Once you have children, your life inevitably changes. Sure, you hear of those people—likely urban legends—who strap their kids to their backs and continue traversing the world like it’s no big deal. Most of us, however, will likely “settle down” to some extent once we’ve made babies, and even if we do continue to travel extensively, it won’t be in the same reckless manner as it was back when we were free of responsibility. So, if you’re thinking about procreating anytime in the next decade or so, you may want to add these 5 trips to your bucket list ASAP.
5 Bucket List Trips To Take Before You Have Kids
For The Adventurer: Hike The Pacific Coast Trail
If we're being honest, we snoozed a bit during the film (Wild) in which Reese Witherspoon endeavored to hike the Pacific Coast Trail. She's just walking! However, according to friends who have actually done this, it's actually as grueling as it's probably intended to look in Wild, if not more so.
If walking through Oregon doesn't sound adventurous enough for you, try backpacking through Nepal and climbing Mount Everest instead. Or, looking at Mount Everest with your backpack on, because actually climbing it costs more than $35,000. As a budget-friendly alternative (that's also a lot easier, but still boast-worthy) you can climb Mt.Fuji for around $100. Watch Meru to get inspired.
For The Partier: Carnival
Depending on where you go in the world, Carnival's origin story varies. The most widely accepted version is that Catholics in Italy created Carnival hundreds of years ago as a costumed festival during which they indulged in hedonistic pleasures in advance of the 40-day period of abstinence known as Lent.
It's now evolved in scope beyond the wildest dreams of those pioneering revelers, with wild, week-long celebrations held all over the world. You can still attend Carnival in Italy, though we recommend trying out the versions in Rio de Janeiro or Trinidad instead and, for a domestic option, New Orleans is a must.
Hard partiers might also want to check out the insane nightlife scene in Berlin, where some clubs open Friday night and don't close until Monday morning (see: Berghain). Ibiza is also a good option if you're looking to sow your wild oats before settling down.
For The FOMO-Experiencer: Burning Man
We're told that FOMO doesn't go away once you have children and, in fact, it can get worse once you start perusing Instagram in a sleep-deprived fever dream. For those who know they'll be among the moms who can't handle the fear of missing out, we suggest hitting up all of the biggest FOMO-inducing events before it's too late. Burning Man is a great example, as is Nowhere in Spain. It's not that you can't attend these events once you have kids, it's just that in your case, it's better to be safe than left out, right?
For The Soul Searcher: Ayahuasca Ceremony In Peru
You can do this once you have kids, but vomiting for hours might not be your idea of fun at the end of a long week spent cleaning up after your wee ones. If you don't yet know what ayahuasca is, it's a hallucinatory tea made from a vine that only grows in the rainforest. In a proper ceremony, you'll take the tea under the guidance of a shaman, who will escort you through the experience. Watch Chelsea Does Drugs on Netflix for further reference.
For Anyone: Destinations Involving Long-Haul Flights
Even if you're not taking the kids with you, odds are you aren't going to want to spend 40 hours of your limited time away from them on a plane. So, we suggest you visit anywhere requiring long-haul flights before you give birth. Great examples are South Africa or the Maldives, which both require 20.5 hour (direct) flights from the West Coast.
