Bucket List 2021

4 Thrilling Destinations

 

By A.P. Connolly

While the worldwide pause in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to keep the journey closer to home, it hasn’t dampened our adventurous spirits one bit. It means we have more time to dream and plan to make it a reality once the world opens in 2021.

Some may already have the perfect adventure in your sights, but to those who are still undecided, we got you. Use this bucket list to serve as inspiration for your next adventure.

New York Lifestyles will feature in future issues top destinations to consider for future travel. So, let’s get into it.

COSTA RICA
This vibrant Central American nation offers the attractions of most seaside countries + more. Relax in a rushing river as a steamy volcano lights up the night sky with red hot radiance. Hike through misty forests, where a verdant world is swathed in wisps of fog. Listen as howler monkeys serenade you from across the canopy or gaze in awe as blazing macaws glide through the sky and sloths hang lazily from the treetops. And that’s just the view from the balcony.

In Costa Rica, natural beauty comes with plenty of human friendliness and more than a little indulgence. Jungle lodges dish up gourmet cuisine. So, enjoy life and make nature your backdrop.
Info: visitcostarica.com.

GREECE
Since the dawn of history, Greece has been known as a sensuous land of intense light, deep blue sky, whitewashed houses, and air perfumed with the scent of honey, wild licorice, sage, and thyme. It’s a land that is ancient and yet very young. Athens may have the awesome centuries-old Acropolis, but it’s also a modern city abuzz with fine restaurants and clubs.

Yet even Greeks agree that to see the real Greece, you must visit the islands. Here the sun is even more dazzling and the sea even more sublimely blue. Visit cypress-cloaked Corfu said to have been the birthplace of Aphrodite. Santorini is thought to be all that remains of the lost continent of Atlantis. Or continue your trip on Mykonos. There are scores of other islands to explore.

Greece is about the love of life, simple and spontaneous. It’s as unforgettable as sitting together under a string of colored lights on the patio of a seaside taverna, enjoying perfectly grilled fish and a bottle of wine. Info: visitgreece.gr.

AFRICA
Luxury tented camps pitched in the tender cradle of Mother Africa, creatures of all shapes and sizes, Champagne by a crackling fire at sunset and a sheltering mosaic of stars come evening. Tanzania’s rugged Serengeti makes for the ideal classic safari, with its upscale yet understated tented camps and graceful Masai residents. Kenya’s Great Rift Valley offers camel rides, picnics in the bush, and private guarded swimming holes where travelers can soak under tranquil waters for a notch up on the luxury ladder. South Africa’s safari lodges are renowned for their upscale pampering. True explorers should be sure to visit Botswana’s elegant landscapes, where the desert meets water in the startling wonderland of the Okavango delta. Here you’ll witness wildlife you never knew existed. And just remember when your trip draws to a close, that you may leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you. Info: southafrica.net; magicalkenya.com; botswanatourism.co.bw.

IRELAND
How abundant the gifts that Ireland has given to the world: poetry and prose, including Yeats and Joyce; a treasure trove of music—and what would we ever do without Jameson’s whiskey and cool pints of Guinness? But the best way to savor Ireland’s many gifts is to head straight to the source for a trip that’s a veritable feast for the senses.

Begin your stay in fair Dublin, the friendliest capital in the world, and branch out to explore the north’s rugged hills and lakes or the rolling pastures of County Waterford in the south. Revel in the great outdoors along Kerry’s scenic ring, home to hiking, horseback riding, biking, and golf. Marvel at the epic rock formations that make up the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim. And wherever your travels take you, be sure to pop into a pub or two (or three) to learn why Ireland’s residents are the most charming storytellers on the planet. Just imagine the wonderful tales you must share when you return. Info: tourismireland.com