How Travel Bloggers Influenced My Travel Bucket List
Top destinations travel bloggers are talking about and why I’ve added them to my bucket list.
My travel goals are heavily influenced by online bloggers and vloggers. I can’t think about buying anything without checking if someone else online loved it first!
Before travelling, I research online, making sure I’m putting my money into an amazing experience. After flicking through other travellers Instagram feeds or their blogs I long to walk on those same stunning beaches or the beautiful cobbled streets where their travel stories started. I have come to realise that my whole travel bucket list is inspired and influenced by these online travel bloggers!
So, buckle up as I’m about to give away my best-kept secret…the top 8 destinations on my travel bucket list and what I’ll get up to when I’m there, inspired by all those travel influencers out there! (With some beautiful travel pictures to inspire some wanderlust).
1. Bagan, Myanmar
Bagan looks AMAZING – I first heard of it when I saw Travel Textbook’s Instagram. I scrolled through the travel photos with my mouth wide open, imagining myself there.
What I will do in Bagan, Myanmar?
Temple Hopping: From Anada Temple to Thatbyinnyu Temple…I’ll fit as many temples into the trip as possible.
Sunrise and Sunset: I’ll make sure to try catch the sunrise and sunset every day, everyone who has travelled to Bagan raves about the spectacular sunrise and sunset.
Hot Air Balloons: An iconic image of Myanmar is the hot-air balloons, so this is a must for my trip. Seeing views over all the temples and hoping to get that perfect sunset picture.
2. Prague, Czech Republic
A destination closer to home, I am hoping to get this checked off my list before the end of the year! I’ve heard so many people going to Prague and absolutely loving it. It can be pretty cheap too which suits my student budget. I read Nomadic Matt’s travel blog post about Prague and it made me realise that I could explore this city on a short weekend break.
What I will do in Prague:
Old Town Square: Exploring the Old Town Square is on all the travel blogs about Prague, and it will be on mine too! The historical streets that come off the square look beautiful and would be the perfect place to eat whilst soaking in the atmosphere.
Astronomical Clock Strike: This is a massive tourist activity will be checked off my list. At the hour, every hour, this mechanical clock in the Old Town Square gathers a huge crowd to watch the show at the top as the clock strikes the hour.
Charles Bridge: Since I’ll most likely take this trip on a budget, doing something touristy and free like a walk across the bridge is the perfect combination for me. This bridge looks beautiful in all the travel pictures.
Prague Castle: Another free activity for me, a popular one amoungst the tourists so I will jump on that bandwagon too to explore this stunning castle.
3. Cape Town, South Africa
Is this not on everyone’s travel bucket list? What more could you want than the heat, amazing views and exciting activities? This is definitely a trip that needs more than a week to experience, this will be a trip of a lifetime. On the Luce travel blog gave me great tips about how to keep it on a budget if I needed to though!
Must Do’s in Cape Town:
Table Mountain: This list had to start with an iconic symbol of Cape Town. Taking a cable car right up to the top and seeing that breath taking view from the top is priority on my check list for Cape Town.
Food: I’ll be trying some traditional food wherever I am, this is a no-brainer for any trip. I’ve heard about some amazing South African food I have to try. One of the recommendations is experiencing a big braai (lots of grilled meat…it puts our BBQ’s in the UK to shame). I’ll also try some Cape Malay cuisine which is even more authentic.
Toast to the Weather: South African wine tours are supposed to be some of the best and learning about wine is something that I would love to do – it’s not exactly something that my University experience has taught me so far! As well as tasting some South African wine, I’ll be able to toast to the amazing weather whilst feeling the sun on my shoulders – bliss!
4. Chiang Mai, Thailand
One day I’ll go backpacking through Thailand and Chiang Mai will definitely be stop on that trip. Breathing Travel talks about the amazing food and incredible markets found in Chiang Mai, as well as the adventurous side of the city. I am desperate to visit now.
What to do in Chiang Mai:
Rent a Scooter: The traffic is supposed to be crazy, but this is an experience I don’t want to miss out on. With a little research it seems like you can rent scooters quite cheap for a few days.
Temple Hopping: I don’t think you can really go to Asia and not spend a few days jumping from temple to temple? My number one choice of temple to visit is the Wat Chiang Man.
Food: The market food looks so delicious, especially at the night markets in Chiang Mai. I also would love to spend a day at a cooking class, it is such a popular activity and something I can bring home with me (the knowledge…not the food)!
Nightlife: A full moon party would definitely be on the cards. It can’t be all about culture all the time, and this has become a massive part of the culture for tourists in Thailand!
5. Dublin, Ireland
I’ve seen so much recently on social media about St Patrick’s Day, and Dublin looks like a beautiful place to visit. Dublin would be a great weekend break, with cheap flights from Glasgow! Hopefully I’ll be able to experience the Irish charm sooner rather than later.
What I want to do in Dublin:
Shopping: I would definitely have to do some window shopping when in Dublin. Grafton Street is a well-known bustling street in the city with high-end shops and entertainment from talented buskers and street performers.
Trinity College Dublin: This beautiful university will be worth a visit for the views alone, and to take some nice pictures. I would also love to go to the library to take a look at some of the beautiful books as it is an important historical spot in Dublin.
Temple Bar: Party with the Irish, maybe even party like the Irish…I don’t know if I could handle alcohol as well as they do though! Temple Bar has a long history and is well loved by locals and tourists so is a must do on my trip.
Guinness Tour: Talking about alcohol, I’d love to do the Guinness Brewery Tour. Pouring my own perfect pint and learning about the beloved Irish stout beer sounds very Irish!
6. San Francisco, USA.
The Golden Gate Bridge is enough to make me want to travel thousands of miles to see, never mind all the other fantastic things you can experience in San Francisco.
What to do in San Francisco:
Golden Gate Bridge: Hire a bike and cycle over the stunning Golden Gate Bridge, preferably at sunrise or sunset to take in those breathtaking views.
Cable Cars: So many movies and TV shows growing up featured the San Francisco cable cars, therefore I’ll spend my trip hopping on and off these cable cars…bringing the big screen to life!
Pier 39 on Fisherman’s Wharf: It’s described as a hub of activity with shopping and great food, as well as infamous street performers.
7. Los Angeles, USA.
The city of stars, the place people go for their dreams to come true! My only dream for this trip is to replicate those travel bloggers cute pictures of rollerblading down Venice Beach and experiencing true USA West Coast living.
Plans for Los Angeles:
Beaches: I’ll be spending a lot of time soaking up the sun, waking along the sandy beaches and rollerblading down Venice beach. What’s better than watching the sun set on the beach after a long day of exploring?
Hollywood: Walking down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, maybe spotting a celeb if I’m lucky! I’d spend the whole day in Hollywood experiencing the glitz and glamour of this celeb hotspot.
Rodeo Drive Shopping: Drooling over the high-end brands and maybe even picking up a few things if the exchange rate is good! Rodeo Drive is the go to place for vloggers and bloggers, and now a must go for me.
Theme Parks: Disney and Universal are must do’s. I’ve never been to Disney before but it is something I want to do ASAP.
8. New Orleans
Specifically, New Orleans during Mardi Gras. An article on tripsology about experiencing Mardi Gras in New Orleans made me fall in love with this place without having even visited! The thought of the bright colours and the vibrant city makes me want to visit New Orleans at the height of the festival season.
What I want to do in New Orleans:
Mardi Gras: Exploring Bourbon Street in the French Quarter to get the ultimate New Orleans experience, especially during Mardi Gras! I can’t wait to watch the parades and festivities unfolding around me.
Steamboat Cruise: A steamboat cruise on the Mississippi River would be the perfect travel activity, it is a well-known river and experiencing a steamboat cruise would be very exciting!
Plantation Tour: Adding a little bit of history to this cultural holiday with a plantation tour to discover the history of New Orleans.
There you have it, the top 8 destinations on my travel bucket list right now! Some of these I will be planning in the near future and some I’ll just keep day dreaming about, but I’ll be writing about my travel experiences every step of the way!
I wonder does this now make me a travel blogger? Well, I hope so. I plan on adding more and more destinations and trips to my travel bucket-list along the way.
I am a massive music lover with a goal to attend every festival I can get tickets for, as well as travelling the world… but on a student budget. I love watching travel videos and seeing other people’s pics for inspiration on where I should go next – I’ll just keep saving for that round the world trip!