Inspiration

30 Travel Goals for 2018

A new year, a new you—we've heard it all before. But here at Traveler, we're setting goals of a different kind: those that will take us to places we've never been, help us become better global citizens, and just be smarter about travel. These are our 30 travel resolutions for the next year, whether it be finally visiting "the world's aquarium" or just doing a better job exchanging foreign currency. Some of us even have more than one thing to knock out in 2018. What's yours?
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    Cross another continent off my list.

    "Having only traveled through North America and Europe (with a technical jump to Asia when I was in Istanbul), I want to go somewhere totally unfamiliar and new. Africa (specifically South Africa) is up there, as are Colombia and Chile in South America. Will I get to all of these places before we ring in 2019? Definitely not—my bank account isn't unlimited. But even if I make it to only one of these destinations, I'll be thrilled." —Bridget Hallinan

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    Take more long weekends.

    "There are so many places worth visiting within a few hours of New York City (by plane, train, or automobile) that I’ve never been to, and I’m committed to eating my way through them all. Philadelphia is up first. See you soon, Zahav!" —Meredith Carey

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    Visit one new place per month.

    "Whether it's a new city or country, or new restaurant or museum, I'm making this year about new experiences rather than things that make me feel comfortable. First up: I'm taking a weeklong solo trip to Japan this year (two firsts in one!) and can't wait to eat my weight's worth of noodles." —Rachel Coleman

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    Get Global Entry.

    "I'd like to get my seven-month-old daughter Global Entry, because I already tested the goodwill of Customs once this year. (Even if parents have Global Entry, infants and kids don't get a free pass—we learned that the hard way.)" —Laura Dannen Redman

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    Go somewhere just because of a flight deal.

    "Whether it’s spotting a cheap fare to a destination on my list (Senegal, Japan, Mongolia) or a hard-to-resist steal to somewhere not yet on my radar, this is the year I’m going to take advantage of the amazing flight deals out there." —Megan Spurrell

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    Visit Scandinavia.

    "I'm determined to finally make it to Scandinavia, a place I've wanted to get to for years. I have this absurd fantasy of retreating to a snow-logged cabin on a fjord, where I'm totally, unequivocally alone—and after spending dozens of months dilly-dallying, watching flight deals come and go, and seeing hygge content just about everywhere, I think it's finally time I committed." —Betsy Blumenthal

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    Show some love to Puerto Rico.

    "I've wanted to go to Puerto Rico for years, and in 2018, as it continues its recovery, seems like a good time to go and lend support. My husband grew up there, and always talks about the forests of Piñones, beaches of Culebra, the mile-long stretch of lechon stands in Guavate, the colorful houses of Viejo San Juan, and a German restaurant so good that he swears it will knock me—someone who grew up in Germany eating schnitzel—off my chair." —Katherine LaGrave

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    Take a proper two-week trip to Vietnam.

    "I'm desperate to go to Vietnam. I've wanted to go for awhile—I don't think you can tackle it in less than ten days, so we'll see if I can get the time off." —Paulie Dibner

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    Finally take a solo trip—abroad.

    "I love traveling by myself, but I've only ever done road trips or quick flights to visit people I know—all within the U.S. So 2018 will be the year I finally take a solo trip abroad. Right now, I'm thinking of going somewhere far away for the holidays, ideally to a dreamy winter city like Prague or Edinburgh." —Caitlin Morton

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    Try voluntourism.

    "Travel has given me so much, so in the coming year I plan to show my gratitude by volunteering while I travel. There are vast opportunities to build and maintain trails along the Pacific Coast, allowing me to explore new areas of the U.S. while spending time in the outdoors. Win-Win." —Meg Reinhardt

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    Get to West Africa before everyone else does.

    "I want to get to West Africa for the first time. Dakar, Senegal has long been on my list for its beaches, history, and Afro-jazz clubs (and there's a direct flight from JFK!)." —Erin Florio

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    See the post-'Eat, Pray, Love' side of Bali.

    "I’m going to Bali to see what’s changed since it got trampled by the Eat Pray Love crowd. There are a few new hotels opening in off-the-beaten-path areas; I’m always up for trying new and out-there wellness therapies, and I hear there’s a growing food scene on the island that I’m eager to check out." —Alex Postman

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    See more of my own country.

    "Whenever I think of places I want to travel, I think of international cities in Europe or Asia. But there are so many accessible places to see and explore that are just a few hours away: I'd love to visit Savannah, Charleston, and Portland." —Diane Kang

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    Make a pilgrimage to Sicily.

    "In December, I went to a museum in Umbria devoted to the work of Arte Povera artist Alberto Burri, where I saw a short documentary about "Il Grando Cretto di Gibellina." Part land art installation, part memorial, it's a massive, stunning, totally surreal maze of white concrete that covers the ruins of the old Sicilian city of Gibellina, which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1968. I've felt the pull of Sicily for a few years now, but now I have a pilgrimage to make." —Andrea Whittle

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    Kick back on the best island in the world.

    "I have tons of family in the Philippines and it’s been years since I’ve visited. Considering Boracay was voted best island in the world in our Readers' Choice Awards, now seems like the perfect time to finally take that trip." —Mara Balagtas

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    Help my retired parents explore the world.

    "My parents are both recently retired, so I would love to help them visit places they've never been. (I've got to repay them for all those family road trips, after all!) They're headed to Cuba on a Holland America cruise this month, and with luck, we'll all visit Paris for Christmas." —L.D.R.

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    See how far Nepal has come post-earthquake.

    "I’m really, really hoping (dream-hoping) to visit a friend who’s living in Nepal. She’s in Kathmandu and works as a development partner via the Swedish government. It’s been amazing to see how much has been done there post-earthquake—the city is back and ready for visitors, yet it’s still not on the beaten path in terms of tourism these days. I love the idea of seeing the city in its current, pre-rediscovery iteration, and taking it all in with fresh eyes." —Corina Quinn

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    Be humbled.

    "If I get a chance to go to the West Coast, I'll visit Sequoia National Park and see the 275-foot sequoia trees in person. I think it would be an incredibly humbling and profound experience." —D.K.

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    Set sail for the 'world's aquarium.'

    "I’m going to see blue whales in the Sea of Cortez in February, which is prime whale-viewing season. Jacques Cousteau called it the ‘world’s aquarium’ because of its abundance of sea creatures." —Marina Cacciapuoti

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    Finally do that grand tour of Asia.

    "This has to be the year I finally take my wife to Asia—a place she’s longing to visit. Tokyo is the perfect soft landing spot, but as long as we’re there, we’ll need to hit Hong Kong and bounce to Singapore for laksa noodle soup at a hawker center. We’ll round it all out with a couple days in a private pool at the Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay—and worry about the credit card bill when we get home." —Paul Brady

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    Road trip with the family.

    "With three young kids, it’s tricky getting to far-off places. But we love road trips: Last year we did Tahoe to Palm Springs and Idaho to northern California. Next up: the Carolinas." —Sarah Meikle

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    Get a cheap transatlantic flight to do something extraordinary.

    "For the past few years, I’ve been talking to nearly everyone I meet about kayaking in Kosterhavet, Sweden's only national marine park. Thanks to the prevalence of low-cost transatlantic flights, this is the year I'm finally packing my paddle and hitting the water." —K.L.G

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    Learn (or re-learn) to scuba dive in Bonaire.

    "Twelve years ago, on a trip to the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean, I took a course and got my PADI scuba diving certification. It was life-changing, and in the years that immediately followed, I hit the depths wherever I could. Then, for some reason, I stopped, and as the years went by, even if I wanted to go on a dive, I was intimidated by the fact that it had been so long. Time to fix that: This year, I’m taking a refresher course and making scuba diving a renewed priority in my future travels, starting right where it began, in Bonaire. Not only do I know divers and instructors on the island, but it’s also ideal for beginners (or re-beginners, as the case may be), as you can dive in beautiful reefs straight from the shore, instead of taking a boat trip into the deep blue." —Sebastian Modak

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    Budget better.

    "This may be a little strange, but my travel goal for 2018 is to better manage foreign currency when I'm traveling. I inevitably always end up flying home with a ton of foreign coins that I don't exchange back to American currency and, therefore, have a giant can of random coinage that I'm convinced would make me a millionaire if I could somehow convert it back." —Lara Kramer

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    Take a food-focused trip.

    "I’d love to become better-versed in Middle Eastern cuisines. Israel and Morocco sound like delicious places to start: There’s a reason they’re trending in the food world, and what better way to dive in than by going straight to the source?" —M.E.

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    Head straight to the 'best city in the world.'

    "Instead of reading a Murakami novel on my couch in Brooklyn, this year, I plan to read one on a flight to Tokyo. I've never been to Japan, which means I want to take full advantage of the bullet train and travel all over the country, starting in the capital—named the best city in the world in our Readers' Choice Awards—and making stops in Osaka and Kyoto—vacation days be damned. That said, I'd be lying if I said food wasn't the biggest draw. The Tsukiji Fish Market! Twenty-piece omakase! Slurp-worthy ramen noodles! My flight alerts have already been set." —Lale Arikoglu

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    Do a couples' getaway in Portugal.

    "New parents need some time away as a duo, rather than a trio or quartet. I'm resolved to do a long weekend away in Portugal with my husband: Lisbon, Porto, and all the meat, cheese, and wine we can handle." —L.D.R.

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    Get (completely) off the grid.

    "Specifically, in Twentynine Palms, California at this Airbnb. Life in New York City is too connected, too busy, too wired. The emptiness of the desert, and the night sky above (in a bedroom without a ceiling, no less) might finally, temporarily calm the buzz." —David Jefferys

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    Make time for elephants.

    "This is finally the year I spend time with elephants in Northern Thailand. You can find me at the rescue centers like Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary, which give visitors the opportunity to learn and be a part of improving the quality and care of rescued elephants. This has been a lifelong dream, and I’m done waiting." —M.R.

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    Do a 360-tour of a new place.

    "I plan to go somewhere and try to understand it from as many angles as I can—specifically, Colonsay, an island in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. I'm going for an archaeological tour and lectures, to paint, to learn about sheep and farming, and to meet locals." —Phil Falino