I recently turned 26 and I freaked out about it a little bit. I hate getting older, I hate the reminders of all the things I have yet to achieve and all the things I wish I’d already done but either never got around too or was too chicken shit to actually do them. In general, my birthday and the period around my birthday is a time of reflection for me – but it never normally ends with wonderful revelations, just with me crying into a slice of birthday cake. But an opportunity arose shortly after which after a bit of brainstorming, gave me the idea of this post.
30 isn’t too far away but although 4 years sounds like a long time, I know (unfortunately) it’ll fly by. I’m not a huge travel fanatic but there are certainly some places on my radar that stick out to me and I know I’d love to visit – both near and far. 4 years is a realistic goal, I think. So here are some places I want to visit before I’m 30!
Bergen, Norway
Scandinavia has been high on my ‘want to visit’ list for a long time; I’ve developed a real affinity with the countries, the languages and the lifestyles. But there’s a few reasons why Bergen in particular has jumped up to the top of my list. Firstly, Paul Hollywood went there during an episode of City Bakes and it looks fantastic. Secondly, I’ve been pinning a lot of photos of Bergen quite frankly, it looks magical. Thirdly, I recently did a DNA test and turns out, most of my ancestors were from Norway so that;s made me really want to visit!
Disneyland Paris (again)
I’ve been to Disneyland Paris 3 times and it’s just not enough. It’ll never be enough. Sometime in the next few years, I need to get myself back to the happiest place on Earth and the place that I feel so at home. Which is a real big deal for me because due to my anxiety, going anywhere makes me an anxious mess. If I ever have kids, of course I’m going to want to take them to Disneyland but I’m aiming to go at least once more as an adult without kids before then.
Amsterdam
I’d love to go to Amsterdam for a bunch of reasons (none of them what you think). It looks beautiful, there’s no question about it and Dutch people are lovely (also my favourite Formula 1 driver is Dutch and he has the biggest fan base so chances are, I’ll have something to talk to the locals about!) Also, you can get straight there by Eurostar from London, which is a bonus because I’m not the best flyer but I love the Eurostar. Win win.
Center Parcs
Bit closer to home but I’ve never been to Center Parcs and damn it, I wanna go. When I was in school, I had a friend who would go every year and I never knew what Center Parcs was and what on Earth was she doing there for an entire week every single year? It sounded like some magical place that you could only get to if you had a password or something! But I like chilled staycations, in the forest and away from the hustle and bustle so I know I’d love Center Parcs.
I didn’t want to push my luck so I’m going to stick to just these four, to make it more achievable. And let’s be honest, holidays are expensive and I’m not fortunate enough to be sent on lavish press trips just yet! Do you have any travel goals?
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This is a great list!
I can tell you’ve put a lot of thought into it and are following your heart by deciding where you’d like to visit in the next four years, while honoring your own reasons.
I do think it’s realistic and hopefully less anxiety inducing than bigger and more unrealistic goals.
I would say look into to airbnb for potential accommodation and consider Uber for getting around smaller distances. Obviously not appropriate for everywhere on your list but may be a good idea in Amsterdam, for example. Should make things a little bit more affordable too.
Oh, and Yes! Isn’t Eurostar just absolutely brilliant?!
Lovely post Jenny!
Much love, Hanna x
missbeautysaver
An Air BnB for Amsterdam would be great! I’d definitely look into that 🙂
centre parks is one of those places id love to go, but its always so expensive when the children are off school! perhaps when theyve all flown the nest i can go haha
Luckily I have no kids! I’d go during term time 😌
I hope your manage to get them checked off your list in the next four years.
Disneyland is on mine again too. You can never go too many times.
http://littlemissmelanie.com
Thank you me too! Totally agree!
I’ve been to Amsterdam and I think you’d love it. For a city, even with the rowdy reputation, it was surprisingly chilled out (maybe due to the fact I went in September, but still!). I absolutely loved it there, so beautiful – I’m sure you’ll get the chance to visit! I’d also love to hit up Norway, my husband goes there a lot for work and his cousins are Norwegian, so why he’s never taken me I’ll never know! So rude!
Beth x
How rude! That’s amazing that he has Norwegian family! I wouldn’t go to Amsterdam during a “peak time” anyway!
Top of my list are Malta and Venice! I’d also love to visit Disneyland. I’m such a UK holiday person but I hope eventually I’ll be able to afford a trip abroad. Amsterdam sounds so good too.
Disneyland is so magical!
Norway is amazing! I took the 7-hour train from Oslo to Bergen when I was in Norway and the views were truly beyond reality!
Imogen’s Typewriter. <3
It looks AMAZING! Apparently there’s a pretty huge one in Germany too where brother in law lives so I think it’s going to have to be done when we finally get to visit them whether anyone else wants to or not (as in I’ll forgo bills etc to get there and book in secret so nobody can say no!)
Have been to Disney three times and have to get there with the kids really soon (I’ve said this on this blog before, sorry!) Also Vegas, but am going there with college friends for our fortieth in two years time so tick in advance! Also have been to Australia but really want the kids to see the majesty that is Sydney (sorry I’m being all boring and talking about kiddies all the time but I really want them to see it all!!) Also now Legoland (see previous apology;)) Great post as ever and love your places. Was in Amsterdam two years ago, is really cool!
I really want to go to Legoland!!
this is such an amazing list!! I hope you make to them all!
Thank you! 🙂
Lovely post gal, it’s so important to have travel dreams even if travelling can be a trigger, because it also can be a lot of fun. I’ve only visited Amsterdam out of the places on this list, and I absolutely love the city. The canals are beautiful, the people friendly and it has a lot of history and culture behind it. I’ve visited Paris twice but never Disneyland, it’s definitely on my list.
Megan // https://pixieskiesblog.wordpress.com/
Amsterdam sounds absolutely perfect! 😍
Disneyland Paris is on my list too! Unfortunately I think the rest of my places are too “coupley” for a single girl to go 🙄😂
Haha yeah maybe! Although I’m sure you could have a fun girls holiday to Amsterdam 😉
Been to Bergen and Amsterdam and I would probably rather visit the latter a second time just because there’s more to do there. Only had a few days there and took full advantage of one of those city cards that give you lots of free/reduced access/travel plus some freebies too (sweets and a drink in a pub!) Could easily use the card on a second trip of a few days and still not cover everything you can do with it. Bergen might have been a little more disappointing simply because the weather wasn’t great when we visited but Norway – other than being horribly expensive – is a gorgeous country. If you get to both or either you won’t be disappointed with what you find.
I love cold weather so the weather wouldn’t bother me at all even if it was raining.
Centre Parcs is amazing, I used to go there a lot as a child. I’d love to go back to Disneyland Paris too!
Serena / http://www.ramblingsofanotherunigraduate.com
Ah I wanna go so bad it looks so chill!
I really want to go to Italy and just around Europe basically. I better start saving now though knowing how expensive the trip will be!
p.s I’ve literally just discovered your blog and I’m in loveeee!
Awh thank you! Hope you make it to Italy 🙂
I’d love to visit all of these places too! Disneyland is the dream, it just looks absolutely magical. I’ve also heard great things about Amsterdam too! I hope you get to visit all of these one day xx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
Thank you – I hope you get to Disneyland too 🙂
It was really nice to see that these aren’t the typical places you see on these lists all the time! I used to go to Center Parcs a lot as a kid, haven’t been in years though. I don’t have any specific destinations I’d like to visit by a certain age but I definitely have (huge) travel bucket list x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
My blog turns one in two days and apparently, I still can’t spell my own domain right….
Thank you! I’m definitely not one for popular tourist places!
I’d actually love to be able to travel anywhere lol I have this secret desire to go to Disneyland Tokyo. 🙂 x
I’d love to visit Japan as well! My boyfriend went for work a few years ago and loved it!
I turn 28 in December 😭 its so strange from 25 onwards I just got morbid tendencies / anxiety about things I’d never even considered before! I spoke to my older sister and she said the same thing happened to her! It’s called a quarter life crisis apparently?! Whatever it is … It sucks ha! Happy birthday by the way!! And I love your travel destinations 🙂
Rach | https://rachaelhope.co.uk
Thank you! I’m totally with you, I feel the same. Definitely a quarter life crisis!
I love reading other people’s travel lists because it’s interesting to see how different we all are. I’ve never even thought about going to Norway but I just had a Google of the places you mentioned and it looks absolutely GORGEOUS! I have also never been to Center Parcs and want to go at some point!
Jas xx | https://thoughtsfromjasmine.co.uk
Right! It looks like a wonderland!
How interesting that you have Scandinavian ancestors, no wonder Bergen is top of your list 🙂 Amsterdam is lovely, Alan and I went years ago for an extended city break, my abiding memory was all the flower barges. I hope you make it back to your happy place before you’re 30, Jenny, keeping my fingers crossed for you! Xx
Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com
I know! I’ve been looking at my DNA results a lot recently and it’s so interesting – I have so much shared DNA with Norwegian and Swedish!
I’ve never been to any sort of Disneyland or Disney World, and that’s one place I’d really love to visit someday (hopefully before I’m 30, too, lol)! I’ve heard so many good things about Amsterdam, too. I hope you’re able to visit all these places!!
Ah make Disneyland a priority, it’s the most magical holiday!
I’ve seen a couple of posts about Center Parcs recently, and it looks like so much fun. I’d love to go on a little break there sometime. Yay for Disney! It’s such a happy place! Hope you get to visit again soon. Great post Jenny! 💖 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Same! Ummmm shall we go?! Carl and I would love a couple to go with!
I’ve never heard of center parcs it seems like such a fun place to visit
I’ve heard great things 🙂
great post! those all sound like incredible places to visit. I would love to go to disneyland paris at some point in my life. Wouldn’t it be so magical to go to ALL the disney lands / worlds!? I’ve only been to disney world twice and i’m dying to go back. I would also love to visit Amsterdam. Visiting Anne Frank’s house is high on my bucket list! xxx
Mich // simplymich.com
It’d be a pretty amazing achievement to go to all of them! Anne Frank’s house would be an incredible experience!
These are such great places! I’ve got a list that’s so long, I need to start ticking places off!
Haha hope you manage to tick a few off soon!
I really want to go to Disney Paris again xx
It’s so magical!
Center Parks is somewhere I have always wanted to go, growing up my friends would also go there with their families and I would always be so jealous!
Yeah same! It looks so lovely 🙂
Haha I totally understand how you feel in this post. Every relatable post !!
Disney should honestly never not be on a list like this, it’s so amazing there ❤️❤️ Honestly I’ve also always wanted to go Centre Parcs too, it looks so fun and I don’t even care it wouldn’t be ‘abroad’, great post as always xxx
Thank you 🙂 Nope I don’t care either, doesn’t matter at all!
Well now Disneyland Paris is on the list! I want to go back to London and Paris so badly. I also want to see the south of France. Give me some lavender fields and some wine please!
Ah as someone who lives near London I REALLY don’t wanna go there ever 😂
I went to Bergen last year and liked it but I personally prefer the towns of Flam and Olden – the scenery is stunning x
http://www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk
I’d love to explore those too!
Disney sounds so fun! I live in Orlando so I’m super close to DisneyWorld there (but haven’t visited yet). Is the Paris one the only one you’ve been to?
Yes the only one and the only one I’d really want to go to tbh because I don’t like heat so I wouldn’t fair in the US very well 😂
haha totally understandable! it can get very humid and hot in florida
I recently revived my bucket list. There are a lot of travel spots on there! Lol! Norway and Ireland are close to the top of my list for similar reasons. We’ll get there eventually!
I do hope so!
How did I forget Ireland *face palm* ?!?!
You’d love Centre Parcs – so much fun and also massively chilled out at the same time x
That sounds like my perfect holiday!
Yes – I would love to go to Disneyland Paris! I have been to Disneyland in California so many times but I think Paris will be that much more amazing.
I can’t comment on California but Paris is really special 😌
I was about to be seriously disappointed if I didn’t see Disneyland on there in any form! A lot of these are on my list too!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
I went to Amsterdam once but only for a few hours. I need to go again!
That sounds like a quick stopover!
I was staying in Utrecht for a friend and couldn’t not see even a tiny bit 🙂
I live in Norwich and am yet to go to Center Parcs. I hear it’s amazing!
I’ve heard that too! There’s a fair few CP’s around the UK, you’re lucky you live near one
Oh, 100%. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE travelling abroad but you also cannot beat a nice UK holiday 🙂
I would love to go to Disney, but honestly it’s just far too expensive to be anything other than a dream for me!
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk
It can be expensive but there’s definitely some good ways to save money. I always stay in the cheapest Disney hotel, which is WONDERFUL and I’ve never needed to spend loads more on the more expensive ones.
I really need to go to Disney!
You really do!
Yes! Times ten, yes! There are many places to which I would love to visit! As I read your post, a slight grin crossed my face as I, too, am recently 26 and have various places I would love to touch before 30.
I do have one question. Why Disney Paris again?!?! Lol. I’m joking. I get that some people love the Disney experience, but for me, one or two times would suffice the itch. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to visit Disney with my family more to see everyone’s joy and of excitements, but I have never understood intrinsic desires to visit these parks from an adult. Lol.
I truly hope your dreams do come true before you reach thirty (see what I did there?), and you get to see all of these places! My goals are Australia, Japan, Philippines, Mongolia, and several others.
Good luck!
Because Disney is my happy place and Disney is one of my biggest loves, I’ll always want to visit Disney as it’s a new experience every time. I’d go every year if I could. I’d love to go to Japan too.