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This winter instead of making a yearly state to-do list, I decided to just make a bigger state bucket list. Then I decided to turn this into a little series. I wanted to do specific states that I spend a lot of time in, want to spend a lot of time in, or am close to a lot.
I also wanted to do more general regional bucket lists for all the other things I want to do, which is a lot. They are all pretty outdoor focused with a few non-outdoorsy things, too.
Next up in this little series is a little weird. I always have a hard time dividing up the US into regions, mostly with California. So this list isn’t really a region but not just one state either. This month’s post will have three states included: an Alaska bucket list, a Hawaii bucket list, and a California bucket list.
As I do things and write posts for them, I’ll update this to link back to those. If I do something and don’t have a post, I’ll just cross it out.
I would like to do one a month with 12 total. These bucket lists are partially to help me keep track of things, but also to inspire you to get out there, too.
Bucket list posts
Alaska Bucket List
- Denali National Park
- Glacier Bay National Park
- Katmai National Park
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
- Kobuk Valley National Park
- Lake Clark National Park
- Gates of the Arctic National Park
- Talkeetna
- Win a permit for the Denali Drive (or take a Jeep tour if you don’t)
- Chena Hot Springs
- Portage Glacier
- Go above the Arctic Circle
- Mendenhall Glacier
- Mendenhall Ice Caves
- Visit the Inside Passage
- Sitka
- Skagway
- Ketchikan
- Kayak by glaciers
- Go whale watching
- Take a floatplane
- Indian River Trail in Sitka
- Chilkoot Trail in Skagway
- Hatcher pass in Palmer
- Exit Glacier
- Take a scenic flight
- Mt. Healey Overlook in Denali
- Kenai River Trail in Cooper Landing
- Winner Creek Trail
- Lost Lake in Seward
- See Meares Glacier
- Flattop Mountain
- Falls Creek Trail
- West Glacier Trailhead Ice Caves
- Lunch Falls Trail
- Tongass National Forest
- Connell Lake Trail
- Goose Creek Tower
- See northern lights
- Guyot Glacier Ice Caves
- Go whitewater rafting
- Permafrost Tunnel
- Santa Claus House
- Lady of the Lake
- See Thunderbird Falls
- Whittier Building
- Treadwell Ruins
- Go dog sledding
- Great Kobuk Sand Dunes
- Petroglyph Beach in Wrangell
- Little Diomede Island
Hawaii Bucket List
- Hawaii Volcanos National Park
- Haleakala National Park
- Stairway to Heaven
- Snorkel Hanauma Bay
- Na Pali Coast helicopter tour
- Na Pali Coast sailing trip
- Visit the Dole Plantation
- Na Pali Coast State Park
- Drive through Waimea Canyon
- Hike Kalalau Trail on Kauai
- Hike Diamond Head Crater
- Visit Tunnels Beach on Kauai
- Drive the Road to Hana
- See sea turtles
- Snorkel Molokini Crater
- Go whale watching
- Snorkel Sharks Cove on Oahu
- See turtles at Turtle Beach on Oahu
- Hike Kilauea Volcano
- Lanikai Pillbox hike
- Kayak Wailua River on Kauai
- Hike Manoa Falls
- Hike to the top of Koko Head
- See the lava flows going into the ocean
- Visit Akaka Falls
- See Rainbow Falls on the Big Island
- Papakolea Green Sand Beach
- Visit Pearl Harbor
- Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
- See the bamboo forest on Maui
- Seven Sacred Pools on Maui
- Kaihalulu Bay red sand beach
- Visit Iolani Palaca
- Waianapanapa State Park
- See lava
- Hanapepe swinging bridge
- Haena State Park
- Polihale Beach on Kauai
- Garden of the Gods on Lanai
- Shipwreck Beach on Lanai
- Kaena Point on Oahu
- Hi’ilawe Falls on the Big Island
- Mauna Kea
- Go to a Luau
- Halemaumau Crater
- Olomana Three Peaks Trail on Oahu
- Waahila Ridge Trail on Oahu
- Kaau Crater Hike
- Seven Falls Hike on Oahu
- Hike the Sleeping Giant Trail
- Tom Tom Trail on Oahu
- Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail on Oahu
- Ehukui Pillbox HIke
- Learn to Hula
California Bucket List
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
- Redwood National (and state) Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Channel Islands National Park
- Mono Lake
- Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea
- Burney Falls
- Race Track at Death Valley
- Drive Highway 1
- Big Sur
- Fern Canyon
- Salvation Mountain
- Point Reyes Cypress Tunnel
- Point Reyes lighthouse
- Moaning Cavern
- See the Golden Gate Bridge
- Visit Alcatraz
- Half Dome cables route
- Ana Nuevo State Park
- Snowshoe to Fallen Leaf Lake
- Drive Avenue of the Giants
- See the Hollywood Sign
- Alabama Hills
- Find Banana Slugs in Santa Cruz
- Drive through Bishop Creek in fall
- Devils Postpile
- Hetch Hetchy
- Bumpass Hell in Lassen
- Torrey Pines State Reservee Broken Hill in Torrey Pines
- Kayak La Jolla sea caves
- Winchester Mansion
- Santa Cruz Mystery Spot
- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg
- Mammoth Lakes
- Visit the Muir Woods
- Rubicon Trail
- Lake Tahoe
- Moro Rock Hike
- Solvang
- Cold Springs Tavern
- Explore San Diego
- Mercer Caverns
- Lava Beds National Monument
- Poppy bloom in Antelope Valley State Park
- Nit Witt Ridge
- Whale watch in Monterey Bay
- Napa Valley hot air balloon ride
- Death Valley hot air balloon ride
- Urban Lights and LACMA
- Disneyland
- Drink wine in Napa Valley
- Death Valley super bloom
- Lembert Dome
- Wiskeytown Falls
- North Fork of Big Pine
- Clouds Rest
- Lost Palm Oasis
- Mersan Lakes
- Mist Trail
Have you done any of these things? What should I consider adding to them?




I want to see all of California! Let’s plan a road trip and start crossing things off the list!
Deal! There is so much cool stuff to see there!
Your pics are unreal!!! WOW
Well, I would say thank you, but they’re stock phots for this post. Someday I’ll be able to add my own!