10 Family Bucket List Destinations for Summer

Planning your summer vacation? Is this the year you tick off one of your family bucket list trips? Here’s the inspiration you need get planning, whether you’re dreaming about taking an African safari, eating a croissant in Paris or photographing the Grand Canyon.

Mother and baby elephant in Kruger National Park in South Africa. — Momma and her baby elephant enjoying a stroll in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

Do you have a family bucket list? We wrote ours on a napkin while waiting for dinner at a Red Robin. It included taking an Alaskan cruise and a hot air balloon ride. It’s a work in progress, especially now that my kids are grown, with busy lives of their own.

So, what’s your #1 summer bucket list destination? Put away budget concerns and don’t worry about whether or not you can take time off from work.

We’re daydreaming.

If money wasn’t a concern and you had an unlimited amount of time, where would you go and what would you do? This year, I’m really hoping to get to Costa Rica. You?

Visiting Paris with the Kids

One of my favorite summer family bucket list trips was our trip to France. In addition to checking out the Eiffel Tower and stuffing our faces full of the best baked goods in the world, we took an amazing day trip to Normandy to see Omaha Beach and other D-Day sites. Walking through history was an emotional experience and one I’m so glad we shared as a family.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris at night, a popular summer family bucket list destination. — Loved taking this photo of the kids snapping the Eiffel Tower in Paris! Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

To get you started, here are 10 inspirational summer family bucket list trips to consider. Included are visits to epic national treasures and classic European adventures. Get ready to fill your Instagram feed and Facebook posts with photos as you check off your bucket list and expand your horizons this summer.

Happy travels!

Ultimate Guide to the Grand Canyon | Lavendervines.com

Best Things to Do in Whistler in the Summer | Seehertravel.com

Riding Bicycles – Eating Cheese / Amsterdam | Toeuropeandbeyond.com

Ultimate Guide to Niagara Falls | Wanderlustingk.com

Outer Banks Vacation | Femmefrugality.com

10 Fun Things to Do in Paris with Kids | TravelingMom.com

The Ultimate Guide to Kruger National Park South Africa | Thetravellingchilli.com

Summer Road Trip to Bar Harbor | Playgroundparkbench.com

Things to do – Cairns, Australia | Ytravelblog.com

Guide to Machu Picchu | Bohotravel.org