Our Ultimate Trip Wish List: 10 Travel destinations we dream of

After our overnight train trips from San Diego to Portland, we have been itching to do a longer train journey. And there are so many places in Canada we want to see or revisit. Put the two together, and you have a dream trip!

Our dream trip would likely start on the West Coast.

We’d explore beautiful Vancouver, BC and eat at the Asian night markets, then head up to Banff National Park and hike for a couple days.

From there, we’d take the scenic train journey to Toronto and stay a few days to soak up the international vibe.

The next important stop would be Montreal, where we’d happily stay for a month if we could (in the summer and ideally overlapping with the Cirque festival). A return stop in Quebec City would be nice, too.

Finally, we’d continue to the East Coast and discover Nova Scotia.

Total time: 3+ weeks
Typical budget: Premium, once-in-a-lifetime rail journey. Expect high-end pricing for cross-country packages with sleeper cabins and meals included. Cross-country rail packages around $5,000 per person.

Japan Walking Journey

Although we’ve had the pleasure of visiting Japan a few times, including while Jedd’s parents were living temporarily in Iwakuni, we’d love to spend more time exploring Japan. But it’s not cheap.

High on our list would be diving into the culture and food of Kyoto.

Then we’d like to do an inn-to-inn hiking trip along the Nakasendo Way, which we once saw on Japanese TV (very similar to the Youtube video above). Following an ancient “pedestrian highway,” you can walk trails from one village to the next and stay in traditional lodgings.

There is also a similar journey we’d try that goes island to island by bicycle, or the self-guided walking tour across Kyushu in the south.

Total time: 2 weeks – 2 months
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end daily costs depending on accommodations, transport (rail passes), and dining choices. Likely $120 – $250/day.

Victoria Falls and African Safari

Africa is one continent we have yet to explore, and it’s hard to narrow down our top destinations.

At the top of the list is definitely Victoria Falls and a big game safari experience.

Countries we’re most interested in visiting include: Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Southern Uganda, and Rwanda. It would be amazing to visit the child Michelle co-sponsors in Uganda.

Africa is a continent we wouldn’t necessarily travel independently, at least to start with, so we’d look for tour options or local guides to help us get situated.

Total time: 2 weeks – 2 months
Typical budget: High-end guided travel. Safari packages and multi-country tours are typically a major splurge, especially with lodges and excursions included.

Campervan New Zealand

If you’re wondering: “Wait, didn’t you already do this one?” Yes and no.

Our two week road trip in the Jucy van taught us that some destinations are better when done differently. We loved New Zealand but it was a real stretch for our budget, which made it a bit stressful and limited the time we could stay there.

We’d love to do New Zealand “right.” In other words, we’d save up big time. We’d rent a bigger, self-contained rig. And we’d stay much longer than two weeks.

We definitely wouldn’t mind visiting the South Island all over again, plus all of the places we didn’t get to see. We’d probably go back to beautiful Wanaka for a week, plus Arrowtown and Oamaru each for at least a night or two.

Places we missed the first time around include: Milford Sound, Te Anau area, Christchurch, and everything on the northern end of the South Island! It would be fun to see Hobbiton and other Lord of the Rings sites on the North Island, too.

Total time: 2+ months
Typical budget: New Zealand has a high cost of living. Mid-range to high daily costs. Campervan rentals ($200+ per day), fuel, and campsite fees add up, especially for longer trips. 

Road Trip Through Villages in Southern Europe

Our favorite parts of Europe are the historic, small towns and villages. Places that have stood for centuries, surrounded by rolling hills. Where daily life is like that scene from Beauty in the Beast: “There goes the baker with his tray, like always / The same old bread and rolls to sell…”

Why Southern Europe? Mostly because it’s warmer. In some cases, it’s more affordable as well.

Ideally, we’d cover a lot of Portugal – including the Algarve, as well as Spain, Southern France, lots of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Kotor (Montenegro).

To do this right, we’d want to stay a minimum of 2 nights in the smallest villages and a week or more in towns with more going on. That means staying a month or longer in most countries.

Since all but Montenegro are part of the Schengen zone (which limits visitors to 90 days), we’d need to split up our trip strategically.

We would consider a campervan trip, although having a larger vehicle on all those narrow little roads would be more stressful.

Plus, we’d prefer to stay overnight in the villages and most campsites tend to be out of town. For this reason and because of all the borders we’d cross, we would probably need to purchase our own car.

We’d likely stay in Airbnb’s or bed and breakfasts where we could interact with a local host but maintain our own privacy. Lots of cooking classes for Jedd would also be in order!

Total time: 6+ months or 2 separate trips (factoring in Schengen zone limitations)
Typical budget: Mid-range overall, but varies by country. Southern and Eastern Europe can be more affordable, while France and Italy increase costs. $200+/day for food, lodging, gas.

Norwegian Fjords and Northern Lights By Boat

The Northern Lights, a.k.a. aurora borealis, are one of the most fascinating natural phenomena I can imagine. Since they are best viewed from the North, why not pair it with a visit to Norways’ impressive fjords?

We’re not typically big on cruises, but they’re not all big box party boats. And I can’t think of a better way to see the fjords and the Northern Lights than from the water.

Total time: 15 days
Typical budget: Premium experience. Small ship or expedition-style cruises in Norway tend to be high-end. Cruise packages start at $5,000 per person.

Holy Land Tour

This part of the world is both intriguing and intimidating. Seeing places from the Bible like Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, and Nazareth with our own eyes would be monumental.

I’d also want to see Petra in Jordan. We have little experience in this part of the world so guidance would be necessary, and we’d love to go with a small group of family and friends.

I haven’t done much research yet but we’d definitely want to find the right kind of tour. Something that focuses on the religious history of each place as well as modern culture.

Total time: 9 – 12 days
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end guided tour pricing, depending on group size, accommodations, and included experiences.

Heritage Tours: Scotland and China

Between the two of us, we have ethnic roots from more than half a dozen countries. For some of them, we have stronger connections – like Michelle’s French side, or Jedd’s Japanese roots.

However, two places we have never been that make up significant percentages of our gene pools are Scotland and China.

These two trips would take more research into our family history. We’d love to find the exact towns where our relatives originally hailed. And we’d love to dive further into both cultures, which we know relatively little about.

This trip would be part investigative and part cultural immersion, so it would be ideal to find a knowledgeable local guide.

Total time: About 10 days each
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end. Costs vary depending on how customized the experience is and whether you hire local guides.

Peace Boat

We met a woman in Colombia who works remotely for Peace Boat, which is actually a program based out of Japan. As soon as I heard about it, it immediately went on my list of dream trips.

Peace Boat is essentially an educational cruise around the world, focusing on peace and sustainability. Sort of like a more mature, non-profit version of Semester at Sea.

An example itinerary is three months, departs from Japan, and makes stops in China, Singapore, India, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Ireland, England, Iceland, New York, Cuba, the Panama Canal, Peru, Chile, Tahiti, and Samoa.

Um… yes, please.

Experiences with local NGOs are arranged at most of the stops.

I love the idea of journeying with a purpose to multiple ports of call and having enriching educational experiences on board. The program is based in Japan, and would be a great way to develop friendships from around the world.

There are opportunities to work on a voyage, like teaching English – although if we’re talking dream trip, it would be ideal to simply be a participant.

Total time: 105 days
Typical budget: Premium, extended voyage pricing. Room with balcony, full board, and programs on the boat (not including excursions on land) are roughly $21,000 per person.

So there you have it. The top ten dream trips on our travel wish list. We hope you enjoyed dreaming with us. Let us know what’s on your own wish list, or if you’ve already tried any of the things we mentioned!

✈️ Protect your trip with Travel Insurance – We’ve started using Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing for affordable evacuation, international medical, and trip coverage.

Like this post? Pin or for later or share with friends!

It seems that every time we travel, wanderlust kicks in and our list of places to visit only gets longer! As digital nomads, we are fortunate to visit new destinations around the world each year.

Honestly, we are content and don’t feel that there’s any one particular place that’s eluding us. There’s nowhere we have to see before we die.

The point is: we’re happy just to keep exploring whatever new places come our way and revisiting old favorites.

But that doesn’t stop us from dreaming.

That’s why we titled this our Trip Wish List rather than our “bucket list.” A bucket list implies you want to check things off before you kick the bucket. Whereas we’re perfectly aware we probably won’t get around to all of these trips.

Updated: April 2026. Originally published: January 2019. Note: Prices vary widely by season, travel style, and how far in advance you book. The ranges below are general guidelines based on our research and past travel experience.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Our Dream Destinations Trip Wish List

This wish list of travel destinations are specifically for once-in-a-lifetime trips. Dream trips.

How is this different from our usual M.O.?

Our typical travel is chosen based on affordability. We usually go places where the cost of living is low or where we can stay with friends, family, or volunteer exchange hosts. We limit our sightseeing to walking around town and enjoying cheap meals.

For this travel wish list, we’re talking about splurges.
We’re talking about trips we would have to save up for significantly.
We might have to take a sabbatical from work or wait until we retire.

I felt that was important to clarify. But let’s move on to the ultimate trip ideas! Here they are, in no particular order.

Since we haven’t done any of them yet, I’m using youtube videos to give you a visual sense of the trip.

Travel Across Canada By Rail

After our overnight train trips from San Diego to Portland, we have been itching to do a longer train journey. And there are so many places in Canada we want to see or revisit. Put the two together, and you have a dream trip!

Our dream trip would likely start on the West Coast.

We’d explore beautiful Vancouver, BC and eat at the Asian night markets, then head up to Banff National Park and hike for a couple days.

From there, we’d take the scenic train journey to Toronto and stay a few days to soak up the international vibe.

The next important stop would be Montreal, where we’d happily stay for a month if we could (in the summer and ideally overlapping with the Cirque festival). A return stop in Quebec City would be nice, too.

Finally, we’d continue to the East Coast and discover Nova Scotia.

Total time: 3+ weeks
Typical budget: Premium, once-in-a-lifetime rail journey. Expect high-end pricing for cross-country packages with sleeper cabins and meals included. Cross-country rail packages around $5,000 per person.

Japan Walking Journey

Although we’ve had the pleasure of visiting Japan a few times, including while Jedd’s parents were living temporarily in Iwakuni, we’d love to spend more time exploring Japan. But it’s not cheap.

High on our list would be diving into the culture and food of Kyoto.

Then we’d like to do an inn-to-inn hiking trip along the Nakasendo Way, which we once saw on Japanese TV (very similar to the Youtube video above). Following an ancient “pedestrian highway,” you can walk trails from one village to the next and stay in traditional lodgings.

There is also a similar journey we’d try that goes island to island by bicycle, or the self-guided walking tour across Kyushu in the south.

Total time: 2 weeks – 2 months
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end daily costs depending on accommodations, transport (rail passes), and dining choices. Likely $120 – $250/day.

Victoria Falls and African Safari

Africa is one continent we have yet to explore, and it’s hard to narrow down our top destinations.

At the top of the list is definitely Victoria Falls and a big game safari experience.

Countries we’re most interested in visiting include: Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Southern Uganda, and Rwanda. It would be amazing to visit the child Michelle co-sponsors in Uganda.

Africa is a continent we wouldn’t necessarily travel independently, at least to start with, so we’d look for tour options or local guides to help us get situated.

Total time: 2 weeks – 2 months
Typical budget: High-end guided travel. Safari packages and multi-country tours are typically a major splurge, especially with lodges and excursions included.

Campervan New Zealand

If you’re wondering: “Wait, didn’t you already do this one?” Yes and no.

Our two week road trip in the Jucy van taught us that some destinations are better when done differently. We loved New Zealand but it was a real stretch for our budget, which made it a bit stressful and limited the time we could stay there.

We’d love to do New Zealand “right.” In other words, we’d save up big time. We’d rent a bigger, self-contained rig. And we’d stay much longer than two weeks.

We definitely wouldn’t mind visiting the South Island all over again, plus all of the places we didn’t get to see. We’d probably go back to beautiful Wanaka for a week, plus Arrowtown and Oamaru each for at least a night or two.

Places we missed the first time around include: Milford Sound, Te Anau area, Christchurch, and everything on the northern end of the South Island! It would be fun to see Hobbiton and other Lord of the Rings sites on the North Island, too.

Total time: 2+ months
Typical budget: New Zealand has a high cost of living. Mid-range to high daily costs. Campervan rentals ($200+ per day), fuel, and campsite fees add up, especially for longer trips. 

Road Trip Through Villages in Southern Europe

Our favorite parts of Europe are the historic, small towns and villages. Places that have stood for centuries, surrounded by rolling hills. Where daily life is like that scene from Beauty in the Beast: “There goes the baker with his tray, like always / The same old bread and rolls to sell…”

Why Southern Europe? Mostly because it’s warmer. In some cases, it’s more affordable as well.

Ideally, we’d cover a lot of Portugal – including the Algarve, as well as Spain, Southern France, lots of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Kotor (Montenegro).

To do this right, we’d want to stay a minimum of 2 nights in the smallest villages and a week or more in towns with more going on. That means staying a month or longer in most countries.

Since all but Montenegro are part of the Schengen zone (which limits visitors to 90 days), we’d need to split up our trip strategically.

We would consider a campervan trip, although having a larger vehicle on all those narrow little roads would be more stressful.

Plus, we’d prefer to stay overnight in the villages and most campsites tend to be out of town. For this reason and because of all the borders we’d cross, we would probably need to purchase our own car.

We’d likely stay in Airbnb’s or bed and breakfasts where we could interact with a local host but maintain our own privacy. Lots of cooking classes for Jedd would also be in order!

Total time: 6+ months or 2 separate trips (factoring in Schengen zone limitations)
Typical budget: Mid-range overall, but varies by country. Southern and Eastern Europe can be more affordable, while France and Italy increase costs. $200+/day for food, lodging, gas.

Norwegian Fjords and Northern Lights By Boat

The Northern Lights, a.k.a. aurora borealis, are one of the most fascinating natural phenomena I can imagine. Since they are best viewed from the North, why not pair it with a visit to Norways’ impressive fjords?

We’re not typically big on cruises, but they’re not all big box party boats. And I can’t think of a better way to see the fjords and the Northern Lights than from the water.

Total time: 15 days
Typical budget: Premium experience. Small ship or expedition-style cruises in Norway tend to be high-end. Cruise packages start at $5,000 per person.

Holy Land Tour

This part of the world is both intriguing and intimidating. Seeing places from the Bible like Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, and Nazareth with our own eyes would be monumental.

I’d also want to see Petra in Jordan. We have little experience in this part of the world so guidance would be necessary, and we’d love to go with a small group of family and friends.

I haven’t done much research yet but we’d definitely want to find the right kind of tour. Something that focuses on the religious history of each place as well as modern culture.

Total time: 9 – 12 days
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end guided tour pricing, depending on group size, accommodations, and included experiences.

Heritage Tours: Scotland and China

Between the two of us, we have ethnic roots from more than half a dozen countries. For some of them, we have stronger connections – like Michelle’s French side, or Jedd’s Japanese roots.

However, two places we have never been that make up significant percentages of our gene pools are Scotland and China.

These two trips would take more research into our family history. We’d love to find the exact towns where our relatives originally hailed. And we’d love to dive further into both cultures, which we know relatively little about.

This trip would be part investigative and part cultural immersion, so it would be ideal to find a knowledgeable local guide.

Total time: About 10 days each
Typical budget: Mid-range to high-end. Costs vary depending on how customized the experience is and whether you hire local guides.

Peace Boat

We met a woman in Colombia who works remotely for Peace Boat, which is actually a program based out of Japan. As soon as I heard about it, it immediately went on my list of dream trips.

Peace Boat is essentially an educational cruise around the world, focusing on peace and sustainability. Sort of like a more mature, non-profit version of Semester at Sea.

An example itinerary is three months, departs from Japan, and makes stops in China, Singapore, India, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Ireland, England, Iceland, New York, Cuba, the Panama Canal, Peru, Chile, Tahiti, and Samoa.

Um… yes, please.

Experiences with local NGOs are arranged at most of the stops.

I love the idea of journeying with a purpose to multiple ports of call and having enriching educational experiences on board. The program is based in Japan, and would be a great way to develop friendships from around the world.

There are opportunities to work on a voyage, like teaching English – although if we’re talking dream trip, it would be ideal to simply be a participant.

Total time: 105 days
Typical budget: Premium, extended voyage pricing. Room with balcony, full board, and programs on the boat (not including excursions on land) are roughly $21,000 per person.

So there you have it. The top ten dream trips on our travel wish list. We hope you enjoyed dreaming with us. Let us know what’s on your own wish list, or if you’ve already tried any of the things we mentioned!

✈️ Protect your trip with Travel Insurance – We’ve started using Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing for affordable evacuation, international medical, and trip coverage.

Like this post? Pin or for later or share with friends!