cave = ongoing Speedwell, Peak and Blue John.
Visit a model village = completed read here
Visit and explore a ‘ghost’ town.
Visit as many farm parks as possible = ongoing – Tattershall, Sacrewell, Manor farm. Hall farm park, Boston Park farm, Filey Bird Garden, Pink Pig Farm. White post farm, Mary Arden’s Farm, Playdale Farm Park,
Visit somewhere to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Visit somewhere that makes and sells own ice-cream = completed
Walk an Alpaca = completed read here.
Day Out Attractions to Visit
Go to see Disney on Ice = completed
Go to see Marvel Universe Live = completed
Go to top Eiffel Tower.
Go to Woodhall Spa 1940s weekend and dress up = completed read here.
Have afternoon tea at Betty’s = completed read here.
Merlin – visit all 7 places in Blackpool.
Merlin – Alton Towers = completed
Merlin – visit one of their Sea life centres = completed read here.
Merlin – Warwick castle. = completed read here
See a tennis match at Wimbledon.
See Cirque De Soleil = completed
See monster trucks live.
Transportation – Go on Ffestiniog railway = completed
Transportation – Go on North Yorkshire Moors railway = completed read here
Transportation – Go on Snowdon Mountain Railway, Gwynedd. = completed
Transportation – Go on the Settle to Carlisle railway.
Transportation – Ride in a Gondola in Venice = completed read here.
Transportation – Ride on a Thomas steam train – day out with Thomas = completed
Transportation – Travel on Semmering railway.
Visit Alcazar de Segovia castle, Near Madrid Spain.
Visit Annecy, France.
Visit all 5 towns in Cinque Terre, Italy.
Visit Alnwick Castle, Northumberland = completed
Visit Alpamere Waterpark Scarborough = completed
Visit Arundel Castle, Scotland.
Visit Athens, Greece including the Acropolis.
Visit Bamburgh Castle, in Bamburgh = completed
Visit Bath and see the sights.
Visit Beamish in northeast = completed
Visit Bewilderwood, Norfolk = completed read here.
Visit Blackpool = completed.
Visit Blackpool illuminations = completed.
Visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Visit Blackpool Tower = completed read here.
Visit Blackpool Zoo.
Visit Blenheim Palace = completed read here.
Visit Bodiam Castle, East Sussex.
Visit Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire = completed
Visit Bosworth battlefield on an event day = Completed
Visit Bounce Below Ffestiniog, Wales.
Visit Bournemouth and see the sights = completed read here.
Visit Bourton on the water (Cotswolds – Birdland, a model village, motor museum, dragonfly maze etc).
Visit Bran Castle, Romania.
Visit Burghley House, Lincolnshire = completed, read here
Visit Calypso Cove Waterpark, Barnsley = completed,
Visit Cambridge and see the sight and, go punting.
Visit Castle Howard = completed read here.
Visit Chatsworth house and farm park, Derbyshire.
Visit Cheddar Gorge, Somerset.
Visit Christmas at Blenheim = completed read here.
Visit Cleethorpes and all the family attractions = completed read here.
Visit Colchester Zoo.
Visit Conkers, Leicestershire = completed read here.
Visit Conwy castle, Wales = completed
Visit Corvin castle, Hunedoara Romania.
Visit Cragside and its great adventure playground, NT.
Visit Creswell Crags in Nottinghamshire = completed read here.
Visit Crich tramway village = completed read here.
Visit Croft Castle, Leominster and its natural play area, NT.
Visit Diggerland, Yorkshire = completed read here.
Visit Drayton Manor Theme Park and Thomas land = completed
Visit Dudmanston Hall, Shropshire. and it’s playgrounds, NT.
Visit Eilean Donan castle, Highlands of Scotland.
Visit Eltz castle, Wierschem Germany.
Visit Eureka the National Children’s museum = completed
Visit Europa Park in Germany.
Visit Flamborough head = completed read here.
Visit Flamingo land = completed read here.
Visit Florida Everglades and go on an airboat.
Visit Gloworm Caves in New Zealand.
Visit Go to the Summer Olympics.
Visit All three Gulliver’s theme parks = ongoing Gulliver’s Kingdom, Matlock Bath.
Visit Hampton Court Palace.
Visit Harry Potter Studio tour London = completed
Visit Hawkstone Park Follies.
Visit Hull free museums x5.
Visit Kenilworth castle = completed read here.
Visit Kidzania, London = completed
Visit Knowsley Safari Park = completed
Visit Leeds Castle, Kent.
Visit Longleat.
Visit Mablethorpe = completed read here.
Visit Margate and see the sights.
Visit Marwell Zoo.
Visit Matlock Bath (Heights of Abraham, Gulliver’s kingdom, caves, fish and chips on the parade. aquarium, illuminations and mining museum).
Visit Mont St Michel and St Michael’s Point.
Visit Mother Shipton’s cave, North Yorkshire = completed read here.
Visit Mount Rushmore.
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle Bavaria Germany.
Visit Paignton Zoo.
Visit Peppa Pig World = completed Read here.
Visit Portmeirion, Wales = completed read here
Visit Puy Du Fou theme park in France and stay over.
Visit Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire = completed read here
Visit Scarborough = completed
Visit Sherwood Forest = completed
Visit Skegness and all family attractions = completed
Visit Springfields Adventureland, Spalding = completed read here.
Visit Stokesay Castle, Shropshire.
Visit Stonehenge and Glastonbury.
Visit Stratford upon Avon = completed read here
Visit Sundown Adventure Land, Notts = completed, read here.
Visit the Edinburgh festival.
Visit the Forbidden Corner, North Yorkshire = completed read here.
Visit the Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland.
Visit the Palace of Pena, Lisbon Portugal.
Visit Park Asterix theme park near Paris = completed read here
Visit Popeye Village Malta.
Visit PortAventura theme park, Spain.
Visit Puzzlewood in Gloucestershire.
Visit the shipwreck beach in Zakynthos, Greece.
Visit Twinlakes, Leics = completed read here.
Visit Twycross Zoo = completed, read here.
Visit Vatican City, Italy.
Visit Whitby, North Yorkshire coast = completed.
Visit Wickstead Park.
Visit Windsor Castle.
Visit Woburn Safari Park = completed read here.
Visit Woods filled with bluebells = completed read here.
Visit York – See all the main attractions = completed
Visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park = completed read here.
Walk on the Great Wall of China.
Holidays in Europe – Bucket List Travel Ideas
Holiday – Amalfi coast, Italy.
Holiday – to Eurocamp, somewhere with a massive pool area or theme park. Choose from one of the best 28 Eurocamp sites.
Holiday – Go on a cruise to Scandinavia or the Mediterranean. This post could help with choosing.
Holiday – Go on a major train journey, that involves sleeping on it. 10 of the best train journeys.
Holiday – Take the train or walk around the Cinque Terre in Italy.
Holiday – To Austria – especially Hallstatt.
Holiday – To Barcelona, see the sights.
Holiday – To Budapest, Hungary.
Holiday – to Carcassonne and Cap D’agde, France.
Holiday – To Corfu (again), north of the island.
Holiday – To Corsica, France.
Holiday – To Crete, Greece.
Holiday – To Croatia, Dubrovnik.
Holiday – To Cyprus = completed
Holiday – To Denmark, Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens, LEGOLAND, Viking Centre and stunning castles = completed
Holiday – To Disneyland Paris again! Choose the best Dinsey hotel for you = completed
Holiday – To each of the Canary Islands that you can fly to = ongoing – ticked Gran Canaria.
Holiday – To Efteling theme park in the Netherlands = completed read here
Holiday – To Eurocamp.
Holiday – To Florence, Italy.
Holiday – To Germany = completed read here
Holiday – To Greece.
Holiday – To Iceland, visit the Blue Lagoon etc. = completed read here.
Holiday – To Lisbon, Portugal.
Holiday – To Magic of Robin Hood Hotel near Benidorm, Spain.
Holiday – To Majorca, Spain = completed
Holiday – To Menorca, Spain.
Holiday – To Mykonos, Greece. Best things to see and do there.
Holiday – To Norway, fjords etc.
Holiday – To Paris France – see the main sites.
Holiday – To see Pompeii, Italy.
Holiday – To Porto, Portugal.
Holiday – To Prague. Check out these things to do.
Holiday – To Rome, Italy – see all the major sights.
Holiday – To Santorini, Greece.
Holiday – To Sardinia, Italy.
Holiday – To Sicily, Italy.
Holiday – To Slovenia, Lake Bled.
Holiday – To Spain – Rhonda and Mijas are top of the list.
Holiday – To Strasbourg, France.
Holiday – To Switzerland, go up the Matterhorn, visit Lucerne etc.
Holiday – To Thailand.
Holiday – To Venice, Italy = completed read here.
Holidays in the UK – Especially Weekend Break ideas
Holiday – Go glamping somewhere = completed read here.
Holiday – In a forest park = completed read here
Holiday – In a luxury caravan = completed read here.
Holiday – On a narrowboat on a canal = completed read here
Holiday – Sleep in a tree house.
Holiday – To Brighton and see the sights, pier etc.
Holiday – To Butlins = completed read here.
Holiday – To Chester Zoo for 2 days = completed
Holiday – To Cornwall.
Holiday – To Derbyshire = completed read here
Holiday – To Edinburgh.
Holiday – To Haven = completed read here.
Holiday – To Hunstanton – or somewhere else in Norfolk = completed read here.
Holiday – To Isle of Skye (the dinosaur isle).
Holiday – To Lake District = completed
Holiday – To London = completed read here
- London – Go on a cruise of the Thames.
- London – Go on a tourist bus = completed
- London – Go on the Emirates Cablecar.
- London – Go to the theatre = completed, Lion King
- London – See the Houses of Parliament = completed
- London – See Buckingham Palace = completed
- London – See the changing of the guard = completed
- London – Visit all 5 Merlin pass places.
- London – Visit HMS Belfast.
- London – Visit National Maritime Museum = completed
- London – Visit St Paul’s Cathedral = completed
- London – Visit the British Museum = completed
- London – Visit the Cutty Sark = completed
- London – Visit the London Transport Museum = completed
- London – Visit the Natural History Museum = completed
- London – Visit the science museum.
- London – Visit the Sky Garden = completed
- London – Visit the Tower of London = completed
- London – Visit Trafalgar Square = completed
- London – Visit Westminster Abbey.
Holiday – To Northumberland = completed
Holiday – To Port Lympne Giraffe Hotel.
Holiday – To Scotland.
Holiday – To Tattershall Lakes, Lincolnshire (since the revamp).
Holiday – To the Channel Islands.
Holiday – To Wales = completed
Stay in a castle.
Holidays Overseas – Outside of Europe
Holiday – Go on an African safari.
Holiday – To Australia – see the sights, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
Holiday – To the Bahamas. Swim with the pigs. (stay at Atlantis resort.)
Holiday – To Borneo to see Orangutans.
Holiday – To Canada – tick off everything on my bucket list post. Niagara Falls = completed
Holiday – To China, Beijing and Hong Kong.
Holiday – Disney cruise line.
Holiday – To Dubai.
Holiday – To Florida (Disneyworld universal.) = completed read Disney posts here.
Holiday – To Gapalagos. Tick off everything on my bucket list.
Holiday – To Hawaii.
Holiday – To Indonesia.
Holiday – To Lapland to meet Santa etc. = completed read here.
Holiday – To Madagascar.
Holiday – To Maldives – Bucket list things to do.
Holiday – To Mexico, Riviera Maya. Tick off everything on my bucket list.
Holiday – To Morroco.
Holiday – To New England, USA. Cape Cod etc.
Holiday – To New Zealand.
Holiday – To Peru, Machu Picchu. This is how I’d like to visit.
Holiday – To Petra, Jordan.
Holiday – To somewhere really exotic with palm trees and stunning beaches.
Holiday – Return to Sri Lanka with our son. I have a 2 week family friendly schedule for Sri Lanka.
Holiday – To Sun City in South Africa.
Holiday – Tour of the Caribbean islands.
Holiday – To Venice = completed read here.
Holiday – To the West coast of USA, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Hollywood, San Francisco, California, Alcatraz.
Stay at Giraffe Manor in Kenya.
Stay at Ocean Suites in Singapore.
Stay in an overwater bungalow.
Stay somewhere with a large on-site waterpark. See here for ideas.
Lifestyle Family Bucket List Ideas
Be front row at a concert = completed
Be in the audience for a TV show.
Build a gingerbread house = completed
Build a snowman bigger than you.
Cook marshmallows on an open fire = completed
Dress up for Halloween and have a party = completed
Eat at Bubba Gump = completed read here.
Eat at Hard Rock café = completed read here
Eat at each different national chain restaurant = ongoing.
Eat at each different ‘cuisine/style’ of restaurant = ongoing.
Eat at Grotta Palazzese Hotel Restaurant, Puglia Italy – the restaurant in a cave.
Eat at Planet Hollywood = completed
Eat at Rainforest Cafe = completed
Eat Candy floss at a fair = completed read here.
Eat fish and chips on a beach = completed
Experience a white Christmas.
Find a real fossil = completed
Float in the Dead Sea.
Fly a kite = completed
Gardening – Grown your own fruit and vegetables = completed
Join in with the RSPB birdwatch = completed read here.
Learn how to play any musical instrument = completed
Learn how to ride a bike = completed
Learn how to swim without armbands = completed at 5 years old 🙂
Look properly at the stars.
Make and eat bonfire toffee.
Make and eat toffee apples.
Make a worm farm.
Meet Santa as much as possible! – in as many different ways as possible = completed
Paint a pot at a paint a pot cafe.
Pick your own pumpkins for Halloween = completed read here.
See the Aurora Borealis = completed.
See Puffins = completed in East Yorkshire
Sign up for a year art subscription box.
Start a family tradition.
Stay in at least 50 different hotels = ongoing various reviews.
Stay in each of the major hotel chains = ongoing Travelodge, Mercure, Novotel.Crowne Plaza.
Swim with dolphins.
Swim with Turtles.
Watch a movie outdoors with a picnic.
Watch turtles hatch and run for the ocean.
Winter – Go on a husky-drawn sledge = completed.
Winter – Go tobogganing.
Winter – Go to LaplandUK.
Winter – Go to the Polar Express event for Christmas = completed
Winter – Go to Sundown to meet Santa = completed read here.
Winter – Go to Winter Wonderland in London or Manchester.
Winter – Have a snowball fight = completed
Winter – Ride on a snowmobile = completed.
We also have a summer bucket list for things to do with the kids over the summer, why not check it out. There’s even a FREE printable checklist.
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