Bucket list?

[RVcrazy]

Has anyone put together a bucket list of their most important or interesting things to see or do by state? We are full timers, so recommendations of when to visit and when to avoid would be nice... I am looking at trip advisor etc for ideas also. Thanks!

[Bigdog]

I don't have a bucket list except to be able to keep rving. I do look back at the things I've done in my life that I've done and some of them are bucket list. Lots of traveling and tent camping all over the country when I was a kid with my parents and three bro and a sister. A lot of backpacking in Washington and Oregon with family and friends. I have backpacked all but 10-15 miles of ther Pacific Crest trail in Washington,done the trail around Rainer,once in sections and once all at once. I worked as a lay chaplain for the Presbyterian Church on a 65' boat in Southeast Alaska for 9 months. I have flown twice on a B-17 and was an inflight refueler on a KC-97G refueling B-47s and B-52s. I have been to all but two states, but probably won't get to those as one's Vermont and the other is La. I've had a good life and am relatively healthy with somer goood kids,several grandkids and a great grandkid and a great wife.

[Roy_Lynne]

I've got this Bucket List Notebook of the sites and states we want to visit. Its so detailed that I even have where to fill up and restaurants to try. BUT as all "bucket lists " its geared to what we enjoy seeing. The Roy part of Roy and Lynne loves old Masonic buildings, museums and Civil War history. The Lynne part loves Birding, Geology and all things Native American. So each stop includes that and if we see a brown sign along the road, we will usually include a detour to see what is there.

[Bowti]

Don't forget the small stuff. When we stop for the night, we always ask, "what is there to see in the area"? We have found some unbelievable hidden gems that way, that we didn't know existed.
They are some of our best memories.

[dapperdan]

2gypsies wrote:
dapperdan: I also recommend you take that drive to Alaska. You won't regret it!!

Yeah you're right, we probably will..... It's just that's a BIG trip! That would be quite the adventure for sure!

I've been on the Dalton HWY twice, once all the way to Atigun Pass, just not in my truck. :B

Dan

[welove2drive]

We don't have a list yet. We have a lot of places on our minds for when we are retired and can take as long as we desire. I get ideas from this site and Trip Advisor and just googling areas. It is time consuming but it is my therapy. I have discovered thing to do and places to see that we may have been disapointed if we learned of them after the trip. Such as riding ATV's along the Oregon Dunes; the slot canyon tour near Page, AZ; hiking trails at Turkey Run SP in Indiana; Slide Rock SP in the Oak Creek canyon in AZ; Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park near Crescent City, CA; Colorado River Discovery raft trip at Page, AZ; Hot Springs Lodge and Pool in Glenwood Springs, CO; Float trip on the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers in Southern Missouri; camping by the White River under the Dam at Bull Shoals Lake in AR; Virginia Creeper bike/hike trail at Damascus, VA. So if you find yourself in these areas these places were worth the stop. I would visit them again.
Safe travels,
Marcia

[Veebyes]

2gypsies wrote:
dapperdan: I also recommend you take that drive to Alaska. You won't regret it!!

If you have a RV there are 2 things that must be done at least once.

#1 without doubt is going to Alaska. It is not just Alaska. It is the whole North once you get past Edmonton on the eastern route or Jasper doing the western route up the Cassiar.

#2 is doing the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival. You must stay in the huge dry camping area on the other side of Alameda. Most mornings the balloons pass right overhead. Some land in an open area right in the middle of the camping area.

[2gypsies1]

dapperdan: I also recommend you take that drive to Alaska. You won't regret it!!

[dapperdan]

One thing that had been on MY bucket list for a long while was to go to Alaska in the winter to see the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). We realized that in March of 2013 just after I retired. I Loved it so much I went back with my SIL this last March.

Yosemite was on DW's list so we did that in Sept. of 2013 along with the Redwoods and SF. (on both of our bucket lists)

Now she's talking about driving to Alaska. :E I don't know if that's going to happen or not.

I feel VERY lucky to have been to so many beautiful places around this country that my bucket list now is to just keep traveling, driving and sight-seeing as long as our bodies (and wallet) can tolerate it. Just being able to get out and travel no matter how long or far is a "blessing"!

Dan

[milo]

I have just 2 items on my bucket list... 1 is to just travel and see as much of the USA as I can & the other is to live to be 100. Not asking for allot.

[Veebyes]

Started to scratch this travel itch in 2007. Thought that a few years of intense travel would do it & we would sell the truck & trailer & get back to our weekend overnght boating at home in Bermuda.

Well, here we are, 2015, most years since 2007 over 160 nights per year on the road, every state, except FL, visited at least twice, Alaska done 3 times & we are still going strong scratching away. All the big NPs done, some multiple times. Many big events for RVers, such as Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta & Oshkosh air adventure, done. Many blurgrass festivals done.

We are just getting into our stride. Our bucket keeps refilling.

[TyroneandGladys]

These spots in the contiguous lower 48 States
Cape Flattery Washington the furthest north west point
Angle Inlet Minnesota the furthest north point
Quoddy Head State Park Maine furthest east point
Key West Florida furthest south point

[Lauren]

Hey, Busskipper, I tried to time all this trip for the colors; starting with Capitol Reef. I have found I don't make the rules for color changes! Man plans, God laughs.

Some color here but still too early. We drove Independence Pass today (to the top) and got some pretty good, but not great, images. We will be heading to Ouray tomorrow and doing Monarch Pass. Any images shot will be done by DW Barbara thru the truck windshield! Unless I can find a nice shot from a DOWNHILL pullover of some sort.

I don't have rules about posting; I just have never done it cause I don't know how. I have many, many (not yet from this year) images posted on www.LaurenBarbara.com and you just go to the Wanderings link on the left and pick your choice.

Just keep in mind two things - some images are a few years old and I have better ones which will be posted. Secondly, all my images are copyrighted (but it would be tough to download a decent printable from the websites). Actually, I am more concerned with the "professional" website www.LaurensPix.com You can always go there and look at On the Road link.

[Busskipper]

Lauren wrote:
When I retired in Minneapolis in 1995 we moved to a home we had built in Estes Park, CO. We camped a lot prior to then but never thought we would get any kind of trailer or anything. In 1998 we started with a small trailer and loved it and now love the 35 foot 5er.

We have part time RV's all over the 11 western states and 2 western provinces. Never, EVER regretted it. The rv park we are now in in Buena Vista, CO is #178 of different rv parks we have stayed.

The point of that is that you need to enjoy it to YOUR desires. 2gypsies is right on the money - do what YOU want to do. Then seek out info on those on places YOU want to go.

I was in sales / marketing and both D W and I were involved in a lot of things. Now we migrate to God's creative beauty. Drive it or hike it, then come back to nice shower and dinner (don't ask us about eating places we don't go to them). I work on photos in the evening and D W reads. Rarely even turn on TV. I can't change the world so why worry about it - try not to.

This age of electric / digital provides you with so much for informational purposes to suit your needs. It is so great.

This Forum is one of the best tools out there. Use it.

My 50 cents worth. 🙂

Be safe and love life.

Jealous, Lauren, you might be just a week or two early, for the Aspen, but this is the BEST TIME to be where you are. Would love it if you would break a few of your "Rules" and post a couple of your great looking pictures of the Collegiates and the Aspen.

Enjoy your/the time in what May be the next National Park,

Busskipper

[Bob806]

When I retire in 4 years, my first trip is to finally make it to the Columbia River Gorge and Redwood Forest.